And there we will leave them.
King John and the Abbot of Canterbury
In the reign of King John there lived an Abbot of Canterbury who kept up
grand state in his Abbey. A hundred of the Abbot's men dined each day
with him in his refectory, and fifty knights in velvet coats and gold
chains waited upon him daily. Well, King John, as you know, was a very
bad king, and he couldn't brook the idea of any one in his kingdom,
however holy he might be, being honoured more than he. So he summoned
the Abbot of Canterbury to his presence.
The Abbot came with a goodly retinue, with his fifty knights-at-arms in
velvet cloaks and gold chains. The King went to meet him, and said to
him, "How now, father Abbot? I hear it of thee, thou keepest far greater
state than I. This becomes not our royal dignity, and savours of treason
in thee."
"My liege," quoth the Abbot, bending low, "I beg to say that all I spend
has been freely given to the Abbey out of the piety of the folk. I trust
your Grace will not take it ill that I spend for the Abbey's sake what
is the Abbey's.
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