'Tis meet he should," cried the Puritan,
bitterly. "Shower thy honours upon him, tyrant. Give him wealth and
titles. I could not wish him worse misfortune than thy favour."
"Hold thy scurril tongue, villain, or it shall be torn out by the
roots," said James. "Thou shalt see that I can as promptly reward those
that serve me, as thou shalt presently feel I can severely punish those
that seek to injure me. Hark ye, Count!" he added to the Spanish
Ambassador, while those around drew back a little, seeing it was his
Majesty's pleasure to confer with him in private, "this youth--this
Jocelyn Mounchensey, hath gentle bluid in his veins?--he comes of a good
stock, ha?"
"He is the representative of an old Norfolk family," De Gondomar
replied.
"What! the son of Sir Ferdinando?" demanded James, a shade crossing his
countenance, which did not escape the wily ambassador's notice.
"You have guessed right, Sire," he said. "This is Sir Ferdinando's son;
and, if I may be permitted to say so, your Majesty owes him some
reparation for the wrongs done his father."
"How! Count!" exclaimed James, with a look of slight displeasure. "Do
you venture to question our judgments on hearsay--for ye can know
naething o' your ain knowledge?"
"I know enough to be satisfied that misrepresentations were made to your
Majesty respecting this young man's father," De Gondomar replied; "for I
am well assured that if you ever erred at all, it must have been through
ignorance, and want of due information.
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