house of Aubayne, in Angoulesme, behaved more generously on the like occasion, and at once threw away his dagger when his enemy challenged it as an undue advantage.  But at this time hardly anything can be conceived more horridly brutal and savage than the mode in which private quarrels were conducted in France.  Those who were most jealous of the point of honor, and acquired the title of Ruffines, did not scruple to take advantage of strength, numbers, surprise, and arms, to accomplish their revenge.”

329.  By prophet bred, etc.  See iii. 91 fol. above; and for the expression cf. iv. 124.

347.  Dark lightning, etc.  The Ms. has “In lightning flashed the Chief’s dark eye,” which might serve as a comment on Dark lightning.

349.  Kern.  See on iv. 73 above.

351.  He yields not, etc.  The Ms. has “He stoops not, he, to James nor Fate.”

356.  Carpet knight.  Cf.  Shakespeare, T. N. iii. 4. 257:  “He is knight, dubbed with unhatched rapier and on carpet consideration.”

364.  Ruth.  Pity; obsolete, though we still have ruthless.  Cf.  Spenser, F. Q. i. 1. 50: 

         “to stirre up gentle ruth
    Both for her noble blood, and for her tender youth;”

Milton, Lycidas, 163:  “Look homeward, Angel, now, and melt with ruth,” etc.

380.  His targe.  Scott says:  “A round target of light wood, covered with strong leather and studded with brass or iron, was a necessary part of a Highlander’s equipment.  In charging regular troops they received the thrust of the bayonet in this buckler, twisted it aside, and used the broadsword against the encumbered soldier.  In the civil war of 1745 most of the front rank of the clans were thus armed; and Captain Grose (Military Antiquities, vol. i. p. 164) informs us that in 1747 the privates of the 42d regiment, then in Flanders, were for the most part permitted to carry targets.  A person thus armed had a considerable advantage in private fray.  Among verses between Swift and Sheridan, lately published by Dr. Barrett, there is an account of such an encounter, in which the circumstances, and consequently the relative superiority of the combatants, are precisely the reverse of those in the text: 

    ’A Highlander once fought a Frenchman at Margate,
     The weapons, a rapier, a backsword, and target;
     Brisk Monsieur advanced as fast as he could,
     But all his fine pushes were caught in the wood,
     And Sawny, with backsword, did slash him and nick him,
     While t’other, enraged that he could not once prick him,
     Cried, “Sirrah, you rascal, you son of a whore,
     Me will fight you, be gar! if you’ll come from your door."’”