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Chambers's narrative series of standard reading books (1863)
Chambers's narrative series of standard reading books - 1863 Author:Chambers W. and R. ltd Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: KING JOHN AND THE ABBOT OF CANTERBURY An ancient story I '11 tell you anon Of a notable prince, that was called King John ; And he ruled England with main ... more »and with might, For he did great wrong and maintained little right. And I 'l1 tell you a story, a story so merry, Concerning the abbot of Canterbury; How for his housekeeping and high renown, They rode post for him to fair London town. An hundred men, the king did hear say, The abbot kept in his house every day; And fifty gold chains, without any doubt, In velvet coats waited the abbot about. ' How now, Father Abbot, I hear it of thoe, Thou keepest a far better house than me; And for thy housekeeping and high renown, I fear thou work'st treason against my crown.' ' My liege,' quoth the abbot,' I would it were known, I never spend aught but what is my own : And I trust your Grace will do me no deere For spending of my own true gotten geere.' ' Yes, yes, Father Abbot, thy fault it is high, And new for the same thou needest must die; For except thou canst answer me questions three, Thy head shall be smitten from thy bodie. ' And first,' quoth the king,' when I 'm in this stead, With my crown of gold so fair on my head, Among all my liege-men so noble of birth, Thou must tell me to one penny what I am worth. ' Secondly, tell me, without any doubt, How soon I may ride the whole world about; And at the third question thou must not shrink, But tell me here truly what I do think.' ' 0 these are hard questions for my shallow wit, Not I cannot answer your Grace as yet; But if you will give me but three weeks' space, I '11 do my endeavour to answer your Grace.' ' Now three weeks' space to thee will I give, And that is the longest time thou hast to live; If thou dost not answer my questions three, T...« less