tice nor our mercy for pecuniar consideration. Now, what think ye should be the upshot of this?" "My Lord Glenvarloch's freedom, and his restoration to your Majesty's favour," said Heriot. "I ken that," said the King, peevishly. "Ye are very dull to-day. I mean, what do you think this fallow Moniplies should think about the matter?" Surely that your Majesty is a most good and gracious sovereign," answered Heriot. ted. He took from a strong-box a bundle of parch- "We had need to be gude and gracious baith," said the King, still more pettishly, "that have idiots about us that cannot understand what we mint at unless we speak it out in braid Lowlands. See this chield Moniplies, sir, and tell him what we have done for Lord Glenvarloch, in whom he takes such part, out of our own gracious motion, though we refused to do it on ony proffer of private advantage. Now, you may put it till him, as if of your own mind, whether it will be a gracious or a dutiful part in him, to press us for present payment of the two or three hundred misera- Go to your desk without, child," said the scriveble pounds for whilk we were obliged to opignorate ner. "What to do next-I shall lose the old Earl's our jewels? Indeed, mony men may think ye wad fair business, and, what is worse, his son's foul pracdo the part of a good citizen, if you took it on your- tice. Old Heriot looks too close into business to self to refuse him payment, seeing he hath had what permit me more than the paltry and ordinary dues. he professed to esteem full satisfaction, and consider-The Whitefriars business was profitable, but it has ing, moreover, that it is evident he hath no pressing become unsafe ever since-pah!-what brought that need of the money, whereof we have much ne- in my head just now? I can hardly hold my pencessity." if men should see me in this way!-Willie," (calling aloud to the boy,) "a cup of distilled waters-Soh! -now I could face the devil." George Heriot sighed internally. "O my Master," thought he " my dear Master, is it then fated you are never to indulge any kingly or noble sentiment, without its being sullied by some afterthought of interested selfishness!" He spoke the last words aloud, and close by the door of the apartment, which was suddenly opened by Richie Moniplies, followed by two gentlemen, and The King troubled himself not about what he attended by two porters bearing money-bags. "If thought, but taking him by the collar, said,-"Yeye can face the devil, Maister Skurliewhitter," said ken my meaning now, Jingler-awa wi' ye. You Richie, ye will be the less likely to turn your back are a wise man-manage it your ain gate-but forget on a sack or twa o' siller, which I have ta'en the not our present straits." The citizen made his obei- freedom to bring you. Sathanas and Mammon are sance, and withdrew. near akin." The porters, at the same time, ranged their load on the floor. "And now, bairns," said the King, "what do you look upon each other for-and what have you got to ask of your dear dad and gossip ?" 66 'Only," said the Prince, "that it would please your Majesty to command the lurking-place at the prison to be presently built up-the groans of a captive should not be brought in evidence against him." "What! build up my lugg, Baby Charles? And yet, better deaf than hear ill tales of oneself. So let them build it up, hard and fast, without delay, the rather that my back is sair with sitting in it for a whole hour.-And now let us see what the cooks have been doing for us, bonny bairns." CHAPTER XXXIV. To this brave man the knight repairs For counsel in his law affairs; And found him mounted in his pew, And for his false opinion pay.-Hudibras. The scrivener himself seemed considerably agita "I-I,"-stammered the surprised scrivener-"I cannot guess what you mean, sir." Only that I have brought you the redemptionmoney on the part of Lord Glenvarloch, in discharge of a certain mortgage over his family inheritance. And here, in good time, comes Master Reginald Lowestoffe, and another honourable gentleman of the Temple, to be witnesses to the transaction." "I-I incline to think," said the scrivener, "that the term is expired." 66 You will pardon us, Master Scrivener," said Lowestoffe. "You will not baffle us-it wants three quarters of noon by every clock in the city." "I must have time, gentlemen," said Andrew, "to examine the gold by tale and weight." "Do so at your leisure, Master Scrivener," replied Lowestoffe again. "We have already seen the contents of each sack told and weighed, and we have put our seals on them. There they stand in a row, twenty in number, each containing three hundred yellow-hammers-we are witnesses to the lawful tender." "Gentlemen," said the scrivener, "this security now belongs to a mighty lord. I pray you, abate your haste, and let me send for Lord Dalgarno-or rather I will run for him myself." So saying, he took up his hat; but Lowestoffe called out-"Friend Moniplies, keep the door fast, and thou be'st a man! he seeks but to put off the time. In plain terms, Andrew, you may send for the devil, if you will, who is the mightiest lord of my acquaintance, but from hence you stir not till you have answered our proposition, by rejecting or accepting the redemption-money fairly tendered-there it lies-take it or leave it as you