would not
have eaten him. The story is this: There was a king named Astyages,
which had heard by a prophecy, that one Cyrus should have the rule and
dominion over his realm after his departure; which thing troubled the
said king very sore, and therefore [he] sought all the ways and means how
to get the said Cyrus out of the way; how to kill him, so that he should
not be king after him. Now he had a nobleman in his house, named
Harpagus, whom he appointed to destroy the said Cyrus: but howsoever the
matter went, Cyrus was preserved and kept alive, contrary to the king's
mind. Which thing when Astyages heard, what doth he? This he did:
Harpagus, that nobleman which was put in trust to kill Cyrus, had a son
in the court, whom the king commanded to be taken; his head, hands, and
feet to be cut off; and his body to be prepared, roasted, or sodden, of
the best manner as could be devised. After that, he biddeth Harpagus to
come and eat with him, where there was jolly cheer; one dish coming after
another. At length the king asked him, "Sir, how liketh you your fare?"
Harpagus thanketh the king, with much praising the king's banquet. Now
the king perceiving him to be merrily disposed, commanded one of his
servants to bring in the head, hands, and feet of Harpagus's son. When
it was done, the king showed him what manner of meat he had eaten, asking
him how it liketh him. Harpagus made answer, though with an heavy heart,
_Quod regi placet, id mihi quoque placet_; "Whatsoever pleaseth the king,
that also pleaseth me." And here we have an ensample of a flatterer, or
dissembler: for this Harpagus spake against his own heart and conscience.
Surely, I fear me, there be a great many of flatterers in our time also,
which will not be ashamed to speak against their own heart and
consciences, like as this Harpagus did; which had, no doubt, a heavy
heart, and in his conscience the act of the king misliked him, yet for
all that, with his tongue he praised the same. So I say, we read not in
any story, that at any time any father had eaten his son willingly and
wittingly; and this Harpagus, of whom I rehearsed the story, did it
unawares. But the Almighty God, which prepared this feast for all the
world, for all those that will come unto it, he offereth his only Son to
be eaten, and his blood to be drunken. Belike he loved his guests well,
because he did feed them with so costly a dish.

Again, our Saviour, the bridegroom, offereth h