Note 26 — THE PRETENDERS (1863)

The word hird is very difficult to render. It meant something between “court,” “household,” and “guard.” I have never translated it “court,” as that word seemed to convey an idea of peaceful civilisation foreign to the country and period; but I have used either “guard” or “household” as the context seemed to demand. Hirdmand I have generally rendered “man-at-arms.” Lendermand I have represented by “baron”; lagmand and sysselmand by “thane”; and stallare by “marshal”—all mere rough approximations.