Part 7

In this meane while Perkin Warbecke, being in Flanders, sore troubled that his juggling was discouered, yet he determined not to leaue off his enterprise, in hope at length to atteine the crowne of England: and so gathering a power of all nations, some bankrupts, some false English sanctuarie men, some théeues, robbers, and vagabunds, which desiring to liue by rapine, were glad to serue him. And thus furnished, he took such ships as his fréends had prouided for him: and departing from Flanders towards England, he arriued vpon the Kentish coast, & there cast anchor, purposing to prooue how the people there were affected towards him: and therefore he sent certeine of his men to land, to signifie to the countrie his arriuall with such power, that the victorie must incline to his part.

[Sidenote: Perkins men discomfited.]

The Kentishmen vnderstanding that Perkin was but Perkin, and had none with him (to make account of) but strangers borne, like faithfull subiects determined to fall vpon those that were thus new come to land, and to trie if they might allure the whole number out of their ships, so to giue them battell. But Perkin wiselie considering that the maner of a multitude is not to consult, and sagelie to aduise with themselues in anie deliberate sort, but suddenlie and rashlie to run headlong into rebellion, would not set one foot out of his ship, vntill he saw all things sure. Yet he permitted some of his souldiers to go on land, which being trained foorth a pretie waie from their ships, were suddenlie compassed about and beset of the Kentishmen, and at one stroke vanquished and driuen backe to their ships.

[Sidenote: Perkins capteins taken & executed.]

[Sidenote: Perkins reculeth into Flanders.]

[Sidenote: The death of Cicilie duchesse of Yorke moother to Edward the fourth.]

Of these discomfited soules were taken prisoners an hundred and fortie persons, whereof fiue, Montfort, Corbet, White Belt, Quintin (or otherwise Genin) being capteins were brought to London by sir Iohn Pechie, shiriffe of Kent, railed in ropes like horsses drawing in a cart, & after vpon their arreignment confessed their offense, and were executed, some at London, and other in the townes adioining to the sea coast. And thus Perkin, missing of his purpose, fled backe into Flanders. In this verie season departed to God Cicilie duchesse of Yorke moother to king Edward the fourth, at hir castell of Berkhamstéed, a woman of small stature, but of much honour and high parentage, and was buried by hir husband in the college of Fodringeie.

[Sidenote: Sir Richard Gilford.]

The king being aduertised that his enimies were landed, leauing off his progresse, purposed to haue returned to London; but being certified the next day of the luckie spéed of his faithfull subiects, continued his progresse, & did send sir Richard Gilford both to commend the fidelitie and manhood of the Kentishmen, and also to render to them most hartie thanks for the same. He also caused order to be taken for the erecting of beacons, and watching of them. Perkin then perceiuing that he should not be receiued into England, sailed into Ireland, trusting there to augment his numbers, and then to returne towards the coast of England againe, and to take land in the West countrie, if occasion serued; but if not, then he determined to saile streight into Scotland, to séeke fréendship there.

[Sidenote: Perkin saileth into Ireland and is in sundrie opinions.]

[Sidenote: Katharine daughter to the earle of Huntleie maried to Perkin.]

After, he had therefore staid a while in Ireland, and perceiued that the hope of victorie consisted not in the Irish nation, being naked people, without furniture of armour or weapon, he tooke the sea againe at Corffe, and sailed into Scotland; where comming to the presence of king Iames, he forged such a painted processe to mooue him to beléeue that he was the verie sonne of king Edward: that the Scotish king, whether blinded with errour, or vsing dissimulation, that he might vnder a colourable pretext make war against England, began to haue Perkin in great honour, and caused him openlie to be called duke of Yorke. And to persuade the world that so he was indéed, he caused the ladie Catharine, daughter to Alexander earle of Huntleie, his nigh kinsman, to be espoused to him. [But yer we passe anie further, you shall sée and peruse (if you will) the said painted processe of Perkin, as it is left in record by Edward Hall for an example what working force is in words (speciallie where the hearers are easie to be seduced) and not to be ouer hastie to giue them too quicke & hastie credit. For the poet saith of gaie words void of truth:

[Sidenote: _M. Pal. in Virg._]

Verba nitent phaleris, at nullas verba medullis Intus habent.

The colourable oration or counterfeit tale that Perkin told the king of Scots to iustifie his false title.

[Sidenote: _Abr. Flem. ex Edw. Hall, fol._ xxxviij, xxxix.]

[Sidenote: Perkin saith that he is Edward the fourths lawfull sonne.]

[Sidenote: Perkin telleth the king how he was preserued and kept alive.]

