The monastery; The abbot.

3-54 WAVERLEY NOVELS.
more mischief, and be wise men to-morrow - and hereafter learn to serve a
good cause better than by acting like buffoons or ruffians."
Obedient to his master's mandate, the falconer was collecting his discouraged followers, and whispering into their ears-" Away, away-tace is
Latin for a candle-never mind the good Knight's puritanism-we will play
the frolic out over a stand of double ale in Dame Martin the Brewster's
barn-yard-draw off, harp and tabor-bagpipe and drum-mum till you are
out of the church-yard, then let the welkin ring again-move on, wolf and
bear-keep the hind legs till you cross the kirk-stile, and then show yourselves beasts of mettle —what devil sent him here to spoil our holiday!
but anger him not, my hearts; his lance is no goose-feather, as Dan's ribs
can tell."
"By my soul," said Dan, "had it been another than my ancient comrade,
I would have made my father's old fox* fly about his ears!"
"IIush! hush! man," replied Adam Woodcock, "not a word that way,
as you value the safety of your bones-what man? we must take a clink as
it passes, so it is not bestowed in downright ill-will."
"But I will take no such thing," said Dan of the Howlet-hirst, suddenly
resisting the efforts of Woodcock, who was dragging him out of the church;
when the quick military eye of Sir Halbert Glendinning detecting Roland
Groeme betwixt his two guards, the Knight exclaimed, " So ho! falconer,Woodcock,-knave, hast thou brought my Lady's page in mine own livery,
to assist at this hopeful revel of thine, with your wolves and bears? Since
you were at such mummings, you might, if you would, have at least saved
the credit of my household, by dressing him up as a jackanapes-bring him
hither, fellows!"
Adam Woodcock was too honest and downright, to permit blame to light
upon the youth, when it was undeserved. "I swear," he said, "by Saint
Martin of Bullionsft —"
"And what hast thou to do with Saint Martin?"
"Nay, little enough, sir, unless when he sends such rainy days that
we cannot fly a hawk —but I say to your worshipful knighthood, that as I
am a true man "
" As you are a false varlet, had been the better obtestation."
"Nay, if your knighthood allows me not to speak," said Adam, "I can
hold my tongue-but the boy came not hither by my bidding, for all that."
" But to gratify his own malapert pleasure, I warrant me," said Sir Halbert Glendinning —" Come hither, young springald, and tell me whether
you have your mistress's license to be so far absent from the castle, or to
dishonour my livery by mingling in such a May-game?"
"Sir Italbert Glendinning," answered Roland Grseme with steadiness, "I
have obtained the permission, or rather the commands, of your lady, to
dispose of my time hereafter according to my own pleasure. I have been
a most unwilling spectator of this May-game, since it is your pleasure so to
call it; and I only wear your livery until I can obtain clothes which bear
no such badge of servitude."
"How am I to understand this, young man?" said Sir Halbert Glendinning; " speak plainly, for I am no reader of riddles.-That my lady favoured
thee, I know. What hast thou done to disoblige her, and occasion thy dismissal?"
"Nothing to speak of," said Adam Woodcock, answering for the boy" a foolish quarrel with me, which was more foolishly told over again to my
honoured lady, cost the poor boy his place. For my part, I will say freely,
that I was wrong from beginning to'end, except about the washing of the
eyas's meat. There I stand to it that I was right."
* Faz, An old-fashioned broadsword was often so called.
t TLe Saint Swithin, or weeping Saint of Scotland. If his festival (fourth July) prove wet, forty days of
vain are expected.