'The surges hore
That 'gainst the craggy clifts did loudly rore,
And in their raging surquedry disdaynd
That the fast earth affronted them so sore.'
lines 34-6. The cognizance was derived from the commission Brace
gave the Good Lord James Douglas to carry his heart to Palestine.
The FIELD is the whole surface of the shield, the CHIEF the upper
portion. The MULLET is a star-shaped figure resembling the rowel of
a spur, and having five points.
line 45. Bartisan, a small overhanging turret.
line 46. With vantage-coign, or advantageous corner, cp. 'Macbeth,'
i. 6. 7.
Stanza III. line 69. Adown, poetical for down. Cp. Chaucer, 'Monkes
Tale,' 3630, Clarendon Press ed.:--
'Thus day by day this child bigan to crye
Til in his fadres barme ADOUN it lay.'
lines 86-91. Cp. Coleridge's 'Christabel,' line 68.
'I guess, 'twas frightful there to see
A lady so richly clad as she--
Beautiful exceedingly.'