This cannot be.

The man's courage is proof.

It CANNOT be! Go speedily--or send, if thou wilt not go." The King was interrupted by Sir Henry Neville, who came, breathless, to say that the banner was gone, and the knight who guarded it overpowered, and most probably murdered, as there was a pool of blood where the banner-spear lay shivered.
"But whom do I see here ?" said Neville, his eyes suddenly resting upon Sir Kenneth.
"A traitor," said the King, starting to his feet, and seizing the curtal-axe, which was ever near his bed--"a traitor! whom thou shalt see die a traitor's death." And he drew back the weapon as in act to strike.
Colourless, but firm as a marble statue, the Scot stood before him, with his bare head uncovered by any protection, his eyes cast down to the earth, his lips scarcely moving, yet muttering probably in prayer.
Opposite to him, and within the due reach for a blow, stood King Richard, his large person wrapt in the folds of his camiscia, or ample gown of linen, except where the violence of his action had flung the covering from his right arm, shoulder, and a part of his breast, leaving to view a specimen of a frame which might have merited his Saxon predecessor's epithet of Ironside.

He stood for an instant, prompt to strike; then sinking the head of the weapon towards the ground, he exclaimed, "But there was blood, Neville--there was blood upon the place.

Hark thee, Sir Scot--brave thou wert once, for I have seen thee fight.