The Prince and the Pauper .................................................................................................................................1

Mark Twain ..............................................................................................................................................1

I will set down a tale as it was told to me by one who had it of his father, which latter had it of his father, this

last having in like manner had it of his father and so on, back and still back, three hundred years and more,

the fathers transmitting it to the sons and so preserving it. It may be history, it may be only legend, a

tradition. It may have happened, it may not have happened: but it could have happened. It may be that the

wise and the learned believed it in the old days; it may be that only the unlearned and the simple loved it and

Hugh Latimer, Bishop of Worcester, to Lord Cromwell, on the birth of the Prince of Wales (afterward

Ryght honorable, Salutem in Christo Jesu, and Syr here ys no lesse joynge and rejossynge in thes partees for

the byrth of our prynce, hoom we hungurde for so longe, then ther was (I trow), inter vicinos att the byrth of

S. I. Baptyste, as thys berer, Master Erance, can telle you. Gode gyffe us alle grace, to yelde dew thankes to

our Lorde Gode, Gode of Inglonde, for verely He hathe shoyd Hym selff Gode of Inglond, or rather an

Inglyssh Gode, yf we consydyr and pondyr welle alle Hys procedynges with us from tyme to tyme. He hath

overcumme alle our yllness with Hys excedynge goodnesse, so that we ar now moor then compelled to serve

Hym, seke Hys glory, promott Hys wurde, yf the Devylle of alle Devylles be natt in us. We have now the

stoppe of vayne trustes ande the stey of vayne expectations; lett us alle pray for hys preservation. And I for

my partt wylle wyssh that hys Grace allways have, and evyn now from the begynynge, Governares,

Instructores and offyceres of ryght jugmente, ne optimum ingenium non optima educatione depravetur.

Butt whatt a grett fowlle am I! So, whatt devotione shoyth many tymys butt lytelle dyscretione! Ande thus

Yf you wolde excytt thys berere to be moore hartye ayen the abuse of ymagry or mor forwarde to promotte

IN the ancient city of London, on a certain autumn day in the second quarter of the sixteenth century, a boy

was born to a poor family of the name of Canty, who did not want him. On the same day another English

child was born to a rich family of the name of Tudor, who did want him. All England wanted him too.

England had so longed for him, and hoped for him, and prayed God for him, that, now that he was really

come, the people went nearly mad for joy. Mere acquaintances hugged and kissed each other and cried.

Everybody took a holiday, and high and low, rich and poor, feasted and danced and sang, and got very

mellow; and they kept this up for days and nights together. By day, London was a sight to see, with gay

banners waving from every balcony and housetop, and splendid pageants marching along. By night, it was

again a sight to see, with its great bonfires at every corner, and its troops of revelers making merry around

them. There was no talk in all England but of the new baby, Edward Tudor, Prince of Wales, who lay lapped

in silks and satins, unconscious of all this fuss, and not knowing that great lords and ladies were tending him

and watching over him and not caring, either. But there was no talk about the other baby, Tom Canty,

lapped in his poor rags, except among the family of paupers whom he had just come to trouble with his

London was fifteen hundred years old, and was a great town for that day. It had a hundred thousand

inhabitants some think double as many. The streets were very narrow, and crooked, and dirty, especially in

the part where Tom Canty lived, which was not far from London Bridge. The houses were of wood, with the

second story projecting over the first, and the third sticking its elbows out beyond the second. The higher the

houses grew, the broader they grew. They were skeletons of strong crisscross beams, with solid material

between, coated with plaster. The beams were painted red or blue or black, according to the owner's taste, and

this gave the houses a very picturesque look. The windows were small, glazed with little diamondshaped

The house which Tom's father lived in was up a foul little pocket called Offal Court, out of Pudding Lane. It

was small, decayed, and rickety, but it was packed full of wretchedly poor families. Canty's tribe occupied a

room on the third floor. The mother and father had a sort of bedstead in the corner; but Tom, his

grandmother, and his two sisters, Bet and Nan, were not restricted they had all the floor to themselves, and

might sleep where they chose. There were the remains of a blanket or two, and some bundles of ancient and

dirty straw, but these could not rightly be called beds, for they were not organized; they were kicked into a

Bet and Nan were fifteen years old twins. They were goodhearted girls, unclean, clothed in rags, and

profoundly ignorant. Their mother was like them. But the father and the grandmother were a couple of fiends.

They got drunk whenever they could; then they fought each other or anybody else who came in the way; they

cursed and swore always, drunk or sober; John Canty was a thief, and his mother a beggar. They made

beggars of the children, but failed to make thieves of them. Among, but not of, the dreadful rabble that

inhabited the house, was a good old priest whom the king had turned out of house and home with a pension

of a few farthings, and he used to get the children aside and teach them right ways secretly. Father Andrew

also taught Tom a little Latin, and how to read and write; and would have done the same for the girls, but

they were afraid of the jeers of their friends, who could not have endured such a queer accomplishment in

All Offal Court was just such another hive as Canty's house. Drunkenness, riot, and brawling were the order

there, every night and nearly all night long. Broken heads were as common as hunger in that place. Yet little

Tom was not unhappy. He had a hard time of it, but did not know it. It was the sort of time that all the Offal

Court boys had, therefore he supposed it was the correct and comfortable thing. When he came home

emptyhanded at night, he knew his father would curse him and thrash him first, and that when he was done

the awful grandmother would do it all over again and improve on it; and that away in the night his starving

mother would slip to him stealthily with any miserable scrap of crust she had been able to save for him by

going hungry herself, notwithstanding she was often caught in that sort of treason and soundly beaten for it

No, Tom's life went along well enough, especially in summer. He only begged just enough to save himself,

for the laws against mendicancy were stringent, and the penalties heavy; so he put in a good deal of his time

listening to good Father Andrew's charming old tales and legends about giants and fairies, dwarfs and genii,

and enchanted castles, and gorgeous kings and princes. His head grew to be full of these wonderful things,

and many a night as he lay in the dark on his scant and offensive straw, tired, hungry, and smarting from a

thrashing, he unleashed his imagination and soon forgot his aches and pains in delicious picturings to himself

of the charmed life of a petted prince in a regal palace. One desire came in time to haunt him day and night; it

was to see a real prince, with his own eyes. He spoke of it once to some of his Offal Court comrades; but they

jeered him and scoffed him so unmercifully that he was glad to keep his dream to himself after that.

He often read the priest's old books and got him to explain and enlarge upon them. His dreamings and

readings worked certain changes in him by and by. His dreampeople were so fine that he grew to lament his

shabby clothing and his dirt, and to wish to be clean and better clad. He went on playing in the mud just the

same, and enjoying it, too; but instead of splashing around in the Thames solely for the fun of it, he began to

Tom could always find something going on around the Maypole in Cheapside, and at the fairs; and now and

then he and the rest of London had a chance to see a military parade when some famous unfortunate was

carried prisoner to the Tower, by land or boat. One summer's day he saw poor Anne Askew and three men

burned at the stake in Smithfield, and heard an exbishop preach a sermon to them which did not interest

By and by Tom's reading and dreaming about princely life wrought such a strong effect upon him that he

began to act the prince, unconsciously. His speech and manners became curiously ceremonious and courtly,

to the vast admiration and amusement of his intimates. But Tom's influence among these young people began

to grow now, day by day; and in time he came to be looked up to by them with a sort of wondering awe, as a

superior being. He seemed to know so much! and he could do such marvellous things! and withal, he was so

deep and wise! Tom's remarks and Tom's performances were reported by the boys to their elders; and these,

also, presently began to discuss Tom Canty, and to regard him as a most gifted and extraordinary creature.

Fullgrown people brought their perplexities to Tom for solution, and were often astonished at the wit and

wisdom of his decisions. In fact, he was become a hero to all who knew him except his own family these

Privately, after a while, Tom organized a royal court! He was the prince; his special comrades were guards,

chamberlains, equerries, lords and ladies in waiting, and the royal family. Daily the mock prince was received

with elaborate ceremonials borrowed by Tom from his romantic readings; daily the great affairs of the mimic

kingdom were discussed in the royal council, and daily his mimic highness issued decrees to his imaginary

After which he would go forth in his rags and beg a few farthings, eat his poor crust, take his customary cuffs

and abuse, and then stretch himself upon his handful of foul straw, and resume his empty grandeurs in his

And still his desire to look just once upon a real prince, in the flesh, grew upon him, day by day, and week by

week, until at last it absorbed all other desires, and became the one passion of his life.

One January day, on his usual begging tour, he tramped despondently up and down the region round about

Mincing Lane and Little East Cheap, hour after hour, barefooted and cold, looking in at cookshop windows

and longing for the dreadful porkpies and other deadly inventions displayed there for to him these were

dainties fit for the angels; that is, judging by the smell, they were for it had never been his good luck to own

and eat one. There was a cold drizzle of rain; the atmosphere was murky; it was a melancholy day. At night

Tom reached home so wet and tired and hungry that it was not possible for his father and grandmother to

observe his forlorn condition and not be moved after their fashion; wherefore they gave him a brisk cuffing

at once and sent him to bed. For a long time his pain and hunger, and the swearing and fighting going on in

the building, kept him awake; but at last his thoughts drifted away to far, romantic lands, and he fell asleep in

the company of jeweled and gilded princelings who lived in vast palaces, and had servants salaaming before

them or flying to execute their orders. And then, as usual, he dreamed that he was a princeling himself.

All night long the glories of his royal estate shone upon him; he moved among great lords and ladies, in a

blaze of light, breathing perfumes, drinking in delicious music, and answering the reverent obeisances of the

glittering throng as it parted to make way for him, with here a smile, and there a nod of his princely head.

And when he awoke in the morning and looked upon the wretchedness about him, his dream had had its usual

effect it had intensified the sordidness of his surroundings a thousandfold. Then came bitterness, and

TOM got up hungry, and sauntered hungry away, but with his thoughts busy with the shadowy splendors of

his night's dreams. He wandered here and there in the city, hardly noticing where he was going, or what was

happening around him. People jostled him and some gave him rough speech; but it was all lost on the musing

boy. By and by he found himself at Temple Bar, the farthest from home he had ever traveled in that direction.

He stopped and considered a moment, then fell into his imaginings again, and passed on outside the walls of

London. The Strand had ceased to be a countryroad then, and regarded itself as a street, but by a strained

construction; for, though there was a tolerably compact row of houses on one side of it, there were only some

scattering great buildings on the other, these being palaces of rich nobles, with ample and beautiful grounds

stretching to the river grounds that are now closely packed with grim acres of brick and stone.

Tom discovered Charing Village presently, and rested himself at the beautiful cross built there by a bereaved

king of earlier days; then idled down a quiet, lovely road, past the great cardinal's stately palace, toward a far

more mighty and majestic palace beyond Westminster. Tom stared in glad wonder at the vast pile of

masonry, the widespreading wings, the frowning bastions and turrets, the huge stone gateways, with its

gilded bars and its magnificent array of colossal granite lions, and the other signs and symbols of English

royalty. Was the desire of his soul to be satisfied at last? Here, indeed, was a king's palace. Might he not hope

At each side of the gilded gate stood a living statue, that is to say, an erect and stately and motionless

manatarms, clad from head to heel in shining steel armor. At a respectful distance were many

countryfolk, and people from the city, waiting for any chance glimpse of royalty that might offer. Splendid

carriages, with splendid people in them and splendid servants outside, were arriving and departing by several

Poor little Tom, in his rags, approached, and was moving slowly and timidly past the sentinels, with a beating

heart and a rising hope, when all at once he caught sight through the golden bars of a spectacle that almost

made him shout for joy. Within was a comely boy, tanned and brown with sturdy outdoors sports and

exercises, whose clothing was all of lovely silks and satins, shining with jewels; at his hip a little jeweled

sword and dagger; dainty buskins on his feet, with red heels; and on his head a jaunty crimson cap, with

drooping plumes fastened with a great sparkling gem. Several gorgeous gentlemen stood near his servants,

without a doubt. Oh! he was a prince a prince, a living prince, a real prince without the shadow of a

Tom's breath came quick and short with excitement, and his eyes grew big with wonder and delight.

Everything gave way in his mind instantly to one desire: that was to get close to the prince, and have a good,

devouring look at him. Before he knew what he was about, he had his face against the gatebars. The next

instant one of the soldiers snatched him rudely away, and sent him spinning among the gaping crowd of

The crowd jeered and laughed; but the young prince sprang to the gate with his face flushed, and his eyes

'How dar'st thou use a poor lad like that! How dar'st thou use the king my father's meanest subject so! Open

You should have seen that fickle crowd snatch off their hats then. You should have heard them cheer, and

The soldiers presented arms with their halberds, opened the gates, and presented again as the little Prince of

Poverty passed in, in his fluttering rags, to join hands with the Prince of Limitless Plenty. Edward Tudor said:

Half a dozen attendants sprang forward to I don't know what; interfere, no doubt. But they were waved aside

with a right royal gesture, and they stopped stock still where they were like so many statues. Edward took

Tom to a rich apartment in the palace, which he called his cabinet. By his command a repast was brought

such as Tom had never encountered before except in books. The prince, with princely delicacy and breeding,

sent away the servants, so that his humble guest might not be embarrassed by their critical presence; then he

'Parents have I, sir, and a grandam likewise that is but indifferently precious to me, God forgive me if it be

'Neither to any other is she, so please your worship. She hath a wicked heart, and worketh evil all her days.'

'There be times that she stayeth her hand, being asleep or overcome with drink; but when she hath her

'Beatings! and thou so frail and little. Hark ye: before the night come, she shall hie her to the Tower. The

'True, indeed. I had not thought of that. I will consider of her punishment. Is thy father kind to thee?'

'Fathers be alike, mayhap. Mine hath not a doll's temper. He smiteth with a heavy hand, yet spareth me; he

spareth me not always with his tongue, though, sooth to say. How doth thy mother use thee?'

'She is good, sir, and giveth me neither sorrow nor pain of any sort. And Nan and Bet are like to her in this.'

'The Lady Elizabeth, my sister, is fourteen and the Lady Jane Grey, my cousin, is of mine own age, and

comely and gracious withal; but my sister the Lady Mary, with her gloomy mien and Look you: do thy

'And prithee, why not? Who helpeth them undress at night? who attireth them when they rise?'

'None, sir. Wouldst have them take off their garment, and sleep without like the beasts?'

'Ah, good your worship, what would they do with more? Truly, they have not two bodies each.'

'It is a quaint and marvelous thought! Thy pardon, I had not meant to laugh. But thy good Nan and thy Bet

shall have raiment and lackeys enow, and that soon, too: my cofferer shall look to it. No, thank me not; 'tis

'I know not if I am or not, sir. The good priest that is called Father Andrew taught me, of his kindness, from

'Learn it, lad: 'tis hard only at first. The Greek is harder; but neither these nor any tongues else, I think, are

hard to the Lady Elizabeth and my cousin. Thou shouldst hear those damsels at it! But tell me of thy Offal

'In truth, yes, so please you, sir, save when one is hungry. There be PunchandJudy shows, and monkeys

oh, such antic creatures! and so bravely dressed! and there be plays wherein they that play do shout and

fight till all are slain, and 'tis so fine to see, and costeth but a farthing albeit 'tis main hard to get the farthing,

'We lads of Offal Court do strive against each other with the cudgel, like to the fashion of the 'prentices,

'In summer, sir, we wade and swim in the canals and in the river, and each doth duck his neighbor, and

'We dance and sing about the Maypole in Cheapside; we play in the sand, each covering his neighbor up; and

times we make mud pastry oh, the lovely mud, it hath not its like for delightfulness in all the world! we do

'Oh, prithee, say no more, 'tis glorious! If that I could but clothe me in raiment like to thine, and strip my feet,

and revel in the mud once, just once, with none to rebuke me or forbid, meseemeth I could forego the crown!'

'Oho, wouldst like it? Then so shall it be. Doff thy rags, and don these splendors, lad! It is a brief happiness,

but will be not less keen for that. We will have it while we may, and change again before any come to

A few minutes later the little Prince of Wales was garlanded with Tom's fluttering odds and ends, and the

little Prince of Pauperdom was tricked out in the gaudy plumage of royalty. The two went and stood side by

side before a great mirror, and lo, a miracle: there did not seem to have been any change made! They stared at

each other, then at the glass, then at each other again. At last the puzzled princeling said:

'Ah, good your worship, require me not to answer. It is not meet that one of my degree should utter the thing.'

'Then will I utter it. Thou hast the same hair, the same eyes, the same voice and manner, the same form and

stature, the same face and countenance, that I bear. Fared we forth naked, there is none could say which was

you, and which the Prince of Wales. And, now that I am clothed as thou wert clothed, it seemeth I should be

able the more nearly to feel as thou didst when the brute soldier Hark ye, is not this a bruise upon your

'Yes; but it is a slight thing, and your worship knoweth that the poor manatarms'

'Peace! It was a shameful thing and a cruel!' cried the little prince, stamping his bare foot. 'If the king Stir

In a moment he had snatched up and put away an article of national importance that lay upon a table, and was

out at the door and flying through the palace grounds in his bannered rags, with a hot face and glowing eyes.

As soon as he reached the great gate, he seized the bars, and tried to shake them, shouting: 'Open! Unbar the

The soldier that had maltreated Tom obeyed promptly; and as the prince burst through the portal, half

smothered with royal wrath, the soldier fetched him a sounding box on the ear that sent him whirling to the

The crowd roared with laughter. The prince picked himself out of the mud, and made fiercely at the sentry,

'I am the Prince of Wales, my person is sacred; and thou shalt hang for laying thy hand upon me!'

Here the jeering crowd closed around the poor little prince, and hustled him far down the road, hooting him,

AFTER hours of persistent pursuit and persecution, the little prince was at last deserted by the rabble and left

to himself. As long as he had been able to rage against the mob, and threaten it royally, and royally utter

commands that were good stuff to laugh at, he was very entertaining; but when weariness finally forced him

to be silent, he was no longer of use to his tormentors, and they sought amusement elsewhere. He looked

about him now, but could not recognize the locality. He was within the city of London that was all he knew.

He moved on, aimlessly, and in a little while the houses thinned, and the passersby were infrequent. He

bathed his bleeding feet in the brook which flowed then where Farringdon Street now is; rested a few

moments, then passed on, and presently came upon a great space with only a few scattered houses in it, and a

prodigious church. He recognized this church. Scaffoldings were about, everywhere, and swarms of

workmen; for it was undergoing elaborate repairs. The prince took heart at once he felt that his troubles

were at an end now. He said to himself, 'It is the ancient Grey Friars' church, which the king my father hath

taken from the monks and given for a home forever for poor and forsaken children, and newnamed it

Christ's church. Right gladly will they serve the son of him who hath done so generously by them and the

more that that son is himself as poor and as forlorn as any that be sheltered here this day, or ever shall be.'

He was soon in the midst of a crowd of boys who were running, jumping, playing at ball and leapfrog and

otherwise disporting themselves, and right noisily, too. They were all dressed alike, and in the fashion which

in that day prevailed among servingmen and 'prentices'* that is to say, each had on the crown of his head a

flat black cap about the size of a saucer, which was not useful as a covering, it being of such scanty

dimensions, neither was it ornamental; from beneath it the hair fell, unparted, to the middle of the forehead,

and was cropped straight around; a clerical band at the neck; a blue gown that fitted closely and hung as low

as the knees or lower; full sleeves; a broad red belt; bright yellow stockings, gartered above the knees; low

The boys stopped their play and flocked about the prince, who said with native dignity:

'Good lads, say to your master that Edward Prince of Wales desireth speech with him.'

The prince's face flushed with anger, and his ready hand flew to his hip, but there was nothing there. There

'I am the prince; and it ill beseemeth you that feed upon the king my father's bounty to use me so.'

This was vastly enjoyed, as the laughter testified. The youth who had first spoken shouted to his comrades:

'Ho, swine, slaves, pensioners of his grace's princely father, where be your manners? Down on your marrow

With boisterous mirth they dropped upon their knees in a body and did mock homage to their prey. The

Ah, but this was not a joke this was going beyond fun. The laughter ceased on the instant and fury took its

'Hale him forth! To the horsepond, to the horsepond! Where be the dogs? Ho, there, Lion! ho, Fangs!'

Then followed such a thing as England had never seen before the sacred person of the heir to the throne

As night drew to a close that day, the prince found himself far down in the closebuilt portion of the city. His

body was bruised, his hands were bleeding, and his rags were all besmirched with mud. He wandered on and

on, and grew more and more bewildered, and so tired and faint he could hardly drag one foot after the other.

He had ceased to ask questions of any one, since they brought him only insult instead of information. He kept

muttering to himself, 'Offal Court that is the name; if I can but find it before my strength is wholly spent and

I drop, then am I saved for his people will take me to the palace and prove that I am none of theirs, but the

true prince, and I shall have mine own again.' And now and then his mind reverted to his treatment by those

rude Christ's Hospital boys, and he said, 'When I am king, they shall not have bread and shelter only, but also

teachings out of books; for a full belly is little worth where the mind is starved, and the heart. I will keep this

diligently in my remembrance, that this day's lesson be not lost upon me, and my people suffer thereby; for

The lights began to twinkle, it came on to rain, the wind rose, and a raw and gusty night set in. The houseless

prince, the homeless heir to the throne of England, still moved on, drifting deeper into the maze of squalid

'Out to this time of night again, and hast not brought a farthing home, I warrant me! If it be so, an I do not

break all the bones in thy lean body, then am I not John Canty, but some other.'

The prince twisted himself loose, unconsciously brushed his profaned shoulder, and eagerly said:

'Oh, art his father, truly? Sweet heaven grant it be so then wilt thou fetch him away and restore me!'

'His father? I know not what thou mean'st; I but know I am thy father, as thou shalt soon have cause to'

'Oh, jest not, palter not, delay not! I am worn, I am wounded, I can bear no more. Take me to the king my

father, and he will make thee rich beyond thy wildest dreams. Believe me, man, believe me! I speak no lie,

but only the truth! put forth thy hand and save me! I am indeed the Prince of Wales!'

'Gone stark mad as any Tom o' Bedlam!' then collared him once more, and said with a coarse laugh and an

oath, 'But mad or no mad, I and thy Gammer Canty will soon find where the soft places in thy bones lie, or

With this he dragged the frantic and struggling prince away, and disappeared up a front court followed by a

TOM CANTY, left alone in the prince's cabinet, made good use of his opportunity. He turned himself this

way and that before the great mirror, admiring his finery; then walked away, imitating the prince's highbred

carriage, and still observing results in the glass. Next he drew the beautiful sword, and bowed, kissing the

blade, and laying it across his breast, as he had seen a noble knight do, by way of salute to the lieutenant of

the Tower, five or six weeks before, when delivering the great lords of Norfolk and Surrey into his hands for

captivity. Tom played with the jeweled dagger that hung upon his thigh; he examined the costly and exquisite

ornaments of the room; he tried each of the sumptuous chairs, and thought how proud he would be if the

Offal Court herd could only peep in and see him in his grandeur. He wondered if they would believe the

marvelous tale he should tell when he got home, or if they would shake their heads, and say his overtaxed

At the end of half an hour it suddenly occurred to him that the prince was gone a long time; then right away

he began to feel lonely; very soon he fell to listening and longing, and ceased to toy with the pretty things

about him; he grew uneasy, then restless, then distressed. Suppose some one should come, and catch him in

the prince's clothes, and the prince not there to explain. Might they not hang him at once, and inquire into his

case afterward? He had heard that the great were prompt about small matters. His fears rose higher and

higher; and trembling he softly opened the door to the antechamber, resolved to fly and seek the prince, and

through him, protection and release. Six gorgeous gentlemenservants and two young pages of high degree,

clothed like butterflies, sprung to their feet, and bowed low before him. He stepped quickly back, and shut the

'Oh, they mock at me! They will go and tell. Oh! why came I here to cast away my life?'

He walked up and down the floor, filled with nameless fears, listening, starting at every trifling sound.

'Ah, be merciful, thou! In sooth I am no lord, but only poor Tom Canty of Offal Court in the city. Prithee let

me see the prince, and he will of his grace restore to me my rags, and let me hence unhurt. Oh, be thou

By this time the boy was on his knees, and supplicating with his eyes and uplifted hands as well as with his

Then she fled away in fright; and Tom, smitten with despair, sank down, murmuring:

Whilst he lay there benumbed with terror, dreadful tidings were speeding through the palace. The whisper,

for it was whispered always, flew from menial to menial, from lord to lady, down all the long corridors, from

story to story, from saloon to saloon, 'The prince hath gone mad, the prince hath gone mad!' Soon every

saloon, every marble hall, had its groups of glittering lords and ladies, and other groups of dazzling lesser

folk, talking earnestly together in whispers, and every face had in it dismay. Presently a splendid official

'IN THE NAME OF THE KING Let none list to this false and foolish matter, upon pain of death, nor discuss

Soon there was a general buzz along the corridors, of 'The prince! See, the prince comes!'

Poor Tom came slowly walking past the lowbowing groups, trying to bow in return, and meekly gazing

upon his strange surroundings with bewildered and pathetic eyes. Great nobles walked upon each side of him,

making him lean upon them, and so steady his steps. Behind him followed the court physicians and some

Presently Tom found himself in a noble apartment of the palace, and heard the door close behind him.

Before him, at a little distance, reclined a very large and very fat man, with a wide, pulpy face, and a stern

expression. His large head was very gray; and his whiskers, which he wore only around his face, like a frame,

were gray also. His clothing was of rich stuff, but old, and slightly frayed in places. One of his swollen legs

had a pillow under it, and was wrapped in bandages. There was silence now; and there was no head there but

was bent in reverence, except this man's. This sterncountenanced invalid was the dread Henry VIII. He

'How now, my lord Edward, my prince? Hast been minded to cozen me, the good king thy father, who loveth

Poor Tom was listening, as well as his dazed faculties would let him, to the beginning of this speech; but

when the words 'me the good king' fell upon his ear, his face blanched, and he dropped as instantly upon his

This speech seemed to stun the king. His eyes wandered from face to face aimlessly, then rested, bewildered,

'Alack, I had believed the rumor disproportioned to the truth; but I fear me 'tis not so.' He breathed a heavy

sigh, and said in a gentle voice, 'Come to thy father, child; thou art not well.'

Tom was assisted to his feet, and approached the Majesty of England, humble and trembling. The king took

the frightened face between his hands, and gazed earnestly and lovingly into it awhile, as if seeking some

grateful sign of returning reason there, then pressed the curly head against his breast, and patted it tenderly.

'Dost thou know thy father, child? Break not mine old heart; say thou know'st me. Thou dost know me, dost

'True, true that is well be comforted, tremble not so; there is none here who would hurt thee; there is none

here but loves thee. Thou art better now; thy ill dream passeth is't not so? And thou knowest thyself now

also is't not so? Thou wilt not miscall thyself again, as they say thou didst a little while agone?'

'I pray thee of thy grace believe me, I did but speak the truth, most dread lord; for I am the meanest among

thy subjects, being a pauper born, and 'tis by a sore mischance and accident I am here, albeit I was therein

nothing blameful. I am but young to die, and thou canst save me with one little word. Oh, speak it, sir!'

'Die? Talk not so, sweet prince peace, peace, to thy troubled heart thou shalt not die!'

'God requite thy mercy, oh my king, and save thee long to bless thy land!' Then springing up, he turned a

joyful face toward the two lords in waiting, and exclaimed, 'Thou heard'st it! I am not to die: the king hath

said it!' There was no movement, save that all bowed with grave respect; but no one spoke. He hesitated, a

'Go? Surely, if thou desirest. But why not tarry yet a little? Whither wouldst go?'

'Peradventure I mistook; but I did think me free, and so was I moved to seek again the kennel where I was

born and bred to misery, yet which harboreth my mother and my sisters, and so is home to me; whereas these

The king was silent and thoughtful awhile, and his face betrayed a growing distress and uneasiness. Presently

'Perchance he is but mad upon this one strain and hath his wits unmarred as toucheth other matter. God send

Then he asked Tom a question in Latin, and Tom answered him lamely in the same tongue. The King was

delighted, and showed it. The lords and doctors manifested their gratification also.

''Twas not according to his schooling and ability, but sheweth that his mind is but diseased, not stricken

The king looked pleased with this encouragement, coming as it did from so excellent authority, and continued

He put a question to Tom in French. Tom stood silent a moment, embarrassed by having so many eyes

The king fell back upon his couch. The attendants flew to his assistance; but he put them aside, and said:

'Trouble me not it is nothing but a scurvy faintness. Raise me! there, 'tis sufficient. Come hither, child;

there, rest thy poor troubled head upon thy father's heart, and be at peace. Thou'lt soon be well; 'tis but a

passing fantasy. Fear thou not; thou'lt soon be well.' Then he turned toward the company; his gentle manner

'List ye all! This my son is mad; but it is not permanent. Overstudy hath done this, and somewhat too much of

confinement. Away with his books and teachers! see ye to it. Pleasure him with sports, beguile him in

wholesome ways, so that his health come again.' He raised himself higher still and went on with energy. 'He

is mad; but he is my son, and England's heir; and, mad or sane, still shall he reign! And hear ye further, and

proclaim it; whoso speaketh of this his distemper worketh against the peace and order of these realms, and

shall to the gallows!... Give me to drink I burn: This sorrow sappeth my strength.... There, take away the

cup.... Support me. There, that is well. Mad, is he? Were he a thousand times mad, yet is he Prince of Wales,

and I the king will confirm it. This very morrow shall he be installed in his princely dignity in due and

'The king's majesty knoweth that the Hereditary Great Marshal of England lieth attainted in the Tower. It

'Peace! Insult not mine ears with his hated name. Is this man to live forever? Am I to be balked of my will? Is

the prince to tarry uninstalled, because, forsooth, the realm lacketh an earl marshal free of treasonable taint to

invest him with his honors? No, by the splendor of God! Warn my parliament to bring me Norfolk's doom

'Thou art good to me that am unworthy, O mighty and gracious lord; that in truth I know. But but it

'Ah, 'tis like thee, 'tis like thee! I know thy heart is still the same, even though thy mind hath suffered hurt, for

thou wert ever of a gentle spirit. But this duke standeth between thee and thine honors: I will have another in

his stead that shall bring no taint to his great office. Comfort thee, my prince: trouble not thy poor head with

'But is it not I that speed him hence, my liege? How long might he not live, but for me?'

'Take no thought of him, my prince: he is not worthy. Kiss me once again, and go to thy trifles and

amusements; for my malady distresseth me. I am aweary, and would rest. Go with thine uncle Hertford and

Tom, heavyhearted, was conducted from the presence, for this last sentence was a deathblow to the hope

he had cherished that now he would be set free. Once more he heard the buzz of low voices exclaiming, 'The

His spirits sank lower and lower as he moved between the glittering files of bowing courtiers; for he

recognized that he was indeed a captive now, and might remain forever shut up in this gilded cage, a forlorn

and friendless prince, except God in his mercy take pity on him and set him free.

And, turn where he would, he seemed to see floating in the air the severed head and the remembered face of

TOM was conducted to the principal apartment of a noble suite, and made to sit down a thing which he was

loath to do, since there were elderly men and men of high degree about him. He begged them to be seated,

also, but they only bowed their thanks or murmured them, and remained standing. He would have insisted,

'I come upon the king's errand, concerning a matter which requireth privacy. Will it please your royal

highness to dismiss all that attend you here, save my lord the Earl of Hertford?'

Observing that Tom did not seem to know how to proceed, Hertford whispered him to make a sign with his

hand and not trouble himself to speak unless he chose. When the waiting gentlemen had retired, Lord St. John

'His majesty commandeth, that for due and weighty reasons of state, the prince's grace shall hide his infirmity

in all ways that be within his power, till it be passed and he be as he was before. To wit, that he shall deny to

none that he is the true prince, and heir to England's greatness; that he shall uphold his princely dignity, and

shall receive, without word or sign of protest, that reverence and observance which unto it do appertain of

right and ancient usage; that he shall cease to speak to any of that lowly birth and life his malady hath

conjured out of the unwholesome imaginings of o'erwrought fancy; that he shall strive with diligence to bring

unto his memory again those faces which he was wont to know and where he faileth he shall hold his peace,

neither betraying by semblance of surprise, or other sign, that he hath forgot; that upon occasions of state,

whensoever any matter shall perplex him as to the thing he should do or the utterance he should make, he

shall show naught of unrest to the curious that look on, but take advice in that matter of the Lord Hertford, or

my humble self, which are commanded of the king to be upon this service and close at call, till this

commandment be dissolved. Thus saith the king's majesty, who sendeth greeting to your royal highness and

prayeth that God will of His mercy quickly heal you and have you now and ever in His holy keeping.'

'The king hath said it. None may palter with the king's command, or fit it to his ease, where it doth chafe, with

'Touching the king's majesty's ordainment concerning books and such like serious matters, it may

peradventure please your highness to ease your time with lightsome entertainment, lest you go wearied to the

Tom's face showed inquiring surprise; and a blush followed when he saw Lord St. John's eyes bent

'Thy memory still wrongeth thee, and thou hast shown surprise but suffer it not to trouble thee, for 'tis a

matter that will not bide, but depart with thy mending malady. My Lord of Hertford speaketh of the city's

banquet which the king's majesty did promise two months flown, your highness should attend. Thou recallest

'It grieves me to confess it had indeed escaped me,' said Tom, in a hesitating voice; and blushed again.

At that moment the Lady Elizabeth and the Lady Jane Grey were announced. The two lords exchanged

significant glances, and Hertford stepped quickly toward the door. As the young girls passed him, he said in a

'I pray ye, ladies, seem not to observe his humors, nor show surprise when his memory doth lapse it will

'Please you, sir, keep diligently in mind his majesty's desire. Remember all thou canst seem to remember all

else. Let them not perceive that thou art much changed from thy wont, for thou knowest how tenderly thy old

playfellows bear thee in their hearts and how 'twould grieve them. Art willing, sir, that I remain? and thine

Tom signified assent with a gesture and a murmured word, for he was already learning, and in his simple

heart was resolved to acquit himself as best he might according to the king's command.

In spite of every precaution, the conversation among the young people became a little embarrassing at times.

More than once, in truth, Tom was near to breaking down and confessing himself unequal to his tremendous

part; but the tact of the Princess Elizabeth saved him, or a word from one or the other of the vigilant lords,

thrown in apparently by chance, had the same happy effect. Once the little Lady Jane turned to Tom and

Tom hesitated, looked distressed, and was about to stammer out something at hazard when Lord St. John took

the word and answered for him with the easy grace of a courtier accustomed to encounter delicate difficulties

'He hath indeed, madam, and she did greatly hearten him, as touching his majesty's condition; is it not so,

Tom mumbled something that stood for assent, but felt that he was getting upon dangerous ground.

