“Come,” said he, “wilt thou eat some cheese? There’s as much good fellowship in eating, as in drinking.” This made the king admire the freedom of the cobbler. Having eaten a piece, the cobbler began, “Here’s a health to all true hearts and merry companions,” at which the king smilingly said, “I’ll pledge thee, old friend, I’ll pledge thee.”
In this manner they ate and drank together, until almost break of day. The cobbler became very free with the king, pleasing the king with several of his old stories.
But suddenly, the cobbler’s old wife, Joan, began to show signs of waking.
“In faith,” said the cobbler, “you must be gone now, for my wife, Joan, begins to grumble. She will wake presently and I would not, for all the shoes in my shop, that she should find thee here.”
So taking the king upstairs he said, “Farewell, honest blade, it shall not be long before I make a holiday and come to see thee at court.”
The king replied, “Thou shalt be kindly welcome.”
So they parted, the king going on his way to Whitehall, and the cobbler back to his cellar where he put all things to rights before his wife, Joan, appeared. He went to work again whistling and singing as merry as he used to do, much satisfied that he had happened on such a good companion, and very much delighted at thinking of the merry time he would have when he went to court.
As soon as the king reached home, he gave orders to all about the court that if anyone inquired for him by the name of Harry Tudor, the person should be brought before him, without further examination.
To the cobbler every day seemed a month until he had been at court to see his new acquaintance. But he was much troubled how he should get leave of his wife, Joan. He could not go without her knowledge for he had resolved to make himself as fine as ever he could and his wife, Joan, always kept his holiday clothes. One evening as they sat at supper, she being in good humour, he began to lay open his mind to her and tell her the whole story of the acquaintance, repeating over and over again that Harry Tudor was the most honest man he had ever met.
“Husband,” said Joan, “because you have been so generous as to tell me the truth, I shall give you leave to take a holiday. You shall go to court and I will make you as fine as possible.”