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 caligce, 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
Caesar, the nephew and successor of Caius Tiberius, received the agnomen
of Caligula, a caligulis sine caligis levioribus, quibus adolescentior
usus fuerat in exercitu Germanici patris sui.
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