of his
Noblemen to him, whispers him in the Ear, bids him go fetch him what he
found in his Bedchamber (telling him the Place where it lay) choicely
wrap'd up in Silk; the Turnip is brought, and the King with his own Hand
gives it the Courtier, wrap'd up as it was, saying that he thought he
had richly requited the Present of the Horse by so choice a Rarity, as
had cost him 1000 Crowns. The Courtier going away, and taking off the
Covering, did not find a _Coal instead of a Treasure_, according to the
old Proverb, but a dry Turnip: and so the Biter was bitten, and soundly
laugh'd at by every Body into the Bargain.

_As._ But, Mr. King, if you'll please to permit me, who am but a
Peasant, to speak of regal Matters, I'll tell you something that comes
into my Mind, by hearing your Story, concerning the same _Lewis_. For as
one Link of a Chain draws on another, so one Story draws on another. A
certain Servant seeing a Louse crawling upon the King's Coat, falling
upon his Knees and lifting up his Hand, gives Notice, that he had a Mind
to do some Sort of Service; _Lewis_ offering himself to him, he takes
off the Louse, and threw it away privately; the King asks him what it
was; he seem'd ashamed to tell him, but the King urging him, he
confess'd it was a Louse: That's a very good Sign, says he, for it shews
me to be a Man, because this Sort of Vermin particularly haunts Mankind,
especially while they are young; and order'd him a Present of 40 Crowns
for his good Service. Some Time after, another Person (who had seen how
well he came off that had perform'd so small a Service) not considering
that there is a great Difference between doing a Thing sincerely, and
doing it craftily, approached the King with the like Gesture; and he
offering himself to him, he made a Shew of taking something off his
Garment, which he presently threw away. But when the King was urgent
upon him, seeming unwilling to tell what it was, mimicking Abundance of
Modesty, he at last told him it was a Flea; the King perceiving the
Fraud, says to him, What do you make a Dog of me? and orders him to be
taken away, and instead of 40 Crowns orders him 40 Stripes.

_Phily._ I hear it's no good jesting with Kings; for as Lions will
sometimes stand still to be stroaked, are Lions again when they please,
and kill their Play-Fellow; just so Princes play with Men. But I'll tell
you a Story not much unlike yours: not to go off from _Lewis_, who us'd
to take a Pleasure i