Arthurian romances; Lady of the Lake (Legendary character) -- Romances
"If it be aught toward the general good,
Set honor in one eye and death i' the other,
And I will look on both indifferently;
For let the gods so speed me as I love
The name of honor more than I fear death."
411. Near Bochastle. The MS. has "By Cambusmore." See on i. 103 and 106
above.
413. Bower. Lodging, dwelling. See on i. 217 above.
415. Art. Affectation.
417. Before. That is, at his visit to the Isle. Cf. ii. 96 fol. above.
418. Was idly soothed, etc. The MS. has "Was idly fond thy praise to
hear."
421. Atone. Atone for. Shakespeare uses the verb transitively several
times, but in the sense of reconcile; as in Rich. II. i. 1. 202: "Since
we cannot atone you," etc. Cf. v. 735 below.
433. If yet he is. If he is still living.
437. Train. Lure; as in Macbeth, iv. 3. 118:
"Devilish Macbeth
By many of these trains hath sought to win me
Into his power."
Cf. the use of the verb (= allure, entice); as in C. of E. iii. 2. 45:
"O, train me not, sweet mermaid, with thy note;" Scott's Lay, iii. 146:
"He thought to train him to the wood," etc. James was much given to
gallantry, and many of his travels in disguise were on adventures of
this kind. See on i. 409 above and vi. 740 below.
446. As death, etc. As if death, etc. See on ii. 56 above, and cf. 459
below.
464. This ring. The MS. has "This ring of gold the monarch gave."
471. Lordship. Landed estates.
473. Reck of. Care for; poetical.
474. Ellen, thy hand. The MS. has "Permit this hand;" and below:
"'Seek thou the King, and on thy knee
Put forth thy suit, whate'er it be,
As ransom of his pledge to me;
My name and this shall make thy way.'
He put the little signet on," etc.
492. He stammered, etc. The MS. reads:
"He stammered forth confused reply:
'Saxon, | I shouted but to scare
'Sir Knight, |
Yon raven from his dainty fare.'"
500. Fared. Went; the original sense of the word. Cf. farewell (which
was at first a friendly wish for "the parting guest"), wayfarer,
thoroughfare, etc.
506. In tattered weeds, etc. The MS. has "Wrapped in a tattered mantle
gray." Weeds is used in the old sense of garments. Cf. Shakespeare, M.
N. D. ii. 1. 256: "Weed wide enough to wrap a fairy in;" Id. ii. 2.
71: "Weeds of Athens he doth wear;" Milton L'Allegro, 120: "In weeds of
peace," etc. See also v. 465 below.
523. In better time. That is, in better times or days; not in the
musical sense.
524. Chime. Accord, sing; a poetical use of the word. Cf. vi. 592 below.
531. Allan. "The Allan and Devan are two beautiful streams--the latter
celebrated in the poetry of Burns--which descend from the hills of
Perthshire into the great carse, or plain, of Stirling" (Lockhart).
548. 'T is Blanche, etc. The MS. has:
"'A Saxon born, a crazy maid--
T is Blanche of Devan,' Murdoch said."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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