The English Ladye and Her Knight

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The English Ladye and Her Knight

Cast:

Sir Calum Macleod of Skye

Lady Elizabeth Hartrite

Lord James Hartrite (Lady Elizabeth’s brother)

Sir Calum’s servant

The Hartrite Messenger

Act One

Scene One

Sir Calum: Aye, ‘tis na bonnie day. Tae much o’ the clouds that dae plague this country. What say ye, knave?

Caum’s Servant: Nae, not a knave, if ye please sir. But aye, ‘tis a dim day. Na the kind o’ day that would see me travelling, ye kin?

Sir Calum: ‘Tis for that I call ye knave. Steady your feet, mon, an’ bear tae mind where we are headed!

Calum’s Servant: Aye, sir. But, sir, nae knave.

Sir Calum *dreamily*: Is my lady na a bonnie lass? ‘Twould take nae maire than a knave tae say as much, ye kin?

Calum’s servant: Aye, sir. But look, someone hails us.

Hartrite messenger emerges from the fog.

Sir Calum: Who goes there, be ye mon aire Whig?

H. Messenger: Do you imply, sir, that it is not possible to be both? To be sure, you’d be hard-pressed to find any man not Whig in these parts. My master sends me hither to quire for your name, sir.

Sir Calum: Hoot, mon! Do ye na kin me? Am I na other than Calum Macleod of Skye?

H. Messenger: Your name holds neither meaning nor recognition for me, sir. But I do take it that I address a Tory.

Sir Calum: Fie, mon, fie! Tae assume what ye dinnae kin! Who is yon laird that sent ye?

H. Messenger: I was sent by my master Lord Hartrite, lord of the lands on which you stand, sir. He bids you come hither to his hall for tonight, if you are willing.

Sir Calum: Did he nau? Well, this is maire o’ a welcome than I expected from yon laird. For aye, if I de recall, we last parted each other’s company wi’ blows when we last met.

Calum’s servant *whispers*: I dinna think the laird kins who he walcomes tae his land.

Sir Calum *likewise whispers*: Aye, ye cannae be fair wrong. Mayhaps ye’ll not be knave, then. *then aloud* We shall accommodate the laird, go tell him tae expect us.

H. Messenger: I’ll do just that, sir.

Hartrite Messenger exits into the fog.

Calum’s Servant: D’ye think it wise tae stroll into the lairds hall in such a manner, sir?

Sir Calum: Weel, it’s too late nau tae de utherwise. Shall we continue on?

Calum’s Servant: Knave I may be, but ye cannae deny that I’m a cautious knave. I dinnae trust this laird.

Sir Calum: Na, mon, ye be nae maire a knave than myself. But na, we cannae de anythin’ else but continue.

Calum’s Servant: Aye, sir.

Both exit.

(I really need to rethink the first couple lines...)