Page:History of the king and the cobler (1).pdf/20

 20 THE HIſTORY OF THE frown into a ſweet and pleal.nt ſmile; all with bedience to her huſband, he made herſelf as fine aſ a London milk raid upon a May day, and Criſpin likewiſe bruſhed up his ben d and then went over with Joan us pert aſ peat monger. The king tak- ing the glaſſ drank to the cobler's wife, who fim- pering like a firmity kettle, ſaid, I th, nk you ſir. Then paſſing it to her huſband, he filled up a bum- pet, and drunk to the queen, with this compliment, ' Young woman you are welcome to London and ' I don't queſtion but to help you to a ſervice that ' may be to your hesre's content Now by the time the glaſs had gone round, din- mer was ready, the cobler craved leave to fay the grace: it was ſhort, and when ended, the king carv- ed for the queen and himself, and brige the cobler and his wife do the like, Quoth Joan, I know my ' huſband is for the cugkold a bit, and ſo here it is ' let til have it. At which laying, the king and queen toriled, her majeſty being much more pleaſed with the mirth than the ineat, fed ſpuringly; st which the cobler merrily said, ' Young woman, if ' you come to dine with the fer ſervants of a noble- ' man's family, adſoks, you muſt lay about you bet ' ter than you do, or they will make you as fat as ' a hen in the forehead, With this and the like diſcourſe they paſſed a- way the time for an hour, and the king and queen withdrew into another room there to conſultar bout finiſhing the comical adventure. CHAP. VI. How the Cobler waſ put in fear of bis life, and Low be come off with flying colours. NOW the king had formerly tola the ſecretary of ſtate, that he would ſend his royal ſignet Lo him, by a meſſenger, whom he ſhould ſecure in order to give an account, upon examination, how