And in one, to which we shall come presently, the prince alludes to the same popular story :—

"What! rate, rebuke, and roughly send to prison, The immediate heir of England! Was this easy? May this be wash'd in Lethe and forgotten?" The chief justice, in his answer, says to the prince, "You struck me in my very seat of judgment."

And young Henry then repeats the speech of Henry the Fourth when informed of the occur

rence

'Happy am I that have a man so bold,

That dares do justice on my proper son;
And no less happy having such a son,
That would deliver up his greatness so
Into the hands of justice."

Shakspeare's authorities were Stow, Holinshed, and probably the old play.

"It happened," we are told by Stow, that one of his servants, whom he favoured, was for felony by him committed, arraigned at the King's Bench, whereof the prince being advertised, and incensed by light persons about him, in furious rage came hastily to the bar where his servant stood as prisoner, and commanded him to be ungived and set at liberty; whereat all men were abashed, reserved* the chief justice,† who humbly exhorted the prince to be ordered according to the ancient

A remarkable instance of the use of the participle as an adverb.

↑ Sir William Gascoigne. Tyler, i. 371.

laws of the realm, or, if he would have him saved from the rigour of the laws, that he should obtain if he might of the king his father his gracious pardon, whereby no law or justice should be derogated. With which answer the prince, nothing appeased, but rather more inflamed, endeavoured himself to take away his servant. The judge, considering the perilous example and great inconveniency that might thereby ensue, with a valiant spirit and courage commanded the prince upon his allegiance to leave the prisoner, and to depart his way; with which commandment, the prince being set all in a fury, all chafed, and in a terrible manner came up to the place of judgment, men thinking that he would have slain the judge or have done to him some damage; but the judge, sitting still without moving, declaring the majesty of the king's place of judgment, and, with an assured bold countenance, said to the prince these words following:- Sir, remember yourself; I keep here the place of the king your sovereign lord and father, to whom you owe double obesiance, wherefore eftsoones in his name I charge you desist off your wilfulness and unlawful enterprise, and from henceforth give good example to those who shall be your subjects; and now, for your contempt and disobedience, go you to the prison of the King's Bench, whereunto I commit you, and remain you there prisoner until the pleasure of the king your father be further known.' With which words, being abashed, and also wondering at the marvellous gravity of that worshipful justice, the prince, laying his weapon apart, doing reverence, went to the King's

Bench as he was commanded. Whereat his servants disclaiming came and showed to the king all the whole affair; whereat he, after a while studying, after as a man all ravished with gladness, holding his hands and eyes towards heaven, abraid,* with a loud voice, O merciful God! how much am I bounded to thy infinite goodness, especially for that thou hast given me a judge who feareth not to administer justice, and also a son who can suffer semblably and obey justice."+

From this passage, which is copied with great exactness from Sir Thomas Elyot's "Governor," Shakspeare takes the speech of Henry the Fourth; in that which is, in fact, the oldest, and apparently the only, authority for the tale, there is no mention of a blow; but the dramatist has supplied this important incident from Holinshed,‡ or very likely from "The famous victories of Henry the Fifth,"§ in which the box on the ear is enacted on the stage.

Luders and Tyler both throw great doubts. upon the whole story, and certainly a book written after the lapse of more than a century, for Elyot's work was published in 1531, and dedicated to Henry the Eighth, is quite insufficient to establish such a fact. Yet I suspect that there was a tradition, probably not altogether unfounded, for some

* Cried out.

+ Stow, 342.

P. 61; and Hall, 46. See Malone in Bosw. 245.

§ P. 333. Sir Edward Coke, in his third institute, refers to the blow as an acknowledged fact. Lud., p. 67-75.

attempted interference with the course of justice, and the consequent committal of the prince.* But the blow may assuredly be discarded; had Elyot, the original relator, believed in this degree of outrage, he would not have characterized the story as one of

66

a good judge, a good prince, and a good king."

Shakspeare also takes from Stow the injunctions of the king that the two princes, Henry and Thomas of Clarence, should live well together. But the annalist and the poet do not agree. In Stow the king says to his eldest son

I fear me sore, after my departure form this life, some discord shall grow and arise between thee and my brother Thomas Duke of Clarence, whereby the realm may be brought to destruction and misery, for I know you both to be of great stomach and courage. Wherefore I fear that he through his high mind will make some enterprise against thee, intending to usurp upon thee, which I know thy stomach may not abide easily."

In the play, the injunction is given to Thomas of Clarence, and the apprehension expressed is of

* Sir Harris Nicolas has pointed out a record, from which it appears that Edward II., when heir apparent, was banished from his father's presence for half a year, for using gross and bitter words to one of the king's ministers, and from the context it would rather appear that this minister was a judge, and the insult committed in the Court.-See Placitorum Abbreviatio, p. 256.

† Activ. Sc. 4.

differences between Prince Henry and his "other brethren," between whom and the Prince of Wales Clarence was to mediate.

"How chance thou art not with the prince thy brother? He loves thee, and thou dost neglect him, Thomas Thou hast a better place in his affection

Than all thy brothers: cherish it, my boy;
And noble offices thou may'st effect
Of mediation, after I am dead,

Between his greatness and thy other brethren:
Therefore omit him not; blunt not his love;
Nor lose the good advantage of his grace,
By seeming cold, or careless of his will."

And then follows a passage which must satisfy us that Shakspeare intended to represent "Madcap Harry" as adorned with many good qualities:— "For he is gracious, if he be observed:

He hath a tear for pity, and a hand
Open as day for melting charity;

Yet, notwithstanding, being incensed, he's flint:
As humorous as winter, and as sudden
As flaws congealed in the spring of day.
His temper, therefore, must be well observed:
Chide him for faults, and do it reverently,
When you perceive his blood inclined to mirth :
But, being moody, give him line and scope,
Till that his passions, like a whale on ground,
Confound themselves with working."