Page:Devonshire Characters and Strange Events.djvu/875

Rh On the occasion of the visit of the King, Queen, and the Royal Princesses, the Bishop of Exeter, John Ross, begged to be excused the honour of entertaining Majesty—the palace was not roomy enough, he was infirm, and so on; accordingly their Royal Highnesses were received by Dean Duller at the Deanery. Ross seems to have been a screw, and he dreaded the expense of entertaining Royalty. It was said of him that when his clergy were entertained by him there was no wine on the table, and they begged to be allowed to taste "his charming water." The King and Royal Family went to the cathedral for Morning Prayer, after which Dean Buller showed them over the church; the King looked about

Wolcot adds in a note that the King actually did make this observation at Exeter, as well as at Salisbury some years later. The royal entry into the city is most humorously described, and Mr. Rolle's active attention to the King is hit off:—

It had been hoped that the King would make the round of the city and visit the Guildhall and Castle,