me to accept their
congratulations, and to be sure to remember them; for all were of
neglected merit, and required no more than a piece of luck.

I answered them very modestly, and each according to his worth, as
stated by himself, who of course could judge the best. The magistrate
made me many compliments, ten times more than I deserved, and took good
care to have them copied, that His Majesty might see them. And ere the
case was thoroughly heard, and those poor fellows were committed, more
than a score of generous men had offered to lend me a hundred pounds,
wherewith to buy a new Court suit, when called before His Majesty.

Now this may seem very strange to us who live in a better and purer
age--or say at least that we do so--and yet who are we to condemn our
fathers for teaching us better manners, and at their own expense? With
these points any virtuous man is bound to deal quite tenderly, making
allowance for corruption, and not being too sure of himself. And to tell
the truth, although I had seen so little of the world as yet, that which
astonished me in the matter, was not so much that they paid me court, as
that they found out so soon the expediency of doing it.

In the course of that same afternoon I was sent for by His Majesty. He
had summoned first the good Earl Brandir, and received the tale from
him, not without exaggeration, although my lord was a Scotchman. But
the chief thing His Majesty cared to know was that, beyond all possible
doubt, these were the very precious fellows from perjury turned to
robbery.

Being fully assured at last of this, His Majesty had rubbed his hands,
and ordered the boots of a stricter pattern (which he himself had
invented) to be brought at once, that he might have them in the best
possible order. And he oiled them himself, and expressed his fear that
there was no man in London quite competent to work them. Nevertheless
he would try one or two, rather than wait for his pleasure, till the
torturer came from Edinburgh.

The next thing he did was to send for me; and in great alarm and flurry
I put on my best clothes, and hired a fashionable hairdresser, and drank
half a gallon of ale, because both my hands were shaking. Then forth I
set, with my holly staff, wishing myself well out of it. I was shown at
once, and before I desired it, into His Majesty's presence, and there I
stood most humbly, and made the best bow I could think of.

As I could not advance any farther--for I