ng kinsman, and this hot-mouthed dare-devil, Robin of
Redesdale! Ye assured me, both, that the earl approved the rising; that
he permitted the levying yon troops in his name; that he knew well the
time was come to declare against the Woodvilles, and that no sooner was
an army mustered than he would place himself at its bead; and I say, if
this be not true, you have brought these gray hairs into dishonour!"

"And what, Sir John Coniers," exclaimed Robin, rudely, "what honour had
your gray hairs till the steel cap covered them? What honour, I say,
under lewd Edward and his lusty revellers? You were thrown aside, like a
broken scythe, Sir John Coniers! You were forsaken in your rust! Warwick
himself, your wife's great kinsman, could do nought in your favour! You
stand now, leader of thousands, lord of life and death, master of Edward
and the throne! We have done this for you, and you reproach us!"

"And," began the heir of Fitzhugh, encouraged by the boldness of
Hilyard, "we had all reason to believe my noble uncle, the Earl of
Warwick, approved our emprise. When this brave fellow (pointing to
Robin) came to inform me that, with his own eyes, he had seen the
waxen effigies of my great kinsman, the hellish misdeed of the queen's
witch-dam, I repaired to my Lord Montagu; and though that prudent
courtier refused to declare openly, he let me see that war with the
Woodvilles was not unwelcome to him."

"Yet this same Montagu," observed one of the ringleaders, "when Hilyard
was well-nigh at the gates of York, sallied out and defeated him, sans
ruth, sans ceremony."

"Yes, but he spared my life, and beheaded the dead body of poor Hugh
Withers in my stead: for John Nevile is cunning, and he picks his nuts
from the brennen without lesing his own paw. It was not the hour for him
to join us, so he beat us civilly, and with discretion. But what hath he
done since? He stands aloof while our army swells, while the bull of the
Neviles and the ragged staff of the earl are the ensigns of our war, and
while Edward gnaws out his fierce heart in yon walls of Olney. How say
ye, then, that Warwick, even if now in person with the king, is in heart
against us? Nay, he may have entered Olney but to capture the tyrant."

"If so," said Coniers, "all is as it should be: but if Earl Warwick,
who, though he hath treated me ill, is a stour carle, and to be feared
if not loved, join the king, I break this wand, and ye will seek out
another captain."