The Prince and the Pauper, Part 1. Read online

  Produced by David Widger

  THE PRINCE AND THE PAUPER

  by Mark Twain

  Part 1.

  Hugh Latimer, Bishop of Worcester, to Lord Cromwell, on the birth of thePrince of Wales (afterward Edward VI.).

  From the National Manuscripts preserved by the British Government.

  Ryght honorable, Salutem in Christo Jesu, and Syr here ys no lesse joyngeand rejossynge in thes partees for the byrth of our prynce, hoom wehungurde for so longe, then ther was (I trow), inter vicinos att thebyrth of S. J. Baptyste, as thys berer, Master Erance, can telle you.Gode gyffe us alle grace, to yelde dew thankes to our Lorde Gode, Gode ofInglonde, for verely He hathe shoyd Hym selff Gode of Inglonde, or ratheran Inglyssh Gode, yf we consydyr and pondyr welle alle Hys procedyngeswith us from tyme to tyme. He hath over cumme alle our yllnesse with Hysexcedynge goodnesse, so that we are now moor then compellyd to serve Hym,seke Hys glory, promott Hys wurde, yf the Devylle of alle Devylles benatt in us. We have now the stooppe of vayne trustes ande the stey ofvayne expectations; lett us alle pray for hys preservatione. Ande I formy partt wylle wyssh that hys Grace allways have, and evyn now from thebegynynge, Governares, Instructores and offyceres of ryght jugmente, neoptimum ingenium non optima educatione deprevetur.

  Butt whatt a grett fowlle am I! So, whatt devotione shoyth many tymysbutt lytelle dyscretione! Ande thus the Gode of Inglonde be ever withyou in alle your procedynges.

  The 19 of October.

  Youres, H. L. B. of Wurcestere, now att Hartlebury.

  Yf you wolde excytt thys berere to be moore hartye ayen the abuse ofymagry or mor forwarde to promotte the veryte, ytt myght doo goode. Nattthat ytt came of me, butt of your selffe, etc.

  (Addressed) To the Ryght Honorable Loorde P. Sealle hys synguler godeLorde.

  To those good-mannered and agreeable children Susie and Clara Clemensthis book is affectionately inscribed by their father.

  I will set down a tale as it was told to me by one who had it of hisfather, which latter had it of HIS father, this last having in likemanner had it of HIS father--and so on, back and still back, threehundred years and more, the fathers transmitting it to the sons and sopreserving it. It may be history, it may be only a legend, a tradition.It may have happened, it may not have happened: but it COULD havehappened. It may be that the wise and the learned believed it in the olddays; it may be that only the unlearned and the simple loved it andcredited it.

  Contents.

  I. The birth of the Prince and the Pauper.II. Tom's early life.III. Tom's meeting with the Prince.IV. The Prince's troubles begin.V. Tom as a patrician.VI. Tom receives instructions.VII. Tom's first royal dinner.VIII. The question of the Seal.IX. The river pageant.X. The Prince in the toils.XI. At Guildhall.XII. The Prince and his deliverer.XIII. The disappearance of the Prince.XIV. 'Le Roi est mort--vive le Roi.'XV. Tom as King.XVI. The state dinner.XVII. Foo-foo the First.XVIII. The Prince with the tramps.XIX. The Prince with the peasants.XX. The Prince and the hermit.XXI. Hendon to the rescue.XXII. A victim of treachery.XXIII. The Prince a prisoner.XXIV. The escape.XXV. Hendon Hall.XXVI. Disowned.XXVII. In prison.XXVIII. The sacrifice.XXIX. To London.XXX. Tom's progress.XXXI. The Recognition procession.XXXII. Coronation Day.XXXIII. Edward as King.Conclusion. Justice and Retribution.Notes.

  'The quality of mercy . . . is twice bless'd; It blesseth him that gives, and him that takes; 'Tis mightiest in the mightiest: it becomes The thron-ed monarch better than his crown'. Merchant of Venice.