Scottish Text Society publications > Third series > Works of Sir David Lindsay of the Mount, 1490-1555 > Volume 4, 1936

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THE WORKS OF SIR DAVID LINDSAY
616. Glitter clatter. Reduplicating form of clatter. Flatterie’s ship is
a ship of fools, who in a great storm give contrary sailing directions.
620. if or : Bann. MS., wy [wicht]. Flatterie may regard himself as the
King of Fools, or " Roy des Sots.” Cf. Scott, Slicht Retneid, S.T.S.,
17, line 39, “ Ffor be the wy that all the warld wrocht," where Roy,
the Rex of the Roman Catholic hymns, &c., is probably intended.
The rex fatuorum is found in the fourteenth century ; cf. Chambers,
Mediceval Stage, I. 314-15.
621. Brittill brattill. Reduplicating form of brattle, used to imitate
the loud flapping of the sails. Brattill was also used to describe the
clatter of falling armour ; cf. Dunbar, Turnament, S.T.S., II. 124,
line 73, “ His harnass brak and maid ane brattill.”
624. Braikand like ane Brok : breaking wind like a badger. M.E. broke,
brok ; O.E. broc. Cf. Satyre, 2489, " Thir stewats stinks as thay war
Broks.”
635. Falset. Lindsay gives no description of Falset [Falsehood]. He
is the second of the three Vices. Cf. Dunbar, Quhome to sail I complene,
S.T.S., II. 101, line 37, " Falsett with the lord[is] dois roun.”
643. Quhen freindis nieitis, hartis wartnis. Proverb. Laing, II. 304,
" This proverbial saying [is] in Kelly’s Scottish Proverbs (p. 340), When
friends meet. Hearts iparm, and quotes the line (from Horace Carm.,
i. v. 44)—Nil ego contulerim jucundo sanus amico." Cf. Ramsay,
Collection of Scots Proverbs (1797), 89, " When friends meet, hearts
warm." Cf. Fergusson, Scottish Proverbs, p. 106, No. 728, " Quhen
friends meets, hearts warmes.”
644. Quod I oh that frelie fud : quoth Jock, that hearty fellow. Frelie
fud, an alliterative description common in Middle English verse.
Chalmers, I. 395, quotes examples.
Jok / a popular name for a Active character ; also a traditional name
for a fool. Cf. Cupar Banns, 218, " ane iufflane lok.” Cf. Dunbar,
Testament, S.T.S., II. 57, lines 73-76:
To lok Fule, my foly fre
Lego post corpus sepultum ;
In faith I am mair fule than he.
Licet ostendit bonum vultum.
Cf. Satyre, 1689, " Put on 50ur hude lohne-Fule.”
646. Evin on a cace. Bann. MS., bot evin be cace. Just by chance,
Fr. cas.
647. Sleipand at the port: slipping through the gate. Chalmers, I.
395, ” I came in sleeping," which seems very wide of the mark.
649. Dissait, the third Vice.