Tom Canty was invited to the royal apartments by Edward, the royal prince, after the prince noticed Tom being mistreated by the sentries at the gate. In the royal apartment, the two boys got to talking about their lives and family. The royal prince made inquiries about Tom’s family and found out that Tom’s father and grandmother mistreated the poor boy.
Tom requested the Prince to dress him in royal clothes. Edward indulged him, and they exchanged clothes. When they stood in front of the mirror, the boys realized that they shared a very close resemblance in their physique. The Prince noticed a bruise on Tom’s hand and sought to talk to the King. However, because of how he was dressed, the sentry confused him for Tom, and ejected him from the royal precincts.
Prince Edward found himself in unfamiliar territory, but he later reached Offal Court in hopes of convincing Tom’s family that he was actually the Prince and not Tom. Edward met with Tom’s father, who was drunk as usual. Edward pleaded with Tom’s father to take him back home to the king, his father. Tom’s father was stunned at the claims made by the Prince, who he believed was his son. He asked the boy if he had gone mad and dragged him into the house. He further promised him a beating for not bringing any money.
"Believe me, man, believe me!—I speak no lie, but only the truth!—put forth thy hand and save me! I am indeed the Prince of Wales!”
The man stared down, stupefied, upon the lad, then shook his head and muttered— “Gone stark mad as any Tom o' Bedlam!”—then collared him once more, and said with a coarse laugh and an oath, “But mad or no mad, I and thy Gammer Canty will soon find where the soft places in thy bones lie, or I'm no true man!”
With this he dragged the frantic and struggling prince away, and disappeared up a front court followed by a delighted and noisy swarm of human vermin.
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