So depressed was he that when royal messengers arrived, summoning him
in the king's name to surrender, and journey with him to London, he
instantly obeyed. When questioned by the king why he had displayed the
banner of revolt against him, he said he had done so on the urging of
Hotspur; and the king, who was always inclined to leniency, when
leniency was safe, pardoned him, and permitted him to retain his
dignity and estates.
Oswald speedily recovered from his wounds, but his father suffered
much.
"I have fought my last fight, Oswald," he said, when his son rode over
to see him, a few days after their return from the south. "I say not
that I am about to die, but only that methinks I shall never be able to
wield sword manfully again. I have talked the matter over with your
mother, and she agrees with me that it were well that I handed over
Yardhope to you. I do not mean that I should leave the old place--for
generations my fathers have lived and died here, and I would fain do
the same--but that I should hand over to you the feu, and you should
take oath for it to Northumberland, and lead its retainers in the
field. Were it that there was a chance of another raid by the Bairds, I
would still maintain my hold myself; but their power was altogether
broken, at Homildon.
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