At this moment the King was alone, save for ourselves and a little long-eared dog which lay on his lap and was incessantly caressed with his hand. He heard his son's story with a face as impassive as I strove to render mine. At the end he looked up at me, asking,
"What are these liberties which are so dear to you, sir?"
My tongue had got me into trouble enough for one day, so I set its music to a softer tune.
"Those which I see preserved and honoured by your Majesty," said I, bowing.
Monmouth laughed, and clapped me on the back; but the King proceeded gravely:
"And this Reformed Religion that you set above my orders?"
"The Faith, Sir, of which you are Defender."
"Come, Mr Dale," said he, rather surly, "if you had spoken to my brother as skilfully as you fence with me, he would not have been angry."
I do not know what came over me. I said it in all honest simplicity, meaning only to excuse myself for the disrespect I had shown to the Duke; but I phrased the sentence most vilely, for I said: