KING AND THE COOLER 19 ' homely cottage, then a courtier, or a colonel ' with all their great accompliſhments. ' Not too much of that,' quoth the king, for ' well remember that when he had me down is- 'to his lower cellar to drink a cup of nappy ale, ' and ate ſome of his bread and cheeſe, all on a ' ſadden 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 cobler ſhou'd be cudgelled by hiſ ' wife, got away with a great ſpeed as might be ' My leige, 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 wil- ' lingly ſee her. She ſha l be ſent for,' ſaid the king, and thereupon called the innkeeper to let them know what he would let them have for din- ner? who told them he had a ſhoulder of motion, which ſhould be ready in half an hour. ' That will do,' ſaid the king, and therefore ' call the cobler and his wife, for I deſire they many ' both dine with me. The innkeeper having de- livered his meſſage, Joun fet up a railing, ſaying, ' What fot is this that has ſent for you now; I ' ſhall have you drunk again, that I ſhall.' ' Why, quoth the cobler, did you not tell me ' the other day that you would never ſcold me a- ' gain, if I would but keep your counſel, and do ' you (illegible text) egin niready? Go put on your belt red pet- ticoat and waill out while I dreſs myſelf, for I ' do not know but we may take a wolk te court al- ' ter dinner and it will be for your credit to fee ' the ling in your boſt apparel, New Joan having a fear for what fe had formerly ſaid doubting that he might out with all peor creature, ſhe was ſaid to brdle her unrul, toneus, and turn her crabbed
