all manner or ranks of men, be they friends or foes; to my secret heart
I am thine, and thine alone. In proof of which submission, my royal
liege, lest still in your grace's judgment Gloucester be not cleared
from treachery, behold I resign alike my sword and coronet to your royal
hands, never again to be resumed, save at my sovereign's bidding."

His voice became again firm ere he concluded, and with the same
respectful deference yet manly pride which had marked his bearing
throughout, he laid his sheathed sword and golden coronet at his
sovereign's feet, and then rising steadily and unflinchingly, returned
Edward's searching glance, and calmly awaited his decision.

"By St. Edward! Baron of Gloucester," he exclaimed, in his own tone of
kingly courtesy, mingled with a species of admiration he cared not to
conceal, "thou hast fairly challenged us to run a tilt with thee, not of
sword and lance, but of all knightly and generous courtesy. I were no
true knight to condemn, nor king to mistrust thee; yet, of a truth, the
fruit of thy rash act might chafe a cooler mood than ours. Knowest thou
Sir John Comyn is murdered--murdered by the arch traitor thou hast saved
from our wrath?"

"I heard it, good my liege," calmly returned Gloucester. "Robert of
Carrick was no temper to pass by injuries, aggravated, traitorous
injuries, unavenged."

"And this is all thou sayest!" exclaimed Edward, his wrath once again
gaining dominion. "Wouldst thou defend this base deed on plea, forsooth,
that Comyn was a traitor? Traitor--and to whom?"

"To the man that trusted him, my liege; to him he falsely swore to