Walter Scott - The Fortunes of Nigel

Whether out of a meddling propensity common to all who have a gossiping disposition, or from the love of justice, which ought to make part of a prince's character, James was very fond of enquiring personally into the causes celebres which occurred during his reign. In the imposture of the Boy of Bilson, who pretended to be possessed, and of one Richard Haydock, a poor scholar, who pretended to preach during his sleep, the King, to use the historian Wilson's expression, took delight in sounding with the line of his understanding, the depths of these brutish impositions, and in doing so, showed the acuteness with which he was endowed by Nature. Lady Lake's story consisted in a clamorous complaint against the Countess of Exeter, whom she accused of a purpose to put to death Lady Lake herself, and her daughter, Lady Ross, the wife of the Countess's own son-in-law, Lord Ross; and a forged letter was produced, in which Lady Exeter was made to acknowledge such a purpose. The account given of the occasion of obtaining this letter, was, that it had been written by the Countess at Wimbledon, in presence of Lady Lake and her daughter, Lady Ross, being designed to procure their forgiveness for her mischievous intention. The King remained still unsatisfied, the writing, in his opinion, bearing some marks of forgery. Lady Lake and her daughter then alleged, that, besides their own attestation, and that of a confidential domestic, named Diego, in whose presence Lady Exeter had written the confession, their story might also be supported by the oath of their waiting-maid, who had been placed behind the hangings at the time the letter was written, and heard the Countess of Exeter read over the confession after she had signed it. Determined to be at the bottom of this accusation, James, while hunting one day near Wimbledon, the scene of the alleged confession, suddenly left his sport, and, galloping hastily to Wimbledon, in order to examine personally the room, discovered, from the size of the apartment, that the alleged conversation could not have taken place in the manner sworn to; and that the tapestry of the chamber, which had remained in the same state for thirty years, was too short by two feet, and, therefore, could not have concealed any one behind it. This matter was accounted an exclusive discovery of the King by his own spirit of shrewd investigation. The parties were punished in the Star Chamber by fine and imprisonment.

_A,' all.

BELDAM, ugly old woman.

ABYE, suffer for. BELIVE, by-and-by, presently.

ACCIDENS, grammar. BENEVOLENCES, taxes illegally

AIGRE, sour, ill-natured. exacted by the Kings of

AIN GATE, own way. England.

A' LEEVING, all living. BIDE, keep, remain.

AMBLE, a peculiar gait of a BIELDY BIT, sheltered spot.

horse, in which both legs on BIGGING, building.

one side are moved forward BILBOE, sword, rapier.

at the same time. BILLIES, brothers.

ANCE, once. BIRKIE, lively young fellow.

ANENT, concerning. BLACK-JACK, leathern drinking-

ANGEL, an ancient English gold cup.

coin, worth about 10s., and BLADES, dashing fellows, rakes.

bearing the figure of an angel. BLATE, modest, bashful.

ARRAS, tapestry. BLETHERING, foolish, silly.

AUGHT, owe. BLITHE, BLYTHE, glad.

AULD, old. BLUE-COATS, lackeys.

AULD REEKIE, Edinburgh, in BODDLE, a copper coin, value

allusion to its smoke. the sixth part of an English

AVISEMENT, counsel. penny.

AW, all. BODE, bid, offer.

AWMOUS, alms, a gift. BOOKIE, book.

BRAE, hill, hill-side. BANGED,

sprang, bounded.

BRAVE PIECE, fine thing.

BARNACLES, spectacles. BRAW, fine, handsome.

BARNS-BREAKING, idle frolics. BREAKING, kneading.

BAWBEE, halfpenny. BREEKS, breeches, trousers.

BAXTER, baker. BROCHES, kitchen spits.

BEAR-BANNOCKS, barley cakes. BROSE, pottage of mean and

BECKING, curtseying. water.

BECKS, nods. BROWNIE, domestic goblin.

BEECHEN BICKERS, dishes of BUCKET, cheat.

beechwood. BUNEMOST, uppermost.

BURROWS-TOWN, borough-town.

BUSS, kiss.

CALF-WARD, place where calves are kept in the field.

CALLAN, CALLANT, lad.

CANNILY, cautiously, skilfully.

CANNY, quiet.

