'--I
think, my lord, you can hardly be surprised that the king gave this
petition a brisk reception; and I conclude, Master Page, that you took
care to present your own Supplication before your master's?"
"Troth did I not," answered Moniplies. "I thought to have given my
lord's first, as was reason gude; and besides that, it wad have redd
the gate for my ain little bill. But what wi' the dirdum an'
confusion, an' the loupin here and there of the skeigh brute of a
horse, I believe I crammed them baith into his hand cheek-by-jowl, and
maybe my ain was bunemost; and say there was aught wrang, I am sure I
had a' the fright and a' the risk--"
"And shall have all the beating, you rascal knave," said Nigel; "am I
to be insulted and dishonoured by your pragmatical insolence, in
blending your base concerns with mine?"
"Nay, nay, nay, my lord," said the good-humoured citizen, interposing,
"I have been the means of bringing the fellow's blunder to light--
allow me interest enough with your lordship to be bail for his bones.
You have cause to be angry, but still I think the knave mistook more
out of conceit than of purpose; and I judge you will have the better
service of him another time, if you overlook this fault--Get you gone,
sirrah--I'll make your peace."
"Na, na," said Moniplies, keeping his ground firmly, "if he likes to
strike a lad that has followed him for pure love, for I think there
has been little servant's fee between us, a' the way frae Scotland,
just let my lord be doing, and see the credit he will get by it--and I
would rather (mony thanks to you though, Master George) stand by a
lick of his baton, than it suld e'er be said a stranger came between
us.
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