“You will arrest immediately,” he said, “Cockburn of Henderland, and Adam Scott of Tushielaw, and have them beheaded.”
“Without trial, your majesty?” asked the minister in amazement.
“Certainly not without trial, but see that the trial is as short as possible. Their crime is treason; the witnesses as many as you like to choose from our last council meeting. I love and adhere to the processes of law, but see that there is no mistake about the block being at the end of your trial.” The minister made a note of this and awaited further instructions. “Place the Earl of Bothwell in the strongest room that Edinburgh Castle has vacant. Imprison Lord Maxwell and Lord Home and the Lairds of Fairniherst, Johnston and Buccleuch, in whatever stronghold is most convenient. Let these orders be carried out as speedily as possible.”
The next man called into the royal presence was Sir Donald Sinclair.
“Have you five hundred mounted men ready for the road, Sir Donald?”
“Yes, your majesty, a thousand if you want them.”
“Very well, a thousand I shall have, and I shall ride with you to the Border.”
Nevertheless, when the king came to the inn where he had been captured, there were but twenty troopers with him. Sir Donald was the spokesman on that occasion. He said to the landlord, whose roving eye was taking count of the number of horses,—
“Go to Johnny Armstrong and tell him that the king, with twenty mounted men at his back, commands his presence here, and see that he comes quickly.”
Johnny was not slow in replying to the invitation, and forty troopers rode behind him. The king sat on his horse, a little in advance of his squadron. As a mounted man, James looked well, and there was but little resemblance between him and the unfortunate drover, who had been taken prisoner at that spot two short weeks before.