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At which ſpeech of the cobbler the king laughed, and told him he would be mindful to obſerve his directions.
Whereupon the cobbler kindled the fire, and fetched out brown loaf, from which he cut a luſty toaſt, which he ſet a baking at the fire, then he brought out his Cheſhire cheeſe. 'Come, ſaid he, 'will you eat ſome Cheſhire cheeſe; there is as good fellowship in eating as drinking.'
This made the king admire the honeſt freedom of the cobbler, ſo having eaten a bit, the cobbler began a health to all true hearts and merry companions; at which the king ſmiling, ſaid, 'Good merry friend, I'll pledge thee.'
In this manner they ate and drank together till it was almoſt break of day. The cobbler being very free of his liquor, and delighting the king with ſeveral of his old ſtories, inſomuch that the king was highly pleaſed with the manner of the cobbler's entertainment; when on a ſudden the cobbler's wife Joan began to awake: 'I'faith, ſays the cobbler, 'you muſt be gone, my wife Joan begins to grumble, ſhe will awake preſently, and I would not for half the ſhoes in my ſhop ſhe would find you here.'
So taking the king by the hand, he led him up ſtairs, ſaying, 'Farewell, honeſt blade, it ſhall not be long before I make a holiday and come to ſee the court.'
'You ſhall be kindly welcome,' replied the king. So they parted, the king on his way to Whitehall, and the cobbler to his cellar and there having put all things to rights before his wife Joan got up, he fell to work again, whiſtling and ſinging as merry as he uſed to do, being much ſatisfied that he had happened on ſo good and jovial a companion, and ſtill careſſing in his thoughts how merry he ſhould be when he came to court.
