"By the fiend, yes! Only conceive again what we have just heard—Hailes, Home, the Steward of Menteith, and the Forester of Drum, being thus arraigned at the instance of a few wretched burgesses!"
"Yea, and before some of those we spared at Lauder Brig—men who are yet unhanged," added Angus, with one of his darkest scowls.
"There now, not a yard from the king's chair, is a balladeer, the son of a sword-slipper in the Shoegaitt of Perth, who hath exchanged the file and hammer for a sword and Parinese poniard—his canvas gaberdine for a dainty doublet of cramosie, because, forsooth, he is master of the king's music, and Margaret of Denmark loves to listen to the twangle of his viols and ghitterns—faugh!"
"Men say he will be made a knight and privy councillor."
"If so," said Sauchie, "by God I shall forswear my spurs for ever!"
"I knew such another clown who was made an earl," said the Steward of Menteith, who had given his tent-cord to hang Cochrane over Lauder Bridge.
"There are Falconer and Barton, too, whose fathers were but merchant-skippers!"
"But the former is a brave gallant, and the latter is my particular friend," said Drummond.
"Well, well," resumed the discontented Angus, impatiently; "but think of him whom I saved at Lauder, when your tent-cord was twisted round his neck—John Ramsay—a mere bonnet laird, who is now, forsooth, Sir John Ramsay, and Lord of Bothwell, Baron of Balmain, Flaskie, and Pitnamore, with the Captainrie of the king's guard. Yet, by St. Bryde, this springald dared but yesterday to pass me in the Baxter's Wynd at Stirling—me, Archibald of Angus—with head erect, and without beck, bow, nod, or recognition!"
"The brose these loons shall sup is thickening fast, lord earl," said Drummond, with a dark smile, as he spread his silvered beard over his steel gorget, "and ere long our lances will be at their throats."