JOKING WITH KINGS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 385, 9 August 1911, Page 6

JOKING WITH KINGS.

SOME MONARCHS HAVE ENJOYED SALLIES AT THEIR OWN EXPENSE.

Carlylc once said that "Kings are. ill to joke wi'," but there have been frequent instances, if we are to believe the chroniclers of the times, evidencing the fact that the joker with Royal persons was sometimes able to do so with impunity. • Indeed, there have-been monarelis capable of enjoying- a sally at their ex pense.

Charles 11., for example, appreciated a good joke, even if it were "o.i him." We are told that one day when inspecting a warship at Chatham, he put the question to Killigrew—"Don't you think that I shoul.l make a good shipwright?" thinking, no doubt, that Killigrew would compliment him upon, his reputed si:ill in naval architecture. But Killigrew who was nothing of a courtier, replied instead : "I have always thought Your Majesty would be better at any trade than your own." A lively example of French retort to Royalty is afforded by the story of Marshal Massompierre and Louis XIII. The Marshal had been giving His Majesty an account of his Embassy to Spain, wherein he set forth he had entered the Spanish capital mounted on a. mule. "An ass seated on a mule !" exclaimed Louis, with a laugh. "Yes, sire," replied the Marshal, grimly, "and the joke of it was I represented you !" Queen Caroline, we are told, indulged herself the playful habit of exercising her wits at the expense of others. One day she met Sir Paul Methuen, whom she loved to tease upon his weakness for fiction. "Como now, Sir Paul," said the Queen, what romance are you reading now ?' "No romance, Your Majesty," said Sir Paul. "Instead I have of late taken up an extremely foolish study —the history of Kings and Queens of England !" Queen Bess had a pretty wit, they say, which she was by no means loth to exercise upon her subjects. She got the worst, of it in one verbal duel at least. Observing in the garden a courtier to whom she had promised promotion that had not yet been realised, Her Majesty thrust her head out of the window and called to him :

"What does a man think of, Sir Edward, when he thinks of nothing ?' "Of a woman's promise, Your Majesty!" was Sir Edward's response

One of the neatest retorts tc Rayalty of which we have any record is that alleged to have been, made to the Prince of Wales, afterwards King William IV., by the Secretary of the Admiralty. William, who/ had been bantering the Secretary, for some time, sat next him at the table. "When I am King," said he, "you shall not b« Secretary to the Admiralty. Nov/, sir, what, do you say to that?" "About all I have to say," replied the witty Secretary, "is, 'God save the King !' " —'"Literary Magazine."