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It’s noan Nelly! I sudn’t shift for Nelly – nasty ill nowt as shoo is. Thank God! Shoo cannot stale t’ sowl o’ nob’dy! Shoo wer niver soa handsome, but what a body mud look at her ’bout winking. It’s yon flaysome, graceless quean, that’s witched our lad, wi’ her bold een and her forrard ways – till – Nay! it fair brusts my heart! He’s forgotten all I’ve done for him, and made on him, and goan and riven up a whole row o’ t’ grandest currant-trees i’ t’ garden!  – It’s not Nelly! I shouldn’t shift for Nelly – nasty ill nothing as she is. Thank God! She cannot steal the soul of nobody! She was never so handsome, but what a body (person) must look at her without winking. It’s that frightening, graceless queen that’s bewitched our lad, with her bold eyes and her forward ways – till – No! it almost bursts my heart! He’s forgotten all I’ve done for him, and made of him, and gone and riven (pulled, tore) out a whole row of the grandest currant-trees in the garden!

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Th’ divil’s harried off his soul, and he may hev’ his carcass into t’ bargin, for aught I care! Ech! what a wicked ’un he looks, girning at death!  – The Devils’s carried off his soul, and he may have his carcass into the bargain for what I care! what a wicked one he looks, grinning at death!

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to be on pins and needles  – to wait nervously for what is going to happen

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peccadilloes  – little sins ( Spanish )

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hung beef  – slightly salted and hung up to dry; dried beef

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Berlin wools  – light wool used for making clothing, especially gloves

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the rolling of the meadow-land  – the process during which a horse is dragging a special roller to compact the soil

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eve  – evening

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sotto voce  – quietly ( Italian )

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homely  – plain, not beautiful

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“ Marmion ” – Sir Walter Scott’s epic poem devoted to the Battle of Flodden (1513)

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chewing the cud  – usually about the cattle; here – repeating over and over to himself

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skirts  – apparently, not the kind that women wear! Here: the edge of his clothes, tail or flap.

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God-speed  – to say it means wishing someone success

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ignis fatuus – wandering lights (on the moor), meaning hopes in vain ( Latin )

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Hebe  – goddess of blooming youth, a daughter of Zeus and Hera

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entailed  – an entail was a condition of a will meaning that if a couple had no son, property had to be passed on to the next male in line in the family.

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incumbrances  – encumbrance was a mortgage or a hypothec

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“ what fellowship hath light with darkness; or he that believeth with an infidel?”  – a quotation from the Bible (2 Corinthians 6:15); infidel = pagan or atheist.