Page:Poems - Tennyson (1843) - Volume 2 of 2.djvu/169

 And last of all the king awoke, And in his chair himself uprear'd, And yawn'd, and rubb'd his face, and spoke, "By holy rood, a royal beard! How say you? we have slept, my lords. My beard has grown into my lap." The barons swore, with many words, 'Twas but an after-dinner's nap.

"Pardy," return'd the king, "but still My joints are something stiff or so. My lord, and shall we pass the bill I mention'd half an hour ago?" The chancellor, sedate and vain, In courteous words return'd reply: But dallied with his golden chain, And, smiling, put the question by.