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"Heat it at your own nose, fellow," he said rudely; "I am captain of the castle-guard, and must attend to my own business. Take the spirit out of my hand if you do not want it thrown in your face." The swarthy, bullet-headed man glared at him with eyes like burning coals, but Sholto cared no jot for his anger.
The shire fee was the southern part; under a sheriff appointed by the chief Lord: the chief landowners owed suit and service i.e., they attended and were under the jurisdiction of the shire court held monthly in the castle enclosure, and each owed a fixed amount of military service especially the duty of "castle-guard" supplying the garrison and keeping the castle in repair.
The dark violet orbs rested upon him a moment reproachfully with a hurt expression in their depths, and were then dropped with a sigh. "You are still angry with me," she said, a little wistfully, "and I wanted to tell you how happy it made me made us, I mean when we heard that you were to be captain of the castle-guard instead of that grumbling old curmudgeon, Jock of Abernethy."
"Aye," he said, "it is indeed more fitting that Sholto, my son, should ride behind my Lord of Douglas than stiff old Malise upon his Flanders mare." The Earl blushed a little, for he remembered how the armourer had offered to ride behind him after he had shod Black Darnaway at the Carlinwark. He went on somewhat hastily. "I have resolved to make your son, Sholto, officer of the castle-guard.
The royal castles were scarcely less troublesome: for, as everything was then in tenure, the governor held his place by the tenure of castle-guard; and thus, instead of a simple officer, subject to his pleasure, the king had to deal with a feudal tenant, secure against him by law, if he performed his services, and by force, if he was unwilling to perform them.
From him it reverted to the crown, but continued attached to the earldom of Cornwall till Edward III. when it was constituted and still continues, part of the inheritance of the Duchy. In Leland's time, several gentlemen of the county held their lands by castle-guard, being bound to repair and defend the fortifications of this castle.
No constable or bailiff of ours shall take corn or other chattels of any man unless he presently give him money for it, or hath respite of payment by the goodwill of the seller. No constable shall distrain any knight to give money for castle-guard, if he himself will do it in his person, or by another able man, in case he cannot do it through any reasonable cause.
"Oh, Maud Lindesay," said Sholto, with a little conflicting sob in his throat, ill becoming so noted a warrior as the captain of the castle-guard of the Black Douglas, "if you knew how I loved you, you would not treat me thus." The girl came nearer to him and laid a white and gentle hand on the sleeve of his blue archer's coat.
For at twenty virtue is mostly but lack of opportunity." Sholto blushed so becomingly at this accusation that if the Earl had not seen the brothers locked in the death grip like crabs in a fishwife's creel, even he might have been deceived. "Nevertheless," continued the Earl, "in spite of your claims to virtue, I am resolved to make you officer of my castle-guard if not in name, at least in fact.
No governor or constable of a castle shall oblige any knight to give money for castle-guard, if the knight be willing to perform the service in person, or by another able-bodied man; and if the knight be in the field himself, by the king's command, he shall be exempted from all other service of this nature.
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