Page:Adventures of Jack Okham & Tom Splicewell (2).pdf/5

(5) When Jack had finished the above letter, and the other had set his hand to it, as a proof of his approbation, and the truth of its contents, they sealed it up, and directed it as follows :

THIS FOR THE KING WITH SPEED.

As soon as this was done, without further delay, out they set, to deliver their letter as directed; and all the way they went, they enquired where the King lived. At last, when they came into the Strand, near Charing-Cross, a gentlemen, who was just come from St James’s, hearing them enquire so earnestly after the King, and seeing they were sailors, slept up to them, and demanded thus: Hark ye, my lads, what do ye want with the King pray? have you an express! No! answers one of them, we have no express, nor do not know what you mean! but we have got a letter for him, and want to deliver it to him, if we can. What! replies the gentleman, to the King himself? King himself! ay, to the King himself; cried the sailor, suppose it was to the Lord High Admiral; What of that? Why, my lad, replied the gentleman, if it be a thing of consequence, you may very easily see the King, for he is now walking in the mall; I saw him there within these ten minutes myself.—What, Sir, demands Jack, is he walking there alone ? No, replies the gentleman, there are a great many of the nobility and gentry along with him. How may a body know then, cries Jack, which is he ? Why, says the gentleman again, the King is a very well looking man, and you may know him by a star on his left breast, and a blue ribbon hanging from his neck.

By this time, a great number of people were gathered about the sailors; and hearing what had passed betwixt them and the gentleman, as above,