Somewhat later it was mentioned that Tom was to study no more at present, whereupon her little ladyship

''Tis a pity, 'tis such a pity! Thou were proceeding bravely. But bide thy time in patience; it will not be for

long. Thou'lt yet be graced with learning like thy father, and make thy tongue master of as many languages as

'My father!' cried Tom, off his guard for the moment. 'I trow he cannot speak his own so that any but the

swine that wallow in the sties may tell his meaning; and as for learning of any sort soever'

He stopped, blushed, then continued low and sadly: 'Ah, my malady persecuteth me again, and my mind

'We know it, sir,' said the Princess Elizabeth, taking her 'brother's' hand between her two palms, respectfully

but caressingly; 'trouble not thyself as to that. The fault is none of thine, but thy distemper's.'

'Thou'rt a gentle comforter, sweet lady,' said Tom, gratefully, 'and my heart moveth me to thank thee for't, an

Once the giddy little Lady Jane fired a simple Greek phrase at Tom. The Princess Elizabeth's quick eye saw

by the serene blankness of the target's front that the shaft was overshot; so she tranquilly delivered a return

volley of sounding Greek on Tom's behalf, and then straightway changed the talk to other matters.

Time wore on pleasantly, and likewise smoothly, on the whole. Snags and sandbars grew less and less

frequent, and Tom grew more and more at his ease, seeing that all were so lovingly bent upon helping him

and overlooking his mistakes. When it came out that the little ladies were to accompany him to the Lord

Mayor's banquet in the evening, his heart gave a bound of relief and delight, for he felt that he should not be

friendless now, among that multitude of strangers, whereas, an hour earlier, the idea of their going with him

Tom's guardian angels, the two lords, had had less comfort in the interview than the other parties to it. They

felt much as if they were piloting a great ship through a dangerous channel; they were on the alert constantly,

and found their office no child's play. Wherefore, at last, when the ladies' visit was drawing to a close and the

Lord Guilford Dudley was announced, they not only felt that their charge had been sufficiently taxed for the

present, but also that they themselves were not in the best condition to take their ship back and make their

anxious voyage all over again. So they respectfully advised Tom to excuse himself, which he was very glad

to do, although a slight shade of disappointment might have been observed upon my Lady Jane's face when

There was a pause now, a sort of waiting silence which Tom could not understand. He glanced at Lord

Hertford, who gave him a sign but he failed to understand that also. The ready Elizabeth came to the rescue

'Indeed, your ladyships can have whatsoever of me they will, for the asking; yet would I rather give them any

other thing that in my poor power lieth, than leave to take the light and blessing of their presence hence. Give

ye good den, and God be with ye!' Then he smiled inwardly at the thought, ''tis not for naught I have dwelt

but among princes in my reading, and taught my tongue some slight trick of their broidered and gracious

When the illustrious maidens were gone, Tom turned wearily to his keepers and said:

'May it please your lordships to grant me leave to go into some corner and rest me!'

'So please your highness, it is for you to command, it is for us to obey. That thou shouldst rest, is indeed a

He touched a bell and a page appeared, who was ordered to desire the presence of Sir William Herbert. This

gentleman came straightway, and conducted Tom to an inner apartment. Tom's first movement there was to

reach for a cup of water; but a silkandvelvet servitor seized it, dropped upon one knee, and offered it to

Next, the tired captive sat down and was going to take off his buskins, timidly asking leave with his eye, but

another silkandvelvet discomforter went down upon his knees and took the office from him. He made two

or three further efforts to help himself, but being promptly forestalled each time, he finally gave up, with a

sigh of resignation and a murmured 'Beshrew me, but I marvel they do not require to breathe for me also!'

Slippered, and wrapped in a sumptuous robe, he laid himself down at last to rest, but not to sleep, for his head

was too full of thoughts and the room too full of people. He could not dismiss the former, so they stayed; he

did not know enough to dismiss the latter, so they stayed also, to his vast regret and theirs.

Tom's departure had left his two noble guardians alone. They mused awhile, with much headshaking and

'Plainly, then, this. The king is near his end, my nephew is mad, mad will mount the throne, and mad remain.

'Verily it promiseth so, indeed. But... have you no misgivings as to... as to...'

The speaker hesitated, and finally stopped. He evidently felt that he was upon delicate ground. Lord Hertford

'I am loath to word the thing that is in my mind, and thou so near to him in blood, my lord. But craving

pardon if I do offend, seemeth it not strange that madness could so change his port and manner! not but that

his port and speech are princely still, but that they differ in one unweighty trifle or another, from what his

custom was aforetime. Seemeth it not strange that madness should filch from his memory his father's very

lineaments; the customs and observances that are his due from such as be about him; and, leaving him his

Latin, strip him of his Greek and French? My lord, be not offended, but ease my mind of its disquiet and

receive my grateful thanks. It haunteth me, his saying he was not the prince, and so'

'Peace, my lord, thou utterest treason! Hast forgot the king's command? Remember I am party to thy crime, if

'I was in fault, I do confess it. Betray me not, grant me this grace out of thy courtesy, and I will neither think

'I am content, my lord. So thou offend not again, here or in the ears of others, it shall be as though thou hadst

not spoken. But thou needst not have misgivings. He is my sister's son; are not his voice, his face, his form,

familiar to me from his cradle? Madness can do all the odd conflicting things thou seest in him, and more.

Dost not recall how that the old Baron Marley, being mad, forgot the favor of his own countenance that he

had known for sixty years, and held it was another's; nay, even claimed he was the son of Mary Magdalene,

and that his head was made of Spanish glass; and sooth to say, he suffered none to touch it, lest by mischance

some heedless hand might shiver it. Give thy misgivings easement, good my lord. This is the very prince, I

know him well and soon will be thy king; it may advantage thee to bear this in mind and more dwell upon it

After some further talk, in which the Lord St. John covered up his mistake as well as he could by repeated

protests that his faith was thoroughly grounded now, and could not be assailed by doubts again, the Lord

Hertford relieved his fellowkeeper, and sat down to keep watch and ward alone. He was soon deep in

meditation. And evidently the longer he thought, the more he was bothered. By and by he began to pace the

'Tush, he must be the prince! Will any he in all the land maintain there can be two, not of one blood and birth,

so marvelously twinned? And even were it so, 'twere yet a stranger miracle that chance should cast the one

'Now were he impostor and called himself prince, look you that would be natural; that would be reasonable.

But lived ever an impostor yet, who, being called prince by the king, prince by the court, prince by all, denied

his dignity and pleaded against his exaltation? No! By the soul of St. Swithin, no! This is the true prince,

SOMEWHAT after one in the afternoon, Tom resignedly underwent the ordeal of being dressed for dinner.

He found himself as finely clothed as before, but everything different, everything changed, from his ruff to

his stockings. He was presently conducted with much state to a spacious and ornate apartment, where a table

was already set for one. Its furniture was all of massy gold, and beautified with designs which wellnigh

made it priceless, since they were the work of Benvenuto. The room was half filled with noble servitors. A

chaplain said grace, and Tom was about to fall to, for hunger had long been constitutional with him, but was

interrupted by my lord the Earl of Berkeley, who fastened a napkin about his neck; for the great post of

Diaperers to the Prince of Wales was hereditary in this nobleman's family. Tom's cupbearer was present, and

forestalled all his attempts to help himself to wine. The Taster to his Highness the Prince of Wales was there

also, prepared to taste any suspicious dish upon requirement, and run the risk of being poisoned. He was only

an ornamental appendage at this time, and was seldom called to exercise his function; but there had been

times, not many generations past, when the office of taster had its perils, and was not a grandeur to be

desired. Why they did not use a dog or a plumber seems strange; but all the ways of royalty are strange. My

Lord d'Arcy, First Groom of the Chamber, was there, to do goodness knows what; but there he was let that

suffice. The Lord Chief Butler was there, and stood behind Tom's chair overseeing the solemnities, under

command of the Lord Great Steward and the Lord Head Cook, who stood near. Tom had three hundred and

eightyfour servants besides these; but they were not all in that room, of course, nor the quarter of them;

All those that were present had been well drilled within the hour to remember that the prince was temporarily

out of his head, and to be careful to show no surprise at his vagaries. These 'vagaries' were soon on exhibition

before them; but they only moved their compassion and their sorrow, not their mirth. It was a heavy affliction

Poor Tom ate with his fingers mainly; but no one smiled at it, or even seemed to observe it. He inspected his

napkin curiously and with deep interest, for it was of a very dainty and beautiful fabric, then said with

The Hereditary Diaperer took it away with reverent manner, and without word or protest of any sort.

Tom examined the turnips and the lettuce with interest, and asked what they were, and if they were to be

eaten; for it was only recently that men had begun to raise these things in England in place of importing them

as luxuries from Holland.*(4) His question was answered with grave respect, and no surprise manifested.

When he had finished his dessert, he filled his pockets with nuts; but nobody appeared to be aware of it, or

disturbed by it. But the next moment he was himself disturbed by it, and showed discomposure; for this was

the only service he had been permitted to do with his own hands during the meal, and he did not doubt that he

had done a most improper and unprincely thing. At that moment the muscles of his nose began to twitch, and

the end of that organ to lift and wrinkle. This continued, and Tom began to evince a growing distress. He

looked appealingly, first at one and then another of the lords about him, and tears came into his eyes. They

sprang forward with dismay in their faces, and begged to know his trouble. Tom said with genuine anguish:

'I crave your indulgence; my nose itcheth cruelly. What is the custom and usage in this emergence? Prithee

None smiled; but all were sore perplexed, and looked one to the other in deep tribulation for counsel. But,

behold, here was a dead wall, and nothing in English history to tell how to get over it. The Master of

Ceremonies was not present; there was no one who felt safe to venture upon this uncharted sea, or risk the

attempt to solve this solemn problem. Alas! there was no Hereditary Scratcher. Meantime the tears had

overflowed their banks, and begun to trickle down Tom's cheeks. His twitching nose was pleading more

urgently than ever for relief. At last nature broke down the barriers of etiquette; Tom lifted up an inward

prayer for pardon if he was doing wrong, and brought relief to the burdened hearts of his court by scratching

His meal being ended, a lord came and held before him a broad, shallow, golden dish with fragrant

rosewater in it, to cleanse his mouth and fingers with; and my lord the Hereditary Diaperer stood by with a

napkin for his use. Tom gazed at the dish a puzzled moment or two, then raised it to his lips, and gravely took

'Nay, it likes me not, my lord; it hath a pretty flavor, but it wanteth strength.'

This new eccentricity of the prince's ruined mind made all the hearts about him ache; but the sad sight moved

Tom's next unconscious blunder was to get up and leave the table just when the chaplain had taken his stand

behind his chair and with uplifted hands and closed uplifted eyes, was in the act of beginning the blessing.

By his own request, our small friend was now conducted to his private cabinet, and left there alone to his own

devices. Hanging upon hooks in the oaken wainscoting were the several pieces of a suit of shining steel

armor, covered all over with beautiful designs exquisitely inlaid in gold. This martial panoply belonged to the

true prince a recent present from Madam Parr, the queen. Tom put on the greaves, the gauntlets, the plumed

helmet, and such other pieces as he could don without assistance, and for a while was minded to call for help

and complete the matter, but bethought him of the nuts he had brought away from dinner, and the joy it

would be to eat them with no crowd to eye him, and no Grand Hereditaries to pester him with undesired

services; so he restored the pretty things to their several places, and soon was cracking nuts, and feeling

almost naturally happy for the first time since God for his sins had made him a prince. When the nuts were all

gone, he stumbled upon some inviting books in a closet, among them one about the etiquette of the English

court. This was a prize. He lay down upon a sumptuous divan, and proceeded to instruct himself with honest

ABOUT five o'clock Henry VIII awoke out of an unrefreshing nap, and muttered to himself, 'Troublous

dreams, troublous dreams! Mine end is now at hand; so say these warnings, and my failing pulses do confirm

it.' Presently a wicked light flamed up in his eye, and he muttered, 'Yet will not I die till he go before.'

His attendants perceiving that he was awake, one of them asked his pleasure concerning the Lord Chancellor,

'I have given order, and, according to the king's command, the peers of the realm, in their robes, do now stand

at the bar of the House, where, having confirmed the Duke of Norfolk's doom, they humbly wait his majesty's

'Lift me up! In mine own person will I go before my Parliament, and with mine own hand will I seal the

His voice failed; an ashen pallor swept the flush from his cheeks; and the attendants eased him back upon his

pillows, and hurriedly assisted him with restoratives. Presently he said sorrowfully:

'Alack, how have I longed for this sweet hour! and lo, too late it cometh, and I am robbed of this so coveted

chance. But speed ye, speed ye! let others do this happy office sith 'tis denied to me. I put my great seal in

commission: choose thou the lords that shall compose it, and get ye to your work. Speed ye, man! Before the

'According to the king's command, so shall it be. Will't please your majesty to order that the Seal be now

'Please your majesty, you did take it from me two days since, saying it should no more do its office till your

'Why, so in sooth I did; I do remember it.... What did I with it!... I am very feeble.... So oft these days doth

The king dropped into inarticulate mumblings, shaking his gray head weakly from time to time, and

gropingly trying to recollect what he had done with the Seal. At last my Lord Hertford ventured to kneel and

'Sire, if that I may be so bold, here be several that do remember with me how that you gave the Great Seal

into the hands of his Highness the Prince of Wales to keep against the day that'

Lord Hertford flew to Tom, but returned to the king before very long, troubled and emptyhanded. He

'It grieveth me, my lord the king, to bear so heavy and unwelcome tidings; but it is the will of God that the

prince's affliction abideth still, and he cannot recall to mind that he received the Seal. So came I quickly to

report, thinking it were waste of precious time, and little worth withal, that any should attempt to search the

A groan from the king interrupted my lord at this point. After a while his majesty said, with a deep sadness in

'Trouble him no more, poor child. The hand of God lieth heavy upon him, and my heart goeth out in loving

compassion for him, and sorrow that I may not bear his burden on mine own old troubleweighted shoulders,

He closed his eyes, fell to mumbling, and presently was silent. After a time he opened his eyes again, and

gazed vacantly around until his glance rested upon the kneeling Lord Chancellor. Instantly his face flushed

'What, thou here yet! By the glory of God, an thou gettest not about that traitor's business, thy miter shall

'Man, hast lost thy wits? The small Seal which aforetime I was wont to take with me abroad lieth in my

treasury. And, since the Great Seal hath flown away, shall not it suffice? Hast lost thy wits? Begone! And

The poor Chancellor was not long in removing himself from this dangerous vicinity; nor did the commission

waste time in giving the royal assent to the work of the slavish Parliament, and appointing the morrow for the

AT nine in the evening the whole vast riverfront of the palace was blazing with light. The river itself, as far

as the eye could reach cityward, was so thickly covered with watermen's boats and with pleasure barges, all

fringed with colored lanterns, and gently agitated by the waves, that it resembled a glowing and limitless

garden of flowers stirred to soft motion by summer winds. The grand terrace of stone steps leading down to

the water, spacious enough to mass the army of a German principality upon, was a picture to see, with its

ranks of royal halberdiers in polished armor, and its troops of brilliantly costumed servitors flitting up and

Presently a command was given, and immediately all living creatures vanished from the steps. Now the air

was heavy with the hush of suspense and expectancy. As far as one's vision could carry, he might see the

myriads of people in the boats rise up, and shade their eyes from the glare of lanterns and torches, and gaze

A file of forty or fifty state barges drew up to the steps. They were richly gilt, and their lofty prows and sterns

were elaborately carved. Some of them were decorated with banners and streamers; some with clothofgold

and arras embroidered with coats of arms; others with silken flags that had numberless little silver bells

fastened to them, which shook out tiny showers of joyous music whenever the breezes fluttered them; others

of yet higher pretensions, since they belonged to nobles in the prince's immediate service, had their sides

picturesquely fenced with shields gorgeously emblazoned with armorial bearings. Each state barge was towed

by a tender. Besides the rowers, these tenders carried each a number of menatarms in glossy helmet and

The advanceguard of the expected procession now appeared in the great gateway, a troop of halberdiers.

'They were dressed in striped hose of black and tawny, velvet caps graced at the sides with silver roses, and

doublets of murrey and blue cloth, embroidered on the front and back with the three feathers, the prince's

blazon, woven in gold. Their halberd staves were covered with crimson velvet, fastened with gilt nails, and

ornamented with gold tassels. Filing off on the right and left, they formed two long lines, extending from the

gateway of the palace to the water's edge. A thick, rayed cloth or carpet was then unfolded, and laid down

between them by attendants in the goldandcrimson liveries of the prince. This done, a flourish of trumpets

resounded from within. A lively prelude arose from the musicians on the water; and two ushers with white

wands marched with a slow and stately pace from the portal. They were followed by an officer bearing the

civic mace, after whom came another carrying the city's sword; then several sergeants of the city guard, in

their full accoutrements, and with badges on their sleeves; then the Garter kingatarms, in his tabard; then

several knights of the Bath, each with a white lace on his sleeve; then their esquires; then the judges, in their

robes of scarlet and coifs; then the Lord High Chancellor of England, in a robe of scarlet, open before, and

purfled with minever; then a deputation of aldermen, in their scarlet cloaks; and then the heads of the

different civic companies, in their robes of state. Now came twelve French gentlemen, in splendid

habiliments, consisting of pourpoints of white damask barred with gold, short mantles of crimson velvet lined

with violet taffeta, and carnationcolored hautsdechausses, and took their way down the steps. They were

of the suite of the French ambassador, and were followed by twelve cavaliers of the suite of the Spanish

ambassador, clothed in black velvet, unrelieved by any ornament. Following these came several great English

There was a flourish of trumpets within; and the prince's uncle, the future great Duke of Somerset, emerged

from the gateway, arrayed in a 'doublet of black clothofgold, and a cloak of crimson satin flowered with

gold, and ribanded with nets of silver.' He turned, doffed his plumed cap, bent his body in a low reverence,

and began to step backward, bowing at each step. A prolonged trumpetblast followed, and a proclamation,

'Way for the high and mighty, the Lord Edward, Prince of Wales!' High aloft on the palace walls a long line

of red tongues of flame leaped forth with a thundercrash; the massed world on the river burst into a mighty

roar of welcome; and Tom Canty, the cause and hero of it all, stepped into view, and slightly bowed his

He was 'magnificently habited in a doublet of white satin, with a frontpiece of purple clothoftissue,

powdered with diamonds, and edged with ermine. Over this he wore a mantle of white clothofgold,

pounced with the triplefeather crest, lined with blue satin, set with pearls and precious stones, and fastened

with a clasp of brilliants. About his neck hung the order of the Garter, and several princely foreign orders';

and wherever light fell upon him jewels responded with a blinding flash. O, Tom Canty, born in a hovel, bred

in the gutters of London, familiar with rags and dirt and misery, what a spectacle is this!

WE left John Canty dragging the rightful prince into Offal Court, with a noisy and delighted mob at his heels.

There was but one person in it who offered a pleading word for the captive, and he was not heeded; he was

hardly even heard, so great was the turmoil. The prince continued to struggle for freedom, and to rage against

the treatment he was suffering, until John Canty lost what little patience was left in him, and raised his oaken

cudgel in a sudden fury over the prince's head. The single pleader for the lad sprang to stop the man's arm,

His cudgel crashed down upon the meddler's head; there was a groan, a dim form sank to the ground among

the feet of the crowd, and the next moment it lay there in the dark alone. The mob pressed on, their

Presently the prince found himself in John Canty's abode, with the door closed against the outsiders. By the

vague light of a tallow candle which was thrust into a bottle, he made out the main features of the loathsome

den, and also of the occupants of it. Two frowsy girls and a middleaged woman cowered against the wall in

one corner, with the aspect of animals habituated to harsh usage, and expecting and dreading it now. From

another corner stole a withered hag with streaming gray hair and malignant eyes. John Canty said to this one:

'Tarry! There's fine mummeries here. Mar them not till thou'st enjoyed them; then let thy hand be heavy as

thou wilt. Stand forth, lad. Now say thy foolery again, an thou'st not forget it. Name thy name. Who art thou?'

The insulted blood mounted to the little prince's cheek once more, and he lifted a steady and indignant gaze to

''Tis but illbreeding in such as thou to command me to speak. I tell thee now, as I told thee before, I am

The stunning surprise of this reply nailed the hag's feet to the floor where she stood, and almost took her

breath. She stared at the prince in stupid amazement, which so amused her ruffianly son that he burst into a

roar of laughter. But the effect upon Tom Canty's mother and sisters was different. Their dread of bodily

injury gave way at once to distress of a different sort. They ran forward with woe and dismay in their faces,

The mother fell on her knees before the prince, put her hands upon his shoulders, and gazed yearningly into

'Oh, my poor boy! thy foolish reading hath wrought its woeful work at last, and ta'en thy wit away. Ah! why

didst thou cleave to it when I so warned thee 'gainst it? Thou'st broke thy mother's heart.'

'Thy son is well and hath not lost his wits, good dame. Comfort thee; let me to the palace where he is, and

'The king thy father! Oh, my child! unsay these words that be freighted with death for thee, and ruin for all

that be near to thee. Shake off this gruesome dream. Call back thy poor wandering memory. Look upon me.

'God knoweth I am loath to grieve thy heart; but truly have I never looked upon thy face before.'

The woman sank back to a sitting posture on the floor, and, covering her eyes with her hands, gave way to

'Let the show go on!' shouted Canty. 'What, Nan! what, Bet! Mannerless wenches! will ye stand in the

He followed this with another horselaugh. The girls began to plead timidly for their brother; and Nan said:

'An thou wilt but let him to bed, father, rest and sleep will heal his madness; prithee, do.'

'Do, father,' said Bet; 'he is more worn than is his wont. Tomorrow will he be himself again, and will beg

This remark sobered the father's joviality, and brought his mind to business. He turned angrily upon the

'The morrow must we pay two pennies to him that owns this hole; two pennies mark ye all this money for a

halfyear's rent, else out of this we go. Show what thou'st gathered with thy lazy begging.'

A sounding blow upon the prince's shoulder from Canty's broad palm sent him staggering into goodwife

Canty's arms, who clasped him to her breast, and sheltered him from a pelting rain of cuffs and slaps by

The frightened girls retreated to their corner; but the grandmother stepped eagerly forward to assist her son.

'Thou shalt not suffer for me, madam. Let these swine do their will upon me alone.'

This speech infuriated the swine to such a degree that they set about their work without waste of time.

Between them they belabored the boy right soundly, and then gave the girls and their mother a beating for

The light was put out, and the family retired. As soon as the snorings of the head of the house and his mother

showed that they were asleep, the young girls crept to where the prince lay, and covered him tenderly from

the cold with straw and rags; and their mother crept to him also, and stroked his hair, and cried over him,

whispering broken words of comfort and compassion in his ear the while. She had saved a morsel for him to

eat also; but the boy's pains had swept away all appetite at least for black and tasteless crusts. He was

touched by her brave and costly defense of him, and by her commiseration; and he thanked her in very noble

and princely words, and begged her to go to sleep and try to forget her sorrows. And he added that the king

his father would not let her loyal kindness and devotion go unrewarded. This return to his 'madness' broke her

heart anew, and she strained him to her breast again and again and then went back, drowned in tears, to her

As she lay thinking and mourning, the suggestion began to creep into her mind that there was an undefinable

something about this boy that was lacking in Tom Canty, mad or sane. She could not describe it, she could

not tell just what it was, and yet her sharp motherinstinct seemed to detect it and perceive it. What if the boy

were really not her son, after all? Oh, absurd! She almost smiled at the idea, spite of her griefs and troubles.

No matter, she found that it was an idea that would not 'down', but persisted in haunting her. It pursued her, it

harassed her, it clung to her, and refused to be put away or ignored. At last she perceived that there was not

going to be any peace for her until she should devise a test that should prove, dearly and without question,

whether this lad was her son or not, and so banish these wearing and worrying doubts. Ah, yes, this was

plainly the right way out of the difficulty; therefore, she set her wits to work at once to contrive that test. But

it was an easier thing to propose than to accomplish. She turned over in her mind one promising test after

another, but was obliged to relinquish them all none of them were absolutely sure, absolutely perfect; and an

imperfect one could not satisfy her. Evidently she was racking her head in vain it seemed manifest that she

must give the matter up. While this depressing thought was passing through her mind, her ear caught the

regular breathing of the boy, and she knew he had fallen asleep. And while she listened, the measured

breathing was broken by a soft, startled cry, such as one utters in a troubled dream. This chance occurrence

furnished her instantly with a plan worth all her labored tests combined. She at once set herself feverishly, but

noiselessly, to work to relight her candle, muttering to herself, 'Had I but seen him then, I should have

known! Since that day, when he was little, that the powder burst in his face, he hath never been startled of a

sudden out of his dreams or out of his thinkings, but he hath cast his hand before his eyes, even as he did that

day, and not as others would do it, with the palm inward, but always with the palm turned outward I have

seen it a hundred times, and it hath never varied nor ever failed. Yes, I shall soon know now!'

By this time she had crept to the slumbering boy's side, with the candle shaded in her hand. She bent

heedfully and warily over him, scarcely breathing, in her suppressed excitement, and suddenly flashed the

light in his face and struck the floor by his ear with her knuckles. The sleeper's eyes sprung wide open, and he

The poor woman was smitten almost helpless with surprise and grief; but she contrived to hide her emotions,

and to soothe the boy to sleep again; then she crept apart and communed miserably with herself upon the

disastrous result of her experiment. She tried to believe that her Tom's madness had banished this habitual

gesture of his; but she could not do it. 'No,' she said, 'his hands are not mad, they could not unlearn so old a

Still, hope was as stubborn now as doubt had been before; she could not bring herself to accept the verdict of

the test; she must try the thing again the failure must have been only an accident; so she startled the boy out

of his sleep a second and a third time, at intervals with the same result which had marked the first test then

she dragged herself to bed, and fell sorrowfully asleep, saying, 'But I cannot give him up oh, no, I cannot

The poor mother's interruptions having ceased, and the prince's pains having gradually lost their power to

disturb him, utter weariness at last sealed his eyes in a profound and restful sleep. Hour after hour slipped

away, and still he slept like the dead. Thus four or five hours passed. Then his stupor began to lighten.

'Ho, Sir William Herbert! Hie thee hither, and list to the strangest dream that ever.... Sir William! Dost hear?

Man, I did think me changed to a pauper, and... Ho there! Guards! Sir William! What! is there no groom of

'I? Who should I be, but thy sister Nan? Oh, Tom, I had forgot! Tbou'rt mad yet poor lad thou'rt mad yet,

would I had never woke to know it again! But, prithee, master thy tongue, lest we be all beaten till we die!'

The startled prince sprang partly up, but a sharp reminder from his stiffened bruises brought him to himself,

In a moment all the heavy sorrow and misery which sleep had banished were upon him again, and he realized

that he was no longer a petted prince in a palace, with the adoring eyes of a nation upon him, but a pauper, an

outcast, clothed in rags, prisoner in a den fit only for beasts, and consorting with beggars and thieves.

In the midst of his grief he began to be conscious of hilarious noises and shoutings, apparently but a block or

two away. The next moment there were several sharp raps at the door; John Canty ceased from snoring and

'Belike thou'lt change thy note eftsoons. An thou would save thy neck, nothing but flight may stead thee. The

'Godamercy!' exclaimed Canty. He roused his family, and hoarsely commanded, 'Up with ye all and fly

Scarcely five minutes later the Canty household were in the street and flying for their lives. John Canty held

the prince by the wrist, and hurried him along the dark way, giving him this caution in a low voice:

'Mind thy tongue, thou mad fool, and speak not our name. I will choose me a new name, speedily, to throw

'If it so chance that we be separated, let each make for London Bridge; whoso findeth himself as far as the

last linendraper's shop on the bridge, let him tarry there till the others be come, then will we flee into

At this moment the party burst suddenly out of darkness into light; and not only into light, but into the midst

of a multitude of singing, dancing, and shouting people, massed together on the riverfrontage. There was a

line of bonfires stretching as far as one could see, up and down the Thames; London Bridge was illuminated;

Southwark Bridge likewise; the entire river was aglow with the flash and sheen of colored lights, and

constant explosions of fireworks filled the skies with an intricate commingling of shooting splendors and a

thick rain of dazzling sparks that almost turned night into day; everywhere were crowds of revelers; all

John Canty delivered himself of a furious curse and commanded a retreat; but it was too late. He and his tribe

were swallowed up in that swarming hive of humanity, and hopelessly separated from each other in an

instant. We are not considering that the prince was one of his tribe; Canty still kept his grip upon him. The

prince's heart was beating high with hopes of escape now. A burly waterman, considerably exalted with

liquor, found himself rudely shoved by Canty in his efforts to plow through the crowd; he laid his great hand

'Nay, whither so fast, friend? Dost canker thy soul with sordid business when all that be leal men and true

'Mine affairs are mine own, they concern thee not,' answered Canty, roughly; 'take away thy hand and let me

'Sith that is thy humor, thou'lt not pass till thou'st drunk to the Prince of Wales, I tell thee that,' said the

'The lovingcup, the lovingcup! make the sour knave drink the lovingcup, else will we feed him to the

So a huge lovingcup was brought; the waterman, grasping it by one of its handles, and with his other hand

bearing up the end of an imaginary napkin, presented it in due and ancient form to Canty, who had to grasp

the opposite handle with one of his hands and take off the lid with the other, according to ancient custom.*(6)

This left the prince handfree for a second, of course. He wasted no time, but dived among the forest of legs

about him and disappeared. In another moment he could not have been harder to find, under that tossing sea

He very soon realized this fact, and straightway busied himself about his own affairs without further thought

of John Canty. He quickly realized another thing, too. To wit, that a spurious Prince of Wales was being

feasted by the city in his stead. He easily concluded that the pauper lad, Tom Canty, had deliberately taken

Therefore there was but one course to pursue find his way to the Guildhall, make himself known, and

denounce the impostor. He also made up his mind that Tom should be allowed a reasonable time for spiritual

preparation, and then be hanged, drawn, and quartered, according to the law and usage of the day, in cases of

THE royal barge, attended by its gorgeous fleet, took its stately way down the Thames through the wilderness

of illuminated boats. The air was laden with music; the riverbanks were beruffled with joy flames; the

distant city lay in a soft luminous glow from its countless invisible bonfires; above it rose many a slender

spire into the sky, incrusted with sparkling lights, wherefore in their remoteness they seemed like jeweled

lances thrust aloft; as the fleet swept along, it was greeted from the banks with a continuous hoarse roar of

To Tom Canty, half buried in his silken cushions, these sounds and this spectacle were a wonder unspeakably

sublime and astonishing. To his little friends at his side, the Princess Elizabeth and the Lady Jane Grey, they

Arrived at the Dowgate, the fleet was towed up the limpid Walbrook (whose channel has now been for two

centuries buried out of sight under acres of buildings) to Bucklersbury, past houses and under bridges

populous with merrymakers and brilliantly lighted, and at last came to a halt in a basin where now is Barge

Yard, in the center of the ancient city of London. Tom disembarked, and he and his gallant procession

crossed Cheapside and made a short march through the Old Jewry and Basinghall Street to the Guildhall.

Tom and his little ladies were received with due ceremony by the Lord Mayor and the Fathers of the City, in

their gold chains and scarlet robes of state, and conducted to a rich canopy of state at the head of the great

hall, preceded by heralds making proclamation, and by the Mace and the City Sword. The lords and ladies

who were to attend upon Tom and his two small friends took their places behind their chairs.

At a lower table the court grandees and other guests of noble degree were seated, with the magnates of the

city; the commoners took places at a multitude of tables on the main floor of the hall. From their lofty

vantageground, the giants Gog and Magog, the ancient guardians of the city, contemplated the spectacle

below them with eyes grown familar to it in forgotten generations. There was a bugleblast and a

proclamation, and a fat butler appeared in a high perch in the leftward wall, followed by his servitors bearing

with impressive solemnity a royal Baron of Beef, smoking hot and ready for the knife.

After grace, Tom (being instructed) rose and the whole house with him and drank from a portly golden

lovingcup with the Princess Elizabeth; from her it passed to the Lady Jane, and then traversed the general

By midnight the revelry was at its height. Now came one of those picturesque spectacles so admired in that

old day. A description of it is still extant in the quaint wording of a chronicler who witnessed it:

'Space being made, presently entered a baron and an earl appareled after the Turkish fashion in long robes of

bawdkin powdered with gold; hats on their heads of crimson velvet, with great rolls of gold, girded with two

swords, called simitars, hanging by great bawdricks of gold. Next came yet another baron and another earl, in

two long gowns of yellow satin, traversed with white satin, and in every bend of white was a bend of crimson

satin, after the fashion of Russia, with furred hats of gray on their heads; either of them having an hatchet in

their hands, and boots with pykes' (points a foot long), 'turned up. And after them came a knight, then the

Lord High Admiral, and with him five nobles, in doublets of crimson velvet, voyded low on the back and

before to the cannelbone, laced on the breasts with chains of silver; and, over that, short cloaks of crimson

satin, and on their heads hats after the dancers' fashion, with pheasants' feather in them. These were appareled

after the fashion of Prussia. The torchbearers, which were about an hundred, were appareled in crimson

satin and green, like Moors, their faces black. Next came in a mommarye. Then the minstrels, which were

disguised, danced; and the lords and ladies did wildly dance also, that it was a pleasure to behold.'

