fellow, who, though a sound Protestant, loved a flagon of ale better than a long sermon, a stout man of his hands when need required, true to his master, and a little presuming on his interest with him.
Adam Woodcock, such as we have described him, by no means relished the freedom used by young Graeme, in chastising his assistant. 'Hey, hey, my Lady's page,' said he, stepping between his own boy and Roland, 'fair and softly, an it like your gilt jacket?hands off is fair play?if my boy has done amiss, I can beat him myself, and then you may keep your hands soft.'
'I will beat him and thee too,' answered Roland, without hesitation, 'an you look not better after your business. See how the bird is cast away between you. I found the careless lurdane feeding him with unwashed flesh, and she an eyas.'[4]
'Go to,' said the falconer, 'thou art but an eyas thyself, child Roland.?What knowest thou of feeding? I say that the eyas should have her meat unwashed, until she becomes a brancher?'twere the ready way to give her the frounce, to wash her meat sooner, and so knows every one who knows a gled from a falcon.'
'It is thine own laziness, thou false English blood, that dost nothing but drink and sleep,' retorted the page, 'and leaves that lither lad to do the work, which he minds as little as thou.'
'And am I so idle then,' said the falconer, 'that have three cast of hawks to look after, at perch and mew, and to fly them in the field to boot??and is my Lady's page so busy a man that he must take me up short??and am I of false English blood??I marvel what blood thou art?neither Englander nor Scot?fish nor flesh?a bastard from the Debateable Land, without either kith, kin, or ally!?Marry, out upon thee, foul kite, that would fain be a tercel gentle!'
The reply to this sarcasm was a box on the ear, so well applied, that it overthrew the falconer into the cistern in which water was kept for the benefit of the hawks. Up started Adam Woodcock, his wrath no way appeased by the cold immersion, and seizing on a truncheon which stood by, would have soon requited the injury he had received, had not Roland laid his hand on his poniard, and sworn by all that was sacred, that if he offered a stroke towards him, he would sheath the blade in his bowels. The noise was now so great, that more than one of the household came in, and amongst others the major-domo, a grave personage, already mentioned, whose gold chain and white wand intimated his authority. At the appearance of this dignitary, the strife was for the present appeased. He embraced, however, so favourable an opportunity, to read Roland Graeme a shrewd lecture on the impropriety of his deportment to his fellow-menials, and to assure him, that, should he communicate this fray to his master, (who, though now on one of his frequent expeditions, was speedily expected to return,) which but for respect to his Lady he would most certainly do, the residence of the culprit in the Castle of Avenel would be but of brief duration. 'But, however,' added the prudent master of the household, 'I will report the matter first to my Lady.'
'Very just, very right, Master Wingate,' exclaimed several voices together; 'my Lady will consider if daggers, are to be drawn on us for every idle word, and whether we are to live in a well-ordered household, where there is the fear of God, or amidst drawn dirks and sharp knives.'
The object of this general resentment darted an angry glance around him, and suppressing with difficulty the desire which urged him to reply in furious or in contemptuous language, returned his dagger into his scabbard, looked disdainfully around upon the assembled menials, turned short upon his heel, and pushing aside those who stood betwixt him and the door, left the apartment.
'This will be no tree for my nest,' said the falconer, 'if this cock-sparrow is to crow over us as he seems to do.'
'He struck me with his switch yesterday,' said one of the grooms, 'because the tail of his worship's gelding was not trimmed altogether so as suited his humour.'
'And I promise you,' said the laundress, 'my young master will stick nothing to call an honest woman slut and quean, if there be but a speck of soot upon his band-collar.'
'If Master Wingate do not his errand to my Lady,' was the general result, 'there will be no tarrying in the same house with Roland Graeme.'
The master of the household heard them all for some time, and then, motioning for universal silence, he addressed them with all the dignity of Malvolio himself.?'My masters,?not forgetting you, my mistresses,?do not think the worse of me that I proceed with as much care as haste in this matter. Our master is a gallant knight, and will have his sway at home and abroad, in wood and field, in hall and bower, as the saying is. Our Lady, my benison upon her, is also a noble person of long descent, and rightful heir of this place and barony, and she also loves her will; as for that matter, show me the woman who doth not. Now, she hath favoured, doth favour, and will favour, this jack-an-ape,?for what good part about him I know not, save that as one noble lady will love a messan dog, and another a screaming popinjay, and a third a Barbary ape, so doth it please our noble dame to set her affections upon this stray elf of a page, for nought that I can think of, save that she?was the cause of his being saved (the more's the pity) from drowning.' And here Master Wingate made a pause.
'I would have been his caution for a gray groat against salt water or fresh,' said Roland's adversary, the falconer; 'marry, if he crack not a rope for stabbing or for snatching, I will be content never to hood hawk again.'
'Peace, Adam Woodcock,' said Wingate, waving his hand; 'I prithee, peace man?Now, my Lady liking this springald, as aforesaid, differs therein from my Lord, who loves never a bone in his skin. Now, is it for me to stir up strife betwixt them, and put as'twere my finger betwixt the bark and the tree, on account of a pragmatical youngster, whom, nevertheless, I would willingly see whipped forth of the barony? Have patience, and this boil will break without our meddling. I have been in service since I wore a beard on my chin, till now that that beard is turned gray, and I have seldom known any one better themselves, even by taking the lady's part against the lord's; but never one who did not dirk himself, if he took the lord's against the lady's.'
'And so,' said Lilias, 'we are to be crowed over, every one of us, men and women, cock and hen, by this little upstart??I will try titles with him first, I promise you.?I fancy, Master Wingate, for as wise as you look, you will be pleased to tell what you have seen to-day, if my lady commands you?'
'To speak the truth when my lady commands me,' answered the prudential major-domo, 'is in some measure my duty, Mistress Lilias; always providing for and excepting those cases in which it cannot be spoken without breeding mischief and inconvenience to myself or my fellow-servants; for the tongue of a tale-bearer breaketh bones as well as Jeddart-staff.'[5]
'But this imp of Satan is none of your friends or fellow-servants,' said Lilias; 'and I trust you mean not to stand up for him against the whole family besides?'
'Credit me, Mrs. Lilias,' replied the senior, 'should I see the time fitting, I would, with right good-will give him a lick with the rough side of my tongue.'
'Enough said, Master Wingate,' answered Lilias; 'then trust me his song shall soon be laid. If my mistress does not ask me what is the matter below stairs before she be ten minutes of time older, she is no born woman,
