It was only a few weeks after the execution of the Earl of Home and his brother, that the Regent Albany offered an additional insult to his family by appointing Sir Anthony D’Arcy warden of the east marches, an office which the Homes had held for ages.  D’Arcy was a Frenchman, and the favourite of the Regent; and, on account of the comeliness of his person, obtained the appellation of the Sieur de la Beaute.  The indignation of Wedderburn had not slumbered, and the conferring the honours and the power that had hitherto been held by his family upon a foreigner, incensed him to almost madness.  For a time, however, no opportunity offered of causing his resentment to be felt; for D’Arcy was as much admired for the discretion and justice of his government as for the beauty of his person.  To his care the Regent had committed young Cockburn, the heir of Langton, who was the nephew of Wedderburn.  This the Homes felt as a new indignity, and, together with the Cockburns, they forcibly ejected from Langton Castle the tutors whom D’Arcy had placed over their kinsman.  The tidings of this event were brought to the Chevalier while he was holding a court at Kelso; and immediately summoning together his French retainers and a body of yeomen, he proceeded with a gay and a gallant company by way of Fogo to Langton.  His troop drew up in front of the castle, and their gay plumes and burnished trappings glittered in the sun.  The proud steed of the Frenchman was covered with a panoply of gold and silver, and he himself was decorated as for a bridal.  He rode haughtily to the gate, and demanded the inmates of the castle to surrender.

“Surrender! boasting Gaul!” replied William Cockburn, the uncle of the young laird; “that is a word the men of Merse have yet to learn.  But yonder comes my brother Wedderburn; speak it to him.”

D’Arcy turned round, and beheld Sir David Home and a party of horsemen bearing down upon them at full speed.  The Chevalier drew back, and waiting their approach, placed himself at the head of his company.

“By the mass!  Sir Warden,” said Sir David, riding up to D’Arcy, “and ye have brought a goodly company to visit my nephew.  Come ye in peace, or what may be your errand?”

“I wish peace,” replied the Chevalier, “and come to enforce the establishment of my rights; why do you interfere between me and my ward?”

“Does a Frenchman talk of his rights upon the lands of Home?” returned Sir David; “or by whose authority is my nephew your ward?”

“By the authority of the Regent, rebel Scot!” retorted D’Arcy.

“By the authority of the Regent!” interrupted Wedderburn; “dare ye, foreign minion, speak of the authority of the murderer of the Earl of Home, while within the reach of the sword of his kinsman?”

“Ay! and in his teeth dare tell him,” replied the Chevalier, “that the Home now before me is not less a traitor than he who proved false to his sovereign on the field of Flodden, who conspired against the Regent, and whose head now adorns the port of Edinburgh.”