In this instance the person selected was Sir Gilbert Hoghton, the eldest son of Sir Richard, and subsequent owner of Hoghton Tower.  Indebted for the high court favour he enjoyed partly to his graceful person and accomplishments, and partly to his marriage, having espoused a daughter of Sir John Aston of Cranford, who, as sister of the Duchess of Buckingham, and a descendant of the blood royal of the Stuarts, was a great help to his rapid rise, the handsome young knight was skilled in all manly exercises, and cited as a model of grace in the dance.  Constant in attendance upon the court, he frequently took part in the masques performed before it.  Like the King, he was fully equipped for hunting; but greater contrast could not have been found than between his tall fine form and the King’s ungainly figure.  Sir Gilbert had remained behind with the rest of the courtiers in the chapel; but, calling him, James seized his arm, and set forward at his usual shambling pace.  As he went on, nodding his head in return to the profound salutations of the assemblage, his eye rolled round them until it alighted on Richard Assheton, and, nudging Sir Gilbert, he asked—­

“Wha’s that?—­a bonnie lad, but waesome pale.”

Sir Gilbert, however, was unable to answer the inquiry; but Nicholas, who stood beside the young man, was determined not to lose the opportunity of introducing him, and accordingly moved a step forward, and made a profound obeisance.

“This youth, may it please your Majesty,” he said, “is my cousin, Richard Assheton, son and heir of Sir Richard Assheton of Middleton, one of your Majesty’s most loyal and devoted servants, and who, I trust, will have the honour of being presented to you in the course of the day.”

“We trust so, too, Maister Nicholas Assheton—­for that, if we dinna forget, is your ain name,” replied James; “and if the sire resembles the son, whilk is not always the case, as our gude freend, Sir Gilbert, is evidence, being as unlike his worthy father as a man weel can be; if, as we say, Sir Richard resembles this callant, he must be a weel-faur’d gentleman.  But, God’s santie, lad! how cam you in sic sad and sombre abulyiements?  Hae ye nae braw claes to put on to grace our coming?  Black isna the fashion at our court, as Sir Gilbert will tell ye, and, though a suit o’ sables may become you, it’s no pleasing in our sight.  Let us see you in gayer apparel at dinner.”

Richard, who was considerably embarrassed by the royal address, merely bowed, and Nicholas again took upon himself to answer for him.

“Your Majesty will be pleased to pardon him,” he said; “but he is unaccustomed to court fashions, having passed all his time in a wild and uncivilized district, where, except on rare and happy occasions like the present, the refined graces of life seldom reach us.”

“Weel, we wouldna be hard upon him,” said the King, good-naturedly; “and mayhap the family has sustained some recent loss, and he is in mourning.”