d to the Fleet for contempt of this
high and honourable Court, and can only be released by your Majesty's
warrant. As I was myself present on the occasion, when the intemperate
expressions laid to his charge were used, I can affirm that he was
goaded on by his enemies to utter them; and that in his calmer moments
he must have regretted his rashness."

"Ye shall have the warrant, my Lord," said James, with a smile. "And it
does ye meikle credit to have made the request. The punishment Sir
Jocelyn has already endured is amply sufficient for the offence; and we
hae nae fears of its being repeated. A single visit to the Fleet is
eneuch for any man. But in respect to Sir Jocelyn, I am happy to say
that his Excellency the Conde de Gondomar has quite set him right in our
gude opinion; and has satisfactorily proved to us that the spy we
suspected him to be was anither person, wha shall be nameless. Ha! here
comes the Count himself," he exclaimed, as the Spanish Ambassador
approached. "Your Excellency will be glad to hear, after the handsome
manner you have spoken of him, that it is our intention to restore Sir
Jocelyn to the favour he previously enjoyed. My Lord of Buckingham is
to have a warrant for his release from the Fleet, and we shall trust to
see him soon at Court as heretofore."

"While your Majesty is in this gracious mood," said De Gondomar, bending
lowly, "suffer me to prefer a request respecting a person of very
inferior consequence to Sir Jocelyn--but one in whom I nevertheless take
an interest--and who is likewise a prisoner in the Fleet."

"And ye require a warrant for his liberation--ah, Count?"

"Your Majesty has said it," replied De Gondomar, again bending lowly.

"What is the nature of his offence?" demanded the King.

"A trifling outrage upon myself," returned the Ambassador;--"a mere
nothing, your Majesty."

"Ah! I know whom you mean. You refer to that rascally apprentice, Dick
Taverner," cried James. "Call ye his attack upon you a trifling
outrage--a mere nothing, Count. I call it a riot--almost a rebellion--to
assault an ambassador."

"Whatever it may be, I am content to overlook it," said De Gondomar;
"and, in sooth, the knaves had received some provocation."

"Aweel, since your Excellency is disposed to view it in that light,"
rejoined James--"since ye display such generosity towards your enemies,
far be it from us to oppose your wishes. The order for the 'prentice's
release shall be made out