“Not so, Sir John,” answered the Earl, “but I will fight to the death in defence of the liberties of our free kingdom of Scotland.”
“By my faith,” said Sir John Foster, “I am well content—my sword is not blunted with all it has done yet this day.”
“By my honour, Sir John,” said Sir George Heron of Chipchase, “there is but little reason we should fight these Scottish Lords e'en now, for I hold opinion with old Stawarth Bolton, and believe yonder prisoner to be no more Piercie Shafton than he is the Earl of Northumberland; and you were but ill advised to break the peace betwixt the countries for a prisoner of less consequence than that gay mischief-maker.”
“Sir George,” replied Foster, “I have often heard you herons are afraid of hawks—Nay, lay not hand on sword, man—I did but jest; and for this prisoner, let him be brought up hither, that we may see who or what he is—always under assurance, my Lords,” he continued, addressing the Scots.
“Upon our word and honour,” said Morton, “we will offer no violence.”
The laugh turned against Sir John Foster considerably, when the prisoner, being brought up, proved not only a different person from Sir Piercie Shafton, but a female in man's attire.
“Pluck the mantle from the quean's face, and cast her to the horse-boys,” said Foster; “she has kept such company ere now, I warrant.”
Even Murray was moved to laughter, no common thing with him, at the disappointment of the English Warden; but he would not permit any violence to be offered to the fair Molinara, who had thus a second time rescued Sir Piercie Shafton at her own personal risk.
“You have already done more mischief than you can well answer,” said the Earl to the English Warden, “and it were dishonour to me should I permit you to harm a hair of this young woman's head.”
“My lord,” said Morton, “if Sir John will ride apart with me but for one moment, I will show him such reasons as shall make him content to depart, and to refer this unhappy day's work to the judgment of the Commissioners nominated to try offences on the Border.”