The Armourer's PrenticesYonge, Charlotte M. (Charlotte Mary)
History
The Armourer's Prentices
Yonge, Charlotte M. (Charlotte Mary)
Great Britain -- History -- Henry VIII, 1509-1547 -- Fiction
"Have the Wilts men raked the moon yet out of the pond? Did they lend
thee their rake, Tib, that thou hast raked up a couple of green Forest
palmerworms, or be they the sons of the man in the moon, raked out and
all astray?"
"Mayhap, for we met them with dog and bush," said Tibble, "and they
dropped as from the moon to save my poor master from the robbers on
Bagshot heath! Come now, mine honest fellow, aid me to rake, as thou
sayest, this same household. They are come up from the Forest, to seek
out their uncle, one Randall, who they have heard to be in this meine.
Knowest thou such a fellow?"
"To seek a spider in a stubble-field! Truly he needs my bauble who sent
them on such an errand," said the jester, rather slowly, as if to take
time for consideration. "What's your name, my Forest flies?"
"Birkenholt sir," answered Ambrose, "but our uncle is Harry Randall."
"Here's fools enow to take away mine office," was the reply. "Here's a
couple of lads would leave the greenwood and the free oaks and beeches,
for this stinking, plague-smitten London."
"We'd not have quitted it could we have tarried at home," began Ambrose;
but at that moment there was a sudden commotion, a trampling of horses
was heard outside, a loud imperious voice demanded, "Is my Lord
Archbishop within?" a whisper ran round, "the King," and there entered
the hall with hasty steps, a figure never to be forgotten, clad in a
bunting dress of green velvet embroidered with gold, with a golden
hunting horn slung round his neck.
Henry the Eighth was then in the splendid prime of his youth, in his
twenty-seventh year, and in the eyes, not only of his own subjects, but
of all others, the very type of a true king of men. Tall, and as yet of
perfect form for strength, agility, and grace; his features were of the
beautiful straight Plantagenet type, and his complexion of purely fair
rosiness, his large well-opened blue eyes full at once of frankness and
keenness, and the short golden beard that fringed his square chin giving
the manly air that otherwise might have seemed wanting to the feminine
tinting of his regular lineaments. All caps were instantly doffed save
the little bonnet with one drooping feather that covered his short,
curled, yellow hair; and the Earl of Derby, who was at the head of
Wolsey's retainers, made haste, bowing to the ground, to assure him that
my Lord Archbishop was but doffing his robes, and would be with his
Grace instantly. Would his Grace vouchsafe to come on to the privy
chamber where the dinner was spread?
At the same moment Quipsome Hal sprang forward, exclaiming, "How now,
brother and namesake? Wherefore this coil? Hath cloth of gold wearied
yet of cloth of frieze? Is she willing to own her right to this?" as he
held out his bauble.
"Holla, old Blister! art thou there?" said the King, good-humouredly.
"What! knowest not that we are to have such a wedding as will be a sight
for sore eyes!"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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