[begin page 67]
After hours of persistent pursuit and
persecution,Ⓐalteration in the MS the little prince was at last deserted by the
rabble and left to himself. As longⒶalteration in the MS 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Ⓐalteration in the MS 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
passers-by 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Ⓐalteration in the MS
scattered houses in it, and a prodigiousⒶalteration in the MS church. He recognized this
church. Scaffoldings were about,Ⓐalteration in the MS everywhere, and swarms of workmen;Ⓐalteration in the MS for it was undergoing elaborate repairs. The prince took heart
at once—he felt that his troubles were at an end, nowⒶalteration in the MS. He said
to himself, “It isⒶalteration in the MS the ancient Grey Friars’ church, which the
king my father hath taken from the monks and given for a home
for-
[begin page 68]
ever
for poor
and forsaken children, and new-named 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Ⓐalteration in the MS 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 leap-frog, and otherwise disporting themselves, and right noisily, too. They were all dressed alike, and in the fashion which in that day prevailed among serving-menⒶemendation and ’prentices*Ⓐalteration in the MS—that is to say, each had onⒶalteration in the MS the crown of his head a flat black cap about the size of a saucer, which was not useful as a covering, it beingⒶalteration in the MS of such scanty dimensions, neither was it ornamental; from
*See NoteⒶhistorical collation Ⓐemendation 1, at end of the volume.Ⓐalteration in the MS [begin page 69]
The boysⒶalteration in the MS 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Ⓐalteration in the MS speech with him.”
A great shout went up, at this, and one rude fellow said—
“Marry, art thou his grace’s messenger, beggar?”
The Prince’s faceⒶalteration in the MS flushed with anger, and his ready hand flew to his hip, but there was nothing there. There was a storm of laughter, and one boy said—
“Didst mark that? He fancied he had a sword—belike he is the prince himself.”
This sally brought more laughter. Poor Edward drew himself up proudly and said—
“I amⒶemendation 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 bones, all of ye, and do reverence to his kingly port and royal rags!”
With boisterous mirth they dropped upon their knees in a body and did mock homage to their prey. The prince spurned the nearest boy with his foot, and said fiercely—
“Take thou that, till the morrow come and I build thee a gibbetⒶalteration in the MS!”
Ah, but this was not a joke—this was going beyond fun. The laughter ceased on the instant, and fury took its place. A dozen shouted—
“Hale him forth! To the horse-pond, to the horse-pond! 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 rudely buffeted by plebeian hands, and set upon and torn by dogs.
As night drew to a close that day, the prince found himself far down in the close-built portion of the city. His body was bruised, his hands were bleedingⒶalteration in the MS, 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 [begin page 70] instead of information. He kept muttering to himself, “Offal CourtⒶemendation— that is the name; if I can but find it, beforeⒶalteration in the MS 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,Ⓐalteration in the MS 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 learning softeneth the heart and breedeth gentleness and charity.”*Ⓐemendation Ⓐalteration in the MS
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 alleys where the swarming hives of poverty and misery were massed together.
Suddenly a great drunken ruffian collared him and said—
“Out to this time of night again, and hast not brought a farthing home, I warrant me! If it be so, an’Ⓐalteration in the MS I do not break all the bones in thy lean body, then am IⒶalteration in the MS not JohnⒶalteration in the MS Canty, but some other.”
The prince twisted himself loose, unconsciously brushed his profaned shoulder,Ⓐalteration in the MS and eagerly said—
“O, 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—”
“O, 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Ⓐemendation of Wales!”
The man stared down, stupefied, upon the lad, then shook his head and muttered—
“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
*See Note 2, at end of the volume.Ⓐalteration in the MS [begin page 71] mad, I and thy Gammer Canty will soon find where the soft places in thy bones lie, or I’m no true man!”
With this he dragged the frantic and struggling prince away, and disappeared up a foulⒶhistorical collation Ⓐtextual note court followed by a delighted and noisy swarmⒶalteration in the MS of human verminⒶalteration in the MS.
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