Various Readings: CLXXXVII. 1 Pilot A. 3 with A om. 4 graif þi fure A. CLXXXVIII. 1 Is A. 2 saluitour A. 3 dispenacioun þe god A. 6 confitour A. 7 crist our king A. CLXXXIX. 2 body had lowsit A. 3, 7 godheid A. 4, 7 ffra A. 5 Godis A om.

6 Haue A om. Saule A. CXC. 6 ffor A.

Notes: V. 1377. They searched in the sepulture for sure weapons. But what is the meaning of this? V. 1385. Our emendation conforting instead of confitour was required by the rhyme and is supported by v. 1407.

V. 1391, 1392. Both these verses are deficient as well with regard to the sense as to the metre. We have added Godis before sone and Haue before Saule, but we are doubtful, especially in the second case, whether these words come near the original reading.

V. 1397. A verse is wanting after this line. But it is difficult to fill up the lacuna. Mirakill may have been the missing rhyme-word.

Notes: V. 1400. From the contents of this stanza, which begins quite abruptly with an answer of Wit and Reason to Will, without a question having been asked or an opinion been uttered first by this allegorical personage, it is evident that several stanzas must be wanting here. The MS., however, shows no lacuna.

V. 1402, 1403. Argo v. a. To argue. The reading to hid to skaill seems to be doubtful. Possibly we should read to hid or skaill (v. a. to dismiss, to scatter, to leave the place formerly occupied, Jamieson; these meanings, however, hardly make sense here).

V. 1404. Thou wait, thou knowest.

V. 1409. Instead of quhilk... pat lay we should possibly read quhilk. . . did lay.

V. 1420. Vp has been added here in conformity with v. 1415 for the sake of the rhythm.

V. 1423. So is superfluous here and possibly should be omitted.

7 Wist maist A.

Various Readings: CXCIV. 5 Thee his A. 6 forgif A. CXCV. 3 panis A om. 6 Hail A. king A. CXCVI. 6 ferour A. CXCVII. 1 Originally sat he doun in the MS.; but he crossed through, and pai written over it by the same hand. 3 wes A. om. 4 Boith heid and A. 5. The fifth line of the stanza is wanting, although there is no lacuna in the MS. 7 all A. CXCVIII. 1 saluiour A. 2 mary magdalyn A.

Notes: V. 1427. Wist maist, as the MS. reads, could possibly signify knew most, had most experience. But considering the great carelessness of the scribe it seems almost certain to us that it is merely a slip of the pen for was maist, the ist of the second word having influenced the first.

V. 1430. The word panis again had to be added here, as well for the sake of the sense, as of the rhythm of the verse.

V. 1440. Here again the MS. reads, as before (v. 1262), ferour instead of fervour.

V. 1443, 1444. Pace s. Weight. A royal weight. What does this mean? - Soun adj. sound.

Various Readings: 5 scho said A. 6 confor A. CXCIX. The heading is written in red letters; so is the first letter of the first line, the others of the first word being somewhat larger than usual. 3 [atte last] A om. 4 [pis] A om. quhat A. 6 gif A. 7 hyn A. CC. 3 rabone A. [is it þe] A om. 4 Is A. 7 saluiour A. CCI. 1 [voce] A om. There is only v standing between hevinlie and refrenit, but it is crossed out again. 6 [and] A om. 7 [nocht yet] A om.

Notes: V. 1454, 1455 (Heading). Apperacio. The ignorant scribe has a similar spelling, viz. apperacioun, in the following headings, where he uses the English form of the word.

V. 1454. The narrative changes here abruptly from the third person (he said 1453) to the first. V. 1461. Instead of hyn (hence) may we have printed, in conformity with the Gospel of St. John, him may: that I may bring him back.

V. 1474, 1475. To nech v. a. To come near, to touch. And had to be added for the sake of the sense as well as of the rhythm. Pretend must be the Perf. Tense here (= pretended), as well as ascend, before which nocht yet had to be added in conformity with the Gospel of St. John (chap. 20, v. 17).

Various Readings: CCII. The heading is written in red letters: mary is. The first 1 maryis A. CCIII. 1 followis A. 2 lord A. 3 ffra A. and the first letter of the first verse are written in red ink. the first letter of the verse are written in red ink. 3 ffra A.

1500

letter of the first line also is red. peter A. 5 marys or marijs A. 7 Quhen A. CCIV. The heading 3 Doctouris A. saluiour A. 4 peter A. CCV. The heading and 5 crist A. 6 be brot se A, but bro crossed through, not the t after it.

Notes: V. 1502, 1503. The rhymes in this stanza are not well arranged, as the final couplet has similar rhymes to those of the preceding verses. Possibly the original reading was a burd be brocht (cf. the various readings) Als bred he put pat his brethir bocht (procured).