Part 38 (2/2)

line 112. 'I shall only produce one instance more of the great veneration paid to Lady Hilda, which still prevails even in these our days; and that is, the constant opinion, that she rendered, and still renders herself visible, on some occasions, in the Abbey of Streamshalh, or Whitby, where she so long resided. At a particular time of the year (viz. in the summer months), at ten or eleven in the forenoon, the sunbeams fall in the inside of the northern part of the choir; and 'tis then that the spectators, who stand on the west side of Whitby churchyard, so as just to see the most northerly part of the abbey pa.s.s the north end of Whitby church, imagine they perceive, in one of the highest windows there, the resemblance of a woman, arrayed in a shroud. Though we are certain this is only a reflection caused by the splendour of the sunbeams, yet fame reports it, and it is constantly believed among the vulgar, to be an appearance of Lady Hilda in her shroud, or rather in a glorified state; before which, I make no doubt, the Papists, even in these our days, offer up their prayers with as much zeal and devotion, as before any other image of their most glorified saint.” CHARLTON'S History of Whitby, p. 33.'--SCOTT.

Stanza V. line 131. What makes, what is it doing? Cp. Judges xviii.

3: 'What makest thou in this place?' The usage is frequent in Shakespeare; as e.g. As Yo Like It, i. I. 31: 'Now sir! what make you here?'

line 137. Blood-gouts, spots of blood. Cp. 'gouts of blood,'

Macbeth, ii. I. 46.

line 150. Shakespeare, King John, iv. 2. 13, makes Salisbury say that--

'To smooth the ice, or add another hue Unto the rainbow, or with taper-light To seek the beauteous eye of heaven to garnish Is wasteful, and ridiculous excess.'

Stanza VI. line 174. Beadsman, one hired to pray for another. Cp.

'Piers the Plowman,' B, III. 40:--

'I shal a.s.soille the my-selue . for a seme of whete, And also be thi BEDEMAN.'

Edie Ochiltree, the Blue-gown in 'The Antiquary,' belongs to the cla.s.s called King's Bedesmen, 'an order of paupers to whom the kings of Scotland were in the custom of distributing a certain alms, in conformity with the ordinances of the Catholic Church, and who were expected in return to pray for the royal welfare and that of the state.' See Introd. to the novel. Cp. also Henry V, iv. I. 315:--

'Five hundred poor I have in yearly pay,' &c.

Stanza VII. line 218. The Palmer's dress is put off like the serpent's slough. Cp. the Earl of Surrey's Spring sonnet--

'The adder all her slough away she flings.'

Stanza VIII. line 261. Featly, cleverly, dexterously. Cp. Tempest, i. 2. 380:--

'Foot it FEATLY here and there.'

Stanza IX. line 271. See Otterbourne, 'Border Minstrelsy,' i. p.

345. Douglas's death, during the battle was kept secret, so that when his men conquered, as if still under his command, the old prophecy was fulfilled that a dead Douglas should, win the field.

line 280. James encamped in Twisel glen (local spelling 'Twizel') before taking post on Flodden.

line 282. The squire's final act of qualification for knighthood was to watch by his armour till midnight. In his Essay on 'Chivalry'

Scott says: 'The candidates watched their arms ALL NIGHT in a church or chapel, and prepared for the honour to be conferred on them by vigil, fast, and prayer.' For a hasty and picturesque ceremony of knighthood see Scott's 'Halidon Hill,' I. ii.

Stanza XI. With the moonlight scene opening this stanza, cp. 'Lay of Last Minstrel,' II. i. Scott is fond of moonlight effects, and he always succeeds with them. See e.g. a pa.s.sage in 'Woodstock,' chap.

xix, beginning 'There is, I know not why, something peculiarly pleasing to the imagination in contemplating the Queen of Night,'

&c.

line 327. 'The well-known Gawain Douglas, Bishop of Dunkeld, son of Archibald Bell-the-Cat, Earl of Angus. He was author of a Scottish metrical version of the ”AEneid,” and of many other poetical pieces of great merit. He had not at this period attained the mitre.'-- SCOTT.

A word of caution is necessary as to the 'many pieces' mentioned here. Besides his 'AEneid, ' Douglas's extant works are 'Palice of Honour,' 'King Hart,' and a poem of four stanzas ent.i.tled 'Conscience.' To each book of the 'AEneid,' however, as well as to the supplementary thirteenth book of Maphaeus Vegius, which he also translates, he prefixes an introductory poem, so that there is a sense in which it is correct to call him the author of 'many pieces.' His works were first published in complete form in 1874, in four volumes, admirably edited by the late Dr. John Small. See 'Dict. of Nat.

Biog.'

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