The Old Lad of the Castle

Abstract

Although two or three meanings have been extracted from Prince Hal's pun, there is perhaps yet another sense to be derived from these lines. Hal and Falstaff, revelling at the Boar's Head, are discussing the perils of highway robbery. Falstaff tries to dodge the painful subject of penalties, but Hal leads him back to it, till he pleads that resolution should be no longer fobbed with the curb of old father antic the law. When from time to time, Grand Christmas was kept at the Inns of Court, or the universities, Lords of Misrule were elected, each being attended by his great officers of state. Malefactors were committed to custody, and put in the Tower or Castle, which was in fact the stocks. For example in i56i, at the Inner Temple, Prince Palaphilos was attended by his Lieutenant of the Tower wearing a fair white armour, nest of feathers in his helm and pole axe in his hand followed by four men in white harness, bearing on their shoulders the Tower, which was afterwards placed near the fire.' At the famous Gray's Inn sports of i594, after the Night of Errors, when tumults obliged the students to abandon their show, leaving the stage to the common players and Comedy of Errors, one personating Sorcerer was charged with causing the mishaps. The prisoner was arraigned at the Bar, being brought thither by the Lieutenant of the Tower (for at that time the stocks were graced with that name); being tried by jury of twenty-four, he was acquitted, and all the chief law officers of the Prince of Purpool were commanded to the Tower instead (Gesta Grayorum, Malone Society Reprint,