Their father recovered his breath before beginning to speak.
"What's this--what's this I hear ?" he exclaimed testily, "is it true that ye are in flat rebellion against the lawful authority of the king?
Laddies, laddies, ye maun come in wi' me to his excellence the Chancellor and make instanter your obedience.

Ye are young and for my sake he will surely overlook this.

I will speak with him." "Father," said William Douglas, with a cold firmness in his voice, "we are here to punish the murderers of our cousins.

We shall indeed enter the guilty city, but it will be with fire and sword." "Aye," cried rollicking, headstrong James, "and we will roast the Crichton on a spit and hang that smug traitor, Tutor Livingston, over the walls of David's Tower, a bonny ferlie for his leman's wonder!" There came a cunning look into the small pig's eyes of James the Gross.
"Na, na, foolish laddies, thae things will ye no do.

Mind ye not the taunts and scorns that the Earl--the late Earl o' Douglas that is--put upon us a'?
Think on his pride and vainglory, whilk Scripture says shall be brocht low.