"However," said Michael, pursuing his tale, "my Lord of Morton, in a
mighty chafe, asked my Lord Regent whether he was well dealt
with--'for my brother,' said he, 'should have had a gift to be
Commendator of Kennaqubair, and to have all the temporalities erected
into a lordship of regality for his benefit; and here,' said he, 'the
false monks have had the insolence to choose a new Abbot to put his
claim in my brother's way; and moreover, the rascality of the
neighbourhood have burnt and plundered all that was left in the Abbey,
so that my brother will not have a house to dwell in, when he hath
ousted the lazy hounds of priests.' And my lord, seeing him chafed,
said mildly to him, 'These are shrewd tidings, Douglas, but I trust
they be not true; for Halbert Glendinning went southward yesterday,
with a band of spears, and assuredly, had either of these chances
happened, that the monks had presumed to choose an Abbot, or that the
Abbey had been burnt, as you say, he had taken order on the spot for
the punishment of such insolence, and had despatched us a messenger.'
And the Earl of Morton replied--now I pray you, Adam, to notice, that
I say this out of love to you and your lord, and also for old
comradeship, and also because Sir Halbert hath done me good, and may
again--and also because I love not the Earl of Morton, as indeed more
fear than like him--so then it were a foul deed in you to betray
me.--'But,' said the Earl to the Regent, 'take heed, my lord, you
trust not this Glendinning too far--he comes of churl's blood, which
was never true to the nobles'--by Saint Andrew, these were his very
words.
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