THE PRINCE AND THE PAUPER

A TALE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE OF ALL AGES

by Mark Twain

PREFACE

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 credited it.

Hugh Latimer, Bishop of Worcester, to Lord Cromwell, on the

birth of the Prince 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

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 the Gode of Inglonde be ever

with you in alle your procedynges.

The 19 of October.

Yours H. L. b. of Wurcestere, now att Hartlebury.

Yf you wolde excytt thys berere to be moore hartye ayen the

abuse of ymagry or mor forwarde to promotte the veryte, ytt myght

doo goode. Natt that ytt came of me butt of your selffe, &c.

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 throned monarch better than his crown.

MERCHANT OF VENICE