'Tis natural to fight when Englishmen and Scotchmen meet, arrayed in battle; but when Englishmen meet Englishmen, 'tis terrible indeed; and though the slaughter at Shrewsbury was great beyond measure, who yet can say that the fire is extinguished?
As long as one may be called to arms again, by the earl, it is, in good sooth, better to remain single than to have to ride to the wars, leaving the young wife behind." "Spoken very wisely and well, Oswald," Adam Armstrong laughed.

"'Tis well to argue as to policy; but such arguments go for nought, as soon as a man's heart is fixed on any particular woman." "It may be so, Uncle; but as I have never thought of marriage, I am able to look at the matter dispassionately." "Ah! Well, the time will come, Oswald, and you will then speedily come to consider that there are other things than the reasonableness of waiting to be considered.
"By the way, I trust that, should England invade Scotland again by the valley of the Esk, you will not forget our debt to the Bairds.

Though I lamented the disaster at Homildon, where many of my friends and acquaintances fell; I could not but feel that the death of William Baird, and so many of his kin, was a relief, indeed, to me.

I have strengthened my hold, as you see, but I should have been ever obliged to remain on guard.

The Bairds never forgive nor forget, and the manner in which they were tricked out of their captives must have discomposed them sorely, and rankled in their minds; and, sooner or later, they would have tried to wipe out the memory in blood.