it, the Shepherd makes havock amongst the King's game;
but by means of a sling, not of a bow; like the Hermit, too, he has
his peculiar phrases of compotation, the sign and countersign being
Passelodion and Berafriend. One can scarce conceive what humour our
ancestors found in this species of gibberish; but "I warrant it proved
an excuse for the glass."]

[Footnote 5: The author had revised this posthumous work of Mr Strutt. See
General Preface to the present edition, Vol I. p. 65.]

[Footnote 6: This anticipation proved but too true, as my learned correspondent
did not receive my letter until a twelvemonth after it was written. I
mention this circumstance, that a gentleman attached to the cause of
learning, who now holds the principal control of the post-office, may
consider whether by some mitigation of the present enormous rates,
some favour might not be shown to the correspondents of the principal
Literary and Antiquarian Societies. I understand, indeed, that this
experiment was once tried, but that the mail-coach having broke down
under the weight of packages addressed to members of the Society of
Antiquaries, it was relinquished as a hazardous experiment. Surely,
however it would be possible to build these vehicles in a form more
substantial, stronger in the perch, and broader in the wheels, so as
to support the weight of Antiquarian learning; when, if they should be
found to travel more slowly, they would be not the less agreeable to
quiet travellers like myself.--L. T.]

[Footnote 7: Mr Skene of Rubislaw is here intimated, to whose taste and skill
the author is indebted for a series of etchings, exhibiting the various
localities alluded to in these novels.]

[Footnote 8: Note A. The Ranger of the Forest, that cuts the fore-claws off our
dogs.]

[Footnote 9: Note B. Negro Slaves.]

[Footnote 11: The original has "Cnichts", by which the Saxons seem to have
designated a class of military attendants, sometimes free, sometimes
bondsmen, but always ranking above an ordinary domestic, whether in the
royal household or in those of the aldermen and thanes. But the term
cnicht, now spelt knight, having been received into the English language
as equivalent to the Norman word chevalier, I have avoided using it in
its more ancient sense, to prevent confusion. L. T.]

[Footnote 12: Pillage.]

[Footnote 13: These were drinks used by the Saxons, as we are informed by Mr
Turner: Morat was made of honey flavoured with th