My fairest earldom would I give Harp of the North, farewell! The hills grow dark, And the wild breeze, thy wilder minstrelsy; 1 And herd-boy's evening pipe, and hum of housing 1 bee. 1 Returning to the hive. Yet, once again, farewell, thou Minstrel Harp! May idly cavil at an idle lay. Much have I owed thy strains on life's long way, That I o'erlived such woes, Enchantress! is thine own. Hark! as my lingering footsteps slow retire, Fainter and fainter down the rugged dell, GLOSSARY. ARCADE. A series of arches sup- | DRAWBRIDGE. ported by columns or piers, either open or backed by masonry. AUGURY. 1. The art or practice of foretelling events. 2. An omen or prediction. BARRET CAP. A kind of cap or head gear formerly worn by soldiers. BATTLEMENT. A wall or rampart around the top of a castle, with openings to look through and annoy the enemy. BLACK-JACK. A capacious drinking cup or can formerly made of waxed leather. A bridge at the en trance of a castle, which, when lowered by chains, gave access across the moat or ditch surrounding the structure. EMBOSSED. (A technical hunting Flecked or spotted with term.) FEINT. (A technical fencing term.) A trumpet call; a fan- 191 GUARD. In fencing, a position of QUARTERSTAFF: A stout staff used passive defense. HALBERD. A long-handled weapon as a weapon of defense. In using it, one hand was placed in the middle, and the other halfway between the middle and the end. SIGNET. I. A seal. 2. A ring containing a signet or private seal. SLIP. To let slip: to loose hands from the noose; to be sent in pursuit of game. SQUIRE. An attendant upon a knight. STIRRUP CUP. A cup of wine drunk on parting from a friend on horseback. STORE. (An obsolete adjective.) Accumulated; stored up. STRATH. A valley of considerable size, through which a river flows. TARGE. Target-shield. TINEMAN. An officer of the forest, who had the nocturnal care of vert and venison. TROLL. I. A song the parts of which are sung in succession; a round. 2. To sing in the manner of a catch or round, also in a full, jovial voice. VAIR. The skin of the squirrel, much used in the fourteenth century as fur for garments. VANTAGE COIGN. A position of ad vantage for observing or operating. WARD. A guarding or defensive position or motion in fencing. WARDER. WHINYARD. One who wards or keeps. A short sword or knife. |