will. I have skill enough to know that the law is mightier than any lord in Britain-I have learned so much at the Temple, if I have learned nothing else. And see that you trifle not with it, lest it make your long ears an inch shorter, Master Skurliewhitter." Nay, gentlemen, if you threaten me," said the scrivener, "I cannot resist compulsion." "No threats-no threats at all, my little Andrew," said Lowestoffe; "a little friendly advice only Humph!" muttered Richie; "there go twa words to that bargain." He even meditated a joke on the means which he was conscious he possessed of baffling Lord Dalgarno's expectations; but there was something of keen and dangerous excitement in the eyes of the young noblemen, which prompted his discretion for once to rule his wit, and he only answered "God grant your lordship may well brook your new conquest-when you get it. I shall do your errand to my lord-whilk is to say," he added internally," he shall never hear a word of it from Richie. I am not the lad to put him in such hazard." Lord Dalgarno looked at him sharply for a moment, as if to penetrate the meaning of the dry ironical tone, which, in spite of Richie's awe, mingled with his answer, and then waved his hand, in signal he should pass on. He himself walked slowly till the trio were out of sight, then turned back with hasty steps to the door of the scrivener, which he had passed in his progress, knocked, and was admitted. Lord Dalgarno found the man of law with the money-bags still standing before him; and it escaped not his penetrating glance, that Skurliewhitter was disconcerted and alarmed at his approach. How now, man," he said; "what! hast thou not Not the redemption money of the Glenvarloch estate!" said Dalgarno. "Dare not say it is, or I will, upon the spot, divorce your pettifogging soul from your carrion carcass !" So saying, he seized the scrivener by the collar and shook him so vehemently, that he tore it from the cassock. "My lord, I must call for help," said the trembling caitiff, who felt at that moment all the bitterness of the mortal agony-"It was the law's act, not mine. What could I do?" "Dost ask?-why, thou snivelling dribblet of damnation, were all thy oaths, tricks, and lies spent? or do you hold yourself too good to utter them in my service? Thou shouldst have lied, cozened, outmy revenge! But mark me," he continued; "I know sworn truth itself, rather than stood betwixt me and from me to the Attorney-General, and thou art more of your pranks than would hang thee. A line sped." "What would you have me to do, my lord ?" said All that art and law can accomplish, the scrivener. "Ah, are you converted? do so, or pity of your I will try." life!" said the lord; "and remember I never fail my word. Then keep that accursed gold," he continued. "Or, stay, I will not trust you-send me this gold home presently to my lodging. I will still forhold out Glenvarloch Castle against the owner, by ward to Scotland, and it shall go hard but that I means of the ammunition he has himself furnished. Thou art ready to serve me?" The scrivener professed the most implicit obedience. Then remember, the hour was passed ere payment was tendered-and see thou hast witnesses of trusty memory to prove that point." "Tush, my lord, I will do more," said Andrew, reviving-"I will prove that Lord Glenvarloch's friends threatened, swaggered, and drew swords on me.Did your lordship think I was ungrateful enough to that they had bare swords at my throat?" have suffered them to prejudice your lordship, save "Enough said," replied Dalgarno; "you are per fect-mind that you continue so, as you would avoid serve my turn? Why one of these bags will do for the present." "I swear to you that these bags of money are not at my disposal." "Not honestly, perhaps," said the captain, "but that makes little difference betwixt us." "Can you not put off the delivery?" said the bravo, his huge hand still fumbling with one of the bags, as if his fingers longed to close on it. Skurliewhitter, having despatched his boy to get porters of trust for transporting the money, remained "I swear to you," continued the scrivener, "they alone and in dismay, meditating by what means he are in no way at my disposal-they have been decould shake himself free of the vindictive and fero-livered to me by tale-I am to pay them over to Lord cious nobleman, who possessed at once a dangerous Dalgarno, whose boy waits for them, and I could knowledge of his character, and the power of ex- not skelder one piece out of them, without risk of hue posing him, where exposure would be ruin. He had and cry." indeed acquiesced in the plan, rapidly sketched, for obtaining possession of the ransomed estate, but his experience foresaw that this would be impossible; while, on the other hand, he could not anticipate the various consequences of Lord Dalgarno's resentment, without fears, from which his sordid soul recoiled. To be in the power, and subject both to the humours and the extortions of a spendthrift young lord, just when his industry had shaped out the means of fortune,-it was the most cruel trick which fate could have played the incipient usurer. While the scrivener was in this fit of anxious anticipation, one knocked at the door of the apartment; and, being desired to enter, appeared in the