daughters' sleeping chambers as if they were in a bordel at Paris.
A party of reiving night walkers--courtiers and men of rank, as
there is but too much reason to believe--attempted to scale the
windows of Simon Glover's house last night; they stood in their
defence with drawn weapons when they were interrupted by Henry
Smith, and fought till they were driven off by the rising of the
citizens."

"How!" said Sir Patrick, setting down the cup which he was about
to raise to his head. "Cock's body, make that manifest to me, and,
by the soul of Thomas of Longueville, I will see you righted with
my best power, were it to cost me life and land. Who attests this?
Simon Glover, you are held an honest and a cautious man--do you
take the truth of this charge upon your conscience?"

"My lord," said Simon, "understand I am no willing complainer in
this weighty matter. No damage has arisen, save to the breakers of
the peace themselves. I fear only great power could have encouraged
such lawless audacity; and I were unwilling to put feud between my
native town and some powerful nobleman on my account. But it has
been said that, if I hang back in prosecuting this complaint, it
will be as much as admitting that my daughter expected such a visit,
which is a direct falsehood. Therefore, my lord, I will tell your
lordship what happened, so far as I know, and leave further proceeding
to your wisdom."

He then told, from point to point, all that he had seen of the
attack.

Sir Patrick Charteris, listening with much attention, seemed