In the meantime, Lord Huntinglen kneeled before James,
in his turn, and said--"May it please your Majesty to remember, that
upon one certain occasion you did promise to grant me a boon every
year of your sacred life?"
"I mind it weel, man," answered James, "I mind it weel, and good
reason why--it was when you unclasped the fause traitor Ruthven's
fangs from about our royal throat, and drove your dirk into him like a
true subject. We did then, as you remind us, (whilk was unnecessary,)
being partly beside ourselves with joy at our liberation, promise we
would grant you a free boon every year; whilk promise, on our coming
to menseful possession of our royal faculties, we did confirm,
_restrictive_ always and _conditionaliter_, that your lordship's
demand should be such as we, in our royal discretion, should think
reasonable."
"Even so, gracious sovereign," said the old earl, "and may I yet
farther crave to know if I have ever exceeded the bounds of your royal
benevolence?"
"By my word, man, no!'" said the king; "I cannot remember you have
asked much for yourself, if it be not a dog or a hawk, or a buck out
of our park at Theobald's, or such like. But to what serves this
preface?"
"To the boon to which I am now to ask of your Grace," said Lord
Huntinglen; "which is, that your Majesty would be pleased, on the
instant, to look at the placet of Lord Glenvarloch, and do upon it
what your own just and royal nature shall think meet and just, without
reference to your Secretary or any other of your Council.
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