"
He approached the king and imprinted a kiss on his hand.
"I kiss this hand," said he, "which has been to-day the fountain
through which the wisdom of the head has been poured forth on this
blessed paper. I kiss this paper, which will announce and explain to
happy England God's pure and unadulterated word; but yet I say let
this suffice for the present, my king; take rest; remember awhile
that you are not only a sage, but also a man."
"Yes and truly a weak and decrepit one!" sighed the king, as with
difficulty he essayed to rise, and in so doing leaned so heavily and
the earl's arm that he almost broke down under the monstrous load.
"Decrepit!" said Earl Douglas, reproachfully. "Your majesty moves
to-day with as much ease and freedom as a youth, and my arm was by
no means needed to help you up."
"Nevertheless, we are growing old!" said the king, who, from his
weariness, was unusually sentimental and low-spirited to-day.
"Old!" repeated Earl Douglas. "Old, with those eyes darting fire,
and that lofty brow, and that face, in every feature so noble! No,
your majesty, kings have this in common with the gods--they never
grow old."
"And therein they resemble parrots to a hair!" said John Heywood,
who just then entered the room. "I own a parrot which my great-
grandfather inherited from his great-grandfather, who was hair-
dresser to Henry the Fourth, and which to-day still sings with the
same volubility as he did a hundred years ago: 'Long live the king!
long live this paragon of virtue, sweetness, beauty, and mercy! Long
live the king!' He has cried this for hundreds of years, and he has
repeated it for Henry the Fifth and Henry the Sixth, for Henry the
Seventh and Henry the Eighth! And wonderful, the kings have changed,
but the song of praise has always been appropriate, and has ever
been only the simple truth! Just like yours, my Lord Douglas! Your
majesty may depend upon it, he speaks the truth, for he is near akin
to my parrot, which always calls him 'My cousin,' and has taught him
his immortal song of praise to kings.
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