I thinke it is not vnknowne vnto you (most noble king and puissant prince) into what ruine the stocke house, and familie of Edward the fourth, of that name king of England, is now of late brought to and fallen in, either by Gods permission, or by diuine punishment; whose indubitate sonne (if you know not alreadie) I am, and by the power of almightie God, preserued aliue to this houre from the mightie hand of a tyrant. For my father king Edward (when he died) appointed his brother Richard duke of Glocester to be our gouernour, protector, and defendor; whome the more that he loued & studied to aduance and promote, the better he thought that he would loue, fauour, and tender his children. But alas my vnfortunate chance I may say! how hath his trust béene turned into treason, and his hope into hinderance, all men know and I féele. Our vncle was not the tutor and preseruer of our stocke and linage, but the confounder & destroier of our bloud and progenie. For that tyrant, blinded and glutted with the desire of ruling and souereigntie, commanded Edward my brother & me to be sklaine and dispatched out of this mortall life. Wherevpon that person, to whome the weightie and cruell charge was commited and giuen to oppresse and destroie vs poore innocent infants, and giltlesse babes, the more that he abhorred this heinous and butcherlie offense, the more he feared to commit it.

[Sidenote: Perkin calleth the ladie Margaret duchesse of Burgognie his owne aunt.]

And so wauering in mind and doubtfull what to doo, at the length willing in part to stanch the bloudie thirst of the vnnaturall tyrant, and in part to absteine from so heinous & detestable homicide, he destroied my brother and preserued me; like the good préest Ioiada, who saued little Ioas, when all the children of the bloud roiall were commanded by Athalia the quéene to be slaine and vtterlie destroied. And further, to the intent that my life might be in suertie, he appointed one to conueie me into some strange countrie; where when I was furthest off, and had most néed of comfort he forsooke me suddenlie (I thinke he was so appointed to doo) and left me desolate alone without fréend or knowlege of anie reléefe or refuge. And so king Richard did obteine the crowne as a preie mischéefouslie gotten by the dispatching awaie of my brother and me. So that I thus escaping, by reason of my tender infancie, forgat almost my selfe, and knew not well what I was. But after long wandering from countrie to countrie, and from citie to citie, I perceiued and learned by little and little what was my estate & degrée; and so in conclusion came to mine owne aunt the ladie Margaret lieng in Flanders, which was sometime married to Charles duke of Burgognie, which as ioifullie receiued and welcomed me, as if I had come out of hell into heauen, as the onelie type and garland of hir noble stirpe and linage. But forsomuch as she being onelie Dowager of the duchie of Burgognie, and hauing nothing but hir dowrie proper to hir selfe, was not of power to helpe me with men and munitions of warre, as she would gladlie haue doone for the recouerie of my fathers relme & rightfull inheritance: I therefore am driuen to séeke further aid and succour.

[Sidenote: Perkin craueth aid of the Scotish king toward the recouerie of the crowne of England from king Henrie the seuenth.]

And therefore by hir counsell and aduertisement, with this small handfull of men of warre and souldiers, I am repaired to your presence for succours; of whome (as the publike fame is spred ouer the whole world) there was neuer man by wrong or iniurie chased or driuen out of his couutrie, region, or inheritance, or by extort power and tyrannie kept out of the same (as I my selfe from mine infancie haue béene) whose request was frustrate and denied at your hand. Therefore, by the maiestie of your realme & countrie I desire, & heartilie with praier as I can, I beséech and exhort you to helpe and reléeue me now in my extreame necessitie. And if it chance me by your aid and succour to recouer & possesse my father's realme and dignitie; not onelie I, but all the kings of our linage, which hereafter shall obteine the same, shall be so much obliged and bound vnto to you; that they must néeds thinke, that dooing to you all the pleasure and benefits that they can, yet with all thanks that can be giuen your great kindnesse can neuer in full measure be recompensed.

* * * * *

[Sidenote: 1496.]

[Sidenote: The Scotish king inuadeth Engl[=a]d with a great armie in Perkin his behalfe.]

When he had thus said, the king bad him be of good comfort, and promised him that whatsoeuer he were, it should neuer repent of his comming to him.] Shortlie after, hauing this Perkin with him in companie, he entered into England with a puissant armie, and caused proclamation to be made, to spare all those that would submit themselues vnto Richard duke of Yorke. Herewith they began the warre in most cruell maner, with slaughter of men, burning of townes, spoiling of houses, and committing of all other detestable enormities; so that all the countrie of Northumberland was by them in maner wasted, and destroied. At length, when the souldiers were laden with spoiles, and saciate with bloud, perceiuing that no succoures came out of England vnto the new inuented duke, contrarie to that which he had made them to beléeue would come to passe; they determined to retire rather with assured gaine, than to tarrie the vncertaine victorie of that counterfeit duke, and so therevpon they withdrew backe into Scotland inriched with preies and booties.

[Sidenote: The counterfeit compassion of Perkin.]

