Page:History of the king and the cobbler.pdf/19

 homely cottage, than a courtier or a colonel,

'Not too much of that,' quoth the king, 'for I well remember that when he had me down into his lower cellar, to drink a cup of nappy ale, and ate ſome of his bread and cheeſe, all on a ſudden his wife Joan began to rouſe from her night's reſt, and I found he began to be afraid; for he ſaid, 'Friend, you must be gone; I would not that Joan my wife ſhould catch you here, no not for all the ſhoes in my ſhop. And thereupon rather than the cobbler ſhould be cudgelled by his wife, got away with as great ſpeed as might be.' 'My liege,' ſaid the queen, 'you were hard put to it.' In troth, quoth the king, "ſo I was.' Then with a ſmile her majeſty ſaid, 'I would willingly ſee her.' 'She ſhall be ſent for,' ſaid the king, and thereupon called the innkeeper to let them know what he would let them have for dinner? who told them he had a ſhoulder of mutton, which ſhould be ready in half an hour.

'That will do,' ſaid the king 'and therefore call the cobbler and his wife, for I deſire they may both dine with me.' The innkeeper having delivered his meſſage, Joan ſet up a railing, ſaying, 'What ſot is this that has ſent for you now? I ſhall have you drunk again, that I ſhall.'

'Why, quoth the cobbler, did you not tell me the other day that you would never ſcold me again, if I would but keep your counſel, and do you begin already? Go put on your beſt red petticoat and waiſtcoat while I dreſs myſelf, for I do not know but we may take a walk to court after dinner; and it will be for your credit to ſee the king in your beſt apparel' Now Joan having a fear for what ſhe had formerly ſaid, doubting that he might out with all, poor creature, ſhe was fain to bridle her unruly tongue, and turn her crabbed