He hath knelt down before you unknown, save
by his worth; he arises equally distinguished by birth and by
fortune. The adventurous knight, Kenneth, arises David, Earl of
Huntingdon, Prince Royal of Scotland!"
There was a general exclamation of surprise, and Edith dropped
from her hand the helmet which she had just received.
"Yes, my masters," said the King, "it is even so. Ye know how
Scotland deceived us when she proposed to send this valiant Earl,
with a bold company of her best and noblest, to aid our arms in
this conquest of Palestine, but failed to comply with her
engagements. This noble youth, under whom the Scottish Crusaders
were to have been arrayed, thought foul scorn that his arm should
be withheld from the holy warfare, and joined us at Sicily with a
small train of devoted and faithful attendants, which was
augmented by many of his countrymen to whom the rank of their
leader was unknown. The confidants of the Royal Prince had all,
save one old follower, fallen by death, when his secret, but too
well kept, had nearly occasioned my cutting off, in a Scottish
adventurer, one of the noblest hopes of Europe.
Pages:
621
622
623
624
625
626
627
628
629
630
631
632
633
634
635
636
637
638
639
640
641
642
643
644
645