And while Tom, in his high seat, was gazing upon this 'wild' dancing, lost in admiration of the dazzling

commingling of kaleidoscopic colors which the whirling turmoil of gaudy figures below him presented, the

ragged but real Little Prince of Wales was proclaiming his rights and his wrongs, denouncing the impostor,

and clamoring for admission at the gates of Guildhall! The crowd enjoyed this episode prodigiously, and

pressed forward and craned their necks to see the small rioter. Presently they began to taunt him and mock at

him, purposely to goad him into a higher and still more entertaining fury. Tears of mortification sprung to his

eyes, but he stood his ground and defied the mob right royally. Other taunts followed, added mockings stung

'I tell ye again, you pack of unmannerly curs, I am the Prince of Wales! And all forlorn and friendless as I be,

with none to give me word of grace or help me in my need, yet will not I be driven from my ground, but will

'Though thou be prince or no prince 'tis all one, thou be'st a gallant lad, and not friendless neither! Here stand

I by thy side to prove it; and mind I tell thee thou might'st have a worser friend than Miles Hendon and yet

not tire thy legs with seeking. Rest thy small jaw, my child, I talk the language of these base kennelrats like

The speaker was a sort of Don Caesar de Bazan in dress, aspect, and bearing. He was tall, trimbuilt,

muscular. His doublet and trunks were of rich material, but faded and threadbare, and their goldlace

adornments were sadly tarnished; his ruff was rumpled and damaged; the plume in his slouched hat was

broken and had a bedraggled and disreputable look; at his side he wore a long rapier in a rusty iron sheath; his

swaggering carriage marked him at once as a ruffler of the camp. The speech of this fantastic figure was

received with an explosion of jeers and laughter. Some cried, ''Tis another prince in disguise!' ''Ware thy

tongue, friend, belike he is dangerous!' 'Marry, he looketh it mark his eye!' 'Pluck the lad from him to the

Instantly a hand was laid upon the prince, under the impulse of this happy thought; as instantly the stranger's

long sword was out and the meddler went to the earth under a sounding thump with the flat of it. The next

moment a score of voices shouted 'Kill the dog! kill him! kill him!' and the mob closed in on the warrior, who

backed himself against a wall and began to lay about him with his long weapon like a madman. His victims

sprawled this way and that, but the mobtide poured over their prostrate forms and dashed itself against the

champion with undiminished fury. His moments seemed numbered, his destruction certain, when suddenly a

trumpetblast sounded, a voice shouted, 'Way for the king's messenger!' and a troop of horsemen came

charging down upon the mob, who fled out of harm's reach as fast as their legs could carry them. The bold

stranger caught up the prince in his arms, and was soon far away from danger and the multitude.

Return we within the Guildhall. Suddenly, high above the jubilant roar and thunder of the revel, broke the

clear peal of a buglenote. There was instant silence a deep hush; then a single voice rose that of the

messenger from the palace and began to pipe forth a proclamation, the whole multitude standing, listening.

The great assemblage bent their heads upon their breasts with one accord; remained so, in profound silence, a

few moments, then all sunk upon their knees in a body, stretched out their hands towards Tom, and a mighty

Poor Tom's dazed eyes wandered abroad over this stupefying spectacle, and finally rested dreamily upon the

kneeling princesses beside him a moment, then upon the Earl of Hertford. A sudden purpose dawned in his

'Answer me truly, on thy faith and honor! Uttered I here a command, the which none but a king might hold

privilege and prerogative to utter, would such commandment be obeyed, and none rise up to say me nay?'

'None, my liege, in all these realms. In thy person bides the majesty of England. Thou art the king thy word

'Then shall the king's law be law of mercy, from this day, and never more be law of blood! Up from thy knees

and away! To the Tower and say the king decrees the Duke of Norfolk shall not die!'*(7)

The words were caught up and carried eagerly from lip to lip far and wide over the hall, and as Hertford

AS soon as Miles Hendon and the little prince were clear of the mob, they struck down through back lanes

and alleys toward the river. Their way was unobstructed until they approached London Bridge; then they

plowed into the multitude again, Hendon keeping a fast grip upon the prince's no, the king's wrist. The

tremendous news was already abroad, and the boy learned it from a thousand voices at once 'The king is

dead!' The tidings struck a chill to the heart of the poor little waif, and sent a shudder through his frame. He

realized the greatness of his loss, and was filled with a bitter grief; for the grim tyrant who had been such a

terror to others had always been gentle with him. The tears sprung to his eyes and blurred all objects. For an

instant he felt himself the most forlorn, outcast, and forsaken of God's creatures then another cry shook the

night with its farreaching thunders: 'Long live King Edward the Sixth!' and this made his eyes kindle, and

thrilled him with pride to his fingers' ends. 'Ah,' he thought, 'how grand and strange it seems I AM KING!'

Our friends threaded their way slowly through the throngs upon the Bridge. This structure, which had stood

for six hundred years, and had been a noisy and populous thoroughfare all that time, was a curious affair, for

a closely packed rank of stores and shops, with family quarters overhead, stretched along both sides of it,

from one bank of the river to the other. The Bridge was a sort of town to itself; it had its inn, its beerhouses,

its bakeries, its haberdasheries, its food markets, its manufacturing industries, and even its church. It looked

upon the two neighbors which it linked together London and Southwark as being well enough, as suburbs,

but not otherwise particularly important. It was a close corporation, so to speak; it was a narrow town, of a

single street a fifth of a mile long, its population was but a village population, and everybody in it knew all

his fellowtownsmen intimately, and had known their fathers and mothers before them and all their little

family affairs into the bargain. It had its aristocracy, of course its fine old families of butchers, and bakers,

and what not, who had occupied the same old premises for five or six hundred years, and knew the great

history of the Bridge from beginning to end, and all its strange legends; and who always talked bridgy talk,

and thought bridgy thoughts, and lied in a long, level, direct, substantial bridgy way. It was just the sort of

population to be narrow and ignorant and selfconceited. Children were born on the Bridge, were reared

there, grew to old age and finally died without ever having set a foot upon any part of the world but London

Bridge alone. Such people would naturally imagine that the mighty and interminable procession which

moved through its street night and day, with its confused roar of shouts and cries, its neighings and

bellowings and bleatings and its muffled thundertramp, was the one great thing in this world, and

themselves somehow the proprietors of it. And so they were in effect at least they could exhibit it from their

windows, and did for a consideration whenever a returning king or hero gave it a fleeting splendor, for

there was no place like it for affording a long, straight, uninterrupted view of marching columns.

Men born and reared upon the Bridge found life unendurably dull and inane elsewhere. History tells of one of

these who left the Bridge at the age of seventyone and retired to the country. But he could only fret and toss

in his bed; he could not go to sleep, the deep stillness was so painful, so awful, so oppressive. When he was

worn out with it, at last, he fled back to his old home, a lean and haggard specter, and fell peacefully to rest

and pleasant dreams under the lulling music of the lashing waters and the boom and crash and thunder of

In the times of which we are writing, the Bridge furnished 'object lessons' in English history, for its children

namely, the livid and decaying heads of renowned men impaled upon iron spikes atop of its gateways. But we

Hendon's lodgings were in the little inn on the Bridge. As he neared the door with his small friend, a rough

'So, thou'rt come at last! Thou'lt not escape again. I warrant thee; and if pounding thy bones to a pudding can

teach thee somewhat, thou'lt not keep us waiting another time, mayhap' and John Canty put out his hand to

'Not too fast, friend. Thou art needlessly rough, methinks. What is the lad to thee?'

'If it be any business of thine to make and meddle in others' affairs, he is my son.'

'Boldly said, and I believe thee, whether thy small headpiece be sound or cracked, my boy. But whether this

scurvy ruffian be thy father or no, 'tis all one, he shall not have thee to beat thee and abuse, according to his

'I do, I do I know him not, I loathe him, and will die before I will go with him.'

'We will see, as to that!' exclaimed John Canty, striding past Hendon to get at the boy; 'by force shall he'

'If thou do but touch him, thou animated offal, I will spit thee like a goose!' said Hendon, barring the way and

laying his hand upon his swordhilt. Canty drew back. 'Now mark ye,' continued Hendon, 'I took this lad

under my protection when a mob such as thou would have mishandled him, mayhap killed him; dost imagine

I will desert him now to a worser fate? for whether thou art his father or no and sooth to say, I think it is a

lie a decent swift death were better for such a lad than life in such brute hands as thine. So go thy ways, and

set quick about it, for I like not much bandying of words, being not overpatient in my nature.'

John Canty moved off, muttering threats and curses, and was swallowed from sight in the crowd. Hendon

ascended three flights of stairs to his room, with his charge, after ordering a meal to be sent thither. It was a

poor apartment, with a shabby bed and some odds and ends of old furniture in it, and was vaguely lighted by

a couple of sickly candles. The little king dragged himself to the bed and lay down upon it, almost exhausted

with hunger and fatigue. He had been on his feet a good part of a day and a night, for it was now two or three

'Prithee, call me when the table is spread,' and sunk into a deep sleep immediately.

'By the mass, the little beggar takes to one's quarters and usurps one's bed with as natural and easy a grace as

if he owned them with never a byyourleave or sopleaseityou, or anything of the sort. In his diseased

ravings he called himself the Prince of Wales, and bravely doth he keep up the character. Poor little friendless

rat, doubtless his mind has been disordered with ill usage. Well, I will be his friend; I have saved him, and it

draweth me strongly to him; already I love the boldtongued little rascal. How soldierlike he faced the smutty

rabble and flung back his high defiance! And what a comely, sweet and gentle face he hath, now that sleep

hath conjured away its troubles and its griefs. I will teach him, I will cure his malady; yea, I will be his elder

brother, and care for him and watch over him; and who so would shame him or do him hurt, may order his

He bent over the boy and contemplated him with kind and pitying interest, tapping the young cheek tenderly

and smoothing back the tangled curls with his great brown hand. A slight shiver passed over the boy's form.

'See, now, how like a man it was to let him lie here uncovered and fill his body with deadly rheums. Now

what shall I do? 'Twill wake him to take him up and put him within the bed, and he sorely needeth sleep.'

He looked about for extra covering, but finding none, doffed his doublet and wrapped the lad in it, saying, 'I

am used to nipping air and scant apparel, 'tis little I shall mind the cold' then walked up and down the room

'His injured mind persuades him he is Prince of Wales; 'twill be odd to have a Prince of Wales still with us,

now that he that was the prince is prince no more, but king for this poor mind is set upon the one fantasy,

and will not reason out that now it should cast by the prince and call itself the king.... If my father liveth still,

after these seven years that I have heard naught from home in my foreign dungeon, he will welcome the poor

lad and give him generous shelter for my sake; so will my good elder brother, Arthur; my other brother,

Hugh but I will crack his crown, an he interfere, the foxhearted, illconditioned animal! Yes, thither will

A servant entered with a smoking meal, disposed it upon a small deal table, placed the chairs, and took his

departure, leaving such cheap lodgers as these to wait upon themselves. The door slammed after him, and the

noise woke the boy, who sprung to a sitting posture, and shot a glad glance about him; then a grieved look

came into his face and he murmured to himself, with a deep sigh, 'Alack, it was but a dream. Woe is me.'

Next he noticed Miles Hendon's doublet glanced from that to Hendon, comprehended the sacrifice that had

'Thou art good to me, yes, thou art very good to me. Take it and put it on I shall not need it more.'

Then he got up and walked to the washstand in the corner, and stood there waiting. Hendon said in a cheery

'We'll have a right hearty sup and bite now, for everything is savory and smoking hot, and that and thy nap

The boy made no answer, but bent a steady look, that was filled with grave surprise, and also somewhat

touched with impatience, upon the tall knight of the sword. Hendon was puzzled, and said:

'Oh, is that all! Ask no permission of Miles Hendon for aught thou cravest. Make thyself perfectly free here

Still the boy stood, and moved not; more, he tapped the floor once or twice with his small impatient foot.

Hendon, suppressing a horselaugh, and saying to himself, 'By all the saints, but this is admirable!' stepped

briskly forward and did the small insolent's bidding; then stood by, in a sort of stupefaction, until the

command, 'Come the towel!' woke him sharply up. He took up a towel from under the boy's nose and

handed it to him, without comment. He now proceeded to comfort his own face with a wash, and while he

was at it his adopted child seated himself at the table and prepared to fall to. Hendon despatched his ablutions

with alacrity, then drew back the other chair and was about to place himself at table, when the boy said,

This blow staggered Hendon to his foundations. He muttered to himself, 'Lo, the poor thing's madness is up

with the time! it hath changed with the great change that is come to the realm, and now in fancy is he king!

Good lack, I must humor the conceit, too there is no other way faith, he would order me to the Tower,

And pleased with this jest, he removed the chair from the table, took his stand behind the king, and proceeded

When the king ate, the rigor of his royal dignity relaxed a little, and with his growing contentment came a

'Yes, sire,' Miles replied then observed to himself, 'If I must humor the poor lad's madness, I must sire him, I

must majesty him, I must not go by halves, I must stick at nothing that belongeth to the part I play, else shall I

The king warmed his heart with a second glass of wine, and said: 'I would know thee tell me thy story. Thou

'We are of the tail of the nobility, good your majesty. My father is a baronet one of the smaller lords, by

''Tis not much, your majesty, yet perchance it may beguile a short halfhour for want of a better. My father,

Sir Richard, is very rich, and of a most generous nature. My mother died whilst I was yet a boy. I have two

brothers: Arthur, my elder, with a soul like to his father's; and Hugh, younger than I, a mean spirit, covetous,

treacherous, vicious, underhanded a reptile. Such was he from the cradle; such was he ten years past, when I

last saw him a ripe rascal at nineteen, I being twenty then, and Arthur twentytwo. There is none other of us

but the Lady Edith, my cousin she was sixteen, then beautiful, gentle, good, the daughter of an earl, the

last of her race, heiress of a great fortune and a lapsed title. My father was her guardian. I loved her and she

loved me; but she was betrothed to Arthur from the cradle, and Sir Richard would not suffer the contract to be

broken. Arthur loved another maid, and bade us be of good cheer and hold fast to the hope that delay and luck

together would some day give success to our several causes. Hugh loved the Lady Edith's fortune, though in

truth he said it was herself he loved but then 'twas his way, alway, to say one thing and mean the other. But

he lost his arts upon the girl; he could deceive my father, but none else. My father loved him best of us all,

and trusted and believed him; for he was the youngest child and others hated him these qualities being in all

ages sufficient to win a parent's dearest love; and he had a smooth persuasive tongue, with an admirable gift

of lying and these be qualities which do mightily assist a blind affection to cozen itself. I was wild in troth

I might go yet farther and say very wild, though 'twas a wildness of an innocent sort, since it hurt none but

me, brought shame to none, nor loss, nor had in it any taint of crime or baseness, or what might not beseem

'Yet did my brother Hugh turn these faults to good account he seeing that our brother Arthur's health was

but indifferent, and hoping the worst might work him profit were I swept out of the path so but 'twere a

long tale, good my liege, and little worth the telling. Briefly, then, this brother did deftly magnify my faults

and make them crimes; ending his base work with finding a silken ladder in mine apartments conveyed

thither by his own means and did convince my father by this, and suborned evidence of servants and other

lying knaves, that I was minded to carry off my Edith and marry with her, in rank defiance of his will.

'Three years of banishment from home and England might make a soldier and a man of me, my father said,

and teach me some degree of wisdom. I fought out my long probation in the continental wars, tasting

sumptuously of hard knocks, privation, and adventure; but in my last battle I was taken captive, and during

the seven years that have waxed and waned since then, a foreign dungeon hath harbored me. Through wit and

courage I won to the free air at last, and fled hither straight; and am but just arrived, right poor in purse and

raiment, and poorer still in knowledge of what these dull seven years have wrought at Hendon Hall, its people

'Thou hast been shamefully abused!' said the little king, with a flashing eye. 'But I will right thee by the

Then, fired by the story of Miles's wrongs, he loosed his tongue and poured the history of his own recent

misfortunes into the ears of his astonished listener. When he had finished, Miles said to himself.

'Lo, what an imagination he hath! Verily this is no common mind; else, crazed or sane, it could not weave so

straight and gaudy a tale as this out of the airy nothings wherewith it hath wrought this curious romaunt. Poor

ruined little head, it shall not lack friend or shelter whilst I bide with the living. He shall never leave my side;

he shall be my pet, my little comrade. And he shall be cured! aye, made whole and sound then will he

make himself a name and proud shall I be to say, "Yes, he is mine I took him, a homeless little ragamuffin,

but I saw what was in him, and I said his name would be heard some day behold him, observe him was I

'Thou didst save me injury and shame, perchance my life, and so my crown. Such service demandeth rich

reward. Name thy desire, and so it be within the compass of my royal power, it is thine.'

This fantastic suggestion startled Hendon out of his reverie. He was about to thank the king and put the

matter aside with saying he bad only done his duty and desired no reward, but a wiser thought came into his

head, and he asked leave to be silent a few moments and consider the gracious offer an idea which the king

gravely approved, remarking that it was best to be not too hasty with a thing of such great import.

Miles reflected during some moments, then said to himself, 'Yes, that is the thing to do by any other means

it were impossible to get at it and certes, this hour's experience has taught me 'twould be most wearing and

inconvenient to continue it as it is. Yes, I will propose it; 'twas a happy accident that I did not throw the

'My poor service went not beyond the limit of a subject's simple duty, and therefore hath no merit; but since

your majesty is pleased to hold it worthy some reward, I take heart of grace to make petition to this effect.

Near four hundred years ago, as your grace knoweth, there being ill blood betwixt John, king of England, and

the king of France, it was decreed that two champions should fight together in the lists, and so settle the

dispute by what is called the arbitrament of God. These two kings, and the Spanish king, being assembled to

witness and judge the conflict, the French champion appeared; but so redoubtable was he that our English

knights refused to measure weapons with him. So the matter, which was a weighty one, was like to go against

the English monarch by default. Now in the Tower lay the Lord de Courcy, the mightiest arm in England,

stripped of his honors and possessions, and wasting with long captivity. Appeal was made to him; he gave

assent, and came forth arrayed for battle; but no sooner did the Frenchman glimpse his huge frame and hear

his famous name but he fled away, and the French king's cause was lost. King John restored De Courcy's

titles and possessions, and said, "Name thy wish and thou shalt have it, though it cost me half my kingdom";

whereat De Courcy, kneeling, as I do now, made answerer, "This, then, I ask, my liege; that I and my

successors may have and hold the privilege of remaining covered in the presence of the kings of England,

henceforth while the throne shall last." The boon was granted, as your majesty knoweth; and there hath been

no time, these four hundred years, that that line has failed of an heir; and so, even unto this day, the head of

that ancient house still weareth his hat or helm before the king's majesty, without let or hindrance, and this

none other may do.*(9) Invoking this precedent in aid of my prayer, I beseech the king to grant to me but this

one grace and privilege to my more than sufficient reward and none other, to wit: that I and my heirs,

'Rise, Sir Miles Hendon, knight,' said the king, gravely giving the accolade with Hendon's sword 'rise, and

seat thyself. Thy petition is granted. While England remains, and the crown continues, the privilege shall not

His majesty walked apart, musing, and Hendon dropped into a chair at table, observing to himself, ''Twas a

brave thought, and hath wrought me a mighty deliverance; my legs are grievously wearied. An I had not

thought of that, I must have had to stand for weeks, till my poor lad's wits are cured.' After a little he went on,

'And so I am become a knight of the Kingdom of Dreams and Shadows! A most odd and strange position,

truly, for one so matteroffact as I. I will not laugh no, God forbid, for this thing which is so substanceless

to me is real to him. And to me, also, in one way, it is not a falsity, for it reflects with truth the sweet and

generous spirit that is in him.' After a pause: 'Ah, what if he should call me by my fine title before folk!

there'd be a merry contrast betwixt my glory and my raiment! But no matter; let him call me what he will, so

Hendon disappareled the boy without dissent or remark, tucked him up in bed, then glanced about the room,

saying to himself, ruefully, 'He hath taken my bed again, as before marry, what shall I do?' The little king

'Thou wilt sleep athwart the door, and guard it.' In a moment more he was out of his troubles, in a deep

'Dear heart, he should have been born a king!' muttered Hendon, admiringly, 'he playeth the part to a marvel.'

'I have lodged worse for seven years; 'twould be but ill gratitude to Him above to find fault with this.'

He dropped asleep as the dawn appeared. Toward noon he rose, uncovered his unconscious ward a section

at a time and took his measure with a string. The king awoke, just as he had completed his work,

''Tis done now, my liege,' said Hendon; 'I have a bit of business outside, but will presently return; sleep thou

again thou needest it. There let me cover thy head also thou'lt be warm the sooner.'

The king was back in dreamland before this speech was ended. Miles slipped softly out, and slipped as softly

in again, in the course of thirty or forty minutes, with a complete secondhand suit of boy's clothing, of cheap

material, and showing signs of wear; but tidy, and suited to the season of the year. He seated himself and

'A longer purse would have got a better sort, but when one has not the long purse one must be content with

'He stirred, methinks I must sing in a less thunderous key; 'tis not good to mar his sleep, with this journey

before him and he so wearied out, poorchap.... This garment 'tis well enough a stitch here and another one

there will set it aright. This other is better, albeit a stitch or two will not come amiss in it, likewise.... These

be very good and sound, and will keep his small feet warm and dry an odd new thing to him, belike, since

he has doubtless been used to foot it bare, winters and summers the same.... Would thread were bread, seeing

one getteth a year's sufficiency for a farthing, and such a brave big needle without cost, for mere love. Now

And so he had. He did as men have always done, and probably always will do, to the end of time held the

needle still, and tried to thrust the thread through the eye, which is the opposite of a woman's way. Time and

time again the thread missed the mark, going sometimes on one side of the needle, sometimes on the other,

sometimes doubling up against the shaft; but he was patient, having been through these experiences before,

when he was soldiering. He succeeded at last, and took up the garment that had lain waiting, meantime,

across his lap, and began his work. 'The inn is paid the breakfast that is to come, included and there is

wherewithal left to buy a couple of donkeys and meet our little costs for the two or three days betwixt this

'Body o' me! I have driven the needle under my nail!... It matters little 'tis not a novelty yet 'tis not a

convenience, neither.... We shall be merry there, little one, never doubt it! Thy troubles will vanish there, and

'These be noble large stitches!' holding the garment up and viewing it admiringly 'they have a grandeur and

a majesty that do cause these small stingy ones of the tailorman to look mighty paltry and plebeian

'Marry, 'tis done a goodly piece of work, too, and wrought with expedition. Now will I wake him, apparel

him, pour for him, feed him, and then will we hie us to the mart by the Tabard inn in Southwark and be

pleased to rise, my liege! he answereth not what ho, my liege! of a truth must I profane his sacred person

He stared about him in speechless astonishment for a moment; noticed for the first time that his ward's ragged

raiment was also missing, then he began to rage and storm, and shout for the innkeeper. At that moment a

'Explain, thou limb of Satan, or thy time is come! 'roared the man of war, and made so savage a spring toward

the waiter that this latter could not find his tongue, for the instant, for fright and surprise. 'Where is the boy?'

'You were hardly gone from the place, your worship, when a youth came running and said it was your

worship's will that the boy come to you straight, at the bridgeend on the Southwark side. I brought him

thither; and when he woke the lad and gave his message, the lad did grumble some little for being disturbed

'so early,' as he called it, but straightway trussed on his rags and went with the youth, only saying it had been

'And so thou'rt a fool! a fool, and easily cozened hang all thy breed! Yet mayhap no hurt is done. Possibly

no harm is meant the boy. I will go fetch him. Make the table ready. Stay! the coverings of the bed were

'I know not, good your worship. I saw the youth meddle with them he that came for the boy.'

'Thousand deaths! 'twas done to deceive me 'tis plain 'twas done to gain time. Hark ye! Was that youth

'When he came, none came with him; but now I remember me that as the two stepped into the throng of the

Bridge, a ruffianlooking man plunged out from some near place; and just as he was joining them'

'Just then the crowd lapped them up and closed them in, and I saw no more, being called by my master, who

was in a rage because a joint that the scrivener had ordered was forgot, though I take all the saints to witness

that to blame me for that miscarriage were like holding the unborn babe to judgment for sins com'

'Out of my sight, idiot! Thy prating drives me mad! Hold! whither art flying? Canst not bide still an instant?

'Even so, your worship for, as I said before, as to that detestable joint, the babe unborn is no whit more

'Art here yet! And prating still? Vanish, lest I throttle thee!' The servitor vanished. Hendon followed after

him, passed him, and plunged down the stairs two steps at a stride, muttering, ''Tis that scurvy villain that

claimed he was his son. I have lost thee, my poor little mad master it is a bitter thought and I had come to

love thee so! No! by book and bell, not lost! Not lost, for I will ransack the land till I find thee again. Poor

child, yonder is his breakfast and mine, but I have no hunger now so, let the rats have it speed, speed!

that is the word!' As he wormed his swift way through the noisy multitudes upon the Bridge, he several times

said to himself clinging to the thought as if it were a particularly pleasing one: 'He grumbled but he went

he went, yes, because he thought Miles Hendon asked it, sweet lad he would ne'er have done it for another, I

TOWARD daylight of the same morning, Tom Canty stirred out of a heavy sleep and opened his eyes in the

dark. He lay silent a few moments, trying to analyze his confused thoughts and impressions, and get some

sort of meaning out of them, then suddenly he burst out in a rapturous but guarded voice:

'I see it all, I see it all! Now God be thanked, I am, indeed, awake at last! Come, joy! vanish, sorrow! Ho,

Nan! Bet! kick off your straw and hie ye hither to my side, till I do pour into your unbelieving ears the

wildest madcap dream that ever the spirits of night did conjure up to astonish the soul of man withal!... Ho,

'Thou? In sooth, yesternight wert thou the Prince of Wales, today art thou my most gracious liege, Edward,

Tom slept again, and after a time he had this pleasant dream. He thought it was summer and he was playing,

all alone, in the fair meadow called Goodman's Fields, when a dwarf only a foot high, with long red whiskers

and a humped back, appeared to him suddenly and said, 'Dig, by that stump.' He did so, and found twelve

bright new pennies wonderful riches! Yet this was not the best of it; for the dwarf said:

'I know thee. Thou art a good lad and deserving; thy distresses shall end, for the day of thy reward is come.

Dig here every seventh day, and thou shalt find always the same treasure, twelve bright new pennies. Tell

Then the dwarf vanished, and Tom flew to Offal Court with his prize, saying to himself, 'Every night will I

give my father a penny; he will think I begged it, it will glad his heart, and I shall no more be beaten. One

penny every week the good priest that teacheth me shall have; mother, Nan, and Bet the other four. We be

In his dream he reached his sordid home all out of breath, but with eyes dancing with grateful enthusiasm;

'They are for thee! all of them, every one! for thee and Nan and Bet and honestly come by, not begged

Ah, that was not the answer he was expecting. The dream had snapped asunder he was awake.

He opened his eyes the richly clad First Lord of the Bedchamber was kneeling by his couch. The gladness

of the lying dream faded away the poor boy recognized that he was still a captive and a king. The room was

filled with courtiers clothed in purple mantles the mourning color and with noble servants of the monarch.

Tom sat up in bed and gazed out from the heavy silken curtains upon this fine company.

The weighty business of dressing began, and one courtier after another knelt and paid his court and offered to

the little king his condolences upon his heavy loss, while the dressing proceeded. In the beginning, a shirt

was taken up by the Chief Equerry in Waiting, who passed it to the First Lord of the Buckhounds, who

passed it to the Second Gentleman of the Bedchamber, who passed it to the Head Ranger of Windsor Forest,

who passed it to the Third Groom of the Stole, who passed it to the Chancellor Royal of the Duchy of

Lancaster, who passed it to the Master of the Wardrobe, who passed it to Norroy KingatArms, who passed

it to the Constable of the Tower, who passed it to the Chief Steward of the Household, who passed it to the

Hereditary Grand Diaperer, who passed it to the Lord High Admiral of England, who passed it to the

Archbishop of Canterbury, who passed it to the First Lord of the Bedchamber, who took what was left of it

and put it on Tom. Poor little wondering chap, it reminded him of passing buckets at a fire.

Each garment in its turn had to go through this slow and solemn process; consequently Tom grew very weary

of the ceremony; so weary that he felt an almost gushing gratefulness when he at last saw his long silken hose

begin the journey down the line and knew that the end of the matter was drawing near. But he exulted too

soon. The First Lord of the Bedchamber received the hose and was about to encase Tom's legs in them, when

a sudden flush invaded his face and he hurriedly hustled the things back into the hands of the Archbishop of

Canterbury with an astounded look and a whispered, 'See, my lord!' pointing to a something connected with

the hose. The Archbishop paled, then flushed, and passed the hose to the Lord High Admiral, whispering

'See, my lord!' The Admiral passed the hose to the Hereditary Grand Diaperer, and had hardly breath enough

in his body to ejaculate, 'See, my lord!' The hose drifted backward along the line, to the Chief Steward of the

Household, the Constable of the Tower, Norroy KingatArms, the Master of the Wardrobe, the Chancellor

Royal of the Duchy of Lancaster, the Third Groom of the Stole, the Head Ranger of Windsor Forest, the

Second Gentleman of the Bedchamber, the First Lord of the Buckhounds accompanied always with that

amazed and frightened 'See! see!' till they finally reached the hands of the Chief Equerry in Waiting, who

gazed a moment, with a pallid face, upon what had caused all this dismay, then hoarsely whispered 'Body of

my life, a tag gone from a truss point! to the Tower with the Head Keeper of the King's Hose!' after which

he leaned upon the shoulder of the First Lord of the Buckhounds to regather his vanished strength while fresh

But all things must have an end, and so in time Tom Canty was in a condition to get out of bed. The proper

official poured water, the proper official engineered the washing, the proper official stood by with a towel,

and by and by Tom got safely through the purifying stage and was ready for the services of the

HairdresserRoyal. When he at length emerged from his master's hands, he was a gracious figure and as

pretty as a girl, in his mantle and trunks of purple satin, and purpleplumed cap. He now moved in state

toward his breakfastroom, through the midst of the courtly assemblage; and as he passed, these fell back,

After breakfast he was conducted, with regal ceremony, attended by his great officers and his guard of fifty

Gentlemen Pensioners bearing gilt battleaxes, to the throneroom, where he proceeded to transact business

of state. His 'uncle' Lord Hertford, took his stand by the throne, to assist he royal mind with wise counsel.

The body of illustrious men named by the late king as his executors, appeared, to ask Tom's approval of

certain acts of theirs rather a form, and yet not wholly a form, since there was no Protector as yet. The

Archbishop of Canterbury made report of the decree of the Council of Executors concerning the obsequies of

his late most illustrious majesty, and finished by reading the signatures of the executors, to wit: the

Archbishop of Canterbury; the Lord Chancellor of England; William Lord St. John; John Lord Russell;

Tom was not listening an earlier clause of the document was puzzling him. At this point he turned and

Poor chap, he was still new to the customs of royalty; he was used to seeing the forlorn dead of Offal Court

hustled out of the way with a very different sort of expedition. However, the Lord Hertford set his mind at

A secretary of state presented an order of the council appointing the morrow at eleven for the reception of the

'Your majesty will signify consent. They come to testify their royal masters' sense of the heavy calamity

Tom did as he was bidden. Another secretary began to read a preamble concerning the expenses of the late

king's household, which had amounted to L28,000 during the preceding six months a sum so vast that it

made Tom Canty gasp; he gasped again when the fact appeared that L20,000 of this money were still owing

and unpaid;*(10) and once more when it appeared that the king's coffers were about empty, and his twelve

hundred servants much embarrassed for lack of the wages due them. Tom spoke out, with lively

'We be going to the dogs, 'tis plain. 'Tis meet and necessary that we take a smaller house and set the servants

at large, sith they be of no value but to make delay, and trouble one with offices that harass the spirit and

shame the soul, they misbecoming any but a doll, that hath nor brains nor hands to help itself withal. I

remember me of a small house that standeth over against the fishmarket, by Billingsgate'

A sharp pressure upon Tom's arm stopped his foolish tongue and sent a blush to his face; but no countenance

there betrayed any sign that this strange speech had been remarked or given concern.

A secretary made report that forasmuch as the late king had provided in his will for conferring the ducal

degree upon the Earl of Hertford and raising his brother, Sir Thomas Seymour, to the peerage, and likewise

Hertford's son to an earldom, together similar aggrandizements to other great servants of the crown, the

council had resolved to hold a sitting on the 16th February for the delivering and confirming of these honors;

and that meantime the late king not having granted, in writing, estates suitable to the support of these

dignities, the council, knowing his private wishes in that regard, had thought proper to grant to Seymour '500

pound lands' and to Hertford's son '800 pound lands, and 300 pound of the next bishop's lands which should

Tom was about to blurt out something about the propriety of paying the late king's debts first before

squandering all his money; but a timely touch upon his arm, from the thoughtful Hertford, saved him this

indiscretion; wherefore he gave the royal assent, without spoken comment, but with much inward discomfort.

While he sat reflecting a moment over the ease with which he was doing strange and glittering miracles, a

happy thought shot into his mind: why not make his mother Duchess of Offal Court and give her an estate?

But a sorrowful thought swept it instantly away; he was only a king in name, these grave veterans and great

nobles were his masters; to them his mother was only the creature of a diseased mind; they would simply

The dull work went tediously on. Petitions were read, and proclamations, patents, and all manner of wordy,

repetitious and wearisome papers relating to the public business; and at last Tom sighed pathetically and

murmured to himself, 'In what have I offended, that the good God should take me away from the fields and

the free air and the sunshine, to shut me up here and make me a king and afflict me so?' Then his poor

muddled head nodded awhile, and presently dropped to his shoulder; and the business of the empire came to a

standstill for want of that august factor, the ratifying power. Silence ensued around the slumbering child, and

During the forenoon, Tom had an enjoyable hour, by permission of his keepers, Hertford and St. John, with

the Lady Elizabeth and the little Lady Jane Grey; though the spirits of the princesses were rather subdued by

the mighty stroke that had fallen upon the royal house; and at the end of the visit his 'elder sister' afterward

the 'Bloody Mary' of history chilled him with a solemn interview which had but one merit in his eyes, its

brevity. He had a few moments to himself, and then a slim lad of about twelve years of age was admitted to

his presence, whose clothing, except his snowy ruff and the laces about his wrists, was of black doublet,

hose and all. He bore no badge of mourning but a knot of purple ribbon on his shoulder. He advanced

hesitatingly, with head bowed and bare, and dropped upon one knee in front of Tom. Tom sat still and

The boy rose, and stood at graceful ease, but with an aspect of concern in his face. He said:

Tom perceived that here was some one whom his keepers ought to have posted him about. The situation was

delicate. What should he do? pretend he knew this lad, and then betray, by his every utterance, that he had

never heard of him before? No, that would not do. An idea came to his relief: accidents like this might be

likely to happen with some frequency, now that business urgencies would often call Hertford and St. John

from his side, they being members of the council of executors; therefore perhaps it would be well to strike out

a plan himself to meet the requirements of such emergencies. Yes, that would be a wise course he would

practise on this boy, and see what sort of success he might achieve. So he stroked his brow, perplexedly, a

'Now I seem to remember thee somewhat but my wit is clogged and dim with suffering'

'Alack, my poor master!' ejaculated the whippingboy, with feeling; adding, to himself, 'In truth 'tis as they

said his mind is gone alas, poor soul! But misfortune catch me, how am I forgetting! they said one must

''Tis strange how my memory doth wanton with me these days,' said Tom. 'But mind it not I mend apace a

little clue doth often serve to bring me back again the things and names which had escaped me. (And not

they, only, forsooth, but e'en such as I ne'er heard before as this lad shall see.) Give thy business speech.'

