21
he came by it. Wherefore he preſently pen, ink and paper, and writes the letter, wherein he includes the ſignet aforeſaid; and having directed the letter, he deſired the cobbler to carry it, who was ready to ſerve him. Now Joan reſolved to go with him, and did ſo, becauſe ſhe would keep him from being drunk.
They had no ſooner gone out, but the king called for the reckoning, and having paid it, he and his queen went privately by water to their palace, where they pulled off their diſguiſe, and appeared in their royal apparel, the king with his nobles, and the queen with her maids of honour. By this time the cobbler and his wife delivered the letter to the ſecretary, who opened the ſame, ſeemed to ſtartle, and with frowning countenance, ſaid, 'Behold here is the king's ſignet, how came you by it?'
'Why,' ſays the cobbler, 'I had the letter, and whatever was in it, I know not, only I had the the letter from a tanner.' The ſecretary replied, 'If you do not bring the tanner to me, take my word for it, we ſhall make an example of you.' 'Why,' quoth Joan, 'you will not hang my husband, will ye?' quoth the ſecretary, 'it will go hard with him if he do not find the tanner' 'I'll fetch him preſently, quoth Joan. But coming to the inn, and finding they were gone, poor Joan fell into a violent fit of the tanterians, tearing her hair and wringing her hands, crying, 'What will become of my poor cobbler, he will be hanged.' 'For what? ſaid the inn-keeper; but Joan had not the patience to tell him her lamentation, crying. 'O the tanner O the tanner, O the tanner is gone!' and in this condition raving like a fury, or like a lunatic perſon broken out of Bedlam, ſhe ran back again to Weſtminſter with a multitude of men, women and children after
