The Waverley novels, by Sir Walter Scott, complete in 12 vol., printed from the latest English ed., embracing the author's last corrections, prefaces & notes.

86 WAVERILEY NOVELS.
that feared neither fire nor steel; and we had some old feudal quarrels
besides, that had come down from father to son, with our seal-rings, twohanded broad-swords, and plate-coats, and the crests on our burgonets."
"Too loud, my Lord of Huntinglen," whispered a gentleman of the
chamber, — " The King! the King!"
The old Earl (for such lie proved) took the hint, and was silent; and
James, advancing from a side-door, received in succession the compliments
of strangers, while a little group of favourite courtiers, or officers of the
household, stood around him, to whom he addressed himself from time to
time. Some more pains had been bestowed on his toilette than upon the
occasion when we first presented the monarch to our readers; but there wNas
a natural awkwardness about his figure which prevented his clothes from
sitting handsomely, and the prudence or timidity of his disposition had
made him adopt the custom, already noticed, of wearing a dress so thickly
quilted as might withstand the stroke of a dagger, which added an ungainly
stiffness to his whole appearance, contrasting oddly with the frivolous, ungraceful, and fidgeting motions with which he accompanied his conversation.
And yet, though the King's deportment was very undignified, he had a manner so kind, familiar, and good-humoured, was so little apt to veil over or
conceal his own foibles, and had so much indulgence and sympathy for
those of others, that his address, joined to his learning, and a certain proportion of shrewd mother-wit, failed not to make a favdurable impression on
those who approached his person.
When the Earl of Huntinglen had presented Nigel to his Sovereign, a
ceremony which the good Peer took upon himself, the King received the
young lord very graciously, and observed to his introducer, that he "wvas
fain-to see them twa stand side by side; for I trow, my Lord Huntinglen,"
continued he, "your ancestors, ay, and e'en your lordship's self and this
lad's father, have stood front to front at the sword's point, and that is a
worse posture."
"Until your MIajesty," said Lord Huntinglen, "made Lord Ochtred and
me cross palms, upon the memorable day when your Majesty feasted all
the nobles that were at feud together, and made them join hands in your
presence -"
"I mind it weel," said the King; "I mind it weel-it was a blessed day,
being the nineteen of September, of all days in the year-and it was a blithe
sport to see how some of the carles grinned as they clapped loofs together.
By my saul, I thought some of them, mair special the Hieland chiels, wad
have broken out in our own presence; but we caused them to march hand
in hand to the Cross, ourselves leading the way, and there drink a blithe
cup of kindness with ilk other, to the stanching of feud, and perpetuation
of amity. Auld John Anderson was Provost that year - the carle grat for
joy, and the Bailies and Councillors danced bare-headed in our presence
like five-year-auld colts, for very triumph."
"It was indeed a happy day," said Lord Huntinglen, " and will not be
forgotten in the history of your Majesty's reign."
" I would not that it were, my lord," replied the Monarch- "I would
not that it were pretermitted in our annals. Ay, ay —Beati pacifici. My
English lieges here nqay weel make much of me, for I would have them to. know, they have gotten the only peaceable man that ever came of my family.
If James with the Fiery Face had come amongst you," he said, looking
round him, " or my great grandsire, of Flodden memory!"
"We should have sent him back to the north again," whispered one
English nobleman.
"A.t least," said another, in the same inaudible tone, "we should have
had a mean to our sovereign, though he were but a Scotsman."
"And now, my young springald," said the King to Lord Glenvarloch,
"where have you been spending your calf-time?"