It is said, that Perkin Warbecke, being returned into Scotland with the king of Scots, vnder a cloked pretense should sore lament the great slaughter, spoile, and damage, which had béene doone at this last roade made into England; and therefore as one that bare a naturall loue toward his natiue countrie, besought the king of Scots, that from thensefoorth, he would no more so deface his naturall relme, and destroie his subiects with such terrible fire, flame and hauocke; as who should saie, he being ouercome now with compassion, did bewaile the cruell destruction of his natural countrie of England. But the Scotish K. told him, that he séemed to take thought for that which appeared to be none of his, sith that not so much as one gentleman or yeoman (for ought he could sée) would once shew themselues readie to aid him in the warre begun for his cause, and in his name, within that realme which he pretended so cléerelie to apperteine to him.

[Sidenote: An. Reg. 12.]

[Sidenote: A parlement of the thrée estates of the realme.]

[Sidenote: A subsidie.]

The king of England being certified of this inuasion, prepared an armie with all diligence to have resisted the Scots: but they were returned yer the English power could assemble togither. Now when the king was truelie certified that the Scotish king was returned home, he staied all the preparations made at that time to go against him. But yet meaning to be reuenged of the wrongs doone to him by king Iames and his people; he first called a parlement, and in that assemblie of thrée estates of the realme, he declared the cause of the instant warre, and how necessarie it should be for the suertie and wealth of the realme of England to haue that warre, pursued against those enimies that had begun it. To this motion all the nobilitie wholie agréed. And to the maintenance of that warre, a subsidie was by whole assent of the parlement fréelie giuen and granted. Which paiment though it was not great, yet manie of the common people sore grudged to pay the same, as they that euer abhorre such taxes and exactions. At the same parlement were diuerse acts and statutes made, necessarie & expedient (as was thought) for the publike weale of the realme.

[Sidenote: 1497.]

[Sidenote: The king of England and Scotl[=a]d prepare for mutuall warre.]

In the meane season the king of Scots, perceiuing that the Englishmen would shortlie go about to reuenge the injuries doone to them by him and his people, assembled eftsoones a puissant armie, that he might either defend his realme against the English power, attempting to inuade his countrie, or else afresh to enter into the English borders. And thus these two mightie princes minded nothing more than the one to indamage the other. But the king of England would not deferre one houre by (his good will) till he were reuenged, and therefore prepared a mightie armie to inuade Scotland, and ordeined for chéefteine thereof the lord Daubeneie. But as this armie was assembled, and that the lord Daubenie was forward on his iournie towards Scotland, he was suddenlie staid and called backe againe, by reason of a new commotion begun by the Cornishmen for the paiment of the subsidie which was granted at the last parlement.

[Sidenote: A rebellion in Cornewall for the paiment of a subsidie.]

[Sidenote: The two capteins in this commotion.]

These vnrulie people the Cornishmen, inhabiting in a barren countrie and vnfruitfull, at the first sore repined that they should be so gréeuouslie taxed, and burdened the kings councell as the onelie cause of such polling and pilling: and so being in their rage, menaced the chéefe authors with death and present destruction. And thus being in a rore, two persons of the affinitie, the one called Thomas Flammocke, a gentleman, learned in the lawes of the realme; and the other Michael Ioseph, a smith, men of stout stomachs and high courages, tooke vpon them to be capteins of this seditious companie. They laid the fault and cause of this exaction vnto Iohn Morton, archbishop of Canturburie, and to sir Reginald Braie; bicause they were chéefe of the kings councell. Such rewards haue they commonlie that be in great authoritie with kings and princes.

[Sidenote: The prouost of Perin slaine by the rebels.]

The capteins Flammocke and Ioseph exhorted the common people to put on harnesse, and not to be afeard to follow them in that quarrell, promising not to hurt anie creature, but onelie to sée them punished that procured such exactions to be laid on the people, without anie reasonable cause, as vnder the colour of a little trouble with the Scots, which (sith they were withdrawne home) they tooke to be well quieted and appeased. So these capteins bent on mischéefe, (were their outward pretense neuer so finelie coloured) yet persuaded a great number of people to assemble togither, and condescended to do as their capteins would agrée and appoint. Then these capteins praising much the hardines of the people, when all things were readie for their infortunate iournie, set forward with their armie, and came to Taunton, where they slue the prouost of Perin, which was one of the commissioners of the subsidie, and from thence came to Welles, so intending to go to London, where the king then soiourned.

[Sidenote: Thomas Howard earle of Surrie high treasuror of England.]

When the king was aduertised of these dooings, he was somewhat astonied, and not without cause; being thus troubled with the warre against the Scots, and this ciuill commotion of his subiects at one instant. But first meaning to subdue his rebellious subiects; and after to procéed against the Scots, as occasion should serue, he reuoked the lord Daubenie which (as you haue heard) was going against the Scots, and increased his armie with manie chosen and piked warriors. Also mistrusting that the Scots might now (hauing such opportunitie) inuade the relme againe; he appointed the lord Th. Howard erle of Surrie (which after the death of the lord Dinham was made high treasuror of England) to gather a band of men in the countie Palatine of Durham, that they with the aid of the inhabitants adioining, and the borderers, might kéepe backe the Scots if they chanