Part 53

685. The banished man. The MS. has "his stately form."

724. Needs but a buffet. Only a single blow is needed.

728. Then clamored, etc. The MS. and 1st ed. have "Clamored his comrades of the train;" and in 730 the MS. has "warrior's" for Baron's.

735. Atone. See on iv. 421 above.

744. But shall a Monarch's presence, etc. The MS. reads:

"But in my court injurious blow, And bearded thus, and thus out-dared? What, ho!" etc.

747. Ward. Guarding, confinement under guard. Cf. Gen. xl. 3.

752. Misarray. Disorder, confusion. Neither Wb. nor Worc. gives the word.

754. Pricked. Spurred, rode. See on 486 above.

755. Repelled, etc. The MS. has "Their threats repelled by insult loud."

768. Hyndford. A village on the Clyde, a few miles above Lanark.

790. Widow's mate expires. An instance of prolepsis, or "anticipation" in the use of a word. He must expire before she can be a widow. Cf. Macbeth, iii. 4. 76:

"Blood hath been shed ere now, i' the olden time, Ere human statute purg'd the gentle weal;"

that is, purged it and made it gentle.

794. Ward. Ward off, avert.

796. The crowd's wild fury, etc. The MS. reads:

"The crowd's wild fury ebbed amain In tears, as tempests sink in rain."

The 1st ed. reads as in the text, but that of 1821 has "sunk amain."

The figure here is a favorite one with Shakespeare. Cf. R. of L. 1788:

"This windy tempest, till it blow up rain, Held back his sorrow's tide, to make it more; At last it rains, and busy winds give o'er;"

3 Hen. VI. i. 4. 146:

"For raging wind blows up incessant showers, And, when the rage allays, the rain begins;"

Id. ii. 5. 85:

"see, see, what showers arise, Blown with the windy tempest of my heart;"

T. and C. iv. 4. 55: "Where are my tears? rain, to lay this wind, or my heart will be blown up by the root;" and Macbeth, i. 7. 25: "That tears shall down the wind."

808. The rough soldier. Sir John of Hyndford (768 above).

811. He led. The 1st ed. has "they led," and "their" for his in 813.

812. Verge. Note the rhyme with charge, and see on iv. 83 above.