Ancient Poems, Ballads and Songs of England, page 189 by Anonymous
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is the ancient way of spelling the name of Reading. In Percy's version of Barbara Allen, that ballad commences 'In Scarlet town,' which, in the common stall copies, is rendered 'In Redding town.' The former is apparently a pun upon the old orthography-- REDding.
{8} The sister of Roger.
{9} This gentleman was Mr. Thomas Petty.
{10} We here, and in a subsequent verse, find 'daughter' made to rhyme with 'after;' but we must not therefore conclude that the rhyme is of cockney origin. In many parts of England, the word 'daughter' is pronounced 'dafter' by the peasantry, who, upon the same principle, pronounce 'slaughter' as if it were spelt
'slafter.'
{11} Added to complete the sense.
{12} That is, 'said he, the wild boar.'
{13} Scott has strangely misunderstood this line, which he interprets -
'Many people did she KILL.'
'Fell' is to knock down, and the meaning is that she could 'well' knock down, or 'fell' people.
{14} Went.
{15} The meaning appears to be that no 'wiseman' or wizard, no matter from whence his magic, was derived, durst face her. Craven has always been famed for its wizards, or wisemen, and several of such impostors may be found there at the present day.
{16} Scott's MS. reads Ralph, but Raphe is the ancient form.
{17} Scott reads 'brim as beare,' which he interprets 'fierce as a bear.' Whitaker's rendering is correct. Beare is a small hamlet on the Bay of Morecambe, no great distance, as the crow files, from the locale of the poem. There is also a Bear-park in the county of Durham, of which place Bryan might be an inhabitant. Utrum horum, &c.
{18} That is, they were good soldiers when the MUSTERS were--when the regiments were called up.
{19} Fierce look.
{20} Descended from an ancient race famed for fighting.
{21} Assaulted. They were, although out of danger, terrified by the attacks of the sow, and their fear was shared by the kiln, which began to smoke!
{22} Watling-stree