Ford Castle is about a mile to the north-east of Flodden Hill.  It was repaired in 1761 in accordance with the style of the original architecture.  Latterly the owner, the Countess of Waterford, utilizing the natural beauty of the property, has enhanced its value and its interest by improvements exhibiting not only exquisite taste but a true philanthropic spirit.  It was at Ford Castle that James iv spent the night preceding the battle of Flodden.

line 195.  Deas, dais, or chief seat on the platform at the upper end of the hall.

line 200.  Scott mentions in a note that his friend, R. Surtees, of Mainsforth, had taken down this ballad from the lips of an old woman, who said it used ‘to be sung at the merry-makings.’  He likewise gave it a place in the ‘Border Minstrelsy.’  These things being so, it is unpleasant to learn from Lockhart that ’the ballad here quoted was the production of Mr. R. Surtees, and palmed off by him upon Scott as a genuine relic of antiquity.  ’The title of the ballad in the ‘Border Minstrelsy’ is ’The Death of Featherstonhaugh.’

line 203.  ’Hardriding Dick is not an epithet referring to horsemanship, but means Richard Ridley of Hardriding.’—­Scott.  The families named all belonged to the north and north-east of Northumberland.  Scott adds (from Surtees), ’A feud did certainly exist between the Ridleys and Featherstons, productive of such consequences as the ballad narrates.’  In regard to the ’Northern harper,’ see Prof.  Minto’s ‘Lay of the Last Minstrel,’ p. 121.

Stanza xv. line 231. wassail-bowl.  ‘Wassell’ or ‘wassail’ (A.  S. waes hael) was first the wish of health, then it came to denote festivity (especially at Christmas).  As an adj. it is compounded not only with bowl, but with cup, candle, &c.  Cp.  Comus, line 179:—­

                           ’I should be loth
      To meet the rudeness and swill’d insolence
      Of such late WASSAILERS.’

Cp. also note on ‘gossip’s bowl’ of Midsummer Night’s Dream, ii.  I. 47, in Clarendon Press edition, and Prof.  Minto’s ’Lay of the Last Minstrel,’ p. 174.

line 232.  Cp.  Iliad i. 470, and ix. 175, and Chapman’s translation, ‘The youths crowned cups of wine.’

line 238.  Raby Castle, in the county of Durham, the property of the Duke of Cleveland.

line 254.  As a page in a lady’s chamber.  ‘Bower’ is often contrasted with ‘hall,’ as in ‘Jock o’ Hazeldean’:—­

     ‘They socht her baith by bower an’ ha’.’

Cp. below, 281.

Stanza xvi. line 264.  For Lindisfarn, or Holy Island, see note to
Canto ii.  St. i.

Stanza xvii. line 284. leash, the cord by which the greyhound is restrained till the moment when he is slipt in pursuit of the game.  Cp.  Coriolanus, i. 6. 38:—­

     ‘Even like a fawning greyhound in the leash.’

Stanza xviii. line 289. bide, abide.  Cp. above, 215.