The Bruce
4. The imperative plural is in _is_ (_ys_): _departis us_ (VI. 543). It
is more rare without the ending (XI 309; XII. 227, etc). This, however,
is the rule when the imperative is followed by its pronoun: _luk yhe_
(XII. 217).
5. The present participle ends in _and_. Doubling of the consonant may
occur after a short vowel--_e.g._, _wonnand_ (X. 160).
6. The verbal noun (so-called) ends in _yng_ or _ing_. In many examples
the _g_ is dropped, as the tendency was and is in Scots, and we have a
form in _yn(e)_. _Cf._ _fechting_ (XII. 119) and _fechtyn_ (III. 241).
And these may rhyme, which shows that in sound the difference was not
apparent (_cf._ IX. 120). Sometimes the particular form depends on the
MS.--_e.g._, VI. 520, C _supposing_: E _supposyn_. The same thing is
found in proper names with a similar termination.
7. The past participle of strong verbs has ending _yn_ or _in_, seldom
_en_. _Clymen_ in X. 648, where the correct form, _clummyn_, is given
in 606, is either really a surviving or intruded infinitive, or has
been assimilated to it.
N.B.--VII. 524, C _cum_: E _cummyn_; X. 506, C _won_: E _wonnyn_.
8. The infinitive has dropped all trace of an ending. The _e_ which
sometimes appears is silent. It is formed by prefixing _to_ or _till_,
in certain cases with _for_ in addition. For one case we have a reduced
infinitive with _at_: _a-do_ (X. 348).
ADVERBS.
1. _him allane_ is a strengthened form of _him ane_ (VI. 272, 320),
and is the more frequent of the two; equivalent to German “allein” and
analogous in construction to the pronoun with _self_. In Early Scots
_alane_ is attached to the dative, in later and modern Scots to the
possessive, _his ane_, etc.: the fuller form, from a confusion with
_lone_, is now _his lane_, etc.
2. The surviving phrase, _the morn_ (XIV. 478) occurs once for the
older _to-morn_. Mr. Gregory Smith says that the former “begins to
appear in M. Sc.” (Middle Scots, 1450-1600),[186] and MS. E indeed reads
_to-morn_ in the passage above.
3. Note the compounds with _gat_ (a way), _thusgat_, _swagat_, etc.: in
XIX. 253; C _swagatis_; E _swagat_: also _howgatis_, etc., preserving
Genitive ending.
4. The forms _on liff_ (XVIII. 154), _on slepe_ (VII. 192), _on stray_
(XIII. 195), etc., are peculiarly Northern forms for “alive,” “asleep,”
etc. _Cf._ also _on fer_, _on flot_.
PREPOSITIONS.
1. _Till_ = _to_, the former being a Northern fashion. C frequently
extends to _on-to_, _on-till_, as in VI. 622, XVII. 29, etc.
2. Note the verbal preposition _that I of tell_, etc.
3. _Be_ and _by_ are common to both MSS., C more frequently the latter,
probably a Southern influence. Strictly in Scots _be_ alone denotes
agency; _by_ usually = beyond, as in _by ordinar_, etc.
CONJUNCTIONS.
1. The verb _suppos_ is several times used as a conjunction.
2. _the-quhethir_ = _thohquhether_ = _thohquether_, “nevertheless,”
unknown to the Southern dialects.[187]
[186] _Specimens of Middle Scots_, p. xxxviii.
[187] _Specimens of Early English_, Morris and Skeat, vol. ii.
GLOSSARY
1. Familiar words slightly disguised by spelling are not included.
2. C = Cambridge MS. of _The Bruce_; E = Edinburgh MS.; H = Hart’s
printed edition; S = Skeat’s edition for Scottish Text Society
(S.T.S.); N.E.D. = New English Dictionary; A.S. = Anglo-Saxon;
A.F. = Anglo-French; O.F. = Old French; O.N. = Old Norse; N.E.
= Northern English; v. = verb; p.t. = past tense; p.p. = past
participle; s. = substantive.
3. _i_ and _y_ are completely interchangeable. In such cases as
_ar_, _air_, _ayr_ (_ere_), consult under first or earlier form.
4. Only the more significant or interesting references have been
given, or those of single occurrence.