''Tis matter of small weight, my liege, yet will I touch upon it, an it please your grace. Two days gone by,

when your majesty faulted thrice in your Greek in the morning lessons dost remember it?'

'Yees methinks I do. (It is not much of a lie an I had meddled with the Greek at all, I had not faulted

'The master, being wroth with what he termed such slovenly and doltish work, did promise that he would

'Whip thee!' said Tom, astonished out of his presence of mind. 'Why should he whip thee for faults of mine?'

'Ah, your grace forgetteth again. He always scourgeth me, when thou dost fail in thy lessons.'

'True, true I had forgot. Thou teachest me in private then if I fail, he argueth that thy office was lamely

'Oh, my liege, what words are these? I, the humblest of thy servants, presume to teach thee!'

'Then where is thy blame? What riddle is this? Am I in truth gone mad, or is it thou? Explain speak out.'

'But, good your majesty, there's naught that needeth simplifying. None may visit the sacred person of the

Prince of Wales with blows; wherefore when he faulteth, 'tis I that take them; and meet it is and right, for that

Tom stared at the tranquil boy, observing to himself, 'Lo, it is a wonderful thing a most strange and curious

trade; I marvel they have not hired a boy to take my combings and my dressings for me would heaven they

would! an they will do this thing, I will take my lashings in mine own person, giving thanks to God for the

'No, good your majesty, my punishment was appointed for this day, and peradventure it may be annulled, as

unbefitting the season of mourning that is come upon us; I know not, and so have made bold to come hither

'My memory mendeth, thou seest. Set thy mind at ease thy back shall go unscathed I will see to it.'

'Oh, thanks, my good lord!' cried the boy, dropping upon his knee again. 'Mayhap I have ventured far enow;

Seeing Master Humphrey hesitate, Tom encouraged him to go on, saying he was 'in the granting mood.'

'Then will I speak it out, for it lieth near my heart. Sith thou art no more Prince of Wales but king, thou canst

order matters as thou wilt, with none to say thee nay; wherefore it is not in reason that thou wilt longer vex

thyself with dreary studies, but wilt burn thy books and turn thy mind to things less irksome. Then am I

'My back is my bread, O my gracious liege! if it go idle, I starve. An thou cease from study, mine office is

Tom was touched with this pathetic distress. He said, with a right royal burst of generosity:

'Discomfort thyself no further, lad. Thine office shall be permanent in thee and thy line, forever.' Then he

struck the boy a light blow on the shoulder with the flat of his sword, exclaiming, 'Rise, Humphrey Marlow,

Hereditary Grand WhippingBoy to the royal house of England! Banish sorrow I will betake me to my

books again, and study so ill that they must in justice treble thy wage, so mightily shall the business of thine

'Thanks, oh, most noble master, this princely lavishness doth far surpass my most distempered dreams of

fortune. Now shall I be happy all my days, and all the house of Marlow after me.'

Tom had wit enough to perceive that here was a lad who could be useful to him. He encouraged Humphrey to

talk, and he was nothing loath. He was delighted to believe that he was helping in Tom's 'cure'; for always, as

soon as he had finished calling back to Tom's diseased mind the various particulars of his experiences and

adventures in the royal schoolroom and elsewhere about the palace, he noticed that Tom was then able to

'recall' the circumstances quite clearly. At the end of an hour Tom found himself well freighted with very

valuable information concerning personages and matters pertaining to the court; so he resolved to draw

instruction from this source daily; and to this end he would give order to admit Humphrey to the royal closet

whenever he might come, provided the majesty of England was not engaged with other people.

Humphrey had hardly been dismissed when my Lord Hertford arrived with more trouble for Tom. He said

that the lords of the council, fearing that some overwrought report of the king's damaged health might have

leaked out and got abroad, they deemed it wise and best that his majesty should begin to dine in public after a

day or two his wholesome complexion and vigorous step, assisted by a carefully guarded repose of manner

and ease and grace of demeanor, would more surely quiet the general pulse in case any evil rumors had

Then the earl proceeded, very delicately, to instruct Tom as to the observances proper to the stately occasion,

under the rather thin disguise of 'reminding' him concerning things already known to him; but to his vast

gratification it turned out that Tom needed very little help in this line he had been making use of Humphrey

in that direction, for Humphrey had mentioned that within a few days he was to begin to dine in public;

having gathered it from the swiftwinged gossip of the court. Tom kept these facts to himself, however.

Seeing the royal memory so improved, the earl ventured to apply a few tests to it, in an apparently casual

way, to find out how far its amendment had progressed. The results were happy, here and there, in spots

spots where Humphrey's tracks remained and, on the whole, my lord was greatly pleased and encouraged.

So encouraged was he, indeed, that he spoke up and said in a quite hopeful voice:

'Now am I persuaded that if your majesty will but tax your memory yet a little further, it will resolve the

puzzle of the Great Seal a loss which was of moment yesterday, although of none today, since its term of

service ended with our late lord's life. May it please your grace to make the trial?'

Tom was at sea a Great Seal was a something which he was totally unacquainted with. After a moment's

The earl started, almost imperceptibly, muttering to himself, 'Alack, his wits are flown again! it was ill

wisdom to lead him on to strain them' then he deftly turned the talk to other matters, with the purpose of

sweeping the unlucky Seal out of Tom's thoughts a purpose which easily succeeded.

THE next day the foreign ambassadors came, with their gorgeous trains; and Tom, throned in awful state,

received them. The splendors of the scene delighted his eye and fired his imagination at first, but the audience

was long and dreary, and so were most of the addresses wherefore, what began as a pleasure, grew into

weariness and homesickness by and by. Tom said the words which Hertford put into his mouth from time to

time, and tried hard to acquit himself satisfactorily, but he was too new to such things, and too ill at ease to

accomplish more than a tolerable success. He looked sufficiently like a king, but he was ill able to feel like

The larger part of his day was 'wasted' as he termed it, in his own mind in labors pertaining to his royal

office. Even the two hours devoted to certain princely pastimes and recreations were rather a burden to him

than otherwise, they were so fettered by restrictions and ceremonious observances. However, he had a private

hour with his whippingboy which he counted clear gain, since he got both entertainment and needful

The third day of Tom Canty's kingship came and went much as the others had done, but there was a lifting of

his cloud in one way he felt less uncomfortable than at first; he was getting a little used to his circumstances

and surroundings; his chains still galled, but not all the time; he found that the presence and homage of the

great afflicted and embarrassed him less and less sharply with every hour that drifted over his head.

But for one single dread, he could have seen the fourth day approach without serious distress the dining in

public; it was to begin that day. There were greater matters in the program for on that day he would have to

preside at a council which would take his views and commands concerning the policy to be pursued toward

various foreign nations scattered far and near over the great globe; on that day, too, Hertford would be

formally chosen to the grand office of Lord Protector; other things of note were appointed for that fourth day

also, but to Tom they were all insignificant compared with the ordeal of dining all by himself with a

multitude of curious eyes fastened upon him and a multitude of mouths whispering comments upon his

Still, nothing could stop that fourth day, and so it came. It found poor Tom lowspirited and absentminded,

and this mood continued; he could not shake it off. The ordinary duties of the morning dragged upon his

hands, and wearied him. Once more he felt the sense of captivity heavy upon him.

Late in the forenoon he was in a large audience chamber, conversing with the Earl of Hertford and duly

awaiting the striking of the hour appointed for a visit of ceremony from a considerable number of great

After a little while Tom, who had wandered to a window and become interested in the life and movement of

the great highway beyond the palace gates and not idly interested, but longing with all his heart to take part

in person in its stir and freedom saw the van of a hooting and shouting mob of disorderly men, women, and

'I would I knew what 'tis about!' he exclaimed, with all a boy's curiosity in such happenings.

'Thou art the king!' solemnly responded the earl, with a reverence. 'Have I your grace's leave to act?'

'Oh, blithely, yes! Oh, gladly, yes!' exclaimed Tom, excitedly, adding to himself with a lively sense of

satisfaction, 'In truth, being a king is not all dreariness it hath its compensations and conveniences.'

The earl called a page, and sent him to the captain of the guard with the order:

'Let the mob be halted, and inquiry made concerning, the occasion of its movement. By the king's command!'

A few seconds later a long rank of the royal guards, cased in flashing steel, filed out at the gates and formed

across the highway in front of the multitude. A messenger returned, to report that the crowd were following a

man, a woman, and a young girl to execution for crimes committed against the peace and dignity of the

Death and a violent death for these poor unfortunates! The thought wrung Tom's heartstrings. The spirit of

compassion took control of him, to the exclusion of all other considerations; he never thought of the offended

laws, or of the grief or loss which these three criminals had inflicted upon their victims, he could think of

nothing but the scaffold and the grisly fate hanging over the heads of the condemned. His concern made him

even forget, for the moment, that he was but the false shadow of a king, not the substance; and before he

Then he blushed scarlet, and a sort of apology sprung to his lips; but observing that his order had wrought no

sort of surprise in the earl or the waiting page, he suppressed the words he was about to utter. The page, in the

most matterofcourse way, made a profound obeisance and retired backward out of the room to deliver the

command. Tom experienced a glow of pride and a renewed sense of the compensating advantages of the

kingly office. He said to himself, 'Truly it is like what I used to feel when I read the old priest's tales, and did

imagine mine own self a prince, giving law and command to all, saying, " Do this, do that," while none durst

Now the doors swung open; one highsounding title after another was announced, the personages owning

them followed, and the place was quickly half filled with noble folk and finery. But Tom was hardly

conscious of the presence of these people, so wrought up was he and so intensely absorbed in that other and

more interesting matter. He seated himself, absently, in his chair of state, and turned his eyes upon the door

with manifestations of impatient expectancy; seeing which, the company forbore to trouble him, and fell to

In a little while the measured tread of military men was heard approaching, and the culprits entered the

presence in charge of an undersheriff and escorted by a detail of the king's guard. The civil officer knelt

before Tom, then stood aside; the three doomed persons knelt also, and remained so; the guard took position

behind Tom's chair. Tom scanned the prisoners curiously. Something about the dress or appearance of the

man had stirred a vague memory in him. 'Methinks I have seen this man ere now... but the when or the where

fail me' such was Tom's thought. Just then the man glanced quickly up, and quickly dropped his face again,

not being able to endure the awful port of sovereignty; but the one full glimpse of the face, which Tom got,

was sufficient. He said to himself: 'Now is the matter clear; this is the stranger that plucked Giles Witt out of

the Thames, and saved his life that windy, bitter first day of the New Year a brave, good deed pity he hath

been doing baser ones and got himself in this sad case... I have not forgot the day, neither the hour; by reason

that an hour after, upon the stroke of eleven, I did get a hiding by the hand of Gammer Canty which was of so

goodly and admired severity that all that went before or followed after it were but fondlings and caresses by

Tom now ordered that the woman and the girl be removed from the presence for a little time; then addressed

Tom's compassion for the prisoner, and admiration of him as the daring rescuer of a drowning boy,

'Take him away he hath earned his death. 'Tis a pity, for he was a brave heart na na, I mean he hath the

The prisoner clasped his hands together with sudden energy, and wrung them despairingly, at the same time

'Oh, my lord the king, an thou canst pity the lost, have pity upon me! I am innocent neither hath that

wherewith I am charged been more than but lamely proved yet I speak not of that; the judgment is gone

forth against me and may not suffer alteration; yet in mine extremity I beg a boon, for my doom is more than

I can bear. A grace, a grace, my lord the king! in thy royal compassion grant my prayer give commandment

The hideous surprise of these words almost made Tom spring from his chair. As soon as he could recover his

'Have thy wish, poor soul! an thou had poisoned a hundred men thou shouldst not suffer so miserable a

The prisoner bowed his face to the ground and burst into passionate expressions of gratitude ending with:

'If ever thou shouldst know misfortune which God forbid! may thy goodness to me this day be

'My lord, is it believable that there was warrant for this man's ferocious doom?'

'It is the law, your grace for poisoners. In Germany coiners be boiled to death in oil not cast in of a sudden,

but by a rope let down into the oil by degrees, and slowly; first the feet, then the legs, then'

'Oh, prithee, no more, my lord, I cannot bear it!' cried Tom, covering his eyes with his hands to shut out the

picture. 'I beseech your good lordship that order be taken to change this law oh, let no more poor creatures

The earl's face showed profound ratification, for he was a man of merciful and generous impulses a thing

'These your grace's noble words have sealed its doom. History will remember it to the honor of your royal

The undersheriff was about to remove his prisoner; Tom gave him a sign to wait; then he said:

'Good sir, I would look into this matter further. The man has said his deed was but lamely proved. Tell me

'If the king's grace please, it did appear upon the trial, that this man entered into a house in the hamlet of

Islington where one lay sick three witnesses say it was at ten of the clock in the morning and two say it was

some minutes later the sick man being alone at the time, and sleeping and presently the man came forth

again, and went his way. The sick man died within the hour, being torn with spasm and retchings.'

'Please your majesty, the doctors testified that none die with such symptoms but by poison.'

Weighty evidence, this in that simple age. Tom recognized its formidable nature, and said:

'The doctor knoweth his trade belike they were right. The matter hath an ill look for this poor man.'

'Yet was not this all, your majesty; there is more and worse. Many testified that a witch, since gone from the

village, none know whither, did foretell, and speak it privately in their ears, that the sick man would die by

poison and more, that a stranger would give it a stranger with brown hair and clothed in a worn and

common garb; and surely this prisoner doth answer woundily to the bill. Please, your majesty, to give the

This was an argument of tremendous force, in that superstitious day. Tom felt that the thing was settled; if

evidence was worth anything, this poor fellow's guilt was proved. Still he offered the prisoner a chance,

'Naught that will avail, my king. I am innocent, yet cannot I make it appear. I have no friends, else might I

show that I was not in Islington that day; so also might I show that at that hour they name I was above a

league away, seeing I was at Wapping Old Stairs; yea more, my king, for I could show, that while they say I

'At ten in the morning, or some minutes later, the first day of the new year, most illustrious'

Another blush followed this unregal outburst, and he covered his indecorum as well as he could by adding:

'It enrageth me that a man should be hanged upon such idle, harebrained evidence!'

A low buzz of admiration swept through the assemblage. It was not admiration of the decree that had been

delivered by Tom, for the propriety or expediency of pardoning a convicted poisoner was a thing which few

there would have felt justified in either admitting or admiring no, the admiration was for the intelligence and

spirit which Tom had displayed. Some of the lowvoiced remarks were to this effect:

'How sanely he put his questions how like his former natural self was this abrupt, imperious disposal of the

'God be thanked his infirmity is spent! This is no weakling, but a king. He hath borne himself like to his own

The air being filled with applause, Tom's ear necessarily caught a little of it. The effect which this had upon

him was to put him greatly at his ease, and also to charge his system with very gratifying sensations.

However, his juvenile curiosity soon rose superior to these pleasant thoughts and feelings; he was eager to

know what sort of deadly mischief the woman and the little girl could have been about; so, by his command

'Please your majesty, a black crime is charged upon them, and clearly proven; wherefore the judges have

decreed, according to the law, that they be hanged. They sold themselves to the devil such is their crime.'

Tom shuddered. He had been taught to abhor people who did this wicked thing. Still, he was not going to

'Certain witnesses did see them wending thither, good your majesty; this bred the suspicion, and dire effects

have since confirmed and justified it. In particular, it is in evidence that through the wicked power so

obtained, they did invoke and bring about a storm that wasted all the region round about. Above forty

witnesses have proved the storm; and sooth one might have had a thousand, for all had reason to remember it,

'Certes this is a serious matter.' Tom turned this dark piece of scoundrelism over in his mind awhile, then

Several old heads among the assemblage nodded their recognition of the wisdom of this question. The sheriff,

however, saw nothing consequential in the inquiry; he answered, with simple directness.

'Indeed, she did, your majesty, and most righteously, as all aver. Her habitation was swept away, and herself

'Methinks the power to do herself so ill a turn was dearly bought. She had been cheated, had she paid but a

farthing for it; that she paid her soul, and her child's, argueth that she is mad; if she is mad she knoweth not

The elderly heads nodded recognition of Tom's wisdom once more, and one individual murmured, 'An the

king be mad himself, according to report, then it is a madness of a sort that would improve the sanity of some

'By the law of England may a child enter into covenant and sell itself, my lord?' asked Tom, turning to a

'The law doth not permit a child to make or meddle in any weighty matter, good my liege, holding that its

callow wit unfitteth it to cope with the riper wit and evil schemings of them that are its elders. The devil may

buy a child, if he so choose, and the child agree thereto, but not an Englishman in this latter case the

'It seemeth a rude unchristian thing, and ill contrived, that English law denieth privileges to Englishmen, to

This novel view of the matter excited many smiles, and was stored away in many heads to be repeated about

the court as evidence of Tom's originality as well as progress toward mental health.

The elder culprit had ceased from sobbing, and was hanging upon Tom's words with an excited interest and a

growing hope. Tom noticed this, and it strongly inclined his sympathies toward her in her perilous and

This astonished Tom, and also fired his curiosity to fever heat. He said eagerly:

'Always, my liege at least if the woman desire it, and utter the needful words, either in her mind or with her

There was a sudden paling of cheeks in the superstitious assemblage, and a general, though unexpressed,

desire to get out of the place all of which was lost upon Tom, who was dead to everything but the proposed

cataclysm. Seeing a puzzled and astonished look in the woman's face, he added, excitedly:

'Never fear thou shalt be blameless. More thou shalt go free none shall touch thee. Exert thy power.'

'Thy fears stay thee. Be of good heart, thou shalt suffer no harm. Make a storm it mattereth not how small a

one I require naught great or harmful, but indeed prefer the opposite do this and thy life is spared thou

shalt go out free, with thy child, bearing the king's pardon, and safe from hurt or malice from any in the

The woman prostrated herself, and protested, with tears, that she had no power to do the miracle, else she

would gladly win her child's life alone, and be content to lose her own, if by obedience to the king's command

'I think the woman hath said true. An my mother were in her place and gifted with the devil's functions, she

had not stayed a moment to call her storms and lay the whole land in ruins, if the saving of my forfeit life

were the price she got! It is argument that other mothers are made in like mold. Thou art free, good wife

thou and thy child for I do think thee innocent. Now thou'st naught to fear, being pardoned pull off thy

The redeemed creature was loud in her gratitude, and proceeded to obey, while Tom looked on with eager

expectancy, a little marred by apprehension; the courtiers at the same time manifesting decided discomfort

and uneasiness. The woman stripped her own feet and her little girl's also, and plainly did her best to reward

the king's generosity with an earthquake, but it was all a failure and a disappointment. Tom sighed and said:

'There, good soul, trouble thyself no further, thy power is departed out of thee. Go thy way in peace; and if it

THE dinnerhour drew near yet, strangely enough, the thought brought but slight discomfort to Tom, and

hardly any terror. The morning's experiences had wonderfully built up his confidence; the poor little ashcat

was already more wonted to his strange garret, after four days' habit, than a mature person could have become

in a full month. A child's facility in accommodating itself to circumstances was never more strikingly

Let us privileged ones hurry to the great banquetingroom and have a glance at matters there while Tom is

being made ready for the imposing occasion. It is a spacious apartment, with gilded pillars and pilasters, and

pictured walls and ceilings. At the door stand tall guards, as rigid as statues, dressed in rich and picturesque

costumes, and bearing halberds. In a high gallery which runs all around the place is a band of musicians and a

packed company of citizens of both sexes, in brilliant attire. In the center of the room, upon a raised platform,

'A gentleman enters the room bearing a rod, and along with him another bearing a tablecloth, which, after

they have both kneeled three times with the utmost veneration, he spreads upon the table, and after kneeling

again they both retire; then come two others, one with the rod again, the other with a saltcellar, a plate, and

bread; when they have kneeled as the others had done, and placed what was brought upon the table, they too

retire with the same ceremonies performed by the first; at last come two nobles richly clothed, one bearing a

tastingknife, who, after prostrating themselves in the most graceful manner, approach and rub the table with

So end the solemn preliminaries. Now, far down the echoing corridors we hear a bugleblast, and the

indistinct cry, 'Place for the king! way for the king's most excellent majesty!' These sounds are momently

repeated they grow nearer and nearer and presently, almost in our faces, the martial note peals and the cry

rings out, 'Way for the king!' At this instant the shining pageant appears, and files in at the door, with a

'First come Gentlemen, Barons, Earls, Knights of the Garter, all richly dressed and bareheaded; next comes

the Chancellor, between two, one of which carries the royal scepter, the other the Sword of State in a red

scabbard, studded with golden fleursdelis, the point upwards; next comes the King himself whom, upon

his appearing, twelve trumpets and many drums salute with a great burst of welcome, whilst all in the

galleries rise in their places, crying "God save the King!" After him come nobles attached to his person, and

on his right and left march his guard of honor, his fifty Gentlemen Pensioners, with gilt battleaxes.'

This was all fine and pleasant. Tom's pulse beat high and a glad light was in his eye. He bore himself right

gracefully, and all the more so because he was not thinking of how he was doing it, his mind being charmed

and occupied with the blithe sights and sounds about him and besides, nobody can be very ungraceful in

nicely fitting beautiful clothes after he has grown a little used to them especially if he is for the moment

unconscious of them. Tom remembered his instructions, and acknowledged his greeting with a slight

He seated himself at table without removing his cap; and did it without the least embarrassment; for to eat

with one's cap on was the one solitary royal custom upon which the kings and the Cantys met upon common

ground, neither party having any advantage over the other in the matter of old familiarity with it. The pageant

Now, to the sound of gay music, the Yeomen of the Guard entered 'the tallest and mightiest men in England,

they being selected in this regard' but we will let the chronicler tell about it:

'The Yeomen of the Guard entered bareheaded, clothed in scarlet, with golden roses upon their backs; and

these went and came, bringing in each turn a course of dishes, served in plate. These dishes were received by

a gentleman in the same order they were brought, and placed upon the table, while the taster gave to each

guard a mouthful to eat of the particular dish he had brought, for fear of any poison.'

Tom made a good dinner, notwithstanding he was conscious that hundreds of eyes followed each morsel to

his mouth and watched him eat it with an interest which could not have been more intense if it had been a

deadly explosive and was expected to blow him up and scatter him all over the place. He was careful not to

hurry, and equally careful not to do anything whatever for himself, but wait till the proper official knelt down

and did it for him. He got through without a mistake flawless and precious triumph.

When the meal was over at last and he marched away in the midst of his bright pageant, with the happy

noises in his ears of blaring bugles, rolling drums, and thundering acclamations, he felt that if he had seen the

worst of dining in public, it was an ordeal which he would be glad to endure several times a day if by that

means he could but buy himself free from some of the more formidable requirements of his royal office.

MILES Hendon hurried along toward the Southwark end of the bridge, keeping a sharp lookout for the

persons he sought, and hoping and expecting to overtake them presently. He was disappointed in this,

however. By asking questions, he was enabled to track them part of the way through Southwark; then all

traces ceased, and he was perplexed as to how to proceed. Still, he continued his efforts as best he could

during the rest of the day. Nightfall found him legweary, half famished, and his desire as far from

accomplishment as ever; so he supped at the Tabard inn and went to bed, resolved to make an early start in

the morning, and give the town an exhaustive search. As he lay thinking and planning, he presently began to

reason thus: The boy would escape from the ruffian, his reputed father, if possible; would he go back to

London and seek his former haunts? No, he would not do that, he would avoid recapture. What, then, would

he do? Never having had a friend in the world, or a protector, until he met Miles Hendon, he would naturally

try to find that friend again, provided the effort did not require him to go toward London and danger. He

would strike for Hendon Hall, that is what he would do, for he knew Hendon was homeward bound, and there

he might expect to find him. Yes, the case was plain to Hendon he must lose no more time in Southwark,

but move at once through Kent, toward Monk's Holm, searching the wood and inquiring as he went. Let us

The ruffian, whom the waiter at the inn on the bridge saw 'about to join' the youth and the king, did not

exactly join them, but fell in close behind them and followed their steps. He said nothing. His left arm was in

a sling, and he wore a large green patch over his left eye; he limped slightly, and used an oaken staff as a

support. The youth led the king a crooked course through Southwark, and by and by struck into the highroad

beyond. The king was irritated now, and said he would stop here it was Hendon's place to come to him, not

his to go to Hendon. He would not endure such insolence; he would stop where he was. The youth said:

'Thou'lt tarry here, and thy friend lying wounded in the wood yonder? So be it, then.'

'Wounded? And who hath dared to do it? But that is apart; lead on, lead on! Faster, sirrah! art shod with lead?

It was some distance to the wood, but the space was speedily traversed. The youth looked about him,

discovered a bough sticking in the ground, with a small bit of rag tied to it, then led the way into the forest,

watching for similar boughs and finding them at intervals; they were evidently guides to the point he was

aiming at. By and by an open place was reached, where were the charred remains of a farmhouse, and near

them a barn which was falling to ruin and decay. There was no sign of life anywhere, and utter silence

prevailed. The youth entered the barn, the king following eagerly upon his heels. No one there! The king shot

A mocking laugh was his answer. The king was in a rage in a moment; he seized a billet of wood and was in

the act of charging upon the youth when another mocking laugh fell upon his ear. It was from the lame

ruffian, who had been following at a distance. The king turned and said angrily:

'Leave thy foolery,' said the man, 'and quiet thyself. My disguise is none so good that thou canst pretend thou

'Thou art not my father. I know thee not. I am the king. If thou hast hid my servant, find him for me, or thou

'It is plain thou art mad, and I am loath to punish thee; but if thou provoke me, I must. Thy prating doth no

harm here, where there are no ears that need to mind thy follies, yet is it well to practise thy tongue to wary

speech, that it may do no hurt when our quarters change. I have done a murder, and may not tarry at home

neither shalt thou, seeing I need thy service. My name is changed, for wise reasons; it is Hobbs John Hobbs;

thine is Jack charge thy memory accordingly. Now, then, speak. Where is thy mother? Where are thy

'Trouble me not with these riddles. My mother is dead; my sisters are in the palace.'

The youth near by burst into a derisive laugh, and the king would have assaulted him, but Canty or Hobbs,

'Peace, Hugo, vex him not; his mind is astray, and thy ways fret him. Sit thee down, Jack, and quiet thyself;

Hobbs and Hugo fell to talking together, in low voices, and the king removed himself as far as he could from

their disagreeable company. He withdrew into the twilight of the farther end of the barn, where he found the

earthen floor bedded a foot deep with straw. He lay down here, drew straw over himself in lieu of blankets,

and was soon absorbed in thinking. He had many griefs, but the minor ones were swept almost into

forgetfulness by the supreme one, the loss of his father. To the rest of the world the name of Henry VIII

brought a shiver, and suggested an ogre whose nostrils breathed destruction and whose hand dealt scourgings

and death; but to this boy the name brought only sensations of pleasure, the figure it invoked wore a

countenance that was all gentleness and affection. He called to mind a long succession of loving passages

between his father and himself, and dwelt fondly upon them, his unstinted tears attesting how deep and real

was the grief that possessed his heart. As the afternoon wasted away, the lad, wearied with his troubles, sunk

After a considerable time he could not tell how long his senses struggled to a halfconsciousness, and as

he lay with closed eyes vaguely wondering where he was and what had been happening, he noted a

murmurous sound, the sullen beating of rain upon the roof. A snug sense of comfort stole over him, which

was rudely broken, the next moment, by a chorus of piping cackles and coarse laughter. It startled him

disagreeably, and he unmuffled his head to see whence this interruption proceeded. A grim and unsightly

picture met his eye. A bright fire was burning in the middle of the floor, at the other end of the barn; and

around it, and lit weirdly up by the red glare, lolled and sprawled the motliest company of tattered

gutterscum and ruffians, of both sexes, he had ever read or dreamed of. There were huge, stalwart men,

brown with exposure, longhaired, and clothed in fantastic rags; there were middlesized youths, of truculent

countenance, and similarly clad; there were blind medicants, with patched or bandaged eyes; crippled ones,

with wooden legs and crutches; there was a villainlooking peddler with his pack; a knifegrinder, a tinker,

and a barbersurgeon, with the implements of their trades; some of the females were hardly grown girls,

some were at prime, some were old and wrinkled hags, and all were loud, brazen, foulmouthed; and all

soiled and slatternly; there were three sorefaced babies; there were a couple of starveling curs, with strings

The night was come, the gang had just finished feasting, an orgy was beginning, the can of liquor was passing

One of the blind men got up, and made ready by casting aside the patches that sheltered his excellent eyes,

and the pathetic placard which recited the cause of his calamity. DotandgoOne disencumbered himself of

his timber leg and took his place, upon sound and healthy limbs, beside his fellowrascal; then they roared

out a rollicking ditty, and were reinforced by the whole crew, at the end of each stanza, in a rousing chorus.

By the time the last stanza was reached, the halfdrunken enthusiasm had risen to such a pitch that everybody

joined in and sang it clear through from the beginning, producing a volume of villainous sound that made the

Conversation followed; not in the thieves' dialect of the song, for that was only used in talk when unfriendly

ears might be listening. In the course of it it appeared that 'John Hobbs' was not altogether a new recruit, but

had trained in the gang at some former time. His later history was called for, and when he said he had

'accidentally' killed a man, considerable satisfaction was expressed; when he added that the man was a priest,

he was roundly applauded, and had to take a drink with everybody. Old acquaintances welcomed him

joyously, and new ones were proud to shake him by the hand. He was asked why he had 'tarried away so

'London is better than the country, and safer these late years, the laws be so bitter and so diligently enforced.

An I had not had that accident, I had stayed there. I had resolved to stay, and nevermore venture

He inquired how many persons the gang numbered now. The 'Ruffler,' or chief, answered:

'Five and twenty sturdy budges, bulks, files, clapperdogeons and maunders, counting the dells and doxies and

other morts.*(16) Most are here, the rest are wandering eastward, along the winter lay. We follow at dawn.'

'Poor lad, his diet is brimstone now, and over hot for a delicate taste. He was killed in a brawl, somewhere

'That was he, truly. Black Bess, his dell, is of us yet, but absent on the eastward tramp; a fine lass, of nice

ways and orderly conduct, none ever seeing her drunk above four days in the seven.'

'She was ever strict I remember it well a goodly wench and worthy all commendation. Her mother was

more free and less particular; a troublesome and uglytempered beldame, but furnished with a wit above the

'We lost her through it. Her gift of palmistry and other sorts of fortunetelling begot for her at last a witch's

name and fame. The law roasted her to death at a slow fire. It did touch me to a sort of tenderness to see the

gallant way she met her lot cursing and reviling all the crowd that gaped and gazed around her, whilst the

flames licked upward toward her face and catched her thin locks and crackled about her old gray head

cursing them, said I? cursing them! why an thou shouldst live a thousand years thou'dst never hear so

masterful a cursing. Alack, her art died with her. There be base and weakling imitations left, but no true

The Ruffler sighed; the listeners sighed in sympathy; a general depression fell upon the company for a

moment, for even hardened outcasts like these are not wholly dead to sentiment, but are able to feel a fleeting

sense of loss and affliction at wide intervals and under peculiarly favoring circumstances as in cases like to

'Some yes. Particularly newcomers such as small husbandmen turned shiftless and hungry upon the world

because their farms were taken from them to be changed to sheepranges. They begged, and were whipped at

the cart's tail, naked from the girdle up, till the blood ran; then set in the stocks to be pelted; they begged

again, were whipped again, and deprived of an ear; they begged a third time poor devils, what else could

they do? and were branded on the cheek with a redhot iron, then sold for slaves; they ran away, were

hunted down, and hanged. 'Tis a brief tale, and quickly told. Others of us have fared less hardly. Stand forth,

These stood up and stripped away some of their rags, exposing their backs, crisscrossed with ropy old welts

left by the lash; one turned up his hair and showed the place where a left ear had once been; another showed a

'I am Yokel, once a farmer and prosperous, with loving wife and kids now am I somewhat different in estate

and calling; and the wife and kids are gone; mayhap they are in heaven, mayhap in in the other place but

the kindly God be thanked, they bide no more in England! My good old blameless mother strove to earn

bread by nursing the sick; one of these died, the doctors knew not how, so my mother was burned for a witch,

whilst my babes looked on and wailed. English law! up, all with your cups! now all together and with a

cheer! drink to the merciful English law that delivered her from the English hell! Thank you, mates, one and

all. I begged, from house to house I and the wife bearing with us the hungry kids but it was a crime to be

hungry in England so they stripped us and lashed us through three towns. Drink ye all again to the merciful

English law! for its lash drank deep of my Mary's blood and its blessed deliverance came quick. She lies

there, in the potter's field, safe from all harms. And the kids well, whilst the law lashed me from town to

town, they starved. Drink lads only a drop a drop to the poor kids, that never did any creature harm. I

begged again begged for a crust, and got the stocks and lost an ear see, here bides the stump; I begged

again, and here is the stump of the other to keep me minded of it. And still I begged again, and was sold for a

slave here on my cheek under this stain, if I washed it off, ye might see the red S the branding iron left

there! A SLAVE! Do ye understand that word! An English SLAVE! that is he that stands before ye. I have

run from my master, and when I am found the heavy curse of heaven fall on the law of the land that hath

All turned, and saw the fantastic figure of the little king approaching hurriedly; as it emerged into the light

The boy stood unconfused in the midst of all those surprised and questioning eyes, and answered with

A wild burst of laughter followed, partly of derision and partly of delight in the excellence of the joke. The

'Ye mannerless vagrants, is this your recognition of the royal boon I have promised?'

He said more, with angry voice and excited gesture, but it was lost in a whirlwind of laughter and mocking

exclamations. 'John Hobbs' made several attempts to make himself heard above the din, and at last

'Mates, he is my son, a dreamer, a fool, and stark mad mind him not he thinketh he is the king.'

'I am the king,' said Edward, turning toward him, 'as thou shalt know to thy cost, in good time. Thou hast

'Tuttut!' said the burly Ruffler, interposing in time to save the king, and emphasizing this service by

knocking Hobbs down with his fist, 'hast respect for neither kings nor Rufflers? An thou insult my presence

so again, I'll hang thee up myself.' Then he said to his majesty, 'Thou must make no threats against thy mates,

lad; and thou must guard thy tongue from saying evil of them elsewhere. Be king, if it please thy mad humor,

but be not harmful in it. Sink the title thou hast uttered 'tis treason; we be bad men, in some few trifling

ways, but none among us is so base as to be traitor to his king; we be loving and loyal hearts, in that regard.

