Page:Merry and entertaining history of the king and the cobler.pdf/18

 Marry, quoth the cobler, I with that you may have com honeſtly by it; for though I be the buyer, I muſt need tell you it is worth much more.

That's neither here nor there, quoth the King, I am for falling off: which, when I have done, I dont think t deal in leather for the future; I am for a place at court and this young maid, my kinswoman, is likewiſe deſire to wait on ſome lady.

Marry, quoth the cobler, if it be ſo, perhaps I may d you a piece of ſervice, for at ſimple as I fit here; though I ſay ſo myself, I am very well acquainted with the King and, as you ſeem both to have good honeſt faces. I proteſt I will do you all the good I can, that I will, and there i my band on the ſame.

Thou ſayeſt well, quoth the King, and if thou doſt a kindneſs, I do not matter if I give thee the leather a reward for thy goodneſs; and ſo here's to thee.

I thank thee, quoth the cobler; and by the time had drank three or four carouſes his heart grew light he told the King he would ſing him a ſong of his ca making at which the Queen, when ſhe heard it, laughe heartily's for he had many jokes and pleaſant ſongs: delighted the Queen more than any thing he had see or met with in her life.

At length it drew towards noon; the cobler wat ſ going will them towards the court, but he muſt dre himſelf, for he would not appear before the King in h cobler's clothes for all the ſhoes in his ſhop.

HE cobler being gone, the King turned himself the Queen ſaying, how do you like the converſation of this comical Criſpin?

The Queen ſaid, right well: beſide I ſee there is ſome thing of prirciple in him, which, in my judgement, ſeem