Notes to Canto 5

Nor then claim'd sovereignty his due,While Albany, with feeble hand,Held borrow'd truncheon of command.—St. VI. p. 198.

The Gael, of plain and river heir,Shall, with strong hand, redeem his share.—St. VII. p. 200.

An iron race the mountain cliffs maintain,Foes to the gentler genius of the plain;For where unwearied sinews must be found,With side-long plough to quell the flinty ground;To turn the torrent's swift-descending flood;To tame the savage, rushing from the wood;What wonder if, to patient valour train'd,They guard with spirit what by strength they gain'd;And while their rocky ramparts round they seeThe rough abode of want and liberty,(As lawless force from confidence will grow,)Insult the plenty of the vales below?Fragment on the Alliance of Education and Government.

————————I only meantTo shew the reed on which you leant,Deeming this path you might pursueWithout a pass from Roderick Dhu.—St. XI. p. 206.

———On Bochastle the mouldering lines,Where Rome, the empress of the world,Of yore her eagle wings unfurled.—St. XII. p. 207.

See here, all vantageless I stand,Armed, like thyself, with single brand.—St. XII. p. 208.

Ill fared it then with Roderick Dhu,That on the field his targe he threw.—St. XV. p. 211.

A Highlander once fought a Frenchman at Margate,The weapons, a rapier, a back-sword, and target;Brisk mousieur advanced as fast as he could,But all his fine pushes were caught in the wood,And Sawny, with back-sword, did slash him and nick him,While t'other, enraged that he could not once prick him,Cried, "Sirrah, you rascal, you son of a whore,Me will fight you, be gar! if you'll come from your door."

For, train'd abroad his arms to wield,Fitz-James's blade was sword and shield.—St. XV. p. 212.

Like mountain-cat, that guards her young,Full at Fitz-James's throat he sprung.—St. XVI. p. 213.

Ye towers! within whose circuit dread,A Douglas by his sovereign bled;And thou, O sad and fatal mound!That oft hast heard the death-axe sound!—St. XX. p. 220.

————————Discordia tristisHeu quoties procerum sanguine tinxit humum!Hoc uno infelix, at felix cetera, nusquamLætior aut cœli frons geniusve soli.

Indifferent as to archer wight,The Monarch gave the arrow bright.—St. XXII. p. 225.

Prize of the wrestling match, the kingTo Douglas gave a golden ring.—St. XXIII. p. 225.

There happed to be there besideTryid a wrastiling,And therefore there was y-settenA ram and als a ring.

———By a bridge was a wrastling,And there taryed was he,And there was all the best yemenOf all the west countrey.A full fayre game there was set up,A white bull up y-pight,A great courser with sadle and brydle,With gold burnished full bryght;A payre of gloves, a red gold ringe,A pipe of wyne good fay;What man bereth him best I wis,The prise shall bear away.Ritson's Robin Hood, vol. I.