Barnaby flogged instead, and is interceding with his grave guardian on
behalf of the lad. By all accounts which we have the boy-king was a
clever and amiable youth, and his untimely death in his sixteenth year
would appear to show that he stood much more in need of the tenderest
care than of the birch. It need hardly be added that as soon as he
mounted the throne the services of Fitzpatrick could no longer be in
request. You may whip a prince, but when that prince becomes king, even
while still a boy, the rod must be banished forthwith. Shakespeare says
"uneasy lies the head that wears a crown," and this must be especially
true in such a case as that of the hapless young Edward, who had to
discharge all the kingly duties without being old enough to feel much,
if any, interest in them. His courtiers spoke of him as if he were a boy
Solomon, and he cannot have needed much castigation, even through the
medium of Barnaby Fitzpatrick.

[Illustration: PRINCE EDWARD'S WHIPPING-BOY. (_See p. 220._)]

STORIES TOLD IN WESTMINSTER ABBEY.

_By_ EDWIN HODDER ("OLD MERRY").

IV.--CURIOUS CUSTOMS AND REMARKABLE INCIDENTS.

In my recent talks about the Coronations and the Royal Funerals, the
scenes that passed before us were intimately connected with the history
of England. The matters upon which I shall touch to-day are to a large
extent more particularly connected with the Abbey itself. No mean
personages were the abbots of the "West Monastery," or Westminster, in
early times. They were independent of any English bishop, and therefore
once in two years had to present themselves at Rome. Some of the abbots
were old, and some very fat, and were perhaps tempted to think their
independence dearly purchased by a journey so long and toilsome. The
monastery was exceedingly rich--it had possessions in ninety-seven towns
and villages, seventeen hamlets, and 216 manors. William I. gave the
Abbey some lands in Essex, in exchange for one of its manors, to which
he took a fancy, and upon which "Royal Windsor" has since risen.

The Abbots of Westminster claimed a tithe of all the fish caught in the
river between Gravesend and Staines. When St. Peter (according to the
legend I have already told you) consecrated his own church on Thorney,
he said, on parting with Edric the fisherman, "Go out into the river;
you will catch a plentiful supply of fish, whereof the larger part shall
be salmon. This have I granted on two conditions: first,