and Henry the Eighth! And
wonderful, the kings have changed, but the song of praise has always
been appropriate, and has ever been only the simple truth! Just like
yours, my Lord Douglas! Your majesty may depend upon it, he speaks the
truth, for he is near akin to my parrot, which always calls him 'My
cousin,' and has taught him his immortal song of praise to kings."

The king laughed, while Earl Douglas cast at John Heywood a sharp,
spiteful look.

"He is an impudent imp, is he not, Douglas?" said the king.

"He is a fool!" replied he, with a shrug.

"Exactly, and therefore I just now told you the truth. For you know
children and fools speak the truth. And I became a fool just on this
account, that the king, whom you all deceive by your lies, may have
about him some creature, besides his looking-glass, to tell him the
truth."

"Well, and what truth will you serve up for me today?"

"It is already served, your majesty. So lay aside for a little your
regal crown and your high priesthood, and conclude to be for awhile a
carnivorous beast. It is very easy to become a king. For that, nothing
more is necessary than to be born of a queen under a canopy. But it
is very difficult to be a man who has a good digestion. It requires a
healthy stomach and a light conscience. Come, King Henry, and let us
see whether you are not merely a king, but also a man that has a good
stomach." And with a merry laugh he took the king's other arm and led
him with the earl into the dining-room.

The king, who was an extraordinary eater, silently beckoned his suite
to take their places at the table, after he had seated himself in his
gilded chair. With grave and solemn air he then received from the hands
of the master of ceremonies the ivory tablet on which was the bill of
fare for the day. The king's dinner was a solemn and important affair. A
multitude of post-wagons and couriers were ever on the way to bring from
the remotest ends of the earth dainties for the royal table. The bill
of fare, therefore, to-day, as ever, exhibited the choicest and rarest
dishes; and always when the king found one of his favorite ones written
down he made an assenting and approving motion of the head, which always
lighted up the face of the master of ceremonies like a sunbeam. There
were birds' nests brought from the East Indies by a fast-sailing vessel,
built specially for the purpose. There were hens from Calcutta and
truffles from Languedoc, which the poe