Forward, I say!" "And I say back!" shouted the Earl of Hereford; "I tell thee, proud earl, he is my prisoner, and mine alone.

Thou mayest vaunt thy loyalty, thy representation of majesty, as thou listeth, mine hath been proved at the good sword's point, and Edward will deem me no traitor because I protect a captive, who hath surrendered himself a knight to a knight, rescue or no rescue, from this unseemly violence.

I bandy no more words with such as thee; back! the first man that dares lay hold on him I chastise with my sword." "Thou shalt repent this!" muttered Berwick, with a suppressed yet terrible oath, but he dared proceed no further.
A signal from their leader brought up all Hereford's men, who, in compact order and perfect silence, surrounded their prisoner.

Sternly the earl called for a pair of handcuffs, and with his own hands fastened them on his captive.

"It grieves me," he said, "to see a brave man thus manacled, but thine own mad act hath brought it on thyself.