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NOTES TO THE FOURT BUIK (16-99).
209
and named his legate a latere in Germany. Among his works may be
mentioned ‘In V Decretalium libros Commentaria ’; ‘ Glossae in
Clementinas.’
16. Quhilk ,wrait= 'who wrote.’ Vrait is still the pronunciation
in parts of Banffshire.
30. Of baith the Lawis. See 1. 16. Lauder says of “ faithfull mynis-
taris —
Thay suld haue knawlage of boith the luris,
Als weill the Canone as Ciuile law ; Tractate, 11. 448, 449.
33. The many gre = ‘ by many degrees.’ Gre is the Fr. gre, a step.
40. For and sa, See. = ‘ for if it were so, there would be no succeeding
seed or generation.’
50. . . . at the debait. The was frequently used by writers in Scot¬
land, and also in England, when it is now omitted. One example out
of several in Lauder will suffice :—
. . . for euer to remaine
In the Infemall endles paine ; Tractate, 11. 57, 58.
62. That nane souldpreis, &c. = ‘that no one should take upon him¬
self to do the like thing.’ Lauder uses preis under the same form as
well as under the form prease :—
Preis -teller, O Prencis, in 3our cure,
No waye for to oppresse the pure ; Tractate, 11. 243, 244.
70-72. The form of homage was as follows : “ leo devink’ vostre
horn de vye et de member, et de terren honour, et foy vous porteray
centre toutz yceux qui porront vivre et morir, sauf la foy nostre
seigneur le roy et ses heirs, roys d’Engleterre.”—‘Registrum Palatinum
Dunelmense,’ vol. i. p. 92.
83. That he but dowt was drint= ‘ he was without doubt drowned in
despair.’
88. Tot gif, &c. = ‘unless there be found rescue at once.’
Lauder has :—
Geue that thare ony places be
More creuell than vthers in degre ; Tractate, 11. 89, 90.
91-99. This stanza is after the manner of Chaucer’s ‘ Dreme ’:—
Wherefor I doute that the blame,
Might be hindering to youre name,
Which floured hath so many yere,
So longe, that, for nothing here,
I wolde in no wise he deyde; vol. vi. p. 70.
And quok for fere, and gan to seyne
For wo, '' Alas ! what shal I do ?
What shal I seye this man unto ?
If he deye here, lost is my name !
How shal I pleye this perillous game ?