The response came with such a thundergust from the motley crew that the crazy building vibrated to the

sound. The little king's face lighted with pleasure for an instant, and he slightly inclined his head and said

This unexpected result threw the company into convulsions of merriment. When something like quiet was

presently come again, the Ruffler said, firmly, but with an accent of good nature:

'Drop it, boy, 'tis not wise, nor well. Humor thy fancy, if thou must, but choose some other title.'

The title 'took' at once, every throat responded, and a roaring shout sent up, of:

'Long live Foofoo the First, king of the Mooncalves!' followed by hootings, catcalls, and peals of laughter.

These and twenty other cries broke out at once; and almost before the poor little victim could draw a breath

he was crowned with a tin basin, robed in a tattered blanket, throned upon a barrel, and sceptered with tinker's

solderingiron. Then all flung themselves upon their knees about him and sent up a chorus of ironical

wailings, and mocking supplications, while they swabbed their eyes with their soiled and ragged sleeves and

'Sanctify the ground with the touch of thy foot, that we may eat the dirt and be ennobled!'

'Deign to spit upon us, O sire, that our children's children may tell of thy princely condescension, and be

But the humorous tinker made the 'hit' of the evening and carried off the honors. Kneeling, he pretended to

kiss the king's foot, and was indignantly spurned; whereupon he went about begging for a rag to paste over

the place upon his face which had been touched by the foot, saying it must be preserved from contact with the

vulgar air, and that he should make his fortune by going on the highway and exposing it to view at the rate of

a hundred shillings a sight. He made himself so killingly funny that he was the envy and admiration of the

Tears of shame and indignation stood in the little monarch's eyes; and the thought in his heart was, 'Had I

offered them a deep wrong they could not be more cruel yet have I proffered naught but to do them a

THE troop of vagabonds turned out at early dawn, and set forward on their march. There was a lowering sky

overhead, sloppy ground under foot, and a winter chill in the air. All gaiety was gone from the company;

some were sullen and silent, some were irritable and petulant, none were gentlehumored, all were thirsty.

The Ruffler put 'Jack' in Hugo's charge, with some brief instructions, and commanded John Canty to keep

away from him and let him alone; he also warned Hugo not to be too rough with the lad.

After a while the weather grew milder, and the clouds lifted somewhat. The troop ceased to shiver, and their

spirits began to improve. They grew more and more cheerful, and finally began to chaff each other and insult

passengers along the highway. This showed that they were awaking to an appreciation of life and its joys

once more. The dread in which their sort was held was apparent in the fact that everybody gave them the

road, and took their ribald insolences meekly, without venturing to talk back. They snatched linen from the

hedges, occasionally, in full view of the owners, who made no protest, but only seemed grateful that they did

By and by they invaded a small farmhouse and made themselves at home while the trembling farmer and his

people swept the larder clean to furnish a breakfast for them. They chucked the housewife and her daughters

under the chin while receiving the food from their hands, and made coarse jests about them, accompanied

with insulting epithets and bursts of horselaughter. They threw bones and vegetables at the farmer and his

sons, kept them dodging all the time, and applauded uproariously when a good hit was made. They ended by

buttering the head of one of the daughters who resented some of their familiarities. When they took their

leave they threatened to come back and burn the house over the heads of the family if any report of their

About noon, after a long and weary tramp, the gang came to a halt behind a hedge on the outskirts of a

considerable village. An hour was allowed for rest, then the crew scattered themselves abroad to enter the

village at different points to ply their various trades. 'Jack' was sent with Hugo. They wandered hither and

thither for some time, Hugo watching for opportunities to do a stroke of business but finding none so he

'Thou'lt not beg!' exclaimed Hugo, eying the king with surprise. 'Prithee, since when hast thou reformed?'

'Spare thy compliments thy stock will last longer. Thy father says thou hast begged all thy days. Mayhap he

'Come, play not thy merry game of madman so far, mate; use it for thy amusement, not thy hurt. An I tell him

'I like thy spirit, I do in truth; but I do not admire thy judgment. Bonerackings and bastings be plenty enow

in this life, without going out of one's way to invite them. But a truce to these matters; I believe your father. I

doubt not he can lie; I doubt not he doth lie, upon occasion, for the best of us do that; but there is no occasion

here. A wise man does not waste so good a commodity as lying for naught. But come; sith it is thy humor to

'Now harkee, mate; you will not beg, you will not rob; so be it. But I will tell you what you will do. You will

'Peace! Here comes one with a kindly face. Now will I fall down in a fit. When the stranger runs to me, set

you up a wail, and fall upon your knees, seeming to weep; then cry out as if all the devils of misery were in

your belly, and say, "Oh, sir, it is my poor afflicted brother, and we be friendless; o' God's name cast through

your merciful eyes one pitiful look upon a sick, forsaken, and most miserable wretch; bestow one little penny

out of thy riches upon one smitten of God and ready to perish!" and mind you, keep you on wailing, and

Then immediately Hugo began to moan, and groan, and roll his eyes, and reel and totter about; and when the

stranger was close at hand, down he sprawled before him, with a shriek, and began to writhe and wallow in

'O dear, O dear!' cried the benevolent stranger. 'Oh, poor soul, poor soul, how he doth suffer! There let me

'O, noble sir, forbear, and God love you for a princely gentleman but it giveth me cruel pain to touch me

when I am taken so. My brother there will tell your worship how I am racked with anguish when these fits be

upon me. A penny, dear sir, a penny, to buy a little food; then leave me to my sorrows.'

'A penny! thou shalt have three, thou hapless creature' and he fumbled in his pocket with nervous haste and

got them out. 'There, poor lad, take them, and most welcome. Now come hither, my boy, and help me carry

'Oh, hear him!' groaned Hugo, then privately ground his teeth. 'He denies his own brother and he with one

'Boy, thou art indeed hard of heart, if this is thy brother. For shame! and he scarce able to move hand or

'A beggar and a thief! He has got your money and has picked your pocket likewise. An thou wouldst do a

healing miracle, lay thy staff over his shoulders and trust Providence for the rest.'

But Hugo did not tarry for the miracle. In a moment he was up and off like the wind, the gentleman following

after and raising the hue and cry lustily as he went. The king, breathing deep gratitude to Heaven for his own

release, fled in the opposite direction and did not slacken his pace until he was out of harm's reach. He took

the first road that offered, and soon put the village behind him. He hurried along, as briskly as he could,

during several hours, keeping a nervous watch over his shoulder for pursuit; but his fears left him at last, and

a grateful sense of security took their place. He recognized now that he was hungry; and also very tired. So he

halted at a farmhouse; but when he was about to speak, he was cut short and driven rudely away. His clothes

He wandered on, wounded and indignant, and was resolved to put himself in the way of light treatment no

more. But hunger is pride's master; so as the evening drew near, he made an attempt at another farmhouse;

but here he fared worse than before; for he was called hard names and was promised arrest as a vagrant

The night came on, chilly and overcast; and still the footsore monarch labored slowly on. He was obliged to

keep moving, for every time he sat down to rest he was soon penetrated to the bone with the cold. All his

sensations and experiences, as he moved through the solemn gloom and the empty vastness of the night, were

new and strange to him. At intervals he heard voices approach, pass by, and fade into silence; and as he saw

nothing more of the bodies they belonged to than a sort of formless drifting blur, there was something

spectral and uncanny about it all that made him shudder. Occasionally he caught the twinkle of a light

always far away, apparently almost in another world; if he heard the tinkle of a sheep's bell, it was vague,

distant, indistinct; the muffled lowing of the herds floated to him on the night wind in vanishing cadences, a

mournful sound; now and then came the complaining howl of a dog over viewless expanses of field and

forest; all sounds were remote; they made the little king feel that all life and activity were far removed from

him, and that he stood solitary, companionless, in the center of a measureless solitude.

He stumbled along, through the gruesome fascinations of this new experience, startled occasionally by the

soft rustling of the dry leaves overhead, so like human whispers they seemed to sound; and by and by he

came suddenly upon the freckled light of a tin lantern near at hand. He stepped back into the shadows and

waited. The lantern stood by the open door of a barn. The king waited some time there was no sound, and

nobody stirring. He got so cold, standing still, and the hospitable barn looked so enticing, that at last he

resolved to risk everything and enter. He started swiftly and stealthily, and just as he was crossing the

threshold he heard voices behind him. He darted behind a cask, within the barn, and stooped down. Two farm

laborers came in, bringing the lantern with them, and fell to work, talking meanwhile. Whilst they moved

about with the light, the king made good use of his eyes and took the bearings of what seemed to be a

goodsized stall at the further end of the place, purposing to grope his way to it when he should be left to

himself. He also noted the position of a pile of horseblankets, midway of the route, with the intent to levy

By and by the men finished and went away, fastening the door behind them and taking the lantern with them.

The shivering king made for the blankets, with as good speed as the darkness would allow; gathered them up

and then groped his way safely to the stall. Of two of the blankets he made a bed, then covered himself with

the remaining two. He was a glad monarch now, though the blankets were old and thin, and not quite warm

enough; and besides gave out a pungent horsy odor that was almost suffocatingly powerful.

Although the king was hungry and chilly, he was also so tired and so drowsy that these latter influences soon

began to get the advantage of the former, and he presently dozed off into a state of semiconsciousness.

Then, just as he was on the point of losing himself wholly, he distinctly felt something touch him. He was

broad awake in a moment, and gasping for breath. The cold horror of that mysterious touch in the dark almost

made his heart stand still. He lay motionless, and listened, scarcely breathing. But nothing stirred, and there

was no sound. He continued to listen, and wait, during what seemed a long time, but still nothing stirred, and

there was no sound. So he began to drop into a drowse once more at last; and all at once he felt that

mysterious touch again! It was a grisly thing, this light touch from this noiseless and invisible presence; it

made the boy sick with ghostly fears. What should he do? That was the question; but he did not know how to

answer it. Should he leave these reasonably comfortable quarters and fly from this inscrutable horror? But fly

whither? He could not get out of the barn; and the idea of scurrying blindly hither and thither in the dark,

within the captivity of the four walls, with this phantom gliding after him, and visiting him with that soft

hideous touch upon cheek or shoulder at every turn, was intolerable. But to stay where he was, and endure

this living death all night was that better? No. What, then, was there left to do? Ah, there was but one

It was easy to think this; but it was hard to brace himself up to try it. Three times he stretched his hand a little

way out into the dark gingerly; and snatched it suddenly back, with a gasp not because it had encountered

anything, but because he had felt so sure it was just going to. But the fourth time he groped a little further,

and his hand lightly swept against something soft and warm. This petrified him nearly with fright his mind

was in such a state that he could imagine the thing to be nothing else than a corpse, newly dead and still

warm. He thought he would rather die than touch it again. But he thought this false thought because he did

not know the immortal strength of human curiosity. In no long time his hand was tremblingly groping again

against his judgment, and without his consent but groping persistently on, just the same. It encountered a

bunch of long hair; he shuddered, but followed up the hair and found what seemed to be a warm rope;

followed up the rope and found an innocent calf; for the rope was not a rope at all, but the calf's tail.

The king was cordially ashamed of himself for having gotten all that fright and misery out of so paltry a

matter as a slumbering calf; but he need not have felt so about it, for it was not the calf that frightened him

but a dreadful nonexistent something which the calf stood for; and any other boy, in those old superstitous

The king was not only delighted to find that the creature was only a calf, but delighted to have the calf's

company; for he had been feeling so lonesome and friendless that the company and comradeship of even this

humble animal was welcome. And he had been so buffeted, so rudely entreated by his own kind, that it was a

real comfort to him to feel that he was at last in the society of a fellowcreature that had at least a soft heart

and a gentle spirit, whatever loftier attributes might be lacking. So he resolved to waive rank and make

While stroking its sleek, warm back for it lay near him and within easy reach it occurred to him that this

calf might be utilized in more ways than one. Whereupon he rearranged his bed, spreading it down close to

the calf; then he cuddled himself up to the calf's back, drew the covers up over himself and his friend, and in

a minute or two was as warm and comfortable as he had ever been in the downy couches of the regal palace

Pleasant thoughts came at once; life took on a cheerfuler seeming. He was free of the bonds of servitude and

crime, free of the companionship of base and brutal outlaws; he was warm, he was sheltered; in a word, he

was happy. The night wind was rising; it swept by in fitful gusts that made the old barn quake and rattle, then

its forces died down at intervals, and went moaning and wailing around corners and projections but it was

all music to the king, now that he was snug and comfortable; let it blow and rage, let it batter and bang, let it

moan and wail, he minded it not, he only enjoyed it. He merely snuggled the closer to his friend, in a luxury

of warm contentment, and drifted blissfully out of consciousness into a deep and dreamless sleep that was full

of serenity and peace. The distant dogs howled, the melancholy kine complained; and the winds went on

raging, whilst furious sheets of rain drove along the roof; but the majesty of England slept on undisturbed,

and the calf did the same, it being a simple creature and not easily troubled by storms or embarrassed by

WHEN the king awoke in the early morning, he found that a wet but thoughtful rat had crept into the place

during the night and made a cozy bed for itself in his bosom. Being disturbed now, it scampered away. The

boy smiled, and said, 'Poor fool, why so fearful? I am as forlorn as thou. 'Twould be a shame in me to hurt the

helpless, who am myself so helpless. Moreover, I owe you thanks for a good omen; for when a king has

fallen so low that the very rats do make a bed of him, it surely meaneth that his fortunes be upon the turn,

He got up and stepped out of the stall, and just then he heard the sound of children's voices. The barn door

opened and a couple of little girls came in. As soon as they saw him their talking and laughing ceased, and

they stopped and stood still, gazing at him with strong curiosity; they presently began to whisper together,

then they approached nearer, and stopped again to gaze and whisper. By and by they gathered courage and

They came still nearer, sidling shyly around and about him, examining him minutely from all points, as if he

were some strange new kind of animal; but warily and watchfully the while, as if they half feared he might be

a sort of animal that would bite, upon occasion. Finally they halted before him, holding each other's hands for

protection, and took a good satisfying stare with their innocent eyes; then one of them plucked up all her

The children gave a little start, and their eyes spread themselves wide open and remained so during a

The children looked at each other then at him then at each other again wonderingly, perplexedly then

'How can it be else but true, Prissy? Would he say a lie? For look you, Prissy, an it were not true, it would be

a lie. It surely would be. Now think on't. For all things that be not true, be lies thou canst make naught else

It was a good, tight argument, without a leak in it anywhere; and it left Prissy's halfdoubts not a leg to stand

on. She considered a moment, then put the king upon his honor with the simple remark:

This settled the matter. His majesty's royalty was accepted without further question or discussion, and the two

little girls began at once to inquire into how he came to be where he was, and how he came to be so unroyally

clad, and whither he was bound, and all about his affairs. It was a mighty relief to him to pour out his troubles

where they would not be scoffed at or doubted; so he told his tale with feeling, forgetting even his hunger for

the time; and it was received with the deepest and tenderest sympathy by the gentle little maids. But when he

got down to his latest experiences and they learned how long he had been without food, they cut him short

The king was cheerful and happy now, and said to himself, 'When I am come to mine own again, I will

always honor little children, remembering how that these trusted me and believed in me in my time of

trouble; whilst they that were older, and thought themselves wiser, mocked at me and held me for a liar.'

The children's mother received the king kindly, and was full of pity; for his forlorn condition and apparently

crazed intellect touched her womanly heart. She was a widow, and rather poor; consequently she had seen

trouble enough to enable her to feel for the unfortunate. She imagined that the demented boy had wandered

away from his friends or keepers; so she tried to find out whence he had come, in order that she might take

measures to return him; but all her references to neighbouring towns and villages, and all her inquiries in the

same line, went for nothing the boy's face, and his answers, too, showed that the things she was talking of

were not familiar to him. He spoke earnestly and simply about court matters; and broke down, more than

once, when speaking of the late king 'his father'; but whenever the conversation changed to baser topics, he

The woman was mightily puzzled; but she did not give up. As she proceeded with her cooking, she set herself

to contriving devices to surprise the boy into betraying his real secret. She talked about cattle he showed no

concern; then about sheep the same result so her guess that he had been a shepherd boy was an error; she

talked about mills; and about weavers, tinkers, smiths, trades and tradesmen of all sorts; and about Bedlam,

and jails, and charitable retreats; but no matter, she was baffled at all points. Not altogether, either; for she

argued that she had narrowed the thing down to domestic service. Yes, she was sure she was on the right

track now he must have been a houseservant. So she led up to that. But the result was discouraging. The

subject of sweeping appeared to weary him; firebuilding failed to stir him; scrubbing and scouring awoke no

enthusiasm. Then the goodwife touched, with a perishing hope, and rather as a matter of form, upon the

subject of cooking. To her surprise, and her vast delight, the king's face lighted at once! Ah, she had hunted

him down at last, she thought; and she was right proud, too, of the devious shrewdness and tact which had

Her tired tongue got a chance to rest now; for the king's, inspired by gnawing hunger and the fragrant smells

that came from the sputtering pots and pans, turned itself loose and delivered itself up to such an eloquent

dissertation upon certain toothsome dishes, that within three minutes the woman said to herself, 'Of a truth I

was right he hath holpen in a kitchen!' Then he broadened his bill of fare, and discussed it with such

appreciation and animation, that the goodwife said to herself, 'Good lack! how can he know so many dishes,

and so fine ones withal? For these belong only upon the tables of the rich and great. Ah, now I see! ragged

outcast as he is, he must have served in the palace before his reason went astray; yes, he must have helped in

Full of eagerness to prove her sagacity, she told the king to mind the cooking a moment hinting that he

might manufacture and add a dish or two, if he chose then she went out of the room and gave her children a

'Another English king had a commission like to this, in a bygone time it is nothing against my dignity to

undertake an office which the great Alfred stooped to assume. But I will try to better serve my trust than he;

The intent was good, but the performance was not answerable to it; for this king, like the other one, soon fell

into deep thinkings concerning his vast affairs, and the same calamity resulted the cookery got burned. The

woman returned in time to save the breakfast from entire destruction; and she promptly brought the king out

of his dreams with a brisk and cordial tonguelashing. Then, seeing how troubled he was over his violated

The boy made a hearty and satisfying meal, and was greatly refreshed and gladdened by it. It was a meal

which was distinguished by this curious feature, that rank was waived on both sides; yet neither recipient of

the favor was aware that it had been extended. The goodwife had intended to feed this young tramp with

broken victuals in a corner, like any other tramp, or like a dog; but she was so remorseful for the scolding she

had given him, that she did what she could to atone for it by allowing him to sit at the family table and eat

with his betters, on ostensible terms of equality with them; and the king, on his side, was so remorseful for

having broken his trust, after the family had been so kind to him, that he forced himself to atone for it by

humbling himself to the family level, instead of requiring the woman and her children to stand and wait upon

him while he occupied their table in the solitary state due his birth and dignity. It does us all good to unbend

sometimes. This good woman was made happy all the day long by the applauses she got out of herself for her

magnanimous condescension to a tramp; and the king was just as selfcomplacent over his gracious humility

When breakfast was over, the housewife told the king to wash up the dishes. This command was a staggerer

for a moment, and the king came near rebelling; but then he said to himself, 'Alfred the Great watched the

cakes; doubtless he would have washed the dishes, too therefore will I essay it.' He made a sufficiently poor

job of it; and to his surprise, too, for the cleaning of wooden spoons and trenchers had seemed an easy thing

to do. It was a tedious and troublesome piece of work, but he finished it at last. He was becoming impatient to

get away on his journey now; however he was not to lose this thrifty dame's society so easily. She furnished

him some little odds and ends of employment, which he got through with after a fair fashion and with some

credit. Then she set him and the little girls to paring some winter apples; but he was so awkward at this

service that she retired him from it and gave him a butcherknife to grind. Afterward she kept him carding

wool until he began to think he had laid the good King Alfred about far enough in the shade for the present,

in the matter of showy menial heroisms that would read picturesquely in storybooks and histories, and so he

was half minded to resign. And when, just after the noonday dinner, the goodwife gave him a basket of

kittens to drown, he did resign. At least he was just going to resign for he felt that he must draw the line

somewhere, and it seemed to him that to draw it at kittendrowning was about the right thing when there

was an interruption. The interruption was John Canty with a peddler's pack on his back and Hugo!

The king discovered these rascals approaching the front gate before they had had a chance to see him; so he

said nothing about drawing the line, but took up his basket of kittens and stepped quietly out the back way,

without a word. He left the creatures in an outhouse, and hurried on into a narrow lane at the rear.

THE high hedge hid him from the house now; and so, under the impulse of a deadly fright, he let out all his

forces and sped toward a wood in the distance. He never looked back until he had almost gained the shelter of

the forest; then he turned and descried two figures in the distance. That was sufficient; he did not wait to scan

them critically, but hurried on, and never abated his pace till he was far within the twilight depths of the

wood. Then he stopped; being persuaded that he was now tolerably safe. He listened intently, but the stillness

was profound and solemn awful, even, and depressing to the spirits. At wide intervals his straining ear did

detect sounds, but they were so remote, and hollow, and mysterious, that they seemed not to be real sounds,

but only the moaning and complaining ghosts of departed ones. So the sounds were yet more dreary than the

It was his purpose, in the beginning, to stay where he was, the rest of the day; but a chill soon invaded his

perspiring body, and he was at last obliged to resume movement in order to get warm. He struck straight

through the forest, hoping to pierce to a road presently, but he was disappointed in this. He traveled on and

on; but the farther he went, the denser the wood became, apparently. The gloom began to thicken, by and by,

and the king realized that the night was coming on. It made him shudder to think of spending it in such an

uncanny place; so he tried to hurry faster, but he only made the less speed, for he could not now see well

enough to choose his steps judiciously; consequently he kept tripping over roots and tangling himself in vines

And how glad he was when at last he caught the glimmer of a light! He approached it warily, stopping often

to look about him and listen. It came from an unglazed windowopening in a little hut. He heard a voice now,

and felt a disposition to run and hide; but he changed his mind at once, for his voice was praying, evidently.

He glided to the one window of the hut, raised himself on tiptoe, and stole a glance within. The room was

small; its floor was the natural earth, beaten hard by use; in a corner was a bed of rushes and a ragged blanket

or two; near it was a pail, a cup, a basin, and two or three pots and pans; there was a short bench and a

threelegged stool; on the hearth the remains of a fagot fire were smoldering; before a shrine, which was

lighted by a single candle, knelt an aged man, and on an old wooden box at his side lay an open book and a

human skull. The man was of large, bony frame; his hair and whiskers were very long and snowy white; he

The king entered, and paused. The hermit turned a pair of gleaming, unrestful eyes upon him, and said:

'Welcome, king!' cried the hermit, with enthusiasm. Then, bustling about with feverish activity, and

constantly saying 'Welcome, welcome,' he arranged his bench, seated the king on it, by the hearth, threw

some fagots on the fire, and finally fell to pacing the floor, with a nervous stride.

'Welcome! Many have sought sanctuary here, but they were not worthy, and were turned away. But a king

who casts his crown away, and despises the vain splendors of his office, and clothes his body in rags, to

devote his life to holiness and the mortification of the flesh he is worthy, he is welcome! here shall he

abide all his days till death come.' The king hastened to interrupt and explain, but the hermit paid no attention

to him did not even hear him apparently, but went right on with his talk, with a raised voice and a growing

energy. 'And thou shalt be at peace here. None shall find out thy refuge to disquiet thee with supplications to

return to that empty and foolish life which God hath moved thee to abandon. Thou shalt pray here; thou shalt

study the Book; thou shalt meditate upon the follies and delusions of this world, and upon the sublimities of

the world to come; thou shalt feed upon crusts and herbs, and scourge thy body with whips daily, to the

purifying of thy soul. Thou shalt wear a hair shirt next thy skin; thou shalt drink water only; and thou shalt be

at peace; yes, wholly at peace; for whoso comes to seek thee shall go his way again baffled; he shall not find

The old man, still pacing back and forth, ceased to speak aloud, and began to mutter. The king seized this

opportunity to state his case; and he did it with an eloquence inspired by uneasiness and apprehension. But

the hermit went on muttering, and gave no heed. And still muttering, he approached the king and said,

''Sh! I will tell you a secret!' He bent down to impart it, but checked himself, and assumed a listening attitude.

After a moment or two he went on tiptoe to the windowopening, put his head out and peered around in the

gloaming, then came tiptoeing back again, put his face close down to the king's and whispered:

The king started violently, and said to himself, 'Would God I were with the outlaws again; for lo, now am I

the prisoner of a madman!' His apprehensions were heightened, and they showed plainly in his face. In a low,

'I see you feel my atmosphere! There's awe in your face! None may be in this atmosphere and not be thus

affected; for it is the very atmosphere of heaven. I go thither and return, in the twinkling of an eye. I was

made an archangel on this very spot, it is five years ago, by angels sent from heaven to confer that awful

dignity. Their presence filled this place with an intolerable brightness. And they knelt to me, king! yes, they

knelt to me! for I was greater than they. I have walked in the courts of heaven, and held speech with the

patriarchs. Touch my hand be not afraid touch it. There now thou hast touched a hand which has been

clasped by Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob! For I have walked in the golden courts, I have seen the Deity face

to face!' He paused, to give this speech effect; then his face suddenly changed, and he started to his feet

again, saying, with angry energy, 'Yes, I am an archangel; a mere archangel! I that might have been pope! It

is verily true. I was told it from heaven in a dream, twenty years ago; ah, yes, I was to be pope! and I should

have been pope, for Heaven had said it but the king dissolved my religious house, and I, poor obscure

unfriended monk, was cast homeless upon the world, robbed of my mighty destiny!' Here he began to

mumble again, and beat his forehead in futile rage, with his fist; now and then articulating a venomous curse,

and now and then a pathetic 'Wherefore I am naught but an archangel I that should have been pope!'

So he went on for an hour, while the poor little king sat and suffered. Then all at once the old man's frenzy

departed, and he became all gentleness. His voice softened, he came down out of his clouds, and fell to

prattling along so simply and so humanely, that he soon won the king's heart completely. The old devotee

moved the boy nearer to the fire and made him comfortable; doctored his small bruises and abrasions with a

deft and tender hand; and then set about preparing and cooking a supper chatting pleasantly all the time, and

occasionally stroking the lad's cheek or patting his head, in such a gently caressing way that in a little while

all the fear and repulsion inspired by the archangel were changed to reverence and affection for the man.

This happy state of things continued while the two ate the supper; then, after a prayer before the shrine, the

hermit put the boy to bed, in a small adjoining room, tucking him in as snugly and lovingly as a mother

might; and so, with a parting caress, left him and sat down by the fire, and began to poke the brands about in

an absent and aimless way. Presently he paused; then tapped his forehead several times with his fingers, as if

trying to recall some thought which had escaped from his mind. Apparently he was unsuccessful. Now he

A black frown settled down upon the hermit's face, and he clenched his bony hands with a vindictive energy.

He stood a few moments, breathing fast and swallowing repeatedly, then said in a husky voice:

There was no response. The old man bent down and scanned the boy's reposeful face and listened to his

placid breathing. 'He sleeps sleeps soundly'; and the frown vanished away and gave place to an expression

of evil satisfaction. A smile flitted across the dreaming boy's features. The hermit muttered, 'So his heart is

happy'; and he turned away. He went stealthily about the place, seeking here and there for something; now

and then halting to listen, now and then jerking his head around and casting a quick glance toward the bed;

and always muttering, always mumbling to himself. At last he found what he seemed to want a rusty old

butcherknife and a whetstone. Then he crept to his place by the fire, sat himself down, and began to whet

the knife softly on the stone, still muttering, mumbling, ejaculating. The winds sighed around the lonely

place, the mysterious voices of the night floated by out of the distances. The shining eyes of venturesome

mice and rats peered out at the old man from cracks and coverts, but he went on with his work, rapt,

At long intervals he drew his thumb along the edge of his knife, and nodded his head with satisfaction. 'It

He took no note of the flight of time, but worked tranquilly on, entertaining himself with his thoughts, which

'His father wrought us evil, he destroyed us and is gone down into the eternal fires! Yes, down into the

eternal fires! He escaped us but it was God's will, yes it was God's will, we must not repine. But he hath not

escaped the fires! no, he hath not escaped the fires, the consuming, unpitying, remorseless fires and they are

And so he wrought; and still wrought; mumbling chuckling a low rasping chuckle at times and at times

'It was his father that did it all. I am but an archangel but for him, I should be pope!'

The king stirred. The hermit sprang noiselessly to the bedside, and went down upon his knees, bending over

the prostrate form with his knife uplifted. The boy stirred again; his eyes came open for an instant, but there

was no speculation in them, they saw nothing; the next moment his tranquil breathing showed that his sleep

The hermit watched and listened for a time, keeping his position and scarcely breathing; then he slowly

'It is long past midnight it is not best that he should cry out, lest by accident some one be passing.'

He glided about his hovel, gathering a rag here, a thong there, and another one yonder; then he returned, and

by careful and gentle handling he managed to tie the king's ankles together without waking him. Next he

essayed to tie the wrists; he made several attempts to cross them, but the boy always drew one hand or the

other away, just as the cord was ready to be applied; but at last, when the archangel was almost ready to

despair, the boy crossed his hands himself, and the next moment they were bound. Now a bandage was

passed under the sleeper's chin and brought up over his head and tied fast and so softly, so gradually, and so

deftly were the knots drawn together and compacted, that the boy slept peacefully through it all without

The old man glided away, stooping, stealthily, catlike, and brought the low bench. He seated himself upon it,

half his body in the dim and flickering light, and the other half in shadow; and so, with his craving eyes bent

upon the slumbering boy, he kept his patient vigil there, heedless of the drift of time, and softly whetted his

knife, and mumbled and chuckled; and in aspect and attitude he resembled nothing so much as a grizzly,

monstrous spider, gloating over some hapless insect that lay bound and helpless in his web.

After a long while, the old man, who was still gazing yet not seeing, his mind having settled into a dreamy

abstraction observed on a sudden that the boy's eyes were open wide open and staring! staring up in

frozen horror at the knife. The smile of a gratified devil crept over the old man's face, and he said, without

The boy struggled helplessly in his bonds; and at the same time forced a smothered sound through his closed

jaws, which the hermit chose to interpret as an affirmative answer to his question.

A shudder shook the boy's frame, and his face blenched. Then he struggled again to free himself turning and

twisting himself this way and that; tugging frantically, fiercely, desperately but uselessly to burst his

fetters; and all the while the old ogre smiled down upon him, and nodded his head, and placidly whetted his

knife, mumbling, from time to time, 'The moments are precious, they are few and precious pray the prayer

The boy uttered a despairing groan, and ceased from his struggles, panting. The tears came, then, and

trickled, one after the other, down his face; but this piteous sight wrought no softening effect upon the savage

The dawn was coming now; the hermit observed it, and spoke up sharply, with a touch of nervous

'I may not indulge this ecstasy longer! The night is already gone. It seems but a moment only a moment;

would it had endured a year! Seed of the Church's spoiler, close thy perishing eyes, an thou fearest to look

The rest was lost in inarticulate mutterings. The old man sank upon his knees, his knife in his hand, and bent

Hark! There was a sound of voices near the cabin the knife dropped from the hermit's hand; he cast a

sheepskin over the boy and started up, trembling. The sounds increased, and presently the voices became

rough and angry; then came blows, and cries for help; then a clatter of swift footsteps retreating. Immediately

Oh, this was the blessedest sound that had ever made music in the king's ears; for it was Miles Hendon's

The hermit, grinding his teeth in impotent rage, moved swiftly out of the bedchamber, closing the door

behind him; and straightway the king heard a talk, to this effect, proceeding from the 'chapel':

'What boy! Lie me no lies, sir priest, play me no deceptions! I am not in the humor for it. Near to this place I

caught the scoundrels who I judged did steal him from me, and I made them confess; they said he was at

large again, and they had tracked him to your door. They showed me his very footprints. Now palter no more;

'Oh, good sir, peradventure you mean the ragged regal vagrant that tarried here the night. If such as you take

interest in such as he, know, then, that I have sent him of an errand. He will be back anon.'

'How soon? How soon? Come, waste not the time cannot I overtake him? How soon will he be back?'

'So be it then. I will try to wait. But stop! you sent him of an errand? you! Verily, this is a lie he would

not go. He would pull thy old beard, an thou didst offer him such an insolence. Thou hast lied, friend; thou

There was a tremendous ejaculation from Miles Hendon not altogether unprofane followed by:

'This doth well and truly account for his complaisance! Right well I knew he would budge nor hand nor foot

in the menial service of any mortal; but Lord, even a king must obey when an archangel gives the word o'

All this while the king had been yonder, alternately quaking with terror and trembling with hope; and all the

while, too, he had thrown all the strength he could into his anguished moanings, constantly expecting them to

reach Hendon's ear, but always realizing, with bitterness, that they failed, or at least made no impression. So

this last remark of his servant came as comes a reviving breath from fresh fields to the dying; and he exerted

'Mayhap it was. Yes, doubtless that was it. I have been hearing it faintly all the there it is again! It is not the

Now, the king's joy was nearly insupportable. His tired lungs did their utmost and hopefully, too but the

sealed jaws and the muffling sheepskin sadly crippled the effort. Then the poor fellow's heart sank, to hear

'Ah, it came from without I think from the copse yonder. Come, I will lead the way.'

The king heard the two pass out talking; heard their footsteps die quickly away then he was alone with a

It seemed an age till he heard the steps and voices approaching again and this time he heard an added

'I will not wait longer. I cannot wait longer. He has lost his way in this thick wood. Which direction took he?

'Good good! Why, truly thou art better than thy looks. Marry, I do think there's not another archangel with

so right a heart as thine. Wilt ride? Wilt take the wee donkey that's for my boy, or wilt thou fork thy holy legs

over this illconditioned slave of a mule that I have provided for myself? and had been cheated in, too, had

he cost but the indifferent sum of a month's usury on a brass farthing let to a tinker out of work.'

'No ride thy mule, and lead thine ass; I am surer on mine own feet, and will walk.'