A, one, a single: _A gatis_, in one way, uniformly, IV. 702
Abaid, _s._, delay: _v._, waited = abode
Abais, _v._, to abash, dismay, discourage;
_p.p._ Abaysit, dismayed
Abasing, Abaysyng, etc., _s._, dismay, discouragement
Abandoune, Abaundoune, give up;
make subject, IV. 655, etc.;
behave boldly: _at abandoune_, recklessly;
_in abandoune_, loosely
Abovin, _prep._ and _adv._, above (A.S. _ábúfan_);
also Abuf
Acquyt, _v._, free
Ado, to do = _at do_ (N.E. infin.), X. 348
Afald, “one fold,” single, XX. 618
Affeir, Affer, _s._, bearing, pomp
Afferis, belongs to, becomes (Anglo-Fr. _afferir_, to belong). See Effeir
Affermit, confirmed
Affy, trust
Agane, Aganis, against
Air, Ayr, _s._, heir
Air, Ayr, _adv._, ere, formerly (A.S. _ǣr_). See Eir
Air, _v._, are, IV. 704
Alabast, alabaster
Alkyn, _adj._, every kind
Aller, _gen. pl._ of all: _thar aller_, of them all, I. 137. See
_Grammar_
All-gat, Allgait, always;
every way, XVIII. 451
All-weldand, “all-wielding,” omnipotent
Alsone, Alsoyn(e), as soon, very soon
Als-tit, very soon
Alsua, also
Alswith, very quickly
Ameyssyt, appeased, XVI. 134 (O.F. _amesir_)
Amonist, _v._, to admonish, exhort, VIII. 348
Amonestyng, Amonystyng, _s._, advice, exhortation
Amorus, _adj._, amorous
Amouris, _s._, love
Amovis, _v._, moves;
_p.p._, Amovyt
Anamalyt, _p.p._, enamelled, XX. 305
Anciente, antiquity, VI. 252 (A.F. _ancienté_)
Anent, _prep._, near;
towards;
opposite to, XIX. 512
Anerly, only, merely, alone
Angyr, anger, affliction, suffering, I. 235, II. 519;
also _adj._, Angry, difficult, unfavourable, V. 70;
pained, III. 530;
annoying, XVIII. 515
Anis, Anys, once: _at anys_, at once
A-pane, for all that, nevertheless;
really a mere expletive: “at a pinch” (Skeat)
Apert, _adj._, open: _in apert_, openly, XIX. 217
Appurvait, provided
Aquynt, acquainted
Ar, Air, Ayr, _adv._, before, formerly (A.S. _ǣr_)
Ar, an oar;
_pl._ aris
Arbytre, judgment, decision, I. 75 (O.F. _arbitre_ or _arbitrie_)
Arest, _s._ and _v._, arrest, stop
Arettit, _v._, _p.p._, accused, XIX., 20 (O.F. _aretter_, to accuse)
Arsoune, saddle-bow, XVI. 131
Assay, _v._, “essay,” try, attempt, attack;
also _p.t._, underwent, I. 448
Assege, _s._, siege;
also _v._, Assegit, besieged
Assenyhe, war-cry;
also, ensenyhe
Assentit, “assented,” agreed
Assignit, _p.p._, assigned
Assis, assize, court of law, XIX. 55
Assolyheit, _v._, _p.t._, absolved, set free
Assonyheit, _p.p._, excused (O.F. _essoigner_)
Assouerans, _s._, assurance
Assouerit, _v._, “assured,” give confidence to, encourage, VI. 225;
also _intrans._, to have confidence in, rely upon, XI. 309
Ath, Ayth, oath
Atour, _prep._, over, above
Atour, _s._, gear, equipment (O.F. _atour_, _ator_, furniture, gear)
Aucht, _v._, ought;
_p.p._, possessed, I. 45
Auchty, eighty
Aulde, old
Availyhe, Availl, to be of use
Avalyhe, in phrase IX. 147, “avail what may avail,” come what will.
Availl, _v._, lower
Avaward, vanguard
Avenand, handsome, graceful (O.F. _avenant_, well-proportioned)
Avent, _v._, to give air to, cool, XII. 145
Aventurous, “adventurous,” dangerous, risky
Averty, shrewd, prudent
Avisè, skilful, II. 271, prudent
Avisment, Avisement, advice, consideration
Avis, advice, opinion;
sound judgment, X. 269
Awayward, in their going away, XVI. 584
Awblasteris, arbalisters, crossbow-men, XVII. 236 (E). See Oblesteris
Awmener, a purse (O.F. _aumosniere_, a bag for alms)
Awter, altar, II. 33, 34
Aynd, _s._, breath (O.N. _andi_)
Aynding, _s._, breathing
Ay-quhar, everywhere
Ayr, oar;
_pl._ Ayris
Ayth, oath
Bacheler, Bachiller, a young knight, not displaying his own banner but
following that of another
Baid. See Abaid
Baill, burning mass (A.S. _bǣl_, great fire)
Bailyheys, bailiffs
Bair, _v._, _p.t._, bore
Bait, Bate, a boat (A.S. _bāt_)
Baitit, _v._, _p.t._, baited, fed. See Bayt
Baneour, a banner-bearer
Banys, bones
Banyst, _v._, _p.p._, banished
Banrentis, bannerets, XI. 259: knights bringing vassals under their own
banner. _Cf._ Bacheler
Bar, _v._, _p.t._, bore: _bar on hand_, maintained against, hence
condemned, excluded, I. 62. See note
Barblyt, barbed
Barell-ferraris, vessels for carrying liquid, XV. 39. See note
Bargane, _s._ and _v._, fight, encounter
Barganyng, _s._, fighting, combat
Barnage, baronage (O.F. _barnaige_, gathering of barons)
Barnè = barnage (word of two syllables)
Barras, barriers, outwork (O.F. _barres_; _pl._ of _barre_, a stake)
Barrit, _p.t._, barred
Basnet, a helmet of conical shape (O.F. _bacin_, a basin, giving dimin.
