英王儲查爾斯還350年前王室舊債

Heir to the throne Prince Charles on Tuesday paid off a family debt incurred more than 350 years ago -- but was spared the accumulated interest that could have run into tens of thousands of pounds.

Charles handed over 453 pounds and 15 pence (572 euros and 20 euro cents, 885 dollars and four cents) which King Charles II failed to pay to the Clothiers Company in Worcester, central England, in 1651.

The king had commissioned uniforms for his troops to fight the republican forces of Oliver Cromwell at the Battle of Worcester the same year.

The modern-day Charles handed over the cash on a visit to the former headquarters of the royalist troops in the Faithful City, so-called because it remained loyal to his ancestor during the English Civil War.

"It seems that members of the Clothiers Company have a long memory," he said. "By long I mean nearly 400 years. Nevertheless, as a gesture of good will I come today prepared to honour this debt of 453 pounds and three shillings.

"I suspect that it will not have escaped your notice, however, I am resisting the immense temptation to pay the debt with full interest.I was not born yesterday."

The high commissioner of the Clothiers Company, Philip Sawyer, accepted the money and gave the future king a receipt.

If interest was taken into account, 453 pounds and three shillings in 1651 would have been worth approximately 47,500 pounds in 2007.

英國王位繼承人查爾斯王儲於本週二還清了英國王室350多年前欠的一筆舊債，但好幾萬英鎊的高額利息卻一筆勾銷。

查爾斯王儲於當天償還了這筆共計453英鎊15便士（相當於572. 20歐元或885.04美元）的債務，這筆舊債是英國國王查爾斯二世於1651年在英格蘭中部城市伍斯特的一家制衣公司欠下的。

國王曾委託這家制衣公司製作軍裝。同年，國王的軍隊在伍斯特戰役中抵抗奧立弗•克倫威爾的共和軍。

如今的查爾斯在近日訪問這座“忠誠之城”的前皇家軍隊總部時，特地前往這家公司還清舊債。伍斯特之所以被稱爲“忠誠之城”，是因爲它在英國內戰時期一直忠於王室。

查爾斯說：“這家公司的員工看來記性不錯，這筆債務近400年了，但爲了表示誠意，我今天特地來還清這筆453英鎊3先令的舊債。”

“我想你們不會忘記這筆債，但我不會支付利息，我可不是三歲小孩哦。”

該公司高級專員菲力普·索耶代收了這筆錢併爲查爾斯王儲開具了收據。

如果將利息計算在內，截至2007年，這筆於1651年欠下的453英鎊3先令的債務本息總計約4.75萬英鎊。