alf. Finding she could not prevail,
she said no more to him, but grew very pensive and melancholy.

The king took it into his head that she did not think him handsome
enough; so he resolved to wash his face with the water of beauty, in
hopes that the queen would then conceive a greater affection for him
than she had. This water stood in a phial upon a table in the queen's
chamber, where she had put it, that it might not be out of her sight.
But one of the chambermaids going to kill a spider with her besom, by
accident threw down the phial, and broke it, so that the water was lost.
She dried it up with all the speed she could, and not knowing what to
do, she bethought herself that she had seen a phial of clear water in
the king's cabinet very like that she had broken. Without any more ado,
therefore, she went and fetched that phial, and set it upon the table in
place of the other. This water which was in the king's cabinet, was a
certain water which he made use of to poison the great lords and princes
of his court when they were convicted of any great crime; to which
purpose, instead of cutting off their heads, or hanging them, he caused
their faces to be rubbed with this water, which cast them into so
profound a sleep that they never waked again. Now the king one evening
took this phial, and rubbed his face well with the water, after which he
fell asleep and died. Cabriole was one of the first that came to a
knowledge of this accident, and immediately ran to inform Avenant of it
who bid him go to the Fair One with Locks of Gold, and remind her of the
poor prisoner. Cabriole slipped unperceived through the crowd, for there
was a great noise and hurry at court upon the king's death; and getting
to the queen, "Madam," said he, "remember poor Avenant." She presently
called to mind the afflictions he had suffered for her sake, and his
fidelity. Without speaking a word, she went directly to the great tower,
and took off the fetters from Avenant's feet and hands herself; after
which, putting the crown upon his head, and the royal mantle about his
shoulders, "Amiable Avenant," said she, "I will make you a sovereign
prince, and take you for my consort." Avenant threw himself at her feet,
and in terms the most passionate and respectful returned her thanks.
Every body was overjoyed to have him for their king: the nuptials were
the most splendid in the world; and the Fair One. with Locks of Gold
lived a long time with her beloved Av