The poetical works of Sir Walter Scott ... Notes & life of the author.

NOTES TO CANTO FIRST
fessed.''By my faith,' said the knight,'whatsoever he be, he is un.
happie; for as I deeme hee is of the fellowship of the Round Table, the
which is entered into the quest of. the Sancgreall.' Sir,' said the squire,
c'here have I brought you all your armes, save yourhelme and your sword,
and therefore, by mine arsent, now may ye take this knight's helme
and his sword,' and so he did. And when he was cleane armed, he
tooke Sir Launcelot's horse, for he was better than his owne, and so
they departed from the crosse.';Then anon Sir Launcelot awaked, and set himselfe up right, and he
thought him what hee had there seene, and whether it were dreames or
not, right sohe heard a voice that said,' Sir Launcelot, more hardy then
is the stone, and more bitter then is the wood, and more naked and bare
then is the liefe of the fig-tree, therefore go thou from hence, and with.
draw thee from this holy place.' And when Sir Launcelot heard this, hee
was passing heavy, and wit not what to doe. And so he departed sore
weeping, and cursed the time that he was borne; for then he deemed
never to have had more worship; for the words went unto his heart till
that he knew wherefore that hee was so called."
NOTE III.
And Dryden, in immortal strain,
Had raised the Table Round again,
But that a ribald king and court
Bade him toil on, to make them sport;
Demanded for their niggard pay,
Fit for their souls, a looser lay,
Licentious satire, song, and play.
DrSden's melancholy account of his projected Epic Poem, blasted by
the selfish and sordid parsimony of his patrons, is contained in an " Essay
on Satire," addressed to the Earl of Dorset, and prefixed to the Trans.
lation of Juvenal.
NOTE IV.
Of Ascapart, and Bevis bold.
Ascapaxt, a most important personage in the "History of Bevis of
Hampton," is thus described in an extract.This geaunt was mighty and strong,
And full thirty foot was long.
He was bristled like a sow;
A foot he had between each brow
His lips were great and hung aside;
His eyen were hollow, his mouth was widej
Lothly he was to look on than,
And liker a devil than a man,'His staff was a young oak,
Hard and heavy was his stroke.
Specimens of Metrical Ronmances, Vol. IL. p. 1L6.
NOTE V.
Day set on Norham's castled steep,
And Tweed's fair river, broad and deep.
The ruinous castle of Norham (Anciently called Ubbanford) is situated
on the southe n bank of the Tweed, about six miles above Berwick, and
where that river is still the boundary between England and Scotland. The
extent of its ruins as well as its historical importance, shew it to have
been a place of magnificence, as well as strength. Edward I. resided
there when he was created umpire of the dispute concerning the Scottish
succession. It was repeateoly taken and retaken during the wars be.
tween England and Scotland; and, indeed, scarce any happened, in
which it had not a trincil)al share. Norham Castle is situated on a steep
bank which overhangs the river. The repeated sieges which the castle
had sustained, rendered frequent retlairs necessary. In 1164 it was al.
most rebuilded by Hugh Pudsey, Bishop of Durham, who, added a lhuge
keep or donjon; notwithstanding which, King Henry II., in 1174, took
lhie castle from the bishop, and committed the keeping of it to William