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Filler
July 22, 1885
The Somerset Herald
Somerset, Somerset County, Pennsylvania
What is this article about?
A soldier rebukes a king for swearing first in disguise at an inn and later at a royal dinner, earning praise for his honesty while the nobles remain silent.
Clipping
OCR Quality
95%
Excellent
Full Text
Rebuking a King
The timidity which hesitates to rebuke profanity was once shamed by a king who had been himself rebuked for profanity. Riding along the highway in disguise, and seeing a soldier at an inn, he stopped and asked him to drink ale with him. On an oath which the king uttered while they were drinking, the soldier remarked "I am sorry to hear young gentleman swear." His majesty took notice of it, but swore again. The soldier immediately said: "I'll pay for part of the ale, if you please and go; for I so hate swearing that if you were the king himself, I should tell you of it." "Should you indeed?" asked the king. "I should," was the emphatic reply of his subject: Not long after, the king gave him an opportunity to be "as good as his word." Having invited some lords. to dine with him, he sent for the soldier, and bade him to stand near him, in order to serve him if he was needed Presently, the king, not now in disguise, uttered an oath. And deferentially the soldier immediately said: "Should not my lord and king fear an oath?" Looking at the heroic soldier and then at his company of obsequious noblemen, the king severely remarked. "There my lords, is an honest man He can respectfully remind me of the great sin of swearing: but you can sit here and let me stain my soul by swearing, and not so much as tell me of it !"
The timidity which hesitates to rebuke profanity was once shamed by a king who had been himself rebuked for profanity. Riding along the highway in disguise, and seeing a soldier at an inn, he stopped and asked him to drink ale with him. On an oath which the king uttered while they were drinking, the soldier remarked "I am sorry to hear young gentleman swear." His majesty took notice of it, but swore again. The soldier immediately said: "I'll pay for part of the ale, if you please and go; for I so hate swearing that if you were the king himself, I should tell you of it." "Should you indeed?" asked the king. "I should," was the emphatic reply of his subject: Not long after, the king gave him an opportunity to be "as good as his word." Having invited some lords. to dine with him, he sent for the soldier, and bade him to stand near him, in order to serve him if he was needed Presently, the king, not now in disguise, uttered an oath. And deferentially the soldier immediately said: "Should not my lord and king fear an oath?" Looking at the heroic soldier and then at his company of obsequious noblemen, the king severely remarked. "There my lords, is an honest man He can respectfully remind me of the great sin of swearing: but you can sit here and let me stain my soul by swearing, and not so much as tell me of it !"
What sub-type of article is it?
Moral Observation
Human Interest
What keywords are associated?
King
Soldier
Swearing
Rebuke
Profanity
Honesty
Moral Lesson
Filler Details
Topic
Soldier Rebukes King For Profanity
Event Details
A king in disguise swears while drinking with a soldier at an inn; the soldier rebukes him and says he would do so even if the man were the king. Later, at a dinner with lords, the king swears again and the soldier respectfully reminds him to fear an oath, prompting the king to praise the soldier's honesty over the silent nobles.