they that spoke in praise of the Pope on the High-gate of Edinburgh, had best bring the sword of Saint Peter to defend them."> While the ill-humour, excited by the insolence of the young aristocrat was thus evaporating in empty menace, Roland Græme had to controul the far more serious indignation of Adam Woodcock. Why, man, it was but a switch across the mazzard-blow your nose, dry your eyes, and you will see all the better for it." " By this light, which I cannot see,» said Adam Woodcock, « thou hast been false friend to me, young man-neither taking up my rightful quarrel, nor letting me fight it out myself.» Fye for shame, Adam Woodcock,» replied the youth, determined to turn the tables on him, and become in turn the counsellor of good order and peaceable demeanour-« I say fye for shame! -Alas, that you will speak thus! Here are you sent with me, to prevent my innocent youth getting into snares >> « I wish your innocent youth were cut short with a halter, with all my heart,» said Adam, who began to see which way the admonition tended. «And instead of setting before me," continued Roland, « an example of patience and sobriety becoming the falconer of Sir Halbert Glendinning, you quaff me off I know not how many flagons of ale, besides a gallon of wine, and a full measure of strong waters.» It was but one poor pottle,» said poor Adam, whom consciousness now reduced to a merely defensive warfare.. " « It was enough to pottle you handsomely, however," said the page-« And then, instead of going to bed to sleep off your liquor, must you sit singing your roistering songs about popes and pagans till you have got your eyes almost switched out of your head; and but for my interference, whom your drunken ingratitude accuses of deserting you, yon galliard would have cut your throat, for he was whipping out a whinger as broad as my band and as sharp as a razor-And these are lessons for an inexperienced youth!-Oh Adam! out upon you! out upon you!» « Marry, amen, and with all my heart,» said Adam; «out upon my folly for expecting any thing but impertinent raillery from a page like thee, that if he saw his father in a scrape would laugh at him instead of lending him aid.” Nay, but I will lend you aid,» said the page, still laughing, that is, I will lend thee aid, to thy chamber, good Adam, where thou shalt sleep off wine and ale, ire and indignation, and awake the next morning with as much fair wit as nature has blessed thee withal. Only one thing I will warn thee, good Adam, that henceforth and for ever, when thou railest at me for being somewhat hot at hand, and rather too prompt to out with poniard or so, thy admonition shall serve as a prologue to the memorable adventure of the switching of Saint Michael's. » With such condoling expressions he got the crest-fallen falconer to his bed, and then retired to his own pallet, where it was some time ere he could fall asleep. If the messenger whom he had seen were really Catherine Seyton, what a masculine virago and termagant must she be! and stored with what an inimitable command of insolence and assurance! -The brass on her brow would furbish the front of twenty pages, and I should know, thought Roland, what that amounts to-And yet, her features, her look, her light gait, her laughing eye, the art with which she disposed the mantle to show no more of her limbs than needs must be seen-I am glad she had at least that grace left--the voice, the smile--it must have been Catherine Seyton, or the devil in her likeness. One thing is good, I have silenced the eternal predications of that ass, Adam Woodcock, who has set up for being a preacher and a governor over me, so soon as he has left the hawks' mew behind him. And with this comfortable reflection, joined to the happy indifference which youth hath for the events of the morrow, Roland Græme fell fast asleep. CHAPTER V. Now have you reft from me my staff, my guide, Old Play. In the grey of the next morning's dawn there was a loud knocking at the gate of the hostelry; and those without, proclaiming that they came in the name of the Regent, were instantly admitted. A moment or two afterwards, Michael Wing-thewind stood by the bed-side of our travellers. Up! up!" he said, « there is no slumber where Murray hath work ado.» Both sleepers sprung up, and began to dress themselves. « You, old friend," said Wing-the-wind to Adam Woodcock, « must to horse instantly, with this packet to the monks of Kennaquhair; and with this," delivering them as he spoke, « to the Knight of Avenel. >> « As much as commanding the monks to annul their election, I'll warrant me, of an Abbot,» quoth Adam Woodcock, as he put the packets into his bag, «< and charging my master to see it done-To hawk at one brother with another, is less than fair play, methinks.» << Fash not thy beard about it, old boy," said Michael, « but betake thee to the saddle presently; for if these orders are not obeyed, there will be bare walls at the Kirk of Saint Mary's, and it may be at the Castle of Avenel to boot; for I heard my Lord of Morton loud with the Regent, and we are at a pass that we cannot stand with him anent trifles.>> << But," said Adam, «< touching the Abbot of Unreason-what say they to that outbreak ?—An they be shrewishly disposed, I were better pitch the packets to Satan, and take the other side of the Border for my shield.>> « O, that is passed over as a jest, since there was little harm done.-But, hark thee, Adam,» continued his comrade, «if there was a dozen vacant abbacies in your road, whether of jest or earnest, reason or unreason, draw thou never one of their mitres over thy brows-The time is not fitting, man!-besides, our maiden longs to clip the neck of a fat churchman.» « She shall never sheer mine in that capacity,» said the falconer, while he knotted the kerchief in two or three double folds around his sun-burnt bull-neck, calling out at the same time, « Master Roland, Master Roland, make haste! we must back to perch and mew, and thank Heaven, more than our own wit, with our bones whole, and without a stab in the stomach. >> " Nay, but," said Wing-the-wind, « the page |