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passed between him and the sailors; and pointing to them, desired his Majesty would please to permit them to deliver their letter to him. By all means, my Lord, replied the King. With that he beckoned the sailors to approach Here, my lads, said his Lordship, this is his Majesty, if you have any letter for him, you may deliver it. Here Jack advanced with his hand to his hat, but without pulling it off, and having some pretty near the King, said to him, Pray, Sir, are you the King? Yes, Sir, answered his Majesty smiling, I believe so. Then, Sir, says Jack, there is a letter for you, ant please you. The King looking hard at the fellow, could not help smiling at his blunt, uncourtly address: but he took the letter from him, and looking upon the superscription, fell a laughing and shewed it all around to the nobles that attended him.
Jack seeing the King look so pleasantly, says to his shipmate, by G—d, Tom, I believe it will do; the King seems to be in very good humour. And when his Majesty had read the letter, he delivered it to the nobleman who introduced the Sailor to him. Look here, my Lord, says he, read that letter, and learn a new direction. Upon my honour, this fellow has no deceit in him; I dare say it is his own hand-writing, and his own dictating too. However, this I may say to his credit, that his stile and behaviour are both honest towards me; for, he has not troubled me a with compliments on the one, or ceremonies on the other. So turning to the sailors, he says to him who gave him the letter, Friend, as this is his first offence, upon the account of your kind letter here) you may let your friend know that I will pardon him this time, but let him take care