'Then, prithee, mind the little beast for me while I take my life in my hands and make what success I may

Then followed a confusion of kicks, cuffs, tramplings and plungings, accompanied by a thunderous

intermingling of volleyed curses, and finally a bitter apostrophe to the mule, which must have broken its

With unutterable misery the fettered little king heard the voices and footsteps fade away and die out. All hope

forsook him now for the moment, and a dull despair settled down upon his heart. 'My only friend is deceived

and got rid of,' he said; 'the hermit will return and' He finished with a gasp; and at once fell to struggling so

And now he heard the door open! The sound chilled him to the marrow already he seemed to feel the knife

at his throat. Horror made him close his eyes; horror made him open them again and before him stood John

A moment or two later his limbs were at liberty, and his captors, each gripping him by an arm, were hurrying

ONCE more 'King Foofoo the First' was roving with the tramps and outlaws, a butt for their coarse jests and

dullwitted railleries, and sometimes the victim of small spitefulnesses at the hands of Canty and Hugo when

the Ruffler's back was turned. None but Canty and Hugo really disliked him. Some of the others liked him,

and all admired his pluck and spirit. During two or three days, Hugo, in whose ward and charge the king was,

did what he covertly could to make the boy uncomfortable; and at night, during the customary orgies, he

amused the company by putting small indignities upon him always as if by accident. Twice he stepped upon

the king's toes accidentally and the king, as became his royalty, was contemptuously unconscious of it and

indifferent to it; but the third time Hugo entertained himself in that way, the king felled him to the ground

with a cudgel, to the prodigious delight of the tribe. Hugo, consumed with anger and shame, sprang up, seized

a cudgel, and came at his small adversary in a fury. Instantly a ring was formed around the gladiators, and the

betting and cheering began. But poor Hugo stood no chance whatever. His frantic and lubberly

'prenticework found but a poor market for itself when pitted against an arm which had been trained by the

first masters of Europe in singlestick, quarterstaff, and every art and trick of swordsmanship. The little

king stood, alert but at graceful ease, and caught and turned aside the thick rain of blows with a facility and

precision which set the motley onlookers wild with admiration; and every now and then, when his practised

eye detected an opening, and a lightningswift rap upon Hugo's head followed as a result, the storm of cheers

and laughter that swept the place was something wonderful to hear. At the end of fifteen minutes, Hugo, all

battered, bruised, and the target for a pitiless bombardment of ridicule, slunk from the field; and the

unscathed hero of the fight was seized and borne aloft upon the shoulders of the joyous rabble to the place of

honor beside the Ruffler, where with vast ceremony he was crowned King of the GameCocks; his meaner

title being at the same time solemnly canceled and annulled, and a decree of banishment from the gang

All attempts to make the king serviceable to the troop had failed. He had stubbornly refused to act; moreover,

he was always trying to escape. He had been thrust into an unwatched kitchen, the first day of his return; he

not only came forth emptyhanded, but tried to rouse the housemates. He was sent out with a tinker to help

him at his work; he would not work; moreover, he threatened the tinker with his own solderingiron; and

finally both Hugo and the tinker found their hands full with the mere matter of keeping him from getting

away. He delivered the thunders of his royalty upon the heads of all who hampered his liberties or tried to

force him to service. He was sent out, in Hugo's charge, in company with a slatternly woman and a diseased

baby, to beg; but the result was not encouraging he declined to plead for the mendicants, or be a party to

Thus several days went by; and the miseries of this tramping life, and the weariness and sordidness and

meanness and vulgarity of it, became gradually and steadily so intolerable to the captive that he began at last

to feel that his release from the hermit's knife must prove only a temporary respite from death, at best.

But at night, in his dreams, these things were forgotten, and he was on his throne, and master again. This, of

course, intensified the sufferings of the awakening so the mortifications of each succeeding morning of the

few that passed between his return to bondage and the combat with Hugo, grew bitterer, and harder and

The morning after that combat, Hugo got up with a heart filled with vengeful purposes against the king. He

had two plans in particular. One was to inflict upon the lad what would be, to his proud spirit and 'imagined'

royalty, a peculiar humiliation; and if he failed to accomplish this, his other plan was to put a crime of some

In pursuance of the first plan, he proposed to put a 'clime' upon the king's leg, rightly judging that that would

mortify him to the last and perfect degree; and as soon as the clime should operate, he meant to get Canty's

help, and force the king to expose his leg in the highway and beg for alms. 'Clime' was the cant term for a

sore, artificially created. To make a clime, the operator made a paste or poultice of unslaked lime, soap, and

the rust of old iron, and spread it upon a piece of leather, which was then bound tightly upon the leg. This

would presently fret off the skin, and make the flesh raw and angrylooking; blood was then rubbed upon the

limb, which, being fully dried, took on a dark and repulsive color. Then a bandage of soiled rags was put on

in a cleverly careless way which would allow the hideous ulcer to be seen and move the compassion of the

Hugo got the help of the tinker whom the king had cowed with the solderingiron; they took the boy out on a

tinkering tramp, and as soon as they were out of sight of the camp they threw him down and the tinker held

The king raged and stormed, and promised to hang the two the moment the scepter was in his hand again; but

they kept a firm grip upon him and enjoyed his impotent struggling and jeered at his threats. This continued

until the poultice began to bite; and in no long time its work would have been perfected, if there had been no

interruption. But there was; for about this time the 'slave' who had made the speech denouncing England's

laws, appeared on the scene and put an end to the enterprise, and stripped off the poultice and bandage.

The king wanted to borrow his deliverer's cudgel and warm the jackets of the two rascals on the spot; but the

man said no, it would bring trouble leave the matter till night; the whole, tribe being together, then, the

outside world would not venture to interfere or interrupt. He marched the party back to camp and reported the

affair to the Ruffler, who listened, pondered, and then decided that the king should not be again detailed to

beg, since it was plain he was worthy of something higher and better wherefore, on the spot he promoted

Hugo was overjoyed. He had already tried to make the king steal, and failed; but there would be no more

trouble of that sort now, for, of course, the king would not dream of defying a distinct command delivered

directly from headquarters. So he planned a raid for that very afternoon, purposing to get the king in the law's

grip in the course of it; and to do it, too, with such ingenious strategy, that it should seem to be accidental and

unintentional; for the King of the GameCocks was popular now, and the gang might not deal overgently

with an unpopular member who played so serious a treachery upon him as the delivering him over to the

Very well. All in good time Hugo strolled off to a neighboring village with his prey; and the two drifted

slowly up and down one street after another, the one watching sharply for a sure chance to achieve his evil

purpose, and the other watching as sharply for a chance to dart away and get free of his infamous captivity

Both threw away some tolerably fairlooking opportunities; for both, in their secret hearts, were resolved to

make absolutely sure work this time, and neither meant to allow his fevered desires to seduce him into any

Hugo's chance came first. For at last a woman approached who carried a fat package of some sort in a basket.

Hugo's eyes sparkled with sinful pleasure as he said to himself, 'Breath o' my life, an I can but put that upon

him, 'tis goodden and God keep thee, King of the GameCocks!' He waited and watched outwardly

patient, but inwardly consuming with excitement till the woman had passed by, and the time was ripe; then

said, in a low voice; 'Tarry here till I come again,' and darted stealthily after the prey.

The king's heart was filled with joy he could make his escape now, if Hugo's quest only carried him far

But he was to have no such luck. Hugo crept behind the woman, snatched the package, and came running

back, wrapping it in an old piece of blanket which he carried on his arm. The hue and cry was raised in a

moment by the woman, who knew her loss by the lightening of her burden, although she had not seen the

pilfering done. Hugo thrust the bundle into the king's hands without halting, saying:

'Now speed ye after me with the rest, and cry "Stop thief!" but mind ye lead them astray.'

The next moment Hugo turned a corner and darted down a crooked alley and in another moment or two he

lounged into view again, looking innocent and indifferent, and took up a position behind a post to watch

The insulted king threw the bundle on the ground; and the blanket fell away from it just as the woman

arrived, with an augmenting crowd at her heels; she seized the king's wrist with one hand, snatched up her

bundle with the other, and began to pour out a tirade of abuse upon the boy while he struggled, without

Hugo had seen enough his enemy was captured and the law would get him now so he slipped away,

jubilant and chuckling and wended campward, framing a judicious version of the matter to give to the

The king continued to struggle in the woman's grasp, and now and then cried out, in vexation:

'Unhand me, thou foolish creature; it was not I that bereaved thee of thy paltry goods.'

The crowd closed around, threatening the king and calling him names; a brawny blacksmith in leather apron,

and sleeves rolled to his elbows, made a reach for him, saying he would trounce him well, for a lesson; but

just then a long sword flashed in the air and fell with convincing force upon the man's arm, flatside down,

'Marry, good souls, let us proceed gently, not with ill blood and uncharitable words. This is matter for the

law's consideration, not private and unofficial handling. Loose thy hold from the boy, goodwife.'

The blacksmith averaged the stalwart soldier with a glance, then went muttering away, rubbing his arm; the

woman released the boy's wrist reluctantly; the crowd eyed the stranger unlovingly, but prudently closed their

mouths. The king sprang to his deliverer's side, with flushed cheeks and sparkling eyes exclaiming:

'Thou hast lagged sorely, but thou comest in good season now, Sir Miles; carve me this rabble to rags!'

'Softly, softly my prince, wag thy tongue warily nay, suffer it not to wag at all. Trust in me all shall go

well in the end.' Then he added, to himself: 'Sir Miles! Bless me, I had totally forgot I was a knight! Lord

how marvelous a thing it is, the grip his memory doth take upon his quaint and crazy fancies!... An empty and

foolish title is mine, and yet it is something to have deserved it, for I think it is more honor to be held worthy

to be a specterknight in his Kingdom of Dreams and Shadows, than to be held base enough to be an earl in

The crowd fell apart to admit a constable, who approached and was about to lay his hand upon the king's

'Gently, good friend, withhold your hand he shall go peaceably; I am responsible for that. Lead on, we will

The officer led, with the woman and her bundle; Miles and the king followed after, with the crowd at their

'Reflect, sire your laws are the wholesome breath of your own royalty; shall their source reject them, yet

require the branches to respect them? Apparently, one of these laws has been broken; when the king is on his

throne again, can it ever grieve him to remember that when he was seemingly a private person he loyally

'Thou art right; say no more; thou shalt see that whatsoever the king of England requires a subject to suffer

under the law, he will himself suffer while he holdeth the station of a subject.'

When the woman was called upon to testify before the justice of the peace, she swore that the small prisoner

at the bar was the person who had committed the theft; there was none able to show the contrary, so the king

stood convicted. The bundle was now unrolled, and when the contents proved to be a plump little dressed pig,

the judge looked troubled, while Hendon turned pale, and his body was thrilled with an electric shiver of

dismay; but the king remained unmoved, protected by his ignorance. The judge meditated, during an ominous

'Three shillings and eightpence, your worship I could not abate a penny and set forth the value honestly.'

The justice glanced around uncomfortably upon the crowd, then nodded to the constable and said:

It was done. None remained but the two officials, the accused, the accuser, and Miles Hendon. This latter was

rigid and colorless, and on his forehead big drops of cold sweat gathered, broke and blended together, and

trickled down his face. The judge turned to the woman again, and said, in a compassionate voice:

''Tis a poor ignorant lad, and mayhap was driven hard by hunger, for these be grievous times for the

unfortunate; mark you, he hath not an evil face but when hunger driveth Good woman! dost know that

when one steals a thing above the value of thirteen pence ha'penny the law saith he shall hang for it?'

The little king started, wideeyed with consternation, but controlled himself and held his peace; but not so

'Oh, good lack, what have I done! Godamercy, I would not hang the poor thing for the whole world! Ah,

'Doubtless it is allowable to revise the value, since it is not yet writ upon the record.'

'Then in God's name call the pig eightpence, and heaven bless the day that freed my conscience of this

Miles Hendon forgot all decorum in his delight; and surprised the king and wounded his dignity by throwing

The woman made her grateful adieux and started away with her pig; and when the constable opened the door

for her, he followed her out into the narrow hall. The justice proceeded to write in his recordbook. Hendon,

always alert, thought he would like to know why the officer followed the woman out; so he slipped softly into

'It is a fat pig, and promises good eating; I will buy it of thee; here is the eightpence.'

'Eightpence, indeed! Thou'lt do no such thing. It cost me three shillings and eightpence, good honest coin of

the last reign, that old Harry that's just dead ne'er touched nor tampered with. A fig for thy eightpence!'

'Stands the wind in that quarter? Thou wast under oath, and so swore falsely when thou saidst the value was

but eightpence. Come straightway back with me before his worship, and answer for the crime! and then the

'There, there, dear heart, say no more, I am content. Give me the eightpence, and hold thy peace about the

The woman went off crying; Hendon slipped back into the courtroom, and the constable presently followed,

after hiding his prize in some convenient place. The justice wrote a while longer, then read the king a wise

and kindly lecture, and sentenced him to a short imprisonment in the common jail, to be followed by a public

flogging. The astounded king opened his mouth and was probably going to order the good judge to be

beheaded on the spot; but he caught a warning sign from Hendon, and succeeded in closing his mouth again

before he lost anything out of it. Hendon took him by the hand, now made reverence to the justice, and the

two departed in the wake of the constable toward the jail. The moment the street was reached, the inflamed

'Will you trust in me? Peace! and forbear to worsen our chances with dangerous speech. What God wills, will

happen; thou canst not hurry it, thou canst not alter it; therefore wait; and be patient 'twill be time enow to

THE short winter day was nearly ended. The streets were deserted, save for a few random stragglers, and

these hurried straight along, with the intent look of people who were only anxious to accomplish their errands

as quickly as possible and then snugly house themselves from the rising wind and the gathering twilight.

They looked neither to the right nor to the left; they paid no attention to our party, they did not even seem to

see them. Edward the Sixth wondered if the spectacle of a king on his way to jail had ever encountered such

marvelous indifference before. By and by the constable arrived at a deserted marketsquare and proceeded to

cross it. When he had reached the middle of it, Hendon laid his hand upon his arm, and said in a low voice:

'Bide a moment, good sir, there is none in hearing, and I would say a word to thee.'

'Stay, nevertheless, for the matter concerns thee nearly. Turn thy back moment and seem not to see; let this

'Nay, be not too hasty. See thou be careful and commit no foolish error' then he shut his voice down to a

whisper, and said in the man's ear 'the pig thou hast purchased for eightpence may cost thee thy neck, man!'

The poor constable, taken by surprise, was speechless at first, then found his tongue and fell to blustering and

threatening; but Hendon was tranquil, and waited with patience till his breath was spent; then said:

'I have a liking to thee, friend, and would not willingly see thee come to harm. Observe, I heard it all every

word. I will prove it to thee.' Then he repeated the conversation which the officer and the woman had had

'There have I set it forth correctly? Should not I be able to set it forth correctly before the judge, if occasion

The man was dumb with fear and distress for a moment; then he rallied and said with forced lightness:

''Tis making a mighty matter indeed, out of a jest; I but plagued the woman for mine amusement.'

'I do begin to believe thee,' said Hendon, with a perplexing mixture of mockery and halfconviction in his

tone; 'tarry thou here a moment whilst I run and ask his worship for nathless, he being a man experienced in

He was moving away, still talking; the constable hesitated, fidgeted, spat an oath or two, then cried out:

'Hold, hold, good sir prithee, wait a little the judge! why man, he hath no more sympathy with a jest than

hath a dead corpse! come, and we will speak further. Ods body! I seem to be in evil case and all for an

innocent and thoughtless pleasantry. I am a man of family; and my wife and little ones List to reason, good

'Only that thou be blind and dumb and paralytic whilst one may count a hundred thousand counting slowly,'

said Hendon, with the expression of a man who asks but a reasonable favor, and that a very little one.

'It is my destruction!' said the constable despairingly. 'Ah, be reasonable, good sir; only look at this matter, on

all its sides, and see how mere a jest it is how manifestly and how plainly it is so. And even if one granted it

were not a jest, it is a fault so small that e'en the grimmest penalty it could call forth would be but a rebuke

'I knew it not! Peradventure I have been unwise. I never dreamed it had a name ah, sweet heaven, I thought

'Yes, it hath a name. In the law this crime is called Non compos mentis lex talionis sic transit gloria Mundi.'

'By advantage taken of one in fault, in dire peril, and at thy mercy, thou hast seized goods worth above

thirteen pence ha'penny, paying but a trifle for the same; and this, in the eye of the law, is constructive

barratry, misprision of treason, malfeasance in office, ad hominem expurgatis in statu quo and the penalty is

'Bear me up, bear me up, sweet sir, my legs do fail me! Be thou merciful spare me this doom, and I will turn

'I will, I will, indeed nor ever touch another, though heaven send it and archangel fetch it. Go I am blind

for thy sake I see nothing. I will say thou didst break in and wrest the prisoner from my hands by force. It is

but a crazy, ancient door I will batter it down myself betwixt midnight and the morning.'

'Do it, good soul, no harm will come of it; the judge hath a loving charity for this poor lad, and will shed no

AS soon as Hendon and the king were out of sight of the constable, his majesty was instructed to hurry to a

certain place outside the town, and wait there, whilst Hendon should go to the inn and settle his account. Half

an hour later the two friends were blithely jogging eastward on Hendon's sorry steeds. The king was warm

and comfortable now, for he had cast his rags and clothed himself in the secondhand suit which Hendon had

Hendon wished to guard against overfatiguing the boy; he judged that hard journeys, irregular meals, and

illiberal measures of sleep would be bad for his crazed mind, while rest, regularity, and moderate exercise

would be pretty sure to hasten its cure; he longed to see the stricken intellect made well again and its diseased

visions driven out of the tormented little head; therefore he resolved to move by easy stages toward the home

whence he had so long been banished, instead of obeying the impulse of his impatience and hurrying along

When he and the king had journeyed about ten miles, they reached a considerable village, and halted there for

the night, at a good inn. The former relations were resumed; Hendon stood behind the king's chair while he

dined, and waited upon him; undressed him when he was ready for bed; then took the floor for his own

The next day, and the next day after, they jogged lazily along talking over the adventures they had met since

their separation, and mightily enjoying each other's narratives. Hendon detailed all his wide wanderings in

search of the king, and described how the archangel had led him a fool's journey all over the forest, and taken

him back to the hut finally, when he found he could not get rid of him. Then he said the old man went into

the bedchamber and came staggering back looking brokenhearted, and saying he had expected to find that

the boy had returned and lain down in there to rest, but it was not so. Hendon had waited at the hut all day;

'And old Sanctum Sanctorum was truly sorry your Highness came not back,' said Hendon; 'I saw it in his

'Marry, I will never doubt that!' said the king and then told his own story; after which Hendon was sorry he

During the last day of the trip, Hendon's spirits were soaring. His tongue ran constantly. He talked about his

old father, and his brother Arthur, and told of many things which illustrated their high and generous

characters; he went into loving frenzies over his Edith, and was so gladhearted that he was even able to say

some gentle and brotherly things about Hugh. He dwelt a deal on the coming meeting at Hendon Hall; what a

surprise it would be to everybody, and what an outburst of thanksgiving and delight there would be.

It was a fair region, dotted with cottages and orchards, and the road led through broad pasturelands whose

receding expanses, marked with gentle elevations and depressions, suggested the swelling and subsiding

undulations of the sea. In the afternoon the returning prodigal made constant deflections from his course to

see if by ascending some hillock he might not pierce the distance and catch a glimpse of his home. At last he

'There is the village, my prince, and there is the Hall close by! You may see the towers from here; and that

wood there that is my father's park. Ah, now thou'lt know what state and grandeur be! A house with seventy

rooms think of that! and seven and twenty servants! A brave lodging for such as we, is it not so? Come, let

All possible hurry was made; still, it was after three o'clock before the village was reached. The travelers

scampered through it, Hendon's tongue going all the time. 'Here is the church covered with the same ivy

none gone, none added.' 'Yonder is the inn, the old Red Lion and yonder is the marketplace.' 'Here is the

Maypole, and here the pump nothing is altered; nothing but the people, at any rate; ten years make a change

in people; some of these I seem to know, but none know me.' So his chat ran on. The end of the village was

soon reached; then the travelers struck into a crooked, narrow road, walled in with tall hedges, and hurried

briskly along it for a halfmile, then passed into a vast flowergarden through an imposing gateway whose

huge stone pillars bore sculptured armorial devices. A noble mansion was before them.

'Welcome to Hendon Hall, my king!' exclaimed Miles. 'Ah, 'tis a great day! My father and my brother and the

Lady Edith will be so mad with joy that they will have eyes and tongue for none but me in the first transports

of the meeting, and so thou'lt seem but coldly welcomed but mind it not; 'twill soon seem otherwise; for

when I say thou art my ward, and tell them how costly is my love for thee, thou'lt see them take thee to their

breasts for Miles Hendon's sake, and make their house and hearts thy home forever after!'

The next moment Hendon sprang to the ground before the great door, helped the king down, then took him by

the hand and rushed within. A few steps brought him to a spacious apartment; he entered, seated the king

with more hurry than ceremony, then ran toward a young man who sat at a writingtable in front of a

'Embrace me, Hugh,' he cried, 'and say thou'rt glad I am come again! and call our father, for home is not

home till I shall touch his hand, and see his face, and hear his voice once more!'

But Hugh only drew back, after betraying a momentary surprise, and bent a grave stare upon the intruder a

stare which indicated somewhat of offended dignity at first, then changed, in response to some inward

thought or purpose, to an expression of marveling curiosity, mixed with a real or assumed compassion.

'Thy wits seem touched, poor stranger; doubtless thou hast suffered privations and rude buffetings at the

'Take thee? Prithee, for whom else than whom thou art? I take thee to be Hugh Hendon,' said Miles, sharply.

'Imagination hath naught to do with it! Dost thou pretend thou knowest me not for thy brother Miles

'What! thou art not jesting! can the dead come to life? God be praised if it be so! Our poor lost boy restored to

our arms after all these cruel years! Ah, it seems too good to be true, it is too good to be true I charge thee,

have pity, do not trifle with me! Quick come to the light let me scan thee well!'

He seized Miles by the arm, dragged him to the window, and began to devour him from head to foot with his

eyes, turning him this way and that, and stepping briskly around him and about him to prove him from all

points of view; whilst the returned prodigal, all aglow with gladness, smiled, laughed, and kept nodding his

'Go on, brother, go on, and fear not; thou'lt find nor limb nor feature that cannot bide the test. Scour and scan

me to thy content, my dear old Hugh I am indeed thy old Miles, thy same old Miles, thy lost brother, is't not

so? Ah, 'tis a great day I said 'twas a great day! Give me thy hand, give me thy cheek lord, I am like to die

He was about to throw himself upon his brother; but Hugh put up his hand in dissent, then dropped his chin

'Ah, God of his mercy give me strength to bear this grievous disappointment!' Miles, amazed, could not speak

'I pray heaven it may prove so, and that other eyes may find the resemblances that are hid from mine. Alack, I

'One that came from oversea, some six or seven years ago. It said my brother died in battle.'

'Dead?' Miles's voice was subdued, and his lips trembled. 'My father dead! oh, this is heavy news. Half my

new joy is withered now. Prithee, let me see my brother Arthur he will know me; he will know me and

'God be merciful to me, a stricken man! Gone both gone the worthy taken and the worthless spared in me!

'Then God be praised, my joy is whole again! Speed thee, brother let her come to me! An she say I am not

myself but she will not; no, no, she will know me, I were a fool to doubt it. Bring her bring the old

So saying, Hugh left the room. Miles stood musing awhile, then began to walk the floor, muttering:

'The five arch villains have survived the twoandtwenty leal and honest 'tis an odd thing.'

He continued walking back and forth, muttering to himself; he had forgotten the king entirely. By and by his

majesty said gravely, and with a touch of genuine compassion, though the words themselves were capable of

'Mind not thy mischance, good man; there be others in the world whose identity is denied, and whose claims

'Ah, my king,' cried Hendon, coloring slightly, 'do not thou condemn me wait, and thou shalt see. I am no

impostor she will say it; you shall hear it from the sweetest lips in England. I an impostor? Why I know this

old hall, these pictures of my ancestors, and all these things that are about us, as a child knoweth its own

nursery. Here was I born and bred, my lord; I speak the truth; I would not deceive thee; and should none else

'I thank thee out of my heart!' exclaimed Hendon, with a fervency which showed that he was touched. The

A guilty confusion seized upon Hendon, and he was grateful that the door opened to admit Hugh, at that

A beautiful lady, richly clothed, followed Hugh, and after her came several liveried servants. The lady

walked slowly, with her head bowed and her eyes fixed upon the floor. The face was unspeakably sad. Miles

At the sound of Miles's voice the woman had started slightly, and her cheeks had flushed; she was trembling

now. She stood still, during an impressive pause of several moments; then slowly lifted up her head and

looked into Hendon's eyes with a stony and frightened gaze; the blood sank out of her face, drop by drop, till

nothing remained but the gray pallor of death; then she said, in a voice as dead as the face, 'I know him not!'

Miles Hendon sank into a chair and covered his face with his hands. After a pause, his brother said to the

'The servants know you not, sir. I fear there is some mistake. You have seen that my wife knew you not.'

'Thy wife!' In an instant Hugh was pinned to the wall, with an iron grip about his throat. 'Oh, thou

foxhearted slave, I see it all! Thou'st writ the lying letter thyself, and my stolen bride and goods are its fruit.

There now get thee gone, lest I shame mine honorable soldiership with the slaying of so pitiful a manikin!'

Hugh, redfaced and almost suffocated, reeled to the nearest chair, and commanded the servants to seize and

'Then go, ye paltry cowards, and arm yourselves and guard the doors, while I send one to fetch the watch,'

said Hugh. He turned, at the threshold, and said to Miles, 'You'll find it to your advantage to offend not with

'Escape? Spare thyself discomfort, an that is all that troubles thee. For Miles Hendon is master of Hendon

'No, it is not strange, my liege. I know him, and this conduct is but natural. He was a rascal from his birth.'

'Indeed! Doth it not strike you as being passing strange that the land is not filled with couriers and

proclamations describing my person and making search for me? Is it no matter for commotion and distress

'Most true, my king, I had forgot.' Then Hendon sighed, and muttered to himself. 'Poor ruined mind still

'But I have a plan that shall right us both. I will write a paper, in three tongues Latin, Greek, and English

and thou shall haste away with it to London in the morning. Give it to none but my uncle, the Lord Hertford;

when he shall see it, he will know and say I wrote it. Then he will send for me.'

'Might it not be best, my prince, that we wait here until I prove myself and make my rights secure to my

'Peace! What are thy paltry domains, thy trivial interests, contrasted with matters which concern the weal of a

nation and the integrity of a throne!' Then he added, in a gentle voice, as if he were sorry for his severity,

'Obey and have no fear; I will right thee, I will make thee whole yes, more than whole. I shall remember,

So saying, he took the pen, and set himself to work. Hendon contemplated him lovingly awhile, then said to

'An it were dark, I should think it was a king that spoke; there's no denying it, when the humor's upon him he

doth thunder and lighten like your true king now where got he that trick? See him scribble and scratch away

contentedly at his meaningless pothooks, fancying them to be Latin and Greek and except my wit shall

serve me with a lucky device for diverting him from his purpose, I shall be forced to pretend to post away

The next moment Sir Miles's thoughts had gone back to the recent episode. So absorbed was he in his

musings, that when the king presently handed him the paper which he had been writing, he received it and

pocketed it without being conscious of the act. 'How marvelous strange she acted,' he muttered. 'I think she

knew me and I think she did not know me. These opinions do conflict, I perceive it plainly; I cannot

reconcile them, neither can I, by argument, dismiss either of the two, or even persuade one to outweigh the

other. The matter standeth simply thus: she must have known my face, my figure, my voice, for how could it

be otherwise? yet she said she knew me not, and that is proof perfect, for she cannot lie. But stop I think I

begin to see. Peradventure he hath influenced her commanded hercompelled her to lie. That is the solution!

The riddle is unriddled. She seemed dead with fear yes, she was under his compulsion. I will seek her; I will

find her; now that he is away, she will speak her true mind. She will remember the old times when we were

little playfellows together, and this will soften her heart, and she will no more betray me, but will confess me.

There is no treacherous blood in her no, she was always honest and true. She has loved me in those old

He stepped eagerly toward the door; at that moment it opened, and the Lady Edith entered. She was very

pale, but she walked with a firm step, and her carriage was full of grace and gentle dignity. Her face was as

Miles sprang forward, with a happy confidence, to meet her, but she checked him with a hardly perceptible

gesture, and he stopped where he was. She seated herself, and asked him to do likewise. Thus simply did she

take the sense of oldcomradeship out of him, and transform him into a stranger and a guest. The surprise of

it, the bewildering unexpectedness of it, made him begin to question, for a moment, if he was the person he

'Sir, I have come to warn you. The mad cannot be persuaded out of their delusions, perchance; but doubtless

they may be persuaded to avoid perils. I think this dream of yours hath the seeming of honest truth to you,

and therefore is not criminal but do not tarry here with it; for here it is dangerous.' She looked steadily into

Miles's face a moment, then added, impressively, 'It is the more dangerous for that you are much like what

'I truly think you think it, sir. I question not your honesty in that I but warn you, that is all. My husband is

master in this region; his power hath hardly any limit; the people prosper or starve, as he wills. If you

resembled not the man whom you profess to be, my husband might bid you pleasure yourself with your

dream in peace; but trust me, I know him well, I know what he will do; he will say to all that you are but a

mad impostor, and straightway all will echo him.' She bent upon Miles that same steady look once more, and

added: 'If you were Miles Hendon, and he knew it and all the region knew it consider what I am saying,

weigh it well you would stand in the same peril, your punishment would be no less sure; he would deny you

'Most truly I believe it,' said Miles, bitterly. 'The power that can command one lifelong friend to betray and

disown another, and be obeyed, may well look to be obeyed in quarters where bread and life are on the stake

A faint tinge appeared for a moment in the lady's cheek, and she dropped her eyes to the floor; but her voice

'I have warned you, I must still warn you, to go hence. This man will destroy you else. He is a tyrant who

knows no pity. I, who am his fettered slave, know this. Poor Miles, and Arthur, and my dear guardian, Sir

Richard, are free of him, and at rest better that you were with them than that you bide here in the clutches of

this miscreant. Your pretensions are a menace to his title and possessions; you have assaulted him in his own

house you are ruined if you stay. Go do not hesitate. If you lack money, take this purse, I beg of you, and

bribe the servants to let you pass. Oh, be warned, poor soul, and escape while you may.'

'Grant me one thing,' he said. 'Let your eyes rest upon mine, so that I may see if they be steady. There now

At that moment the officers burst into the room and a violent struggle began; but Hendon was soon

overpowered and dragged away. The king was taken also, and both were bound and led to prison.

THE cells were all crowded; so the two friends were chained in a large room where persons charged with

trifling offenses were commonly kept. They had company, for there were some twenty manacled or fettered

prisoners here, of both sexes and of varying ages an obscene and noisy gang. The king chafed bitterly over

the stupendous indignity thus put upon his royalty, but Hendon was moody and taciturn. He was pretty

thoroughly bewildered. He had come home, a jubilant prodigal, expecting to find everybody wild with joy

over his return; and instead had got the cold shoulder and a jail. The promise and the fulfilment differed so

widely, that the effect was stunning; he could not decide whether it was most tragic or most grotesque. He felt

much as a man might who had danced blithely out to enjoy a rainbow, and got struck by lightning.

But gradually his confused and tormenting thoughts settled down into some sort of order, and then his mind

centered itself upon Edith. He turned her conduct over, and examined it in all lights, but he could not make

anything satisfactory out of it. Did she know him? or didn't she know him? It was a perplexing puzzle, and

occupied him a long time; but he ended, finally, with the conviction that she did know him, and had

repudiated him for interested reasons. He wanted to load her name with curses now; but this name had so

long been sacred to him that he found he could not bring his tongue to profane it.

Wrapped in prison blankets of a soiled and tattered condition, Hendon and the king passed a troubled night.

For a bribe the jailer had furnished liquor to some of the prisoners; singing of ribald songs, fighting, shouting,

and carousing, was the natural consequence. At last, awhile after midnight, a man attacked a woman and

nearly killed her by beating her over the head with his manacles before the jailer could come to the rescue.

The jailer restored peace by giving the man a sound clubbing about the head and shoulders then the

carousing ceased; and after that, all had an opportunity to sleep who did not mind the annoyance of the

During the ensuing week, the days and nights were of a monotonous sameness, as to events; men whose faces

Hendon remembered more or less distinctly came, by day, to gaze at the 'impostor' and repudiate and insult

him; and by night the carousing and brawling went on, with symmetrical regularity. However, there was a

'The villain is in this room cast thy old eyes about and see if thou canst say which is he.'

Hendon glanced up, and experienced a pleasant sensation for the first time since he had been in the jail. He

said to himself, 'This is Blake Andrews, a servant all his life in my father's family a good honest soul, with a

right heart in his breast. That is, formerly. But none are true now; all are liars. This man will know me and

The old man gazed around the room, glanced at each face in turn, and finally said:

The old man approached, and looked Hendon over, long and earnestly, then shook his head and said:

'Right! Thy old eyes are sound yet. An I were Sir Hugh, I would take the shabby carle and'

The jailer finished by lifting himself atiptoe with an imaginary halter, at the same time making a gurgling

'Let him bless God an he fare no worse. An I had the handling o' the villain, he should roast, or I am no true

'Give him a piece of thy mind, old man they all do it. Thou'lt find it good diversion.'

Then he sauntered toward his anteroom and disappeared. The old man dropped upon his knees and

'God be thanked, thou'rt come again, my master! I believed thou wert dead these seven years, and lo, here

thou art alive! I knew thee the moment I saw thee; and main hard work it was to keep a stony countenance

and seem to see none here but tuppenny knaves and rubbish o' the streets. I am old and poor, Sir Miles; but

say the word and I will go forth and proclaim the truth though I be strangled for it.'

'No,' said Hendon, 'thou shalt not. It would ruin thee, and yet help but little in my cause. But I thank thee; for

The old servant became very valuable to Hendon and the king; for he dropped in several times a day to

'abuse' the former, and always smuggled in a few delicacies to help out the prison bill of fare; he also

furnished the current news. Hendon reserved the dainties for the king; without them his majesty might not

have survived, for he was not able to eat the coarse and wretched food provided by the jailer. Andrews was

obliged to confine himself to brief visits, in order to avoid suspicion; but he managed to impart a fair degree

of information each time information delivered in a low voice, for Hendon's benefit, and interlarded with

insulting epithets delivered in a louder voice, for the benefit of other hearers.

