I have not shrewdness to be a knave, and you, I trow, for lack of wit, would make a sorry fool."

"Sirrah," said the chamberlain, "if right were ordered, you would be sent to the whipping-post."

"I hope your worship there will take the precedency of a poor fool."

66 'Well, sirrah," said the baron," I see what you are aiming at; and though you certainly deserve chastisement for your malicious foolery, yet, in consideration of what you have justly suffered in the performance of your new character, I am willing to remit what more may be your due. I advise you, for the future, not to indulge yourself with the like mischievous vagaries, which usually end, as they ever ought to do, in the disgrace of those who pursue them. Let me, therefore, hear no more such complaints of your ill conduct, or certainly you shall have

your coat stripped over your ears, and undergo the discipline of a correction-house."

So saying, he withdrew, followed by the chamberlain, and Gregory was left to himself to meditate on the success of his project.

CHAPTER IV.

Hunting Party-An Adventurer-A Deliverance.

THE next morning the bugles were sounded by day-break in the court of Lord Boteler's mansion, to call the inhabitants from their slumbers, to assist in a splendid chase, with which the Baron had resolved to entertain his neighbour Fitzallen, and his noble visitor St Clere. Peter Lanaret the falconer was in the attendance with falcons for the knights, and teircelets for the ladies, if they should chuse to vary their sport from hunting to hawking. Five stout Yeomen Keepers, with their attendants, called Ragged Robins, all meetly arrayed in

Skinflint look grave, and taken him down to the lower tap already."

The Tailor was forthwith set at liberty, and his companions manifested their joy by three loud shouts. The company then went to the ale-stake, followed by the reve and his men. The reve finding, that, by fair speeches, the Little Tailor was not to be persuaded to make up the matter without a hearing before the baron, or his bailie, which he had no relish for, proceeded in another manner; and, by calling lustily for liquor, and pushing about the cann without restraint, endeavoured to make him so drunk that he might forget it, or, at least, be reduced to such a situation as to make it impossible for him to appear against him in the morning; in the mean time, he did not doubt being able to make his own part good. The Tailor, however, foreseeing, perhaps, his intention, was more cautious than usual; and, though he laughed, and sang, and danced all the night, he kept

himself collected, and, in the morning, insisted upon being taken with the reve, in proper form, to Marden, as soon as the hour of audience was come; and, when they were ushered into the baron's presence, he told his tale with so much simplicity and good humour, that his lordship could not refrain from laughing heartily.

The reve, on the other hand, in defence of his conduct, pleaded the circumstance of seeing the tailor take the goose from his flock, which naturally led him to conclude it was one of his geese: he then adverted to the refusal the Tailor made to let him have the goose, and the idle rhyming japes he made, instead of answering fairly and openly on the occasion, to which he certainly might justly impute the inconveniency he had suffered.

When he had done speaking, the Tailor addressed the Baron, saying, " If your ho