22 THE HISTORY OF THE her, who wanted to know the cauſe; but Joan con- tinued, crying the tanner is gone ! and my ' poor Criſpin what will become of thee? Which word her huſband heard juſt as the was entering the door; he cried, Dear Joan, have you brought ' them with you?' With me, quoth Joan, No, ' to: they are one, and you are left to ſuffer: ' now it had been better for you to mind your ' work, than to follow every one that fends for ' you now you may ſee what you have brought ' yourſelf to nothing would ſerve you, it ſeems, ' the other day, but to be a courtier, ſuch was ' your ambitious fancy: but let me tell you if ' they have a fancy to hang you, that I may ſay ' you have made fine work on't, and I doubt not ' but it will be a warning to you for the future; ' I cannot but think now like a courtier you look ' now in this melancholly condition. While ſhe was this inſulting poor Criſpin, the king was told of theſe tranſactions, and there ora ſent that he might be brought before him, which was accordingly done; but as the cobler approach- ed the preſence of the king, every joint of him Icembled, for he expected to find me favour. Now he came before the king, who, with an angry coun- tennace ſaid, ' cobler, how came you by my ſig- ' ret?'. The poor cobler falling on his knees, and wringing his hands cried, ' May it pleaſe your ' Grace, may it pleaſe your honour, I had it from ' a tanner, who ſent for me to the Bell, in the ' Strand, to buy a parcel of leather he had brought ' out of the country. And whereupen he told the king the whole ſtory, from the beginning of their meeting till his fending his away with the letter. The king replied, ' This is a pleaſant Rory, and ' well compacted together but it ſeems you can ' not produce this tanser, wherefore I'll leave you
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