So, little by little, the story of the family came out. Arthur had been dead six years. This loss, with the

absence of news from Hendon, impaired his father's health; he believed he was going to die, and he wished to

see Hugh and Edith settled in life before he passed away; but Edith begged hard for delay, hoping for Miles's

return; then the letter came which brought the news of Miles's death; the shock prostrated Sir Richard; he

believed his end was very near, and he and Hugh insisted upon the marriage; Edith begged for and obtained a

month's respite; then another, and finally a third; the marriage then took place, by the deathbed of Sir

Richard. It had not proved a happy one. It was whispered about the country that shortly after the nuptials the

bride found among her husband's papers several rough and incomplete drafts of the fatal letter, and had

accused him of precipitating the marriage and Sir Richard's death, too by a wicked forgery. Tales of

cruelty to the Lady Edith and the servants were to be heard on all hands; and since the father's death Sir Hugh

had thrown off all soft disguises and become a pitiless master toward all who in any way depended upon him

There was a bit of Andrews's gossip which the king listened to with a lively interest:

'There is rumor that the king is mad. But in charity forbear to say I mentioned it, for 'tis death to speak of it,

'The king is not mad, good man and thou'lt find it to thy advantage to busy thyself with matters that nearer

'What doth the lad mean?' said Andrews, surprised at this brisk assault from such an unexpected quarter.

Hendon gave him a sign, and he did not pursue his question, but went on with his budget:

'The late king is to be buried at Windsor in a day or two the sixteenth of the month and the new king will

'Methinks they must needs find him first,' muttered his majesty; then added, confidently, 'but they will look to

But the old man got no further a warning sign from Hendon checked his remark. He resumed the thread of

'Sir Hugh goeth to the coronation and with grand hopes. He confidently looketh to come back a peer, for he

'What king, indeed! (Godamercy, what aileth the boy?) Sith we have but one, 'tis not difficult to answer

his most sacred majesty King Edward the Sixth whom God preserve! Yea, and a dear and gracious little

urchin is he, too; and whether he be mad or no and they say he mendeth daily his praises are on all men's

lips; and all bless him likewise, and offer prayers that he may be spared to reign long in England; for he

began humanely, with saving the old Duke of Norfolk's life, and now is he bent on destroying the cruelest of

This news struck his majesty dumb with amazement, and plunged him into so deep and dismal a reverie that

he heard no more of the old man's gossip. He wondered if the 'little urchin' was the beggarboy whom he left

dressed in his own garments in the palace. It did not seem possible that this could be, for surely his manners

and speech would betray him if he pretended to be the Prince of Wales then he would be driven out, and

search made for the true prince. Could it be that the court had set up some sprig of the nobility in his place?

No, for his uncle would not allow that he was allpowerful and could and would crush such a movement, of

course. The boy's musings profited him nothing; the more he tried to unriddle the mystery the more perplexed

he became, the more his head ached, and the worse he slept. His impatience to get to London grew hourly,

Hendon's arts all failed with the king he could not be comforted, but a couple of women who were chained

near him, succeeded better. Under their gentle ministrations he found peace and learned a degree of patience.

He was very grateful, and came to love them dearly and to delight in the sweet and soothing influence of their

presence. He asked them why they were in prison, and when they said they were Baptists, he smiled, and

'Is that a crime to be shut up for in a prison? Now I grieve, for I shall lose ye they will not keep ye long for

They did not answer; and something in their faces made him uneasy. He said, eagerly:

'You do not speak be good to me, and tell me there will be no other punishment? Prithee, tell me there is

'Will they scourge thee? No, no, they would not be so cruel! Say they would not. Come, they will not, will

The women betrayed confusion and distress, but there was no avoiding an answer, so one of them said, in a

'Oh, thou'lt break our hearts, thou gentle spirit! God will help us to bear our'

'It is a confession!' the king broke in. 'Then they will scourge thee, the stonyhearted wretches! But oh, thou

must not weep, I cannot bear it. Keep up thy courage I shall come to my own in time to save thee from this

'They are saved!' he said, joyfully; then added, despondently, 'but woe is me! for they were my comforters.'

Each of them had left a shred of ribbon pinned to his clothing, in token of remembrance. He said he would

keep these things always; and that soon he would seek out these dear good friends of his and take them under

Just then the jailer came in with some subordinates and commanded that the prisoners be conducted to the

jailyard. The king was overjoyed it would be a blessed thing to see the blue sky and breathe the fresh air

once more. He fretted and chafed at the slowness of the officers, but his turn came at last and he was released

The court, or quadrangle, was stonepaved, and open to the sky. The prisoners entered it through a massive

archway of masonry, and were placed in file, standing, with their backs against the wall. A rope was stretched

in front of them, and they were also guarded by their officers. It was a chill and lowering morning, and a light

snow which had fallen during the night whitened the great empty space and added to the general dismalness

of its aspect. Now and then a wintry wind shivered through the place and sent the snow eddying hither and

In the center of the court stood two women, chained to posts. A glance showed the king that these were his

good friends. He shuddered, and said to himself, 'Alack, they are not gone free, as I had thought. To think that

such as these should know the lash! in England! Ay, there's the shame of it not in Heathenesse, but

Christian England! They will be scourged; and I, whom they have comforted and kindly entreated, must look

on and see the great wrong done; it is strange, so strange! that I, the very source of power in this broad realm,

am helpless to protect them. But let these miscreants look well to themselves, for there is a day coming when

I will require of them a heavy reckoning for this work. For every blow they strike now they shall feel a

A great gate swung open and a crowd of citizens poured in. They flocked around the two women, and hid

them from the king's view. A clergyman entered and passed through the crowd, and he also was hidden. The

king now heard talking, back and forth, as if questions were being asked and answered, but he could not

make out what was said. Next there was a deal of bustle and preparation, and much passing and repassing of

officials through that part of the crowd that stood on the further side of the women; and while this proceeded

Now, by command, the masses parted and fell aside, and the king saw a spectacle that froze the marrow in his

bones. Fagots had been piled about the two women, and a kneeling man was lighting them!

The women bowed their heads, and covered their faces with their hands; the yellow flames began to climb

upward among the snapping and crackling fagots, and wreaths of blue smoke to stream away on the wind; the

clergyman lifted his hands and began a prayer just then two young girls came flying through the great gate,

uttering piercing screams, and threw themselves upon the women at the stake. Instantly they were torn away

by the officers, and one of them was kept in a tight grip, but the other broke loose, saying she would die with

her mother; and before she could be stopped she had flung her arms about her mother's neck again. She was

Two or three men held her, and the burning portion of her gown was snatched off and thrown flaming aside,

she struggling all the while to free herself, and saying she would be alone in the world now, and begging to

be allowed to die with her mother. Both the girls screamed continually, and fought for freedom; but suddenly

this tumult was drowned under a volley of heartpiercing shrieks of mortal agony. The king glanced from the

frantic girls to the stake, then turned away and leaned his ashen face against the wall, and looked no more. He

said, 'That which I have seen, in that one little moment, will never go out from my memory, but will abide

there; and I shall see it all the days, and dream of it all the nights, till I die. Would God I had been blind!'

Hendon was watching the king. He said to himself, with satisfaction, 'His disorder mendeth; he hath changed,

and groweth gentler. If he had followed his wont, he would have stormed at these varlets, and said he was

king, and commanded that the women be turned loose unscathed. Soon his delusion will pass away and be

That same day several prisoners were brought in to remain overnight, who were being conveyed, under

guard, to various places in the kingdom, to undergo punishment for crimes committed. The king conversed

with these he had made it a point, from the beginning, to instruct himself for the kingly office by

questioning prisoners whenever the opportunity offered and the tale of their woes wrung his heart. One of

them was a poor halfwitted woman who had stolen a yard or two of cloth from a weaver she was to be

hanged for it. Another was a man who had been accused of stealing a horse; he said the proof had failed, and

he had imagined that he was safe from the halter; but no he was hardly free before he was arraigned for

killing a deer in the king's park; this was proved against him, and now he was on his way to the gallows.

There was a tradesman's apprentice whose case particularly distressed the king; this youth said he found a

hawk one evening that had escaped from its owner, and he took it home with him, imagining himself entitled

The king was furious over these inhumanities, and wanted Hendon to break jail and fly with him to

Westminster, so that he could mount his throne and hold out his scepter in mercy over these unfortunate

people and save their lives. 'Poor child,' sighed Hendon, 'these woeful tales have brought his malady upon

him again alack, but for this evil hap, he would have been well in a little time.'

Among these prisoners was an old lawyer a man with a strong face and a dauntless mien, Three years past,

he had written a pamphlet against the Lord Chancellor, accusing him of injustice, and had been punished for

it by the loss of his ears in the pillory and degradation from the bar, and in addition had been fined L3,000

and sentenced to imprisonment for life. Lately he had repeated his offense; and in consequence was now

under sentence to lose what remained of his ears, pay a fine of L5,000, be branded on both cheeks, and

'These be honorable scars,' he said, and turned back his gray hair and showed the mutilated stubs of what had

'None believe in me neither wilt thou. But no matter within the compass of a month thou shalt be free; and

more, the laws that have dishonored thee, and shamed the English name, shall be swept from the

statutebooks. The world is made wrong, kings should go to school to their own laws at times, and so learn

MEANTIME Miles was growing sufficiently tired of confinment and inaction. But now his trial came on, to

his great gratification, and he thought he could welcome any sentence provided a further imprisonment

should not be a part of it. But he was mistaken about that. He was in a fine fury when he found himself

described as a 'sturdy vagabond' and sentenced to sit two hours in the pillory for bearing that character and

for assaulting the master of Hendon Hall. His pretensions as to brothership with his prosecutor, and rightful

heirship to the Hendon honors and estates, were left contemptuously unnoticed, as being not even worth

He raged and threatened on his way to punishment, but it did no good; he was snatched roughly along by the

The king could not pierce through the rabble that swarmed behind; so he was obliged to follow in the rear,

remote from his good friend and servant. The king had been nearly condemned to the stocks himself, for

being in such bad company, but had been let off with a lecture and a warning, in consideration of his youth.

When the crowd at last halted, he flitted feverishly from point to point around its outer rim, hunting a place to

get through; and at last, after a deal of difficulty and delay, succeeded. There sat his poor henchman in the

degrading stocks, the sport and butt of a dirty mob he, the body servant of the king of England! Edward had

heard the sentence pronounced, but he had not realized the half that it meant. His anger began to rise as the

sense of this new indignity which had been put upon him sank home; it jumped to summer heat the next

moment, when he saw an egg sail through the air and crush itself against Hendon's cheek, and heard the

crowd roar its enjoyment of the episode. He sprang across the open circle and confronted the officer in

'Oh, peace!' exclaimed Hendon, in a panic, 'thou'lt destroy thyself. Mind him not, officer, he is mad.'

'Give thyself no trouble as to the matter of minding him, good man, I have small mind to mind him; but as to

teaching him somewhat, to that I am well inclined.' He turned to a subordinate and said, 'Give the little fool a

'Half a dozen will better serve his turn,' suggested Sir Hugh, who had ridden up a moment before to take a

The king was seized. He did not even struggle, so paralyzed was he with the mere thought of the monstrous

outrage that was proposed to be inflicted upon his sacred person. History was already defiled with the record

of the scourging of an English king with whips it was an intolerable reflection that he must furnish a

duplicate of that shameful page. He was in the toils, there was no help for him; he must either take this

punishment or beg for its remission. Hard conditions; he would take the stripes a king might do that, but a

But meantime, Miles Hendon was resolving the difficulty. 'Let the child go,' said he; 'ye heartless dogs, do ye

'Marry, a good thought and thanks for it,' said Sir Hugh, his face lighting with a sardonic satisfaction. 'Let

the little beggar go, and give this fellow a dozen in his place an honest dozen, well laid on.' The king was in

the act of entering a fierce protest, but Sir Hugh silenced him with the potent remark, 'Yes, speak up, do, and

free thy mind only, mark ye, that for each word you utter he shall get six strokes the more.'

Hendon was removed from the stocks, and his back laid bare; and while the lash was applied the poor little

king turned away his face and allowed unroyal tears to channel his cheeks unchecked. 'Ah, brave good heart,'

he said to himself, 'this loyal deed shall never perish out of my memory. I will not forget it and neither shall

they!' he added, with passion. While he mused, his appreciation of Hendon's magnanimous conduct grew to

greater and still greater dimensions in his mind, and so also did his gratefulness for it. Presently he said to

himself, 'Who saves his prince from wounds and possible death and this he did for me performs high

service; but it is little it is nothing! oh, less than nothing! when 'tis weighed against the act of him who

Hendon made no outcry under the scourge, but bore the heavy blows with soldierly fortitude. This, together

with his redeeming the boy by taking his stripes for him, compelled the respect of even that forlorn and

degraded mob that was gathered there; and its gibes and hootings died away, and no sound remained but the

sound of the falling blows. The stillness that pervaded the place when Hendon found himself once more in

the stocks, was in strong contrast with the insulting clamour which had prevailed there so little a while

'Kings cannot ennoble thee, thou good, great soul, for One who is higher than kings hath done that for thee;

but a king can confirm thy nobility to men.' He picked up the scourge from the ground, touched Hendon's

bleeding shoulders lightly with it, and whispered, 'Edward of England dubs thee earl!'

Hendon was touched. The water welled to his eyes, yet at the same time the grisly humor of the situation and

circumstances so undermined his gravity that it was all he could do to keep some sign of his inward mirth

from showing outside. To be suddenly hoisted, naked and gory, from the common stocks to the Alpine

altitude and splendor of an earldom, seemed to him the last possibility in the line of the grotesque. He said to

himself, 'Now am I finely tinseled, indeed! The specterknight of the Kingdom of Dreams and Shadows is

become a specterearl! a dizzy flight for a callow wing! An this go on, I shall presently be hung like a very

Maypole with fantastic gauds and makebelieve honors. But I shall value them, all valueless as they are, for

the love that doth bestow them. Better these poor mock dignities of mine, that come unasked from a clean

hand and a right spirit, than real ones bought by servility from grudging and interested power.'

The dreaded Sir Hugh wheeled his horse about, and, as he spurred away, the living wall divided silently to let

him pass, and as silently closed together again. And so remained; nobody went so far as to venture a remark

in favor of the prisoner, or in compliment to him; but no matter, the absence of abuse was a sufficient homage

in itself. A late comer who was not posted as to the present circumstances, and who delivered a sneer at the

'impostor' and was in the act of following it with a dead cat, was promptly knocked down and kicked out,

WHEN Hendon's term of service in the stocks was finished, he was released and ordered to quit the region

and come back no more. His sword was restored to him, and also his mule and his donkey. He mounted and

rode off, followed by the king, the crowd opening with quiet respectfulness to let them pass, and then

Hendon was soon absorbed in thought. There were questions of high import to be answered. What should he

do? Whither should he go? Powerful help must be found somewhere, or he must relinquish his inheritance

and remain under the imputation of being an impostor besides. Where could he hope to find this powerful

help? Where, indeed! It was a knotty question. By and by a thought occurred to him which pointed to a

possibility the slenderest of slender possibilities, certainly, but still worth considering, for lack of any other

that promised anything at all. He remembered what old Andrews had said about the young king's goodness

and his generous championship of the wronged and unfortunate. Why not go and try to get speech of him and

beg for justice? Ah, yes, but could so fantastic a pauper get admission to the august presence of a monarch?

Never mind let that matter take care of itself; it was a bridge that would not need to be crossed till he should

come to it. He was an old campaigner, and used to inventing shifts and expedients; no doubt he would be able

to find a way. Yes, he would strike for the capital. Maybe his father's old friend, Sir Humphrey Marlow,

would help him 'good old Sir Humphrey, Head Lieutenant of the late king's kitchen, or stables, or

something' Miles could not remember just what or which. Now that he had something to turn his energies

to, a distinctly defined object to accomplish, the fog of humiliation and depression that had settled down upon

his spirits lifted and blew away, and he raised his head and looked about him. He was surprised to see how far

he had come; the village was away behind him. The king was jogging along in his wake, with his head

bowed; for he, too, was deep in plans and thinkings. A sorrowful misgiving clouded Hendon's newborn

cheerfulness; would the boy be willing to go again to a city where, during all his brief life, he had never

known anything but ill usage and pinching want? But the question must be asked; it could not be avoided; so

Hendon moved on again, mightily contented with the answer but astonished at it, too. The whole journey

was made without an adventure of importance. But it ended with one. About ten o'clock on the night of the

night of the 19th of February, they stepped upon London Bridge, in the midst of a writhing, struggling jam of

howling and hurrahing people, whose beerjolly faces stood out strongly in the glare from manifold torches

and at that instant the decaying head of some former duke or other grandee tumbled down between them,

striking Hendon on the elbow and then bounding off among the hurrying confusion of feet. So evanescent

and unstable are men's works in this world! the late good king is but three weeks dead and three days in his

grave, and already the adornments which he took such pains to select from prominent people for his noble

bridge are falling. A citizen stumbled over that head, and drove his own head into the back of somebody in

front of him, who turned and knocked down the first person that came handy, and was promptly laid out

himself by that person's friend. It was the right ripe time for a free fight, for the festivities of the morrow

Coronation Day were already beginning; everybody was full of strong drink and patriotism; within five

minutes the free fight was occupying a good deal of ground; within ten or twelve it covered an acre or so, and

was become a riot. By this time Hendon and the king were hopelessly separated from each other and lost in

WHILST the true king wandered about the land, poorly clad, poorly fed, cuffed and derided by tramps one

while, herding with thieves and murderers in a jail another, and called idiot and impostor by all impartially,

When we saw him last, royalty was just beginning to have a bright side for him. This bright side went on

brightening more and more every day; in a very little while it was become almost all sunshine and

delightfulness. He lost his fears; his misgivings faded out and died; his embarrassments departed, and gave

place to an easy and confident bearing. He worked the whippingboy mine to everincreasing profit.

He ordered my Lady Elizabeth and my Lady Jane Grey into his presence when he wanted to play or talk, and

dismissed them when he was done with them, with the air of one familiarly accustomed to such

performances. It no longer confused him to have these lofty personages kiss his hand at parting.

He came to enjoy being conducted to bed in state at night, and dressed with intricate and solemn ceremony in

the morning. It came to be a proud pleasure to march to dinner attended by a glittering procession of officers

of state and gentlemenatarms; insomuch, indeed, that he doubled his guard of gentlemenatarms, and

made them a hundred. He liked to hear the bugles sounding down the long corridors, and the distant voices

He even learned to enjoy sitting in throned state in council, and seeming to be something more than the Lord

Protector's mouthpiece. He liked to receive great ambassadors and their gorgeous trains, and listen to the

affectionate messages they brought from illustrious monarchs who called him 'brother.' Oh, happy Tom

He enjoyed his splendid clothes, and ordered more; he found his four hundred servants too few for his proper

grandeur, and trebled them. The adulation of salaaming courtiers came to be sweet music to his ears. He

remained kind and gentle, and a sturdy and determined champion of all that were oppressed, and he made

tireless war upon unjust laws; yet upon occasion, being offended, he could turn upon an earl, or even a duke,

and give him a look that would make him tremble. Once, when his royal 'sister,' the grimly holy Lady Mary,

set herself to reason with him against the wisdom of his course in pardoning so many people who would

otherwise be jailed, or hanged, or burned, and reminded him that their august late father's prisons had

sometimes contained as high as sixty thousand convicts at one time, and that during his admirable reign he

had delivered seventytwo thousand thieves and robbers over to death by the executioner,*(21) the boy was

filled with generous indignation, and commanded her to go to her closet, and beseech God to take away the

Did Tom Canty never feel troubled about the poor little rightful prince who had treated him so kindly, and

flown out with such hot zeal to avenge him upon the insolent sentinel at the palace gate? Yes; his first royal

days and nights were pretty well sprinkled with painful thoughts about the lost prince, and with sincere

longings for his return and happy restoration to his native rights and splendors. But as time wore on, and the

prince did not come, Tom's mind became more and more occupied with his new and enchanting experiences,

and by little and little the vanished monarch faded almost out of his thoughts; and finally, when he did intrude

upon them at intervals, he was become an unwelcome specter, for he made Tom feel guilty and ashamed.

Tom's poor mother and sisters traveled the same road out of his mind. At first he pined for them, sorrowed for

them, longed to see them; but later, the thought of their coming some day in their rags and dirt, and betraying

him with their kisses, and pulling him down from his lofty place and dragging him back to penury and

degradation and the slums, made him shudder. At last they ceased to trouble his thoughts almost wholly. And

he was content, even glad; for, whenever their mournful and accusing faces did rise before him now, they

At midnight of the 19th of February, Tom Canty was sinking to sleep in his rich bed in the palace, guarded by

his loyal vassals, and surrounded by the pomps of royalty, a happy boy; for tomorrow was the day appointed

for his solemn crowning as king of England. At that same hour, Edward, the true king, hungry and thirsty,

soiled and draggled, worn with travel, and clothed in rags and shreds his share of the results of the riot was

wedged in among a crowd of people who were watching with deep interest certain hurrying gangs of

workmen who streamed in and out of Westminster Abbey, busy as ants; they were making the last

WHEN Tom Canty awoke the next morning, the air was heavy with a thunderous murmur; all the distances

were charged with it. It was music to him; for it meant that the English world was out in its strength to give

Presently Tom found himself once more the chief figure in a wonderful floating pageant on the Thames; for

by ancient custom the 'recognition procession' through London must start from the Tower, and he was bound

When he arrived there, the sides of the venerable fortress seemed suddenly rent in a thousand places, and

from every rent leaped a red tongue of flame and a white gush of smoke; a deafening explosion followed,

which drowned the shoutings of the multitude, and made the ground tremble; the flamejets, the smoke, and

the explosions were repeated over and over again with marvelous celerity, so that in a few moments the old

Tower disappeared in the vast fog of its own smoke, all but the very top of the tall pile called the White

Tower; this, with its banners, stood out above the dense bank of vapor as a mountain peak projects above a

Tom Canty, splendidly arrayed, mounted a prancing warsteed, whose rich trappings almost reached to the

ground; his 'uncle,' the Lord Protector Somerset, similarly mounted, took place in his rear; the King's Guard

formed in single ranks on either side, clad in burnished armor; after the Protector followed a seemingly

interminable procession of resplendent nobles attended by their vassals; after these came the lord mayor and

the aldermanic body, in crimson velvet robes, and with their gold chains across their breasts; and after these

the officers and members of all the guilds of London, in rich raiment, and bearing the showy banners of the

several corporations. Also in the procession, as a special guard of honor through the city, was the Ancient and

Honorable Artillery Company an organization already three hundred years old at that time, and the only

military body in England possessing the privilege (which it still possesses in our day) of holding itself

independent of the commands of Parliament. It was a brilliant spectacle, and was hailed with acclamations all

along the line, as it took its stately way through the packed multitudes of citizens. The chronicler says, 'The

king, as he entered the city, was received by the people with prayers, welcomings, cries, and tender words,

and all signs which argue an earnest love of subjects toward their sovereign; and the king, by holding up his

glad countenance to such as stood afar off, and most tender language to those that stood nigh his Grace,

showed himself no less thankful to receive the people's good will than they to offer it. To all that wished him

well, he gave thanks. To such as bade "God save his Grace," he said in return, "God save you all!" and added

that "he thanked them with all his heart." Wonderfully transported were the people with the loving answers

In Fenchurch Street a 'fair child, in costly apparel,' stood on a stage to welcome his majesty to the city. The

The people burst forth in a glad shout, repeating with one voice what the child had said. Tom Canty gazed

abroad over the surging sea of eager faces, and his heart swelled with exultation; and he felt that the one thing

worth living for in this world was to be a king, and a nation's idol. Presently he caught sight, at a distance, of

a couple of his ragged Offal Court comrades one of them the lord high admiral in his late mimic court, the

other the first lord of the bedchamber in the same pretentious fiction; and his pride swelled higher than ever.

Oh, if they could only recognize him now! What unspeakable glory it would be, if they could recognize him,

and realize that the derided mock king of the slums and back alleys was become a real king, with illustrious

dukes and princes for his humble menials, and the English world at his feet! But he had to deny himself, and

choke down his desire, for such a recognition might cost more than it would come to; so he turned away his

head, and left the two soiled lads to go on with their shoutings and glad adulations, unsuspicious of whom it

Every now and then rose the cry, 'A largess! a largess!' and Tom responded by scattering a handful of bright

The chronicler says, 'At the upper end of Gracechurch Street, before the sign of the Eagle, the city had

erected a gorgeous arch, beneath which was a stage, which stretched from one side of the street to the other.

This was a historical pageant, representing the king's immediate progenitors. There sat Elizabeth of York in

the midst of an immense white rose, whose petals formed elaborate furbelows around her; by her side was

Henry VII, issuing out of a vast red rose, disposed in the same manner; the hands of the royal pair were

locked together, and the weddingring ostentatiously displayed. From the red and white roses proceeded a

stem, which reached up to a second stage, occupied by Henry VIII, issuing from a redandwhite rose, with

the effigy of the new king's mother, Jane Seymour, represented by his side. One branch sprang from this pair,

which mounted to a third stage, where sat the effigy of Edward VI himself, enthroned in royal majesty; and

This quaint and gaudy spectacle so wrought upon the rejoicing people, that their acclamations utterly

smothered the small voice of the child whose business it was to explain the thing in eulogistic rhymes. But

Tom Canty was not sorry; for this loyal uproar was sweeter music to him than any poetry, no matter what its

quality might be. Whithersoever Tom turned his happy young face, the people recognized the exactness of his

effigy's likeness to himself, the fleshandblood counterpart; and new whirlwinds of applause burst forth.

The great pageant moved on, and still on, under one triumphal arch after another, and past a bewildering

succession of spectacular and symbolical tableaux, each of which typified and exalted some virtue, or talent,

or merit, of the little king's. 'Throughout the whole of Cheapside, from every penthouse and window, hung

banners and streamers; and the richest carpets, stuffs, and clothofgold tapestried the streets specimens of

the great wealth of the stores within; and the splendor of this thoroughfare was equaled in the other streets,

'And all these wonders and these marvels are to welcome me me!' murmured Tom Canty.

The mock king's cheeks were flushed with excitement, his eyes were flashing, his senses swam in a delirium

of pleasure. At this point, just as he was raising his hand to fling another rich largess, he caught sight of a

pale, astounded face which was strained forward out of the second rank of the crowd, its intense eyes riveted

upon him, A sickening consternation struck through him; he recognized his mother! and up flew his hand,

palm outward, before his eyes that old involuntary gesture, born of a forgotten episode, and perpetuated by

habit. In an instant more she had torn her way out of the press, and past the guards, and was at his side. She

embraced his leg, she covered it with kisses, she cried, 'O, my child, my darling!' lifting toward him a face

that was transfigured with joy and love. The same instant an officer of the King's Guard snatched her away

with a curse, and sent her reeling back whence she came with a vigorous impulse from his strong arm. The

words 'I do not know you, woman!' were falling from Tom Canty's lips when this piteous thing occurred; but

it smote him to the heart to see her treated so; and as she turned for a last glimpse of him, whilst the crowd

was swallowing her from his sight, she seemed so wounded, so brokenhearted, that a shame fell upon him

which consumed his pride to ashes, and withered his stolen royalty. His grandeurs were stricken valueless;

The procession moved on, and still on, through everaugmenting splendors and everaugmenting tempests of

welcome; but to Tom Canty they were as if they had not been. He neither saw nor heard. Royalty had lost its

grace and sweetness; its pomps were become a reproach. Remorse was eating his heart out. He said, 'Would

He had unconsciously dropped back into the phraseology of the first days of his compulsory greatness.

The shining pageant still went winding like a radiant and interminable serpent down the crooked lanes of the

quaint old city, and through the huzzaing hosts; but still the king rode with bowed head and vacant eyes,

'Long live Edward of England!' It seemed as if the earth shook with the explosion; but there was no response

from the king. He heard it only as one hears the thunder of the surf when it is blown to the ear out of a great

distance, for it was smothered under another sound which was still nearer, in his own breast, in his accusing

conscience a voice which kept repeating those shameful words, 'I do not know you, woman!'

The words smote upon the king's soul as the strokes of a funeral bell smite upon the soul of a surviving friend

when they remind him of secret treacheries suffered at his hands by him that is gone.

New glories were unfolded at every turning; new wonders, new marvels, sprung into view; the pent clamors

of waiting batteries were released; new raptures poured from the throats of the waiting multitudes; but the

king gave no sign, and the accusing voice that went moaning through his comfortless breast was all the sound

By and by the gladness in the faces of the populace changed a little, and became touched with a something

like solicitude or anxiety; an abatement in the volume of applause was observable too. The Lord Protector

was quick to notice these things; he was as quick to detect the cause. He spurred to the king's side, bent low

'My liege, it is an ill time for dreaming. The people observe thy downcast head, thy clouded mien, and they

take it for an omen. Be advised; unveil the sun of royalty, and let it shine upon these boding vapors, and

So saying, the duke scattered a handful of coins to right and left, then retired to his place. The mock king did

mechanically as he had been bidden. His smile had no heart in it, but few eyes were near enough or sharp

enough to detect that. The noddings of his plumed head as he saluted his subjects were full of grace and

graciousness; the largess which he delivered from his hand was royally liberal; so the people's anxiety

vanished, and the acclamations burst forth again in as mighty a volume as before.

Still once more, a little before the progress was ended, the duke was obliged to ride forward, and make

'O dread sovereign! shake off these fatal humors; the eyes of the world are upon thee.' Then he added with

sharp annoyance, 'Perdition catch that crazy pauper! 'twas she that hath disturbed your Highness.'

The gorgeous figure turned a lusterless eye upon the duke, and said in a dead voice:

'My God!' groaned the Protector as he reined his horse backward to his post, 'the omen was pregnant with

LET us go backward a few hours, and place ourselves in Westminster Abbey, at four o'clock in the morning

of this memorable Coronation Day. We are not without company; for although it is still night, we find the

torchlighted galleries already filling up with people who are well content to sit still and wait seven or eight

hours till the time shall come for them to see what they may not hope to see twice in their lives the

coronation of a king. Yes, London and Westminster have been astir ever since the warning guns boomed at

three o'clock, and already crowds of untitled rich folk who have bought the privilege of trying to find

sittingroom in the galleries are flocking in at the entrances reserved for their sort.

The hours drag along, tediously enough. All stir has ceased for some time, for every gallery has long ago

been packed. We may sit now, and look and think at our leisure. We have glimpses here and there and

yonder, through the dim cathedral twilight, of portions of many galleries and balconies, wedged full with

people, the other portions of these galleries and balconies being cut off from sight by intervening pillars and

architectural projections. We have in view the whole of the great north transept empty, and waiting for

England's privileged ones. We see also the ample area or platform, carpeted with rich stuffs, whereon the

throne stands. The throne occupies the center of the platform, and is raised above it upon an elevation of four

steps. Within the seat of the throne is inclosed a rough flat rock the Stone of Scone which many

generations of Scottish kings sat on to be crowned, and so it in time became holy enough to answer a like

purpose for English monarchs. Both the throne and its footstool are covered with clothofgold.

Stillness reigns, the torches blink dully, the time drags heavily. But at last the lagging daylight asserts itself,

the torches are extinguished, and a mellow radiance suffuses the great spaces. All features of the noble

building are distinct now, but soft and dreamy, for the sun is lightly veiled with clouds.

At seven o'clock the first break in the drowsy monotony occurs; for on the stroke of this hour the first peeress

enters the transept, clothed like Solomon for splendor, and is conducted to her appointed place by an official

clad in satins and velvets, whilst a duplicate of him gathers up the lady's long train, follows after, and, when

the lady is seated, arranges the train across her lap for her. He then places her footstool according to her

desire, after which he puts her coronet where it will be convenient to her hand when the time for the

By this time the peeresses are flowing in in a glittering stream, and satinclad officials are flitting and

glinting everywhere, seating them and making them comfortable. The scene is animated enough now. There

is stir and life, and shifting color everywhere. After a time, quiet reigns again; for the peeresses are all come,

and are all in their places a solid acre, or such a matter, of human flowers, resplendent in variegated colors,

and frosted like a Milky Way with diamonds. There are all ages here: brown, wrinkled, whitehaired

dowagers who are able to go back, and still back, down the stream of time, and recall the crowning of

Richard III and the troublous days of that old forgotten age; and there are handsome middleaged dames; and

lovely and gracious young matrons; and gentle and beautiful young girls, with beaming eyes and fresh

complexions, who may possibly put on their jeweled coronets awkwardly when the great time comes; for the

matter will be new to them, and their excitement will be a sore hindrance. Still, this may not happen, for the

hair of all these ladies has been arranged with a special view to the swift and successful lodging of the crown

We have seen that this massed array of peeresses is sown thick with diamonds, and we also see that it is a

marvelous spectacle but now we are about to be astonished in earnest. About nine, the clouds suddenly

break away and a shaft of sunshine cleaves the mellow atmosphere, and drifts slowly along the ranks of

ladies; and every rank it touches flames into a dazzling splendor of manycolored fires, and we tingle to our

fingertips with the electric thrill that is shot through us by the surprise and the beauty of the spectacle!

Presently a special envoy from some distant corner of the Orient, marching with the general body of foreign

ambassadors, crosses this bar of sunshine, and we catch our breath, the glory that streams and flashes and

palpitates about him is so overpowering; for he is crusted from head to heels with gems, and his slightest

Let us change the tense for convenience. The time drifted along one hour two hours two hours and a half;

then the deep booming of artillery told that the king and his grand procession had arrived at last; so the

waiting multitude rejoiced. All knew that a further delay must follow, for the king must be prepared and

robed for the solemn ceremony; but this delay would be pleasantly occupied by the assembling of the peers of

the realm in their stately robes. These were conducted ceremoniously to their seats, and their coronets placed

conveniently at hand; and meanwhile the multitude in the galleries were alive with interest, for most of them

were beholding for the first time, dukes, earls, and barons, whose names had been historical for five hundred

years. When all were finally seated, the spectacle from the galleries and all coigns of vantage was complete; a

Now the robed and mitered great heads of the church, and their attendants, filed in upon the platform and

took their appointed places; these were followed by the Lord Protector and other great officials, and these

There was a waiting pause; then, at a signal, a triumphant peal of music burst forth, and Tom Canty, dothed

in a long robe of clothofgold, appeared at a door, and stepped upon the platform. The entire multitude rose,

Then a noble anthem swept the Abbey with its rich waves of sound; and thus heralded and welcomed, Tom

Canty was conducted to the throne. The ancient ceremonies went on with impressive solemnity, whilst the

audience gazed; and as they drew nearer and nearer to completion, Tom Canty grew pale, and still paler, and

a deep and steadily deepening woe and despondency settled down upon his spirits and upon his remorseful

At last the final act was at hand. The Archbishop of Canterbury lifted up the crown of England from its

cushion and held it out over the trembling mock king's head. In the same instant a rainbow radiance flashed

along the spacious transept; for with one impulse every individual in the great concourse of nobles lifted a

A deep hush pervaded the Abbey. At this impressive moment, a startling apparition intruded upon the scene

an apparition observed by none in the absorbed multitude, until it suddenly appeared, moving up the great

central aisle. It was a boy, bareheaded, ill shod, and clothed in coarse plebeian garments that were falling to

rags. He raised his hand with a solemnity which ill comported with his soiled and sorry aspect, and delivered

'I forbid you to set the crown of England upon that forfeited head. I am the king!'

