"
"While your Majesty is in this gracious mood," said De Gondomar, bending
lowly, "suffer me to prefer a request respecting a person of very
inferior consequence to Sir Jocelyn--but one in whom I nevertheless take
an interest--and who is likewise a prisoner in the Fleet."
"And ye require a warrant for his liberation--ah, Count?"
"Your Majesty has said it," replied De Gondomar, again bending lowly.
"What is the nature of his offence?" demanded the King.
"A trifling outrage upon myself," returned the Ambassador;--"a mere
nothing, your Majesty."
"Ah! I know whom you mean. You refer to that rascally apprentice, Dick
Taverner," cried James. "Call ye his attack upon you a trifling
outrage--a mere nothing, Count. I call it a riot--almost a rebellion--to
assault an ambassador."
"Whatever it may be, I am content to overlook it," said De Gondomar;
"and, in sooth, the knaves had received some provocation."
"Aweel, since your Excellency is disposed to view it in that light,"
rejoined James--"since ye display such generosity towards your enemies,
far be it from us to oppose your wishes. The order for the 'prentice's
release shall be made out at the same time as Sir Jocelyn's. My Lord of
Buckingham will give orders to that effect to the Clerk of the Court,
and we will attach our sign manual to the warrants. And now--have ye not
done?" he continued, observing that Buckingham still lingered.
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