coarse riding-cloak of uncut Wiltshire cloth, fastened by a broad leather belt and brass buckle, which was then generally worn by graziers and countrymen. Skurliewhitter, believing he saw in his visiter a country client who might prove profitable, had opened his mouth to request him to be seated, when the stranger, throwing back his frieze hood which he had drawn over his face, showed the scrivener features well imprinted in his recollection, but which he never saw without a disposition to swoon. "Is it you?" he said, faintly, as the stranger replaced the hood which concealed his features. "Who else should it be ?" said his visiter. "Thou son of parchment, got betwixt the inkhorn "Not yet down to the country," said the scrivener, after every warning? Do not think your grazier's cloak will bear you out, captain-no, nor your scraps of stage-plays." Why, what would you have me to do?" said the captain-" Would you have me starve? If I am to fly, you must eke my wings with a few feathers. You can spare them, I think." "You had means already-you have had ten pieces --What is become of them?" "Impossible," said the scrivener, "he sets forward to Scotland to-morrow." Ay!" said the bully, after a moment's thought"Travels he the north road with such a charge?" "He is well accompanied," added the scrivener but yet" "But yet-but what?" said the bravo. 66 Nay, I meant nothing," said the scrivener. "Thou didst-thou hadst the wind of some good thing," replied Colepepper; "I saw thee pause like a setting dog. Thou wilt say as little, and make as sure a sign, as a well-bred spaniel." "All I meant to say, captain, was, that his servants go by Barnet, and he himself, with his page, pass through Enfield Chase, and he spoke to me yesterday of riding a soft pace." 16 Aha!-Comest thou to me there, my boy?" "And of resting"-continued the scrivener,-"restWhy, this is better than cock-fighting!" said the a space at Camlet Moat." ing Gone," answered Captain Colepepper-" Gone, no matter where I had a mind to bite, and I was bit-I ten, that's all I think my hand shook at the thought of t'other night's work, for I trowled the doctors like a very baby." And you have lost all, then ?-Well, take this and be gone," said the scrivener. What, two poor smelts! Marry, plague of your bounty!-But remember, you are as deep in as I." "Not so, by Heaven!" answered the scrivener; "I only thought of easing the old man of some papers and a trifle of his gold, and you took his life." "Were he living," answered Colepepper, "he would rather have lost it than his money.-But that is not the question, Master Skurliewhitter-you undid the private bolts of the window when you visited him about some affairs on the day ere he died-so satisfy yourself, that, if I am taken, I will not swing alone. Pity Jack Hempsfield is dead, it spoils the old catch, 'And three merry men, and three merry men, "For God's sake, speak lower," said the scrivener; "is this a place or time to make your midnight catches heard?-But how much will serve your turn? I tell you I am but ill provided." "You tell me a lie, then," said the bully-"a most palpable and gross lie.-How much, d'ye say, will captain. I see not how it can advantage you, captain," said the scrivener. "But, however, they cannot ride fast, for his page rides the sumpter-horse, which carries all that weight," pointing to the money on the table. "Lord Dalgarno looks sharp to the world's gear.' "That horse will be obliged to those who may ease him of his burden," said the bravo;" and, egad, he may be met with.-He hath still that page that same Lutin-that goblin? Well, the boy hath set game for me ere now. I will be revenged, too, for I owe him a grudge for an old score at the ordinary. Let me see-Black Feltham, and Dick Shakebagwe shall want a fourth-I love to make sure, and the booty will stand parting, besides what I can bucket them out of. Well, scrivener, lend me two pieces.Bravely done-nobly imparted! Give ye good den." And wrapping his disguise closer around him, away he went. When he had left the room, the scrivener wrung his hands, and exclaimed, " More blood-more blood! thought to have had done with it, but this time there was no fault with me-none--and then I shall have all the advantage. If this ruffian falls, there is trice with his tugs at my purse-strings; and if Lord Dalgarno dies-as is most likely, for though as much afraid of cold steel as a debtor of a dun, this fellow is a deadly shot from behind a bush,-then am I in a thousand ways safe-safe-safe." We willingly drop the curtain over him and his reflections. CHAPTER XXXV. We are not worst at once-the course of evil Begins so slowly, and from such slight source, An infant's hand might stem its breach with clay; But let the stream get deeper, and philosophyAy, Pad religion too,-shall strive in vain To turn the headlong torrent.