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scrapes, he returned home to his wife Joan, with the joyful news of his recep- tion at court; which so well pleased her, that she did not think much at                     the great pains she took in decking him for the journey.

ANECDOTE OF CHARLES II.

When Charles II. was on a progress through his dominions, he was waited upon by the magistracy of a certain city in the north of England. The mayor had prepared, with no little study, a splendid oration for so memo- rable an occasion. Kneeling down to                      deliver his address, the worthy magis- trate (who was excessively fat) com- menced by a feu de-joye of rather a sin- gular nature: Whether he deemed an                      expression of loyalty tantamount to a                       Royal salute of the present day, history is silent: certain it is he felt greatly embarrassed, and blundered his oration