# The King and the Tinkler/The King and the Tinkler

THE KING AND THE TINKER.
AND now to be breef And pass our the rest And come to this joke Which is now to be past; And come to King James, The first on the throne, A pleasenter Monarch Sure never was known.
Once he went a chacing The fair fallow deer, Where he dropt all his nobles And of them got clear; In search of new pleasures Away he did ride, Till he came to an ale-house Hard by a wood side:
And there with a bold Tinkler He happened to meet. Who in this kind manner Did lovingly greet, What have you got laddie Into your brown mug, That under your arm You so lovingly hug.
​In troth, said the Tinkler, Its naping brpwn ale. And for to drink with you In troth I’ll not fail; For altho’ that ycur jecket Seems glorious and fine. Yet I hope that my twopence Is as good as thine. And by myself laddie. The truth you have spoke. So the king and the Tinkler Began for to joke: He call’d for a Pitcher The Tinkler another. So at it they went Like brother and brother. While drinking, the King Was pleased to say, What news honest laddie What news I do pray; No news, said the Tinkler No news I do bear, But the King’s gone a hunting His fair fallow Deer. And Oh! if that I, So happy might be. While the King’s gone a hunting, His Grace I might see; ​For I’ve travelld the country And land many ways, Yet, I never saw a King In all my whole days.
Oh! then, said the King, If you can but ride, It's here in the ale-house We’ll not long abide; You’ll get up behind me And you I will bring Into the Royal Presence of Jamie your King.
But, perhaps, said the Tinkler, they'll be so grandly drest, That I'll not know the king Among all the rest: They will but I tell you, When you come there. The king he'll be covered And the Nobles all bare.
Then up got the Tinkler, And hosted the black, With his Budgets of leather And tools on his back; ​And when that they came To the merry green wood, The nobles came round them and bare-headed stood.
The Tinkler, then seeing So many appear, Immediately whisper'd Into the king’s ear, They seem all to me So gallant and gay, Now which,is the King Come tell me I pray.
The king then he made The tinker reply, An’ by my deed ladie It must be thee or I: Don't you see the Nobles Uncovered all round; This said with his budgets He fell to the ground.
Like one that is frightened Then out of his wits, Immediately then on His knees he then gets, ​Beseeching his mercy, The king to him said, Thou art a good fellow. So don't be afraid,
Oh! Pardon, Oh! Pardon, Oh! Pardon, he cries; Your Majesty’s Pardon, I beg Earnestly; For if I have offended I beg of your grace. To grant me your Pardon Ere I leave this place.
You’ll, tell me your name, It’s John O’ the Vail, A mender of kettles And a lover of ale: But if I had a known You our king for to be, I would have us’d you With more Courtesy,
Oh! Pardon, Oh! Pardon Again he yet cries, Your Majesty’s Pardon I beg Earnestly: ​Come rise up Sir John, I’ll honour you here. I’ll make a Knight Of three hundred a-year.
And was not this good news For the Tinkler indeed, And then to the court He was sent for with speed; Where store of great pleasure And pastimes are seen, In the Royal Presence Of our King and Queen.
This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.
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