-Old Play. THE Templars had been regaled by our friend Richie Moniplies in a private chamber at Beaujen's, where he might be considered as good company; for he had exchanged his serving-man's cloak and jerkin for a grave yet handsome suit of clothes, in the fashion of the times, but such as might have befitted an older man than himself. He had positively declined presenting himself at the ordinary, a point to which his companions were very desirous to have brought him, for it will be easily believed that such wags as Lowestoffe As to our poverty, friend," replied Richie, "that is as Heaven pleases; but touching our falset, I'll prove to you that a Scotsman bears as leal and true a heart to his friend as ever beat in English doublet." "I care not whether he does or not," said the gallant. "Let me go-why keep you hold of my cloak? Let me go, or I will thrust you into the kennel." Do not name that false Scot's name to me," said Jin Vin, "if you would not have me go mad!-I was happy before I saw him-he has been the cause of all the ill that has befallen me-he has made a knave and a madman of me!" If you are a knave," said Richie, "you have met an officer-if you are daft, you have met a keeper; but a gentle officer and a kind keeper. Look you, my gude friend, there has been twenty things said about this same lord, in which there is no more truth than in the leasings of Mahound. The warst they can say of him is, that he is not always so amenable to good advice as I would pray him, you, and every me; and, if a little spell of siller and a great deal of young man, to be. Come wi' me-just come ye wi excellent counsel can relieve your occasions, all I can say is, you have had the luck to meet one capable of giving you both, and maist willing to bestow them." The pertinacity of the Scot prevailed over the sullenness of Vincent, who was indeed in a state of agitation and incapacity to think for himself, which led him to yield the more readily to the suggestions of another. He suffered himself to be dragged into the small tavern which Richie recommended, and where they soon found themselves seated in a snug niche, with a reeking pottle of burnt sack, and a paper of sugar betwixt them. Pipes and tobacco were also provided, but were only used by Richie, who had adopted the custom of late, as adding considerably to the gravity and importance of his manner, and affording, as it were, a bland and pleasant accompaniment to the words of wisdom which flowed from his tongue. After they had filled their glasses and drunk them in silence, Richie repeated the question, whither his guest was going when they met so fortunately. "I told you," said Jenkin, "I was going to destruction-I mean to the gaming-house. I am resolved to hazard these two or three pieces, to get as much as will pay for a passage with Captain Sharker, whose ship lies at Gravesend, bound for Americaand so Eastward, ho!-I met one devil in the way already, who would have tempted me from my purpose, but I spurned him from me-you may be another for what I know.-What degree of damnation do you propose for me," he added wildly, "and what is the price of it?" "I would have you to know," answered Richie | would not be their long-haired courtiers would help "that I deal in no such commodities, whether as them, I trow."* buyer or seller. But if you will tell me honestly the cause of your distress, I will do what is in my power to help you out of it,-not being, however, prodigal of promises, until I know the case; as a learned physician only gives advice when he has observed the diagnostics.' No one has any thing to do with my affairs," said the poor lad; and folding his arms on the table, he laid his head upon them, with the sullen dejection of the overburdened lama, when it throws itself down to die in desperation. "Hout tout, man," said Richie, "mind where the Stewarts come frae, and never think they would want spears or claymores either; but leaving sic matters, whilk are perilous to speak on, I say once more, what is your concern in all this matter?" "What is it?" said Jenkin; "why, have I not fixed on Peg-a-Ramsay to be my true love, from the day I came to her old father's shop? and have I not carried her pattens and her chopines for three years, and borne her prayer-book to church, and brushed the cushion for her to kneel down upon, and did she ever say me nay?" I see no cause she had," said Richie, "if the like of such small services were all that ye proffered. Ah, man! there are few-very few, either of fools or of wise men, ken how to guide a woman.' "Why, did I not serve her at the risk of my freedom, and very nigh at the risk of my neck? Did she not-no, it was not her neither, but that accursed beldam whom she caused to work upon me-persuade me like a fool to turn myself into a waterman to help my lord, and a plague to him, down to Scotland? and instead of going peaceably down to the ship at Gravesend, did not he rant and bully, and show his pistols, and make me land him at Greenwich, where he played some swaggering pranks, that helped both him and me into the Tower?" Richie Moniplies, like most folk who have a good opinion of themselves, was fond of the task of consolation, which at once displayed his superiority, (for the consoler is necessarily, for the time at least, superior to the afflicted person,) and indulged his love of talking. He inflicted on the poor penitent a harangue of pitiless length, stuffed full of the usual topics of the mutability of human affairs-the eminent advantages of patience under affliction-the folly of grieving for what hath no remedy-the necessity of taking more care for the future, and some gentle rebukes on account of the past, which acid he threw in to assist in subduing the patient's