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THE SKETCH BOOK
A ROYAL POET
by Washington Irving
Though your body be confined；
And soft love a prisoner bound；
Yet the beauty of your mind
Neither check nor chain hath found。
Look out nobly； then； and dare
Even the fetters that you wear。
FLETCHER。
ON A soft sunny morning in the genial month of May； I made an
excursion to Windsor Castle。 It is a place full of storied and
poetical associations。 The very external aspect of the proud old
pile is enough to inspire high thought。 It rears its irregular walls
and massive towers； like a mural crown； round the brow of a lofty
ridge； waves its royal banner in the clouds； and looks down； with a
lordly air； upon the surrounding world。
On this morning the weather was of that voluptuous vernal kind；
which calls forth all the latent romance of a man's temperament；
filling his mind with music； and disposing him to quote poetry and
dream of beauty。 In wandering through the magnificent saloons and long
echoing galleries of the castle； I passed with indifference by whole
rows of portraits of warriors and statesmen； but lingered in the
chamber； where hang the likenesses of the beauties which graced the
gay court of Charles the Second； and as I gazed upon them； depicted
with amorous； half…dishevelled tresses； and the sleepy eye of love；
I blessed the pencil of Sir Peter Lely； which had thus enabled me to
bask in the reflected rays of beauty。 In traversing also the 〃large
green courts；〃 with sunshine beaming on the gray walls； and glancing
along the velvet turf； my mind was engrossed with the image of the
tender； the gallant； but hapless Surrey； and his account of his
loiterings about them in his stripling days； when enamored of the Lady
Geraldine…
〃With eyes cast up unto the maiden's tower；
With easie sighs； such as men draw in love。〃
In this mood of mere poetical susceptibility； I visited the ancient
Keep of the Castle； where James the First of Scotland； the pride and
theme of Scottish poets and historians； was for many years of his
youth detained a prisoner of state。 It is a large gray tower； that has
stood the brunt of ages； and is still in good preservation。 It
stands on a mound； which elevates it above the other parts of the
castle； and a great flight of steps leads to the interior。 In the
armory； a Gothic hall； furnished with weapons of various kinds and
ages； I was shown a coat of armor hanging against the wall； which
had once belonged to James。 Hence I was conducted up a staircase to
a suite of apartments of faded magnificence； hung with storied
tapestry； which formed his prison； and the scene of that passionate
and fanciful amour； which has woven into the web of his story the
magical hues of poetry and fiction。
The whole history of this amiable but unfortunate prince is highly
romantic。 At the tender age of eleven he was sent from home by his
father； Robert III。； and destined for the French court； to be reared
under the eye of the French monarch； secure from the treachery and
danger that surrounded the royal house of Scotland。 It was his
mishap in the course of his voyage to fall into the hands of the
English； and he was detained prisoner by Henry IV。； notwithstanding
that a truce existed between the two countries。
The intelligence of his capture； coming in the train of many sorrows
and disasters； proved fatal to his unhappy father。 〃The news；〃 we
are told； 〃was brought to him while at supper； and did so overwhelm
him with grief； that he was almost ready to give up the ghost into the
hands of the servant that attended him。 But being carried to his
bed…chamber； he abstained from all food； and in three days died of
hunger and grief at Rothesay。〃*
* Buchanan。
James was detained in captivity about eighteen years； but though
deprived of personal liberty； he was treated with the respect due to
his rank。 Care was taken to instruct him in all the branches of useful
knowledge cultivated at that period； and to give him those mental
and personal accomplishments deemed proper for a prince。 Perhaps； in
this respect； his imprisonment was an advantage； as it enabled him
to apply himself the more exclusively to his improvement； and
quietly to imbibe that rich fund of knowledge； and to cherish those
elegant tastes； which have given such a lustre to his memory。 The
picture drawn of him in early life； by the Scottish historians； is
highly captivating； and seems rather the description of a hero of
romance； than of a character in real history。 He was well learnt； we
are told； 〃to fight with the sword； to joust； to tournay； to
wrestle； to sing and dance； he was an expert mediciner； right crafty
in playing both of lute and harp； and sundry other instruments of
music； and was expert in grammar； oratory； and poetry。〃*
* Translation of Hector Boyce。
With this combination of manly and delicate accomplishments； fitting
him to shine both in active and elegant life； and calculated to give
him an intense relish for joyous existence； it must have been a severe
trial； in an age of bustle and chivalry； to pass the spring…time of
his years in monotonous captivity。 It was the good fortune of James；
however； to be gifted with a powerful poetic fancy； and to be
visited in his prison by the choicest inspirations of the muse。 Some
minds corrode and grow inactive； under the loss of personal liberty；
others grow morbid and irritable； but it is the nature of the poet
to become tender and imaginative in the loneliness of confinement。
He banquets upon the honey of his own thoughts； and； like the
captive bird； pours forth his soul in melody。
Have you not seen the nightingale；
A pilgrim coop'd into a cage；
How doth she chant her wonted tale；
In that her lonely hermitage！
Even there her charming melody doth prove
That all her boughs are trees； her cage a grove。*
* Roger L'Estrange。
Indeed； it is the divine attribute of the imagination； that it is
irrepressible； unconfinable； that when the real world is shut out；
it can create a world for itself； and with a necromantic power； can
conjure up glorious shapes and forms； and brilliant visions； to make
solitude populous； and irradiate the gloom of the dungeon。 Such was
the world of pomp and pageant that lived round Tasso in his dismal
cell at Ferrara； when he conceived the splendid scenes of his
Jerusalem； and we may consider the 〃King's Quair；〃 composed by
James； during his captivity at Windsor； as another of those
beautiful breakings…forth of the soul from the restraint and gloom
of the prison house。
The subject of the poem is his love for the Lady Jane Beaufort；
daughter of the Earl of Somerset； and a princess of the blood royal of
England； of whom he became enamored in the course of his captivity。
What gives it a peculiar value； is that it may be considered a
transcript of the royal bard's true feelings； and the story of his
real loves and fortunes。 It is not often that sovereigns write poetry；
or that poets deal in fact。 It is gratifying to the pride of a
common man； to find a monarch thus suing； as it were； for admission
into his closet； and seeking to win his favor by administering to
his pleasures。 It is a proof of the honest equality of intellectual
competition； which strips off all the trappings of factitious dignity；
brings the candidate down to a level with his fellow…men； and
obliges him to depend on his own native powers for distinction。 It
is curious； too； to get at the history of a monarch's heart； and to
find the simple affections of human nature throbbing under the ermine。
But James had learnt to be a poet before he was a king： he was
schooled in adversity； and reared in the company of his own
thoughts。 Monarchs have seldom time to parley with their hearts； or to
meditate their minds into poetry； and had James been brought up amidst
the adulation and gayety of a court； we should never； in all
probability； have had such a poem as the Quair。
I have been particularly interested by those parts of the poem which
breathe his immediate thoughts concerning his situation； or which
are connected with the apartment in the tower。 They have thus a
personal and local charm； and are given with such circumstantial
truth； as to make the reader present with the captive in his prison；
and the companion of his meditations。
Such is the account which he gives of his weariness of spirit； and
of the incident which first suggested the idea of writing the poem。 It
was the still midwatch of a clear moonlight night； the stars； he says；
were twinkling as fire in the high vault of heaven： and 〃Cynthia
rinsing her golden locks in Aquarius。〃 He lay in bed wakeful and
restless； and took a book to beguile the tedious hours。 The book he
chose was Boetius' Conso
