“SIR, remember yourself; I keep here the place of the King, your sovereign lord and father; wherefore, I charge you desist of your wilfulness and unlawful enterprise, and from henceforth give good example to those which hereafter shall be your proper subjects. And now for your contempt and disobedience, go you to the prison of the King’s Bench;* and remain ye there prisoner until the pleasure of the King, your father, be further known.”
With which words the noble prince, laying his weapon apart, doing reverence, departed and went to the King’s Bench as he was commanded. Whereat his servants disdaining,* came and shewed to the King all the whole affair. Whereat he awhiles studying, after as a man all ravished with gladness, holding his eyes and hands up toward heaven, abraided,* saying with a loud voice, “O merciful God, how much am I, above all other men, bound to your infinite goodness; specially for that ye have given me a judge, who feareth not to minister justice, and also a son who can suffer semblably and obey justice?”*
* The prison was originally knocked together from two houses in Angel Place, off Borough High Street, Southwark. Henry VIII re-established it in new premises nearby, and in 1758 a still grander gaol was opened where the Scovell housing estate now lies. Latterly it was frequently used for debtors; it closed at last in 1880.
* That is, they disdained the court’s decision. Elyot portrays ‘light persones aboute hym’ as egging Henry on in the first place.
* Abraid is a now obsolete verb meaning awake, start up as if out of slumber or a dream. The King spent a few moment in dumb wonder, and then woke from it to express his thanks.
* Semblably is a now obsolete word meaning fittingly, appropriately; the King was pleased that his son could take his punishment like a prince. Shakespeare has the King say:
Happy am I, that have a man so bold,
That dares do justice on my proper son;
And not less happy, having such a son,
That would deliver up his greatness so
Into the hands of justice.