I thought that even in France I had heard
of the Black Douglas and the Red."
"The Red and the Black alike are the liegemen of William of Douglas,
whom Angus and Avondale both have the honour of serving," answered he,
still more uncompromisingly.
"Aye," cried the jovial James, "cousin Will is the only chief, and
will make a rare lance when he hath eaten a score or two more bolls of
meal."
The Earl William returned even as James was speaking.
"What is that I hear about bolls of meal?" he said; "what wots this
fair damosel of our rude Scots measures for oats and bear? You talk
like the holder of a twenty-shilling land, James."
"I was saying," answered James Douglas, "that you would be a proper
man of your lance when you had laid a score or two bolls of good
Galloway meal to your ribs. English beef and beer are excellent, and
drive a lance home into an unarmed foe; but it needs good Scots oats
at the back of the spear-haft to make the sparks fly when knight meets
with knight and iron rings on iron."
"Indeed, cousin Jamie," said the Earl, "you have some right to your
porridge, for this day you have overturned well nigh a score of good
knights and come off unhurt and unashamed.
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