King Henry Second, separated from his men in hunting, came to a Cistercian house at nightfall and was hospitably received, not as king (for this they knew not), but as a knight of the king’s house and retinue. After a handsome supper, the abbot asked his help in some business of the fraternity on which he was to visit the king the next day, and this was readily promised. The abbot, to improve his guest’s good disposition, had his health drunk in many a cup of choice wine, after the English fashion; but instead of the customary salutation or challenge ‘wes heil!’[74] called ‘pril!’ The king, who would have answered ‘drinc heil!’ was at a loss how to respond; he was told that ‘wril!’ was the word. And so with ‘pril’ and ‘wril’ they pursued their compotation, monks, freres, guests, servants, deep into the night. The next morning the king rejoined his party, who had been much alarmed at losing him. Order was given that when the abbot came he should be immediately admitted, and it was not long before he made his appearance, with two of his monks. The king received him graciously, all that he asked was granted; the abbot begged leave to retire, but the king carried him off to luncheon and seated him by his side. After a splendid meal, the king, lifting a big cup of gold, called out, ‘Pril, father abbot!’ The abbot, staggering with shame and fear, begged his grace and forgiveness. The king swore by God’s eyes that as they had eaten and drunk together in good fellowship the night before, so should it be to-day; and it should be ‘pril’ and ‘wril’ in his house as it had been at the convent. The abbot could not but obey, and stammered out his ‘wril,’ and then king and abbot, knights and monks, and, at the king’s command, everybody in hall and court, kept up unremittingly a merry and uproarious interchange of ‘pril’ and ‘wril.’ Of all the four old poems we may repeat what Percy has said of ‘John the Reeve,’ that “for genuine humor, diverting incidents, and faithful pictures of rustic manners, they are infinitely superior to all that have been since written in imitation,” meaning by these the broadside ballads or histories.[75] A brief account of such of these as have not been spoken of (all of very low quality) is the utmost that is called for.