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A HISTORY OF THE FOUR GEORGES
by
JUSTIN MCCARTHY, M.P.
Author of "A History of Our Own Times" Etc.
In Four Volumes
VOL. II.
New YorkHarper & Brothers, Franklin Square1901
NOTE.
While this volume was passing through the press, The EnglishHistorical Review published an interesting article by Prof. J. K.Laughton on the subject of Jenkins's Ear. Professor Laughton, whilelately making some researches in the Admiralty records, came on certaincorrespondence which appears to have escaped notice up to that time,and he regards it as incidentally confirming the story of Jenkins'sEar, "which for certainly more than a hundred years has generally beenbelieved to be a fable." The correspondence, in my opinion, leaves thestory exactly as it found it. We only learn from it that Jenkins madea complaint about his ear to the English naval commander at Port Royal,who received the tale with a certain incredulity, but nevertheless sentformal report of it to the Admiralty, and addressed a remonstrance tothe Spanish authorities. But as Jenkins told his story to every one hemet, it is not very surprising that he should have told it to theEnglish admiral. No one doubts that a part of one of Jenkins's earswas cut off; it will be seen in this volume that he actually at onetime exhibited the severed part; but the question is, How did it cometo be severed? It might have been cut off in the ordinary course of ascuffle with the Spanish revenue-officers who tried to search hisvessel. The point of the story is that Jenkins said the ear wasdeliberately severed, and that the severed part was flung in his face,with the insulting injunction to take that home to his king. WhetherJenkins told the simple truth or indulged in a little fable is aquestion which the recently published correspondence does not in anyway help us to settle.
J. McC.