He found his chamber well arrayit, With noble comfits, brawn, and geill: 3 4 And swa the squyer fuir right weill. Sa, to hear mair of his narration, That night he sleepit never ane wink, 1 Damasked? (Pink. Gloss.) Ornicle, in La Combe's Dict. du Vieux Lang. is interpreted "sorte d'étoffe fort "riche;" and linen imitating the patterns of such stuff might be called travail d'ornicle. In Dutch, doornick is the name for Tournay; the word, therefore, may be synonimous with Flemish linen. 2 Choice. Ruddiman's Gloss. 4 Fared. 3 Jelly. 5 Home. The adventure which follows nearly resembles that of Dido and Æneas; but Lindsay, though more circumstantial, is less delicate than Virgil in relating the good fortune of his hero: which is the more to be lamented, because his description contains some curious particulars respecting the customs and fashions of the age. Sir David Lindsay has enumerated no less than seven contemporary poets, of whom, however, we have no remains, excepting three pieces composed by one of the Stewarts, and inserted in page 146, 148, and 151, of Lord Hailes's extracts from the Bannatyne MS. They are principally remarkable for the freedom with which they censure the conduct of King James V. But the finest specimen of Scotish poetry, during this period, is a piece which is quoted by Mr Tyrwhitt from the Maitland MSS. under the title of the Mourning Maiden, and printed by Mr Pinkerton (Anc. Scot. Poems, 1786, p. 205.) THE MOURNING MAIDEN. Still under the leavis green This hinder day I went alone: I heard ane may1 sair mourn, and meyne; A virgin. Sax. 2 Moan, complain. She sighit sely' sore; Said, "Lord, I love thy lore, "Mair woe dreit never woman one. "O langsum life! and thou were gone, "Then should I mourn no more!" As red gold-wire shinit her hair, 3 And all in green the may she glaid; 3 Under her belt were arrows braid. 4 I followit on that free,s That seemly was to see: With still mourning her moan she made. That bird under a bank she bade 6 And leanit to ane tree. "Wan-weird!" she said, "what have I wrought, "That on me kytht has all this care? "True love, so dear I have thee bought! "Certis, so shall I do na mair.9 I Wonderfully? sellic, Sax. 2 Endured; dreogan, Sax. 3 Glided along. 4 Broad. 5 After that noble maid. Free, in old English, is almost constantly used in the sense of noble or genteel. 6 Abode. 8 Cast. 7 Misfortune. 9 No more. "Sen that I go beguil'd "With ane that faith has syľ'd,' "That gars" me oft-syis 3 sigh full sair, "This great disease for love I dre ;5 "" I may not mend, but mourning mo, "I am his friend, and he my foe. "Withoutin feign I was his friend 10 "In word and work, great God it wait! 9 "Where he was plac'd, there list I leynd, "Doand him service ayr 11 and late. 1 Deceived. 2 Causes. 3 Oft-sithes, i. e. oft-times. 4 Holts are woody hills. fal, Mort Arthur, &c. 6" I cannot be relieved "mourning.” 7 Death. 9 Wots, knows. 11 Early. VOL. II. Holtis hoar is used in Sir Laun5 Endure. except by a continuance of 8 Feud, enmity. C 10 To dwell. Rudd. Gloss. "He kepand1 after syne2 "But now he gais another gait,3 "It does me pyne that I may prove, "Therefore my heart will burst in two: Then weepit she, lusty in weed, And on her wayis can she went," 8 And in my armis could her hent,? 'Keeping, watching, guarding against. 2 Sin, impeachment. 3 Gait, or gate, and way, were formerly synonymous; and the Scots still use gang your gait, for go your way. 4 State, situation. 6 Companion, mistress. 3 Beautiful woman, S Pain. 7 Wend, go. |