The Prince and the Pauper by Mark Twain (best new books to read TXT) 📕

NOTE 6, Chapter X. The Loving-cup.

The loving-cup, 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 loving-cup 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 him!

NOTE 7, Chapter XI. The Duke of Norfolk’s 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 History of England, vol. iii, p. 307.

NOTE 8, Chapter XIV. The Whipping-boy.

James I. and Charles II. had whipping-boys, 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 with one, for my own purposes.

NOTES to Chapter XV.

Character of Hertford.

The young King discovered an extreme attachment to his uncle, who was, in the main, a man of moderation and probity.—Hume’s History of England, vol. iii, p324.

But if he (the Protector) gave offence by assuming too much state, he deserves great praise on account of the laws passed this session, by which the rigour 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  All laws were repealed which extended the crime of treason beyond the statute of the twenty-fifth of Edward III.; all laws enacted during the late reign extending the crime of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 proclamation was made of equal force with a statute.—Ibid. vol. iii. p. 339.

Boiling to Death.

In the reign of Henry VIII. poisoners were, by Act of Parliament, condemned to be boiled to death.  This Act was repealed in the following reign.

In Germany, even in the seventeenth century, this horrible punishment was inflicted on coiners and counterfeiters.  Taylor, the Water Poet, describes an execution he witnessed in Hamburg in 1616.  The judgment 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 Trumbull’s Blue Laws, True and False, p. 13.

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!—Dr. J. Hammond Trumbull’s Blue Laws, True and False, p. 20.

NOTE 10, Chapter XVII. 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 suggested by him.

NOTES to Chapter XXIII. 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. J. Hammond Trumbull’s Blue Laws, True and False, p. 17.

The curious old book called The English Rogue makes the limit thirteen pence ha’penny:  death being the portion of any who steal a thing ‘above the value of thirteen pence ha’penny.’

NOTES to Chapter XXVII.

From many descriptions of larceny the law expressly took away the benefit of clergy:  to steal a horse, or a hawk, or woollen 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.13.

William Prynne, a learned barrister, was sentenced (long after Edward VI.’s time) to lose both his ears in the pillory, to degradation from the bar, a fine of 3,000 pounds, and imprisonment for life.  Three years afterwards he gave new offence 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 5,000 pounds, to be branded on both his cheeks with the letters S. L. (for Seditious Libeller), and to remain in prison for life.  The severity of this sentence was equalled by the savage rigour of its execution.—Ibid. p. 12.

NOTES to Chapter XXXIII.

Christ’s Hospital, or Bluecoat School, ’the noblest institution in the world.’

The ground on which the Priory of the Grey Friars stood was conferred by Henry VIII. on the Corporation of London (who caused the institution there of a home for poor boys and girls). Subsequently, Edward VI. caused the old Priory to be properly repaired, and founded within it that noble establishment called the Bluecoat 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 Papistry.—J. Heneage Jesse’s London:  its Celebrated Characters and Places.