CANTLE, crown of the head.

CARCANET, necklace.

CARLE, fellow.

CARLE-HEMPIE, the strongest stalk of hemp.

CARNIFEX, executioner.

CAUFF, chaff.

CAULDRIFE, chilly.

CA'T, call it.

CAUP, cup.

CAUSEY, pavement.

CERTIE, faith, in truth.

CHALMER, chamber.

CHANGE-HOUSE, roadside inn where horses are changed on a journey.

CHALK, slash.

CHAPPIT, struck.

CHEEK-BY-JOWL, CHEEK-BY-CHOWL, side by side.

CHEERY, dagger.

CHENZIE-MAIL, chain-mail.

CHIELD, fellow.

CHOPINES, high shoes or clogs.

CHUCKS, chuck-stones, as played by children.

CHUFFS, clowns, simpletons.

CLAITHING, clothing.

CLAPPED LOOFS, crossed palms.

CLATTER-TRAPS, rattle-traps.

CLAUGHT, snatched.

CLAVERING, idle talking.

CLEEK, hook.

CLEW, clue.

CLOOT, hoof.

CLOUR, blow.

CLOUTING, mending.

COCK-A-LEEKIE, COCK-A-LEEKY, leek soup in which a cock has been

boiled.

COIF, linen covering for the head.

COMPLOTS, plots, intrigues.

COMPT, list, account, particulars.

COMPTING-ROOM, counting-house.

COSHERING, being familiar and intimate.

COUP, barter.

COUP THE CRANS, go to wreck and ruin.

COUPIT, tumbled.

CRAIG, rock; also neck.

CRAP, creep.

CRAW'D SAE CROUSE, crowed so proudly.

CULLY, one easily deceived, a dupe.

CURN, grain.

CUSSER, stallion.

CUTTY-QUEAN, a loose woman.

DAFT, silly, mad.

DAIKERING, jogging or toiling along.

DANG, driven, knocked.

DEIL, devil.

DEUTEROSCOPY, a meaning beyond the original sense.

DIDNA, did not.

DIKE-LOUPER, a debauchee.

DIRDUM, uproar, tumult. DIRKED, stabbed with a dirk.

DONNERIT, stupefied.

DOOMS, very, absolutely.

DOUCE, quiet, respectable, sober.

DOVER, neither asleep nor awake.

DOWCOT, dove-cote.

DRAB, illicit sexual intercourse.

DRAFF, drains given to cows; also the wash given to pigs.

DRAFF-POKE, bag of grains.

DREDGING-BOX, a box with holes for sprinkling flour in cookery.

DROUTHY, thirsty.

DUD, rag.

DUKE OF EXETER'S DAUGHTER, a species of rack in the Tower of London.

DULE-WEEDS, mourning.

DUMMALAFONG, a common prey to all comers.

DUNTS, blows.

EARD, earth.

EEN, eyes.

ELRITCH, hideous.

ENOW, just now.

ENSAMPLE, example.

EVITED, avoided.

EXIES, hysterics.

FALCHION, a short broadsword with a slightly curved point.

FALSET, falsehood.

FAUSE, false.

FASH, trouble.

FASHIOUS, troublesome, annoying.

FENCE-LOUPER, rakish fellow.

FEBRIFUGE, a medicine to subdue a fever.

FIDUCIARY, trustee.

FLATCAPS, citizens, civilians.

FLEECHING, flattering.

FOOD FOR FAGGOTS, martyrs for their religious opinions.

FOOT-CLOTH, horse-cloth reaching almost to the ground.

FOUARTS, house-leeks.

FOULWART, pole-cat.

FRAE, from.

FRESCO, half-naked.

FULE, fool.

FULHAM, loaded dice.

GAGE, pledge, trust.

GANG A' AE GATE, go all one way.

GAR, make, force.

GARR'D, made, compelled.

GATE, way, road; also kind of.

GEAR, property.

GIFF-GAFF, give and take, tit for tat.

GIE THE GLAIKS, to befool, deceive.

GILLIE-WHITE-FOOT, running footman.

GILLRAVAGER, plunderer.

GIRNED, grinned.

GLAIKS, deception.

GLEED, awry, all wrong.

GOUD-COUK, fool.