him
fight as his squire, saying that as he had never taken up the
knighthood which had been bestowed on him by the Earl for his journey
to France, there could be nothing irregular in his fighting once more
as a simple esquire. And thus, after an appeal to the Earl himself, it
was arranged, much to John Lauder's content.

For his third knight the Douglas had made choice of his cousin Hugh,
younger brother of his two opponents, and at that William and James of
Avondale shook their heads.

"He pushes a good tree, our Hughie," said James. "If he comes at you,
Will, mind that trick of swerving that he hath. Aim at his right
gauntlet, and you will hit his shield."

The conflict on the Boat Croft differed much from the chivalrous
encounters of an earlier time and a richer country. And of this more
anon.

It chanced that on the borders of the crowd which that day begirt the
great enclosure of the lists two burgesses of Dumfries stood on
tiptoe,--to wit, Robert Semple, merchant dealing in cloth and wool,
and Ninian Halliburton, the brother of Barbara, wife of Malise MacKim,
master armourer, whose trade was only conditioned by the amount of
capital he could find to lay out and the probability he had of
disposing of his purchase within a reasonable time.

It would give an entirely erroneous impression of the state of
Scotland in 1440 if the sayings and doings of the wise and shrewd
burghers of the towns of Scotland were left wholly without a
chronicler. The burghs of Scotland were at once the cradles and
strongholds of liberty. They were not subject to the great nobles.
They looked with jealousy on all encroachments on their liberties, and
had sharp swords wherewith to enforce their objection. They had been
endowed with privileges by the wise and politic kings of Scotland,
from William the Lion down to James the First, of late worthy memory.
For they were the best bulwark of the central authority against the
power of the great nobles of the provinces.

Now Robert Semple and Ninian Halliburton were two worthy citizens of
Dumfries, men of respectability, well provided for by the success of
their trade and the saving nature of their wives. They had come
westward to the Thrieve for two purposes: to deliver a large
consignment of goods and gear, foreign provisions and fruits, to the
controller of the Earl's household, and to receive payment therefor,
partly in money and partly in the wool and cattle; hides and tallow,
which h