d; `but,' saith he,
`my Lord Rochester and I fell a-disputing if certain words were in the
Bible or no; and as you are the only man here like to have one, I sent
for you.' Davie looks, quiet enough, round all the table; and he says,
under his breath, `The only man here like to have a Bible! Ay, your
Majesty, I ken weel eneuch that I ha'e my habitation among the tents o'
Kedar. Atweel, Sire, an' I'll be pleasit to answer onie sic question,
gin ye please to tell me the words.' My Lord Rochester saith, `"Wine,
which cheereth God and man." Are such words as those in the Bible,
David?' Neither yea nor nay said old Davie: but he turned over the
leaves of his Bible for a moment, and then, clearing his voice, and
first doffing his cook's cap (which he had but lifted a minute for the
King), he read from the Book of Judges, Jotham's parable of the trees.
'Twas a little while ere any spoke: then said the Queen's chaplain,
swearing a great oath, that he could not but be infinitely surprised to
find there to be such words in the Bible."

"O Mrs Dolly! a parson to swear!"

"There are different sorts of parsons, my dear. But old David thought
it shocking, for he turns round to the chaplain, and saith he, `Your
pardon, Mr Howard, but gin ye'd give me leave, I'd be pleasit to swear
the neist oath for ye. It would sound rather better, ye ken, for a cook
than a chaplain.' `Hurrah!' says the King, swearing himself, `the
sprightliest humour I heard of a long time! Pray you, silence, and hear
old Davie swear!' `I see nothing to swear anent the now, an' it please
your Majesty,' says Davie, mighty dry again: `when I do, your Majesty'll
be sure to hear it.' The King laughed heartily, for he took Davie right
enough, though I saw some look puzzled. Of course he never would see
reason to do a sinful thing. But a new thought had come into the King's
head, and he turns quick to Mr Howard, and desires that he would give
exposition of the words that Davie had read. `You ought to know what
they mean, if we don't, poor sinners,' saith the King. `I protest,
Sire,' saith the chaplain, `that I cannot so much as guess what they
mean.' `Now then, David the divine,' cries my Lord Rochester, `your
exposition, if you please.' And some of the courtiers, that by this
time were not too sober, drummed on the table with glasses, and shouted
for David's sermon."

"I think, Mrs Dolly, that was scarce proper, in the King's and Queen's
presence."