TOM was conducted to the principal apartment of a noble suite, and made to

Sit down — a thing which he was loath to do, since there were elderly men and

Men of high degree about him. He begged them to be seated, also, but they

Only bowed their thanks or murmured them, and remained standing. He

would have insisted, but his 'uncle,' the Earl of Hertford, whispered in his ear:

'Prithee, insist not, my lord; it is not meet that they sit in thy presence.'

The Lord St. John was announced, and, after making obeisance to Tom, he

said:

'I come upon the king's errand, concerning a matter which requireth privacy.

Will it please your royal highness to dismiss all that attend you here, save my

lord the Earl of Hertford?'

Observing that Tom did not seem to know how to proceed, Hertford

Whispered him to make a sign with his hand and not trouble himself to speak

unless he chose. When the waiting gentlemen had retired, Lord St. John said:

'His majesty commandeth, that for due and weighty reasons of state, the

prince's grace shall hide his infirmity in all ways that be within his power, till

It be passed and he be as he was before. To wit, that he shall deny to none that

he is the true prince, and heir to England's greatness; that he shall uphold his

Princely dignity, and shall receive, without word or sign of protest, that

Reverence and observance which unto it do appertain of right and ancient