Page:Gesta Romanorum - Swan - Wright - 1.djvu/425

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king had an only son, whom he ardently loved. When the boy arrived at man's estate, day after day he solicited his father to resign the kingdom, and deliver to himself the sovereign power. "My dear son," said the king, "if I were satisfied that you would treat me honourably and kindly during the remainder of my life, I should have no objection to relinquish the throne to you." The son answered, "My lord, I will bind myself by an oath before all the noblemen of the empire, to do in every respect, as a son ought to do. Be confident that I will shew greater honour to you than to myself." The old king