Now, on his return home through the Strand, he took notice of a certain
cobbler who was constantly up at work whistling and singing every
morning. The king was resolved to see him and be acquainted with him, in
order to which he immediately knocks the heel off his shoe by hitting it
against a stone, and having so done, he bounced at the cobbler's stall.
"Who's there?" cries the cobbler.
"Here's one," cries the king. With that the cobbler opened the stall
door, and the king asked him if he could put the heel on his shoe.
"Yes, that I can," says the cobbler; "come in, honest fellow, and sit
thee down by me and I will do it for thee straight," the cobbler
scraping his awls and old shoes to one side to make room for the king to
sit down.
The king being hardly able to forbear laughing at the kindness of the
cobbler, asked him if there was not a house hard by that sold a cup of
ale and the people up.
"Yes," said the cobbler, "there is an inn over the way, where I believe
the folks are up, for the carriers go from thence very early in the
morning."
With that the king borrowed an old shoe off the cobbler and went over to
the inn, desired the cobbler would bring his shoe to him thither as soon
as he had put on the heel again. The cobbler promised he would; so
making what haste he could to put on the heel, he carries it over to the
king, saying, "Honest blade, here is thy shoe again, and I warrant thee
it will not come off in such haste again."
"Very well," says the king; "what must you have for your pains?"
"A couple of pence," replied the cobbler.
"Well," said the king, "seeing thou art an honest merry fellow, there is
a tester for thee; come, sit down by me, I will drink a full pot with
thee; come, here's a good health to the king."
"With all my heart," said the cobbler, "I'll pledge thee were it in
water."
So the cobbler sat down by the king and was very merry, and drank off
his liquor very freely; he likewise sung some of his merry songs and
catches, whereat the king laughed heartily and was very jocund and
pleasant with the cobbler, telling him withal that his name was Harry
Tudor, that he belonged to the court, and that if he would come and see
him there, he would make him very welcome, because he was a merry
companion, and charged him not to forget his name, and to ask any one
for him about the court and they would soon bring him to him; "For,"
said the king, "I am very well known there."
Now the cobbler little dreamt that he was the king that spake to him,
much less that the king's name was Harry Tudor. Therefore, with a great
deal of confidence, he stands up and puts off his hat, makes two or
three scrapes with his foot and gives the king many thanks, also telling
him that he was one of the most honest fellows he ever met with in all
his lifetime, and although he never had been at court, yet he should not
be long before he would make a holiday to come and see him.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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