For know, my pretty one, that when fair lips, and thine for fault of better may be called so, make sweet music for my pleasure, I am sworn to St.Valentine to press them to mine." "My song is recompensed nobly," said Louise, shrinking back; "my nuts are sold to a good market; farther traffic, my lord, were neither befitting you nor beseeming me." "What! you coy it, my nymph of the highway ?" said the Prince, contemptuously.

"Know damsel, that one asks you a grace who is unused to denial." "It is the Prince of Scotland--the Duke of Rothsay," said the courtiers around, to the terrified Louise, pressing forward the trembling young woman; "you must not thwart his humor." "But I cannot reach your lordship," she said, timidly, "you sit so high on horseback." "If I must alight," said Rothsay, "there shall be the heavier penalty.
What does the wench tremble for?
Place thy foot on the toe of my boot, give me hold of thy hand.

Gallantly done!" He kissed her as she stood thus suspended in the air, perched upon his foot and supported by his hand; saying, "There is thy kiss, and there is my purse to pay it; and to grace thee farther, Rothsay will wear thy scrip for the day." He suffered the frightened girl to spring to the ground, and turned his looks from her to bend them contemptuously on the Earl of Douglas, as if he had said, "All this I do in despite of you and of your daughter's claims." "By St.Bride of Douglas!" said the Earl, pressing towards the Prince, "this is too much, unmannered boy, as void of sense as honour! You know what considerations restrain the hand of Douglas, else had you never dared--" "Can you play at spang cockle, my lord ?" said the Prince, placing a nut on the second joint of his forefinger, and spinning it off by a smart application of the thumb.

The nut struck on Douglas's broad breast, who burst out into a dreadful exclamation of wrath, inarticulate, but resembling the growl of a lion in depth and sternness of expression.
"I cry your pardon, most mighty lord," said the Duke of Rothsay, scornfully, while all around trembled; "I did not conceive my pellet could have wounded you, seeing you wear a buff coat.

Surely, I trust, it did not hit your eye ?" The prior, despatched by the King, as we have seen in the last chapter, had by this time made way through the crowd, and laying hold on Douglas's rein, in a manner that made it impossible for him to advance, reminded him that the Prince was the son of his sovereign; and the husband of his daughter.
"Fear not, sir prior," said Douglas.