17 Coronation Day

CHAPTER 17 Coronation Day L ife in the palace was sad for Tom. The kingdom was still mourning King Henry, and Elizabeth and Jane's sorrow made Tom upset as well. But in spite of this, Tom was learning to enjoy his life as the future king. He could read books whenever he wanted. He could demand that Elizabeth or Jane come see him whenever he wanted. He

could eat all the food he desired. He was even enjoying the ritual of getting dressed and undressed. He loved his expensive clothes and ordered more. He was especially fond of hearing the call, "Make way for the king," whenever he walked into a room. Did Tom Canty ever think of the rightful prince? The boy who was still lost in the world somewhere? For the first few days, he was racked with guilt and worry. However,

those feelings soon faded away. His concern about his mother and sisters faded away, too. When he did think of them—their dirty rags and messy hair—he felt a shudder. Eventually, he barely thought of them at all. On the morning of the coronation, Tom awoke to music. This music was entirely for him. This was the day he was to be crowned king. The entire country was rejoicing. Tom felt very happy indeed. When Tom arrived at the church, he was led to the front of it. He looked at the people gathered around him. They were all happy and excited. They cheered his arrival and called for "King Edward." Tom's heart swelled with pride. He felt there was nothing more important than becoming king of England. Suddenly Tom saw his mother. He was shocked. He threw his hand in front of his face, palm facing outward, to block his view.

It was the gesture his mother remembered. She knew instantly that this was her son! She pushed her way to the front of the crowd and grabbed his arm. She began to cry. "Oh, my child," she wailed. "Thank goodness you are safe! I have prayed for you every night and every morning." She looked up at him, her face filled with joy. Tom was just about to say, "I do not know you," when a guard pulled her from Tom. The guard threw her to the ground with a stern warning. When Tom saw his mother fall, his heart nearly broke. All of his pride quickly washed away. For the first time in weeks, Tom did not want to be king. The crowd continued to call for King Edward, but Tom could not hear them. He felt trapped again. The only thing he could hear was his own voice. The words "I do not know you," repeated over and over in his head.

Lord Hertford noticed Tom's downcast eyes and sad look. "Your Majesty," he whispered. "People will notice that you are unhappy. That will not do today. You must rejoice so they may rejoice." Tom looked at Hertford. He was afraid he might start to cry. "But, that woman," he said quietly, "is my mother." Lord Hertford gasped. The king had gone mad again! They all thought the boy was recovering. It must be the excitement of the day. We must keep him close to us, Hertford thought, in case he says too much. Hertford led Tom to the throne. The throne sat on a special stage so everyone in the church could see him. Tom sat down very slowly. He looked around him. The crowd was quiet as they waited for the crown to be placed on his head. The only sound Tom could hear was his own breath. It was very loud.

The Archbishop of Canterbury picked up the royal crown and walked over to Tom. He held the crown above the boy's head and said a short prayer. Just as the Archbishop was about to lower the crown, a voice called out: "I forbid you to set the crown of England upon that impostor's head. I am the true king!" A group of guards immediately surrounded Edward. They were trying to drag him from the church when they heard another voice. "Stop!" Tom called. "Let him go. He is the king!" The crowd began to mumble and stir. What on Earth was going on? No one had ever seen anything like it. Hertford stepped to the front of the altar. "Do not panic!" he called out. "His Majesty is merely having one of his spells. Pay him no mind." Hertford pointed to Edward, who was