obstinacy, as Hannibal used vinegar in cutting his way through rocks. It was not in human nature to endure this flood of commonplace eloquence in silence; and Jin Vin, whether desirous of stopping the flow of words crammed thus Aha!" said Richie, throwing more than his usual into his ear, against the stomach of his sense," or wisdom into his looks; so you were the green-jack. whether confiding in Richie's protestations of friend-eted waterman that rowed Lord Glenvarloch down ship, which the wretched, says Fielding, are ever so the river?" ready to believe, or whether merely to give his sorrows vent in words, raised his head, and turning his red and swollen eyes to Richie 'Cocksbones, man, only hold thy tongue, and thou shalt know all about it,-and then all I ask of thee is to shake hands and part.-This Margaret Ramsay, -you have seen her, man?" น Once," said Richie, once, at Master George Heriot's, in Lombard Street-I was in the room when they dined." Ay, you helped to shift their trenchers, I remember," said Jin Vin. "Well, that same pretty girland I will uphold her the prettiest betwixt Paul's and the Bar--she is to be wedded to your Lord Glenvarloch, with a pestilence on him!" "That is impossible," said Richie; "it is raving nonsense, man-they make April gouks of you cock neys every month in the year-The Lord Glenvarloch marry the daughter of a Lonnon mechanic! I would as soon believe the great Prester John would marry the daughter of a Jew packman." Hark ye, brother," said Jin Vin, "I will allow no one to speak disregardfully of the city, for all I am in trouble.' "I crave your pardon, man-I meant no offence," said Richie; "but as to the marriage, it is a thing simply impossible." "It is a thing that will take place, though, for the Duke and the Prince, and all of them, have a finger in it; and especially the old fool of a King, that makes her out to be some great woman in her own country, as all the Scots pretend to be, you know." 66 Master Vincent, but that you are under affliction," said the consoler, offended on his part, "I would hear no national reflections." "The more fool I, that did not souse him in the Thames," said Jenkin; " and I was the lad that would not confess one word of who or what I was, though they threatened to make me hug the Duke of Exeter's daughter."+ "Wha is she, man?" said Richie; " she must be an ill-fashioned piece, if you're so much afraid of her, and she come of such high kin." "I mean the rack-the rack, man," said Jenkin. "Where were you bred that never heard of the Duke of Exeter's daughter? But all the dukes and duchesses in England could have got nothing out of me so the truth came out some other way, and I was set free.-Home I ran, thinking myself one of the cleverest and happiest fellows in the ward. And she-she-she wanted to pay me with money for all my true service! and she spoke so sweetly and so coldly at the same time, I wished myself in the deepest dungeon of the Tower-I wished they had racked me to death before I heard this Scottishman was to chouse me out of my sweetheart!" "But are ye sure ye have lost her?" said Richie; "it sounds strange in my ears that my Lord Glenvarloch should marry the daughter of a dealer,though there are uncouth marriages made in London, I'll allow that." "Why, I tell you this lord was no sooner clear of the Tower, than he and Master George Heriot comes to make proposals for her, with the King's assent, and what not; and fine fair-day prospects of Court favour for this lord, for he hath not an acre of land." "Well, and what said the auld watch-maker ?" said Richie; "was he not, as might weel beseem him, ready to loup out of his skin-case for very joy?" 66 He multiplied six figures progressively, and reported the product-then gave his consent.' "And what did you do?" The afflicted youth apologized in his turn, but asserted, "it was true that the King said Peg-a-Ramsay was some far-off sort of noblewoman; and that he had taken a great interest in the match, and had run about like an old gander, cackling about Peggie" ever since he had seen her in hose and doublet-and no wonder," added poor Vin, with a deep sigh. 66 I rushed into the streets," said the poor lad, with a burning heart and a blood-shot eye-and where did I first find myself, but with that beldam, Mother Suddlechop-and what did she propose to me, but to take the road?" "This may be all true," said Richie, "though it sounds strange in my ears; but, man, you should * Clarendon remarks, that the importance of the military exnot speak evil of dignities-Curse not the King, Jen-ercise of the citizens was severly felt by the cavaliers during the kin; not even in thy bedchamber-stone walls have civil war, notwithstanding the ridicule that had been showered upon it by the dramatic poets of the day. Nothing less than ears-no one has a right to know that better than I.' habitual practice could, at the battle of Newbury and elsewhere, "I do not curse the foolish old man," said Jenkin; have enabled the Londoners to keep their ranks as pikemen, in "but I would have them carry things a peg lower.- spite of the repeated charge of the fiery Prince Rupert and his If they were to see on a plain field thirty thousand such pikes as I have seen in the artillery gardens, it gallant cavaliers. was so called. |