the time between England and Scotland;
and they were under no apprehension of meeting with any vessels, save
those of the former nation. Notwithstanding this, the ship which carried
the Prince was captured by an armed merchantman, and carried to London,
where Henry IV., the usurping Bolingbroke, utterly regardless of
treaties, committed him and his attendants to the Tower.

"In vain," says Mr. Tytler, "did the guardians of the young Prince
remonstrate against this cruelty, or present to Henry a letter from the
King his father, which, with much simplicity, recommended him to the
kindness of the English monarch, should he find it necessary to land in
his dominions. In vain did they represent that the mission to France was
perfectly pacific, and its only object the education of the prince at
the French court. Henry merely answered by a poor witticism, declaring
that he himself knew the French language indifferently well, and that
his father could not have sent him to a better master. So flagrant a
breach of the law of nations, as the seizure and imprisonment of the
heir-apparent, during the time of truce, would have called for the most
violent remonstrances from any government, except that of Albany. But to
this usurper of the supreme power, the capture of the Prince was the
most grateful event which could have happened; and to detain him in
captivity became, from this moment, one of the principal objects of his
future life; we are not to wonder, then, that the conduct of Henry not
only drew forth no indignation from the governor, but was not even
followed by any request that the prince should be set at liberty.

"The aged King, already worn out by infirmity, and now broken by
disappointment and sorrow, did not long survive the captivity of his
son. It is said the melancholy news were brought him as he was sitting
down to supper in his palace of Rothesay in Bute, and that the effect
was such upon his affectionate but feeble spirit, that he drooped from
that day forward, refused all sustenance, and died soon after of a
broken heart."

James was finally incarcerated in Windsor Castle, where he endured an
imprisonment of nineteen years. Henry, though he had not hesitated to
commit a heinous breach of faith, was not so cruel as to neglect the
education of his captive. The young King was supplied with the best
masters; and gradually became an adept in all the accomplishments of the
age. He is a singular exception from the ru