Charles the Bad was invited
Preserved but no longer current.
While the guests were at table King John the Good entered the room with a numerous escort, exclaiming, "Traitor, thou art not worthy to sit at table with my son!" Then, turning to his guards, he added, "Take him hence! By holy Paul, I will neither eat nor drink till his head be brought me!" Then, seizing an iron mace from one of the men at arms, he struck another of the guests between the shoulders, exclaiming, "Out, proud traitor!
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Charles the Bad was invited” mean?
While the guests were at table King John the Good entered the room with a numerous escort, exclaiming, "Traitor, thou art not worthy to sit at table with my son!" Then, turning to his guards, he added, "Take him hence! By holy Paul, I will neither eat nor drink till his head be brought me!" Then, seizing an iron mace from one of the men at arms, he struck another of the guests between the shoulders, exclaiming, "Out, proud traitor!
Is “Charles the Bad was invited” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.