In an instant several indignant hands were laid upon the boy; but in the same instant Tom Canty, in his regal

A sort of panic of astonishment swept the assemblage, and they partly rose in their places and stared in a

bewildered way at one another and at the chief figures in this scene, like persons who wondered whether they

were awake and in their senses, or asleep and dreaming. The Lord Protector was as amazed as the rest, but

The hands were withheld; a paralysis fell upon the house, no one moved, no one spoke; indeed, no one knew

how to act or what to say, in so strange and surprising an emergency. While all minds were struggling to right

themselves, the boy still moved steadily forward, with high port and confident mien; he had never halted

from the beginning; and while the tangled minds still floundered helplessly, he stepped upon the platform,

and the mock king ran with a glad face to meet him; and fell on his knees before him and said:

'Oh, my lord the king, let poor Tom Canty be first to swear fealty to thee, and say " Put on thy crown and

The Lord Protector's eye fell sternly upon the newcomer's face; but straightway the sternness vanished

away, and gave place to an expression of wondering surprise. This thing happened also to the other great

officers. They glanced at each other, and retreated a step by a common and unconscious impulse. The thought

The Lord Protector reflected a moment or two in perplexity, then he said, with grave respectfulness:

The duke asked him many questions about the court, the late king, the prince, the princesses. The boy

answered them correctly and without hesitating. He described the rooms of state in the palace, the late king's

It was strange; it was wonderful; yes, it was unaccountable so all said that heard it. The tide was beginning

to turn, and Tom Canty's hopes to run high, when the Lord Protector shook his head and said:

'It is true it is most wonderful but it is no more than our lord the king likewise can do.' This remark, and this

reference to himself, as still the king, saddened Tom Canty, and he felt his hopes crumbling from under him.

The tide was turning very fast now, very fast, indeed but in the wrong direction; it was leaving poor Tom

Canty stranded on the throne, and sweeping the other out to sea. The Lord Protector communed with

himself shook his head the thought forced itself upon him, 'It is perilous to the state and to us all, to

entertain so fateful a riddle as this; it could divide the nation and undermine the throne.' He turned and said,

'Sir Thomas, arrest this No, hold!' His face lighted, and he confronted the ragged candidate with this

'Where lieth the Great Seal? Answer me this truly, and the riddle is unriddled; for only he that was Prince of

It was a lucky thought, a happy thought. That it was so considered by the great officials was manifested by

the silent applause that shot from eye to eye around their circle in the form of bright approving glances. Yes,

none but the true prince could dissolve the stubborn mystery of the vanished Great Seal this forlorn little

impostor had been taught his lesson well, but here his teachings must fail, for his teacher himself could not

answer that question ah, very good, very good indeed; now we shall be rid of this troublesome and perilous

business in short order! And so they nodded invisibly and smiled inwardly with satisfaction, and looked to

see this foolish lad stricken with a palsy of guilty confusion. How surprised they were, then, to see nothing of

the sort happen how they marveled to hear him answer up promptly, in a confident and untroubled voice,

'There is naught in this riddle that is difficult.' Then, without so much as a byyourleave to anybody, he

turned and gave this command, with the easy manner of one accustomed to doing such things: 'My Lord St.

John, go you to my private cabinet in the palace for none knoweth the place better than you and, close

down to the floor, in the left corner remotest from the door that opens from the antechamber, you shall find in

the wall a brazen nailhead; press upon it and a little jewel closet will fly open which not even you do know

of no, nor any soul else in all the world but me and the trusty artisan that did contrive it for me. The first

All the company wondered at this speech, and wondered still more to see the little mendicant pick out this

peer without hesitancy or apparent fear of mistake, and call him by name with such a placidly convincing air

of having known him all his life. The peer was almost surprised into obeying. He even made a movement as

if to go, but quickly recovered his tranquil attitude and confessed his blunder with a blush. Tom Canty turned

The Lord St. John made a deep obeisance and it was observed that it was a significantly cautious and

noncommittal one, it not being delivered at either of the kings, but at the neutral ground about halfway

Now began a movement of the gorgeous particles of that official group which was slow, scarcely perceptible,

and yet steady and persistent a movement such as is observed in a kaleidoscope that is turned slowly,

whereby the components of one splendid cluster fall away and join themselves to another a movement

which, little by little, in the present case, dissolved the glittering crowd that stood about Tom Canty and

clustered it together again in the neighborhood of the newcomer. Tom Canty stood almost alone. Now

ensued a brief season of deep suspense and waiting during which even the few fainthearts still remaining

near Tom Canty gradually scraped together courage enough to glide, one by one, over to the majority. So at

last Tom Canty, in his royal robes and jewels, stood wholly alone and isolated from the world, a conspicuous

Now the Lord St. John was seen returning. As he advanced up the midaisle the interest was so intense that

the low murmur of conversation in the great assemblage died out and was succeeded by a profound hush, a

breathless stillness, through which his footfalls pulsed with a dull and distant sound. Every eye was fastened

upon him as he moved along. He reached the platform, paused a moment, then moved toward Tom Canty

A mob does not melt away from the presence of a plaguepatient with more haste than the band of pallid and

terrified courtiers melted away from the presence of the shabby little claimant of the Crown. In a moment he

stood all alone, without a friend or supporter, a target upon which was concentrated a bitter fire of scornful

'Cast the beggar into the street, and scourge him through the town the paltry knave is worth no more

Officers of the guard sprang forward to obey, but Tom Canty waved them off and said:

The Lord Protector was perplexed in the last degree. He said to the Lord St. John:

'Searched you well? but it boots not to ask that. It doth seem passing strange. Little things, trifles, slip out of

one's ken, and one does not think it matter for surprise; but how a so bulky thing as the Seal of England can

'Hold, that is enough! Was it round? and thick? and had it letters and devices graved upon it? Yes? Oh,

now I know what this Great Seal is that there's been such worry and pother about! An ye had described it to

me, ye could have had it three weeks ago. Right well I know where it lies; but it was not I that put it there

'He that stands there the rightful king of England. And he shall tell you himself where it lies then you will

believe he knew it of his own knowledge. Bethink thee, my king spur thy memory it was the last, the very

last thing thou didst that day before thou didst rush forth from the palace, clothed in my rags, to punish the

A silence ensued, undisturbed by a movement or a whisper, and all eyes were fixed upon the newcomer,

who stood, with bent head and corrugated brow, groping in his memory among a thronging multitude of

valueless recollections for one single little elusive fact, which found, would seat him upon a throne unfound,

would leave him as he was, for good and all a pauper and an outcast. Moment after moment passed the

moments built themselves into minutes still the boy struggled silently on, and gave no sign. But at last he

heaved a sigh, shook his head slowly, and said, with a trembling lip and in a despondent voice:

'I call the scene back all of it but the Seal hath no place in it.' He paused, then looked up, and said with

gentle dignity, 'My lords and gentlemen, if ye will rob your rightful sovereign of his own for lack of this

evidence which he is not able to furnish, I may not stay ye, being powerless. But'

'O folly, O madness, my king!' cried Tom Canty, in a panic, 'wait! think! Do not give up! the cause is not

lost! Nor shall be, neither! List to what I say follow every word I am going to bring that morning back

again, every hap just as it happened. We talked I told you of my sisters, Nan and Bet ah, yes, you

remember that; and about mine old grandam and the rough games of the lads of Offal Court yes, you

remember these things also; very well, follow me still, you shall recall everything. You gave me food and

drink, and did with princely courtesy send away the servants, so that my low breeding might not shame me

As Tom checked off his details, and the other boy nodded his head in recognition of them, the great audience

and the officials stared in puzzled wonderment; the tale sounded like true history, yet how could this

impossible conjunction between a prince and a beggar boy have come about? Never was a company of people

'For a jest, my prince, we did exchange garments. Then we stood before a mirror; and so alike were we that

both said it seemed as if there had been no change made yes, you remember that. Then you noticed that the

soldier had hurt my hand look! here it is, I cannot yet even write with it, the fingers are so stiff. At this your

Highness sprang up, vowing vengeance upon that soldier, and ran toward the door you passed a table that

thing you call the Seal lay on that table you snatched it up and looked eagerly about, as if for a place to hide

'There, 'tis sufficient! and the dear God be thanked!' exclaimed the ragged claimant, in a mighty excitement.

'Go, my good St. John in an armpiece of the Milanese armor that hangs on the wall, thou'lt find the Seal!'

'Right, my king! right!' cried Tom Canty; 'now the scepter of England is thine own; and it were better for him

that would dispute it that he had been born dumb! Go, my Lord St. John, give thy feet wings!'

The whole assemblage was on its feet now, and wellnigh out of its mind with uneasiness, apprehension, and

consuming excitement. On the floor and on the platform a deafening buzz of frantic conversation burst forth,

and for some time nobody knew anything or heard anything or was interested in anything but what his

neighbor was shouting into his ear, or he was shouting into his neighbor's ear. Time nobody knew how

much of it swept by unheeded and unnoted. At last a sudden hush fell upon the house, and in the same

moment St. John appeared upon the platform and held the Great Seal aloft in his hand. Then such a shout

For five minutes the air quaked with shouts and the crash of musical instruments, and was white with a storm

of waving handkerchiefs; and through it all a ragged lad, the most conspicuous figure in England, stood,

flushed and happy and proud, in the center of the spacious platform, with the great vassals of the kingdom

'Now, O my king, take these regal garments back, and give poor Tom, thy servant, his shreds and remnants

'I will not have it so. But for him I had not got my crown again none shall lay a hand upon him to harm him.

And as for thee, my good uncle, my Lord Protector, this conduct of thine is not grateful toward this poor lad,

for I hear he hath made thee a duke' the Protector blushed' yet he was not a king; wherefore, what is thy

fine title worth now? Tomorrow you shall sue to me, through him, for its confirmation, else no duke, but a

simple earl, shalt thou remain.' Under this rebuke, his grace the Duke of Somerset retired a little from the

'My poor boy, how was it that you could remember where I hid the Seal when I could not remember it

'I did not know it was that they wanted. They did not describe it, your majesty.'

The red blood began to steal up into Tom's cheeks, and he dropped his eyes and was silent.

'Speak up, good lad, and fear nothing,' said the king. 'How used you the Great Seal of England?'

Poor child, the avalanche of laughter that greeted this, nearly swept him off his feet. But if a doubt remained

in any mind that Tom Canty was not the king of England and familiar with the august appurtenances of

Meantime the sumptuous robe of state had been removed from Tom's shoulders to the king's, whose rags

were effectively hidden from sight under it. Then the coronation ceremonies were resumed; the true king was

anointed and the crown set upon his head, whilst cannon thundered the news to the city, and all London

MILES HENDON was picturesque enough before he got into the riot on London Bridge he was more so

when he got out of it. He had but little money when he got in, none at all when he got out. The pickpockets

But no matter, so he found his boy. Being a soldier, he did not go at his task in a random way, but set to

What would the boy naturally do? Where would he naturally go? Well argued Miles he would naturally go

to his former haunts, for that is the instinct of unsound minds, when homeless and forsaken, as well as of

sound ones. Whereabouts were his former haunts? His rags, taken together with the low villain who seemed

to know him and who even claimed to be his father, indicated that his home was in one or other of the poorest

and meanest districts of London. Would the search for him be difficult, or long? No, it was likely to be easy

and brief. He would not hunt for the boy, he would hunt for a crowd; in the center of a big crowd or a little

one, sooner or later he should find his poor little friend, sure; and the mangy mob would be entertaining itself

with pestering and aggravating the boy, who would be proclaiming himself king, as usual. Then Miles

Hendon would cripple some of those people, and carry off his little ward, and comfort and cheer him with

So Miles started on his quest. Hour after hour he tramped through back alleys and squalid streets, seeking

groups and crowds, and finding no end of them, but never any sign of the boy. This greatly surprised him, but

did not discourage him. To his notion, there was nothing the matter with his plan of campaign; the only

miscalculation about it was that the campaign was becoming a lengthy one, whereas he had expected it to be

When daylight arrived at last, he had made many a mile, and canvassed many a crowd, but the only result

was that he was tolerably tired, rather hungry, and very sleepy. He wanted some breakfast, but there was no

way to get it. To beg for it did not occur to him; as to pawning his sword, he would as soon have thought of

parting with his honor; he could spare some of his clothes yes, but one could as easily find a customer for a

At noon he was still tramping among the rabble which followed after the royal procession now; for he

argued that this regal display would attract his little lunatic powerfully. He followed the pageant through all

its devious windings about London, and all the way to Westminster and the Abbey. He drifted here and there

among the multitudes that were massed in the vicinity for a weary long time, baffled and perplexed, and

finally wandered off thinking, and trying to contrive some way to better his plan of campaign. By and by,

when he came to himself out of his musings, he discovered that the town was far behind him and that the day

was growing old. He was near the river, and in the country; it was a region of fine rural seats not the sort of

It was not at all cold; so he stretched himself on the ground in the lee of a hedge to rest and think. Drowsiness

presently began to settle upon his senses; the faint and faroff boom of cannon was wafted to his ear, and he

said to himself, 'The new king is crowned,' and straightway fell asleep. He had not slept or rested, before, for

more than thirty hours. He did not wake again until near the middle of the next morning.

He got up, lame, stiff, and half famished, washed himself in the river, stayed his stomach with a pint or two

of water, and trudged off toward Westminster grumbling at himself for having wasted so much time. Hunger

helped him to a new plan now; he would try to get speech with old Sir Humphrey Marlow and borrow a few

marks, and but that was enough of a plan for the present; it would be time enough to enlarge it when this

Toward eleven o'clock he approached the palace; and although a host of showy people were about him,

moving in the same direction, he was not inconspicuous his costume took care of that. He watched these

people's faces narrowly, hoping to find a charitable one whose possessor might be willing to carry his name

to the old lieutenant as to trying to get into the palace himself, that was simply out of the question.

Presently our whippingboy passed him, then wheeled about and scanned his figure well, saying to himself,

'An that is not the very vagabond his majesty is in such a worry about, then am I an ass though belike I was

that before. He answereth the description to a rag that God should make two such, would be to cheapen

miracles, by wasteful repetition. I would I could contrive an excuse to speak with him.'

Miles Hendon saved him the trouble; for he turned about, then, as a man generally will when somebody

mesmerizes him by gazing hard at him from behind; and observing a strong interest in the boy's eyes, he

The boy started, and said to himself, 'Lord! mine old departed father!' Then he answered, aloud, 'Right well,

Might I crave your favor to carry my name to him, and say I beg to say a word in his ear?'

'Then say Miles Hendon, son of Sir Richard, is here without I shall be greatly bounden to you, my good lad.'

The boy looked disappointed 'the king did not name him so,' he said to himself 'but it mattereth not, this is

his twin brother, and can give his majesty news of t'other SirOddsandEnds, I warrant.' So he said to

Hendon retired to the place indicated it was a recess sunk in the palace wall, with a stone bench in it a

shelter for sentinels in bad weather. He had hardly seated himself when some halberdiers, in charge of an

officer, passed by. The officer saw him, halted his men, and commanded Hendon to come forth. He obeyed,

and was promptly arrested as a suspicious character prowling within the precincts of the palace. Things began

to look ugly. Poor Miles was going to explain, but the officer roughly silenced him, and ordered his men to

'God of his mercy grant that they find somewhat,' said poor Miles; 'I have searched enow, and failed, yet is

Nothing was found but a document. The officer tore it open, and Hendon smiled when he recognized the

'pothooks' made by his lost little friend that black day at Hendon Hall. The officer's face grew dark as he

read the English paragraph, and Miles blenched to the opposite color as he listened.

'Another new claimant of the crown!' cried the officer. 'Verily they breed like rabbits today. Seize the rascal,

men, and see ye keep him fast while I convey this precious paper within and send it to the king.

'Now is my evil luck ended at last,' muttered Hendon, 'for I shall dangle at a rope's end for a certainty, by

reason of that bit of writing. And what will become of my poor lad! ah, only the good God knoweth.'

By and by he saw the officer coming again, in a great hurry; so he plucked his courage together, purposing to

meet his trouble as became a man. The officer ordered the men to loose the prisoner and return his sword to

Hendon followed, saying to himself, 'An I were not travelling to death and judgment, and so must needs

The two traversed a populous court, and arrived at the grand entrance of the palace, where the officer, with

another bow, delivered Hendon into the hands of a gorgeous official, who received him with profound respect

and led him forward through a great hall, lined on both sides with rows of splendid flunkies (who made

reverential obeisance as the two passed along, but fell into deaththroes of silent laughter at our stately

scarecrow the moment his back was turned), and up a broad staircase, among flocks of fine folk, and finally

conducted him to a vast room, clove a passage for him through the assembled nobility of England, then made

a bow, reminded him to take his hat off, and left him standing in the middle of the room, a mark for all eyes,

for plenty of indignant frowns, and for a sufficiency of amused and derisive smiles.

Miles Hendon was entirely bewildered. There sat the young king, under a canopy of state, five steps away,

with his head bent down and aside, speaking with a sort of human bird of paradise a duke, maybe; Hendon

observed to himself that it was hard enough to be sentenced to death in the full vigor of life, without having

this peculiarly public humiliation added. He wished the king would hurry about it some of the gaudy people

near by were becoming pretty offensive. At this moment the king raised his head slightly and Hendon caught

a good view of his face. The sight nearly took his breath away! He stood gazing at the fair young face like

He muttered some broken sentences, still gazing and marveling; then turned his eyes around and about,

scanning the gorgeous throng and the splendid saloon, murmuring, 'But these are real verily these are real

He stared at the king again and thought, 'Is it a dream?... or is he the veritable sovereign of England, and not

the friendless poor Tom o' Bedlam I took him for who shall solve me this riddle?'

A sudden idea flashed in his eye, and he strode to the wall, gathered up a chair, brought it back, planted it on

A buzz of indignation broke out, a rough hand was laid upon him, and a voice exclaimed:

The disturbance attracted his majesty's attention, who stretched forth his hand and cried out:

'Learn ye all, ladies, lords and gentlemen, that this is my trusty and wellbeloved servant, Miles Hendon, who

interposed his good sword and saved his prince from bodily harm and possible death and for this he is a

knight, by the king's voice. Also learn, that for a higher service, in that he saved his sovereign stripes and

shame, taking these upon himself, he is a peer of England, Earl of Kent, and shall have gold and lands meet

for the dignity. More the privilege which he hath just exercised is his by royal grant; for we have ordained

that the chiefs of his line shall have and hold the right to sit in the presence of the majesty of England

Two persons, who, through delay, had only arrived from the country during this morning, and had now been

in this room only five minutes, stood listening to these words and looking at the king, then at the scarecrow,

then at the king again, in a sort of torpid bewilderment. These were Sir Hugh and the Lady Edith. But the new

earl did not see them. He was still staring at the monarch, in a dazed way, and muttering:

'Oh, body o' me! This my pauper! This my lunatic! This is he whom I would show what grandeur was, in my

house of seventy rooms and seven and twenty servants! This is he who had never known aught but rags for

raiment, kicks for comfort, and offal for diet! This is he whom I adopted and would make respectable! Would

Then his manners suddenly came back to him, and he dropped upon his knees, with his hands between the

king's, and swore allegiance and did homage for his lands and titles. Then he rose and stood respectfully

Now the king discovered Sir Hugh, and spoke out, with wrathful voice and kindling eye:

'Strip this robber of his false show and stolen estates, and put him under lock and key till I have need of him.'

There was a stir at the other end of the room now; the assemblage fell apart, and Tom Canty, quaintly but

richly clothed, marched down, between these living walls, preceded by an usher. He knelt before the king,

'I have learned the story of these past few weeks, and am well pleased with thee. Thou hast governed the

realm with right royal gentleness and mercy. Thou hast found thy mother and thy sisters again? Good; they

shall be cared for and thy father shall hang, if thou desire it and the law consent. Know, all ye that hear my

voice, that from this day, they that abide in the shelter of Christ's Hospital and share the king's bounty, shall

have their minds and hearts fed, as well as their baser parts; and this boy shall dwell there, and hold the chief

place in its honorable body of governors, during life. And for that he hath been a king, it is meet that other

than common observance shall be his due; wherefore, note this his dress of state, for by it he shall be known,

and none shall copy it; and wheresoever he shall come, it shall remind the people that he hath been royal, in

his time, and none shall deny him his due of reverence or fail to give him salutation. He hath the throne's

protection, he hath the crown's support, he shall be known and called by the honorable title of the King's

The proud and happy Tom Canty rose and kissed the king's hand, and was conducted from the presence. He

did not waste any time, but flew to his mother, to tell her and Nan and Bet all about it and get them to help

WHEN the mysteries were all cleared up, it came out, by confession of Hugh Hendon, that his wife had

repudiated Miles by his command that day at Hendon Hall a command assisted and supported by the

perfectly trustworthy promise that if she did not deny that he was Miles Hendon, and stand firmly to it, he

would have her life; whereupon she said take it, she did not value it and she would not repudiate Miles; then

her husband said he would spare her life, but have Miles assassinated! This was a different matter; so she

Hugh was not prosecuted for his threats or for stealing his brother's estates and title, because the wife and

brother would not testify against him and the former would not have been allowed to do it, even if she had

wanted to. Hugh deserted his wife and went over to the continent, where he presently died; and by and by the

Earl of Kent married his relict. There were grand times and rejoicings at Hendon village when the couple paid

The king sought out the farmer who had been branded and sold as a slave, and reclaimed him from his evil

life with the Ruffler's gang, and put him in the way of a comfortable livelihood.

He also took that old lawyer out of prison and remitted his fine. He provided good homes for the daughters of

the two Baptist women whom he saw burned at the stake, and roundly punished the official who laid the

He saved from the gallows the boy who had captured the stray falcon, and also the woman who had stolen the

remnant of cloth from a weaver; but he was too late to save the man who had been convicted of killing a deer

He showed favor to the justice who had pitied him when he was supposed to have stolen a pig, and he had the

gratification of seeing him grow in the public esteem and become a great and honored man.

As long as the king lived he was fond of telling the story of his adventures, all through, from the hour that the

sentinel cuffed him away from the palace gate till the final midnight when he deftly mixed himself into a

gang of hurrying workmen and so slipped into the Abbey and climbed up and hid himself in the Confessor's

tomb, and then slept so long, next day, that he came within one of missing the Coronation altogether. He said

that the frequent rehearsing of the precious lesson kept him strong in his purpose to make its teachings yield

benefits to his people; and so, while his life was spared he should continue to tell the story, and thus keep its

sorrowful spectacles fresh in his memory and the springs of pity replenished in his heart.

Miles Hendon and Tom Canty were favorites of the king, all through his brief reign, and his sincere mourners

when he died. The good Earl of Kent had too much good sense to abuse his peculiar privilege; but he

exercised it twice after the instance we have seen of it before he was called from the world; once at the

accession of Queen Mary, and once at the accession of Queen Elizabeth. A descendant of his exercised it at

the accession of James I. Before this one's son chose to use the privilege, near a quarter of a century had

elapsed, and the 'privilege of the Kents' had faded out of most people's memories; so, when the Kent of that

day appeared before Charles I and his court and sat down in the sovereign's presence to assert and perpetuate

the right of his house, there was a fine stir, indeed! But the matter was soon explained and the right

confirmed. The last earl of the line fell in the wars of the Commonwealth fighting for the king, and the odd

Tom Canty lived to be a very old man, a handsome, whitehaired old fellow, of grave and benignant aspect.

As long as he lasted he was honored; and he was also reverenced, for his striking and peculiar costume kept

the people reminded that 'in his time he had been royal'; so, wherever he appeared the crowd fell apart,

making way for him, and whispering, one to another, 'Doff thy hat, it is the King's Ward!' and so they

saluted, and got his kindly smile in return and they valued it, too, for his was an honorable history.

Yes, King Edward VI lived only a few years, poor boy, but he lived them worthily. More than once, when

some great dignitary, some gilded vassal of the crown, made argument against his leniency, and urged that

some law which he was bent upon amending was gentle enough for its purpose, and wrought no suffering or

oppression which any one need mightily mind, the young king turned the mournful eloquence of his great

'What dost thou know of suffering and oppression! I and my people know, but not thou.'

The reign of Edward VI was a singularly merciful one for those harsh times. Now that we are taking leave of

* Christ's Hospital Costume. It is most reasonable to regard the dress as copied from the costume of the

citizens of London of that period, when long blue coats were the common habit of apprentices and

servingmen, and yellow stockings were generally worn; the coat fits closely to the body, but has loose

sleeves, and beneath is worn a sleeveless yellow undercoat; around the waist is a red leathern girdle; a clerical

band around the neck, and a small flat black cap, about the size of a saucer, completes the costume. Timbs's

*(2) It appears that Christ's Hospital was not originally founded as a school; its object was to rescue children

from the streets, to shelter, feed, clothe them, etc. Timb's 'Curiosities of London.'

*(3) The Duke of Norfolk's Condemnation Commanded. The King was now approaching fast toward his end;

and fearing lest Norfolk should escape him, he sent a message to the Commons, by which he desired them to

hasten the bill, on pretense that Norfolk enjoyed the dignity of earl marshal, and it was necessary to appoint

another, who might officiate at the ensuing ceremony of installing his son Prince of Wales. Hume, vol. iii, p.

*(4) It was not till the end of this reign (Henry VIII) that any salads, carrots, turnips, or other edible roots

were produced in England. The little of these vegetables that was used was formerly imported from Holland

and Flanders. Queen Catherine, when she wanted a salad, was obliged to despatch a messenger thither on

*(5) Attainder of Norfolk. The house of peers, without examining the prisoner, without trial or evidence,

passed a bill of attainder against him and sent it down to the commons.... The obsequious commons obeyed

his (the King's) directions; and the King, having affixed the royal assent to the bill by commissioners, issued

orders for the execution of Norfolk on the morning of the twentyninth of January (the next day). Hume's

*(6) The LovingCup. The lovingcup, and the peculiar ceremonies observed in drinking from it, are older

than English history. It is thought that both are Danish importations. As far back as knowledge goes, the

lovingcup has always been drunk at English banquets. Tradition explains the ceremonies in this way: in the

rude ancient times it was deemed a wise precaution to have both hands of both drinkers employed, lest while

the pledger pledged his love and fidelity to the pledgee the pledgee take that opportunity to slip a dirk into

*(7) The Duke of Norfolks Narrow Escape. Had Henry VIII survived a few hours longer, his order for the

duke's execution would have been carried into effect. 'But news being carried to the Tower that the King

himself had expired that night, the lieutenant deferred obeying the warrant; and it was not thought advisable

by the council to begin a new reign by the death of the greatest nobleman in the Kingdom, who had been

condemned by a sentence so unjust and tyrannical.' Hume's England, vol. iii, p 307.

*(8) He refers to the order of baronets, or baronettes the barones minor, as distinct from the parliamentary

*(9) The lords of Kingsale, descendants of De Courcy, still enjoy this curious privilege.

*(12) The WhippingBoy. James I and Charles II had whippingboys when they were little fellows, to take

their punishment for them when they fell short in their lessons; so I have ventured to furnish my small prince

*(13) Character of Hertford. The young king discovered an extreme attachment to his uncle, who was, in the

But if he (the Protector) gave offense by assuming too much state, he deserves great praise on account of the

laws passed this session, by which the rigor of former statutes was much mitigated, and some security given

to the freedom of the constitution. All laws were repealed which extended the crime of treason beyond the

statute of the twentyfifth of Edward III; all laws enacted during the late reign extending the crime of felony;

all the former laws against Lollardy or heresy, together with the statute of the Six Articles. None were to be

accused for words, but within a month after they were spoken. By these repeals several of the most rigorous

laws that ever had passed in England were annulled; and some dawn, both of civil and religious liberty, began

to appear to the people. A repeal also passed of that law, the destruction of all laws, by which the king's

Boiling to Death. In the reign of Henry VIII, poisoners were, by act of parliament condemned to be boiled to

In Germany, even in the 17th century, this horrible punishment was inflicted on coiners and counterfeiters.

Taylor, the Water Poet, describes an execution he witnessed in Hamburg, in 1616. The judgement

pronounced against a coiner of false money was that he should 'be boiled to death in oil: not thrown into the

vessel at once, but with a pulley or rope to be hanged under the armpits, and then let down into the oil by

degrees; first the feet, and next the legs, and so to boil his flesh from his bones alive.' Dr. J. Hammond

The Famous Stocking Case. A woman and her daughter, nine years old, were hanged in Huntingdon for

selling their souls to the devil, and raising a storm by pulling off their stockings! Ibid., p. 20.

*(16) Canting terms for various kinds of thieves, beggars and vagabonds, and their female companions.

*(17) Enslaving. So young a king, and so ignorant a peasant were likely to make mistakes and this is an

instance in point. This peasant was suffering from this law by anticipation; the king was venting his

indignation against a law which was not yet in existence: for this hideous statute was to have birth in this

little king's own reign. However, we know, from the humanity of his character, that it could never have been

*(19) Death for Trifling Larcenies. When Connecticut and New Haven were framing their first codes, larceny

above the value of twelve pence was a capital crime in England, as it had been since the time of Henry I. Dr.

The curious old book called The English Rogue makes the limit thirteen pence ha'penny; death being the

*(20) From many descriptions of larceny, the law expressly took away the benefit of clergy; to steal a horse,

or a hawk, or woolen cloth from the weaver, was a hanging matter. So it was to kill a deer from the king's

forest, or to export sheep from the Kingdom. Dr. J. Hammond Trumbull's 'Blue Laws, True and False,' p.

William Prynne, a learned barrister, was sentenced (long after Edward the Sixth's time) to lose both his

ears in the pillory; to degradation from the bar; a fine of L3,000, and imprisonment for life. Three years

afterward, he gave new offense to Laud, by publishing a pamphlet against the hierarchy. He was again

prosecuted, and was sentenced to lose what remained of his ears; to pay a fine of L5,000; to be branded on

both his cheeks with the letters S. L. (for Seditious Libeler), and to remain in prison for life. The severity of

*(22) Christ's Hospital or Blue Coat Scbool, 'the Noblest Institution in the World.'

The ground on which the Priory of the Grey Friars stood was conferred by Henry the Eighth on the

Corporation of London (who caused the institution there of a home for poor boys and girls). Subsequently,

Edward the Sixth caused the old Priory to be properly repaired, and founded within it that noble

establishment called the Blue Coat School, or Christ's Hospital, for the education and maintenance of orphans

and the children of indigent persons.... Edward would not let him (Bishop Ridley) depart till the letter was

written (to the Lord Mayor), and then charged him to deliver it himself, and signify his special request and

commandment that no time might be lost in proposing what was convenient, and apprising him of the

proceedings. The work was zealously undertaken, Ridley himself engaging in it; and the result was, the

founding of Christ's Hospital for the Education of Poor Children. (The king endowed several other charities

at the same time.) 'Lord God,' said he, 'I yield thee most hearty thanks that thou hast given me life thus long,

to finish this work to the glory of thy name!' That innocent and most exemplary life was drawing rapidly to

its close, and in a few days he rendered up his spirit to his Creator, praying God to defend the realm from

In the Great Hall hangs a large picture of King Edward VI seated on his throne, in a scarlet and ermined robe,

holding the scepter in his left hand, presenting with the other the Charter to the kneeling Lord Mayor. By his

side stands the Chancellor, holding the seals, and next to him are other officers of state. Bishop Ridley kneels

before him with uplifted hands, as if supplicating a blessing on the event; while the Aldermen, etc, with the

Lord Mayor, kneel on both sides, occupying the middle ground of the picture; and lastly, in front, are a

double row of boys on one side, and girls on the other, from the master and matron down to the boy and girl

who have stepped forward from their respective rows, and kneel with raised hands before the king. Timbs's

Christ's Hospital, by ancient custom, possesses the privilege of addressing the Sovereign on the occasion of

his or her coming into the City to partake of the hospitality of the Corporation of London. Ibid.

The DiningHall, with its lobby and organgallery, occupies the entire story, which is 187 feet long, 51 feet

wide, and 47 feet high; it is lit by nine large windows, filled with stained glass on the south side; that is, next

to Westminster Hall, the noblest room in the metropolis. Here the boys, now about 800 in number, dine; and

here are held the 'Suppings in Public,' to which visitors are admitted by tickets, issued by the Treasurer and

by the Governors of Christ's Hospital. The tables are laid with cheese in wooden bowls; beer in wooden

piggins, poured from leathern jacks; and bread brought in large baskets. The official company enter; the Lord

Mayor, or President, takes his seat in a state chair, made of oak from St. Catherine's Church by the Tower; a

hymn is sung, accompanied by the organ; a 'Grecian,' or head boy, reads the prayers from the pulpit, silence

being enforced by three drops of a wooden hammer. After prayer the supper commences, and the visitors

walk between the tables. At its close, the 'tradeboys' take up the baskets, bowls, jacks, piggins, and

candlesticks, and pass in procession, the bowing to the Governors being curiously formal. This spectacle was

Among the more eminent Blue Coat Boys are Joshua Bames, editor of Anacreon and Euripides; Jeremiah

Markland, the eminent critic, particularly in Greek literature; Camden, the antiquary; Bishop Stillingfleet;

Samuel Richardson, the novelist; Thomas Mitchell, the translator of Aristophanes; Thomas Barnes, many

No boy is admitted before he is seven years old, or after he is nine; and no boy can remain in the school after

he is fifteen, King's boys and 'Grecians' alone excepted. There are about 500 Governors, at the head of whom

are the Sovereign and the Prince of Wales. The qualification for a Governor is payment of L500. Ibid.

One hears much about the 'hideous BlueLaws of Connecticut,' and is accustomed to shudder piously when

they are mentioned. There are people in America and even in England! who imagine that they were a very

monument of malignity, pitilessness, and inhumanity; whereas, in reality they were about the first sweeping

departure from judicial atrocity which the 'civilized' world had seen. This humane and kindly BlueLaw

code, of two hundred and forty years ago, stands all by itself, with ages of bloody law on the further side of it,

There has never been a time under the BlueLaws or any other when above fourteen crimes were

punishable by death in Connecticut. But in England, within the memory of men who are still hale in body and

mind, two hundred and twentythree crimes were punishable by death!* These facts are worth knowing and