258 THE HISTORY OF NEWMARKET. [Book XI. 



supposed that he could not pay a better compliment to 

 his Majesty than by bringing him a branch of his old 

 asylum. ' Who is that Antique ' (said the king) ' with 

 a withered branch in his hand ?' — ' It is Sir Thomas 



, Member for .' — The King. ' Sir Thomas, I 



am glad to see you. I hope you can give a good 

 account of your friends in Worcestershire.' — Sir 

 Thomas. ' I wish I could please your Majesty ; but 



there is a blacksmith's wife ' — The King. 'No 



matter for her ; I enquired only after the health of 

 your family.' — Sir Thomas. 'Thank God! in good 



health. But this woman, please your Majesty ' 



— The King. 'What of her?' — Sir Thomas. 'Has 

 sworn a child to your Majesty.' — The King. ' I am 

 glad of it. I do remember that I met a woman, when 

 I went a wood-cutting with Farmer Penderell.' — Sir 

 Thomas. ' A rosy complexion, please your Majesty.' — 

 The Kinz. ' No matter ! What become of the 

 woman and her child ^ ' — Sir Thomas. ' She is very 

 well taken care of, please your Majesty. The church- 

 wardens are my tenants, and I ordered them to allow 

 her an upper sheet' — The King. ' Fye, fye ! ' — Sir 

 Thomas. ' Please your Majesty, I was near losing my 

 election by it. Some of the parish were freemen, and 

 they said that I, as a magistrate, ought to have sent a 

 warrant to your Majesty, to give a bond to the parish, 

 or to pay /^lo.' — The King. 'Why did you not do 

 your duty ? ' — Sir Thomas. ' Because, please your 

 Majesty, I thought it my duty not to do it. Your 

 Majesty has been at great expense of late.' — The King. 

 ' True, very true, Sir Thomas ! What is that branch 