_bacinet_)
Bat(e), boat. See Bait
Bath, both
Battaillyt, Battalit, furnished with battlements
Battale, battell, a battalion, division of the army
Battel-sted, a battlefield, XV. 74
Bauld, _adj._, bold;
also _adv._, Bauldly
Bayt, to feed
Bawlmyt, embalmed
Be, _prep._, by
Bedene, Bedeyn, straightway, quickly;
in XV. 108 as an expletive, or with no particular force
Beforn, _prep._ and _adv._, before
Begouth, _v._, _p.t._ of began. See _Grammar_.
Begunnyn, Begonnyn, _v._, _p.p._, begun
Behaldand, _v._, _pr. p._, beholding
Behufis, _v. impers._, it behoves: _behufit away_, had to go, VI. 210
Bekand, warming, XIX. 552
Belif(f), speedily, soon
Bemys, beams
Benk, bench
Berdlass, beardless
Berfrois, a tower, modern _belfry_. See note X. 708
Berne, a barn
Berynes, _s._, burial, variant of “buriness” (A.S. _byrignes_, a burial)
Bet, _v._, beat, XIII. 158
Bet, _v._, _p.t._, improved, mended, XIX. 497 (A.S. _betan_, to better,
repair)
Betane, pursued, _p.p._ (Northern) of _betake_, III. 159
Betaucht. See Beteche
Betraiss, to betray;
_p.p._ Betrasyt, Betresyt
Beteche, to commit, hand over;
_part._, betaucht
Betyd, _v._;
_pr. sub._, happen
Biggit, built and so, inhabited, XIV. 383
Bikkyr, Bykkir, to skirmish;
_pr. part._, Bikkyrring;
_p.t._, Bykkerit
Blenknyt, _v._;
_p.t._, blinked, glanced;
variant of next form
Blenkyt, looked to the side, glanced, shone (A.S. _blīcan_, to shine)
Bodword, a message, XV. 423 (N.E. only)
Bodyn, _p.p._ (obs.), of Bid, bidden, challenged to fight;
armed, VII. 103
Bollis, bushels
Boruch, pledge (A.S. _borh_, a pledge)
Bot, but
Boune, Bown, Bowne, prepared, ready;
_adj._ and _p.p._;
_v._, bown, to make ready
Bow-draucht, bow-shot
Bourdand, jesting, humorous, VIII. 383 (O.F. _bourder_, to jest)
Boyis, fetters, X. 763 (O.F. _boie_, _buie_)
Brad, Braid, broad
Bra-syd, brae--_i.e._, hill-side
Brast, _v._, to break, “burst,” XV. 479;
_p.t._, Brest, Brist.
See _Language_, “r”
Bredis, _v._, expand, spread out, XVI. 68 (A.S. _brædan_, to spread)
Breid, breadth: _on breid_, in breadth (A.S. _brædu_, breadth)
Brig, Bryg, _s._, bridge: as _v._, Briggit, bridged
Brocht, broucht, brought
Browdyn, _p.p._, embroidered
Bruk(e), _v._, enjoy
Brulyheit, broiled, burned
Brym, shore;
originally “the line which separates the land from the sea”
(Max Müller)
Bryn, to burn. See _Language_, “r”
Brynstane, brimstone
Bundin, Bundyn, _p.p._, bound
Burchis, _s. pl._, burghs, towns
Burd, board: Burdys, Burdis (II. 96, V. 388), the boards of a
temporary table
Burgeonys, leaves, fresh shoots, V. 10
Buschement, an ambush
Busk, to prepare oneself, get ready;
_past_, buskit
But, _prep._, without: _but persaving_, without being seen, XVII. 92
Bynk. See Benk
Byrd, it behoved;
_past of reflexive verb_: VI. 316
Byrkis, birches
Byrnys, “birnies,” shirts of mail
Cald, Cauld, cold
Call, to drive. See note on X. 227;
labour, XIX. 174
Can, did (_auxiliary_). _Cf._ Gan
Cant, active, brisk
Car, “care” in sense of grief, regret
Cariage, Caryage, _s._, baggage
Carle, Carll, churl, peasant