He then hastened to the apartment of Lord Lacy, whom he met dressed in a long furred gown and the knightly cap called a Mortier, irritated at the noise, and demanding to know the cause which had disturbed the repose of the household.

‘Noble sir,’ said the Franklin, ’one of the most formidable and bloody of the Scottish Border riders is at hand; he is never seen,’ added he, faltering with terror, ’so far from the hills but with some bad purpose, and the power of accomplishing it; so hold yourself to your guard, for—­’

A loud crash here announced that the door was broken down, and the knight just descended the stair in time to prevent bloodshed betwixt his attendants and the intruders.  They were three in number; their chief was tall, bony, and athletic, his spare and muscular frame, as well as the hardness of his features, marked the course of his life to have been fatiguing and perilous.  The effect of his appearance was aggravated by his dress, which consisted of a jack or jacket, composed of thick buff leather, on which small plates of iron of a lozenge form were stitched in such a manner as to overlap each other and form a coat of mail, which swayed with every motion of the wearer’s body.  This defensive armour covered a doublet of coarse grey cloth, and the Borderer had a few half-rusted plates of steel on his shoulders, a two-edged sword, with a dagger hanging beside it, in a buff belt; a helmet, with a few iron bars, to cover the face instead of a visor, and a lance of tremendous and uncommon length, completed his appointments.  The looks of the man were as wild and rude as his attire:  his keen black eyes never rested one moment fixed upon a single object, but constantly traversed all around, as if they ever sought some danger to oppose, some plunder to seize, or some insult to revenge.  The latter seemed to be his present object, for, regardless of the dignified presence of Lord Lacy, he uttered the most incoherent threats against the owner of the house and his guests.

’We shall see—­ay, marry shall we—­if an English hound is to harbour and reset the Southrons here.  Thank the Abbot of Melrose and the good Knight of Coldingnow that have so long kept me from your skirts.  But those days are gone, by Saint Mary, and you shall find it!’

It is probable the enraged Borderer would not have long continued to vent his rage in empty menaces, had not the entrance of the four yeomen with their bows bent convinced him that the force was not at this moment on his own side.

Lord Lacy now advanced towards him.  ’You intrude upon my privacy, soldier; withdraw yourself and your followers.  There is peace betwixt our nations, or my servants should chastise thy presumption.’

‘Such peace as ye give such shall ye have,’ answered the moss-trooper, first pointing with his lance towards the burned village and then almost instantly levelling it against Lord Lacy.  The squire drew his sword and severed at one blow the steel head from the truncheon of the spear.