Note 152 — THE UNFORTUNATE FENCER;147 or The Couragious Farmer of Gloucester-shire shewing How this huffing Spark went down into those Parts, Challenging any one at all sorts of Weapons; and at length (was) shamefully Conquer'd by a Country Farmer.

[86.] King James with some of his Nobles having lost their way in a Forest in the persuit of a Deer, came at last a hungry to the side of the same Forest where they espied a little House; thither hyed the King, and demanded first what victuals in the House, then with some comfortable leysure the way; the good wife sets before the King a good piece of powdered152 Beefe and a bag pudding, the King and his Followers fell to eat heartily, & having contented his hostess rid away: by the road side at some distance, a boy presents himself scraping with his legs, bare headed, whereon was a thick scald: Sirrah, said the Lords, cover your head, have you never a Cap? where do you dwell? In yonder Cottage an't please you (pointing to the place where the King dined) I had a Cap yesterday, but to day my mother made use of it for a pudding bag; Quoth the King, it did me no harme in the eating, it shall do me lesse in thinking of it; come, put on, and let us jog it down; but it stirred the stomacks of his Traine.