New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-03
DISCIPLINING ROYALTY.
Hoo Monarchs Punish Refractory
Members of Their Families.

had' In denance or his wishes, ridden IN a
steepIechase. ne Is stated to have promptly
called the heir-apparent to account, and to have
inflicted upon him the penalty of three days
| "stuben arrest that is to say confinement to
his room So entirely free has the life of this
stngularly promising scion of ROYALTY been from
even the breath of any scandal and so ire
proachable his conduct that the public an
nouncement of his punishment has attracted
far more attention on both sides of the Atlantic
| than its trffing character would seem to war
rant 1t may be timely, therefore to offer a
few notes upon subject which cannot fail to
prove of interest to all parents namely the
methods employed by crowned heads to main
tain discipline among the members OF their
families. merely adding by way of parenthesis
that the German people are fortunate in that
| the first offence for which their future Emperor
Is publicly called to account should be one which
demonstrates his pluck as well as his love Of
sport and is calculated to increase his popu-
larity both at home and abroad.
| In olden times. when the royalty of the reign
ing houses was regarded as more sacred in char
acter than nowadays, it customary TO pro-
vide youthful princes of the blood with whip
ping boys, who were brought up with them,
sharing their lessons and their pastimes but
taking upon themselves the whole of the punish
ments. For the office of whipping boy was
which doomed its holder to undergo all the cas-
tisation which his royal companion deserved,
the idea being, Of course, that it would pain and
mOrtify the prince TO his play mate hogged
for his sake. That the device was effective may
! be gathered from the number of houses OF the
European nobility winch trace their descent
from the whipping boys of sOvereigns. The lat
ter, as rule. showed themselves very grateful,
taking the earliest opportunity 10 reward their
whipping boys with titles and lands for the
/ funerings and mdignities endured in their be-
half, notable instance in point being that OF
Charles l. who his accession to the throne
created his whipping boy Earl of Dysart and
Baron HuntinGtower, and presented him with
large estates in recognition of the many fog
ginss he had endured for his sake.
But it is 10 longer possible to reach the House
of Lords by means of birchings undergone in
behalf of princes of the blood. and while those
who are intrusted with the education of royal
children are not permitted TO administer
pOral punishment to their pupils. yet the latter
are subjected thereto much other children by
their parents. Emperor Williams boys are cred
tied with being thoroughly we'll acquainted with
the weight of the patarnll hand. while the late
Queen Victoria. On the occasion of one of her
earlier visits To Dublin, finding that Prince Al
fred, then nine-year-old boy. who was sitting
opposite To her in the carriage, had begun to
sulk about something. and refrained from doffins
people. did not hesitate TO soundly box his ears
then and there in sight of everybody without in
terrupting for one minute her gracious bows and
smiles in response to the greetings of her sub
jects. While. however, young royalties have
nothing 10 fear from their parents in the
way of chastlsement, they are subject to numer-
GUS other punishments at the hands OF those
intrusted with their education. Among the means
Of discipline at the disposal Of the latter are the
deprivation Of favOrite Dishes of pastimes and
pleasures and OF pocket money. King Victor
. Emmanuel's bOyhOOd was one Ions succession OF
penalties Of this kind imposed upon him by his
terribly strict old governor, General Oslo, and II
is no secret that at least part OF the youth OF
Emperor William embittered by the exag-
gerated severity of one Of his military tutors.
In ordinary life may be said to become
his master when he attains his majority,
and what are generally supposed to be the years
of discretion, while in the same way it may be
assumed that woman secures freedom from
parental control when she marries. This is,
however. not the case with princes and prin-
cesses OF the blood They remain throughout
their entire existence subject TO the authority of
the head OF the reigning house to which they
belong and forced to submit to degree OF
dependence OF which people on this side Of the
Atlantic form conception. There
various methods by means OF which this
thority is enforced. and among the disciplinary