``Ay, but I talk not of personal predilections.However, your authority is of great weight as to the usages of the court of France: and doubtless the Prince, as _alter ego,_ may have a right to claim the _homagium_ of the great tenants of the crown, since all faithful subjects are commanded, in the commission of regency, to respect him as the king's own person.Far, therefore, be it from me to diminish the lustre of his authority, by withholding this act of homage, so peculiarly calculated to give it splendour; for I question if the Emperor of Germany hath his boots taken off by a free baron of the empire.But here lieth the second difficulty.---The Prince wears no boots, but simply brogues and trews.''
This last dilemma had almost disturbed Fergus's gravity.
``Why,'' said he, ``you know, Baron, the proverb tells us, `It's ill taking the breeks off a Highlandman,'---and the boots are here in the same predicament.''
``The word _calig<ae>,_ however,'' continued the Baron, ``though I admit, that, by family tradition, and even in our ancient evidents, it is explained _lie_ =boots,= means, in its primitive sense, rather sandals; and Caius C<ae>sar, the nephew and successor of Caius Tiberius, received the agnomen of Caligula, _a caligulis, sive caligis levioribus, quibus adolescentior usus fuerat in exercitu Germanici patris sui._ And the _calig<ae>_ were also proper to the monastic bodies; for we read in an ancient Glossarium, upon the rule of St Benedict, in the Abbey of St.Amand, that _calig<ae>_were tied with latchets.''
``That will apply to the brogues,'' said Fergus.
``It will so, my dear Glennaquoich; and the words are express: _Calig<ae> dict<ae> sunt quia ligantur; nam socci non ligantur, sed tantum intromittuntur;_ that is, _calig<ae>_ are denominated from the ligatures wherewith they are bound; whereas _socci,_ which may be analogous to our mules, whilk the English denominate slippers, are only slipped upon the feet.The words of the charter are also alternative,---_exuere, seu detrahere;_ that is, to _undo,_ as in the case of sandals or brogues; and to _pull off,_ as we say vernacularly, concerning boots.Yet I would we had more light; but I fear there is little chance of finding hereabout any erudite author _de re vestiari<a^>._''
``I should doubt it very much,'' said the Chieftain, looking around on the straggling Highlanders, who were returning loaded with spoils of the slain, ``though the _res vestiaria_ itself seems to be in some request at present.''
This remark coming within the Baron's idea of jocularity, he honoured it with a smile, but immediately resumed what to him appeared very serious business.
``Bailie Macwheeble indeed holds an opinion, that this honorary service is due, from its very nature, _si petatur tantum;_only if his Royal Highness shall require of the great tenant of the crown to perform that personal duty; and indeed he pointed out the case in Dirleton's Doubts and Queries, Grippet _versus_Spicer, anent the eviction of an estate _ob non solutum canonem,_that is, for non-payment of a feu-duty of three peppercorns a-year, whilk were taxt to be worth seven-eighths of a penny Scots, in whilk the defender was assoilzied.But I deem it safest, wi' your good favour, to place myself in the way of rendering the Prince this service, and to proffer performance thereof; and I shall cause the Bailie to attend with a schedule of a protest, whilk he has here prepared (taking out a paper), intimating, that if it shall be his Royal Highness's pleasure to accept of other assistance at pulling off his _calig<ae>_ (whether the same shall be rendered boots or brogues) save that of the said Baron of Bradwardine, who is in presence ready and willing to perform the same, it shall in no wise impinge upon or prejudice the right of the said Cosmo Comyne Bradwardine to perform the said service in future; nor shall it give any esquire, valet of the chamber, squire, or page, whose assistance it may please his Royal Highness to employ, any right, title, or ground, for evicting from the said Cosmo, Comyne Bradwardine the estate and barony of Bradwardine, and others held as aforesaid, by the due and faithful performance thereof.''
Fergus highly applauded this arrangement; and the Baron took a friendly leave of them, with a smile of contented importance upon his visage.
``Long live our dear friend the Baron,'' exclaimed the Chief, as soon as he was out of hearing, ``for the most absurd original that exists north of the Tweed! I wish to heaven I had recommended him to attend the circle this evening with a boot-ketch under his arm.I think he might have adopted the suggestion, if it had been made with suitable gravity.''
``And how can you take pleasure in making a man of his worth so ridiculous?''
``Begging pardon, my dear Waverley, you are as ridiculous as he.Why, do you not see that the man's whole mind is wrapped up in this ceremony? He has heard and thought of it since infancy, as the most august privilege and ceremony in the world; and I doubt not but the expected pleasure of performing it was a principal motive with him for taking up arms.Depend upon it, had I endeavoured to divert him from exposing himself, he would have treated me as an ignorant conceited coxcomb, or perhaps might have taken a fancy to cut my throat; a pleasure which he once proposed to himself upon some point of etiquette, not half so important, in his eyes, as this matter of boots or brogues, of whatever the calig<ae> shall finally be pronounced by the learned.But I must go to head-quarters to prepare the Prince for this extraordinary scene.
My information will be well taken, for it will give him a hearty laugh at present, and put him on his guard against laughing, when it might be very _mal-a-propos._ So, _au revoir,_ my dear Waverley.''