heir loving liegemen? And would you have us now yield up our rights,
privileges, and immunities, our outfang and infang, our handhaband,
our back bearand, and our blood suits, and amerciaments, escheats,
and commodities, and suffer an honest burgess's house to be assaulted
without seeking for redress? No, brave citizens, craftsmen, and
burgesses, the Tay shall flow back to Dunkeld before we submit to such
injustice!"

"And how can we help it?" said a grave old man, who stood leaning on a
two handed sword. "What would you have us do?"

"Marry, Bailie Craigdallie, I wonder that you, of all men, ask the
question. I would have you pass like true men from this very place
to the King's Grace's presence, raise him from his royal rest, and
presenting to him the piteous case of our being called forth from our
beds at this season, with little better covering than these shirts, I
would show him this bloody token, and know from his Grace's own royal
lips whether it is just and honest that his loving lieges should be thus
treated by the knights and nobles of his deboshed court. And this I call
pushing our cause warmly."

"Warmly, sayst thou?" replied the old burgess; "why, so warmly, that we
shall all die of cold, man, before the porter turn a key to let us into
the royal presence. Come, friends, the night is bitter, we have kept
our watch and ward like men, and our jolly smith hath given a warning to
those that would wrong us, which shall be worth twenty proclamations of
the king. Tomorrow is a new day; we will consult on this matter on this
self same spot, and consider what measures should be taken for discovery
and pursuit of the villains. And therefore let us dismiss before the
heart's blood freeze in our veins."

"Bravo--bravo, neighbour Craigdallie! St. Johnston for ever!"

Oliver Proudfute would still have spoken; for he was one of those
pitiless orators who think that their eloquence can overcome all
inconveniences in time, place, and circumstances. But no one would
listen, and the citizens dispersed to their own houses by the light of
the dawn, which began now to streak the horizon.

They were scarce gone ere the door of the glover's house opened, and
seizing the smith by the hand, the old man pulled him in.

"Where is the prisoner?" demanded the armourer.

"He is gone--escaped--fled--what do I know of him?" said the glover. "He
got out at the back door, and so through the little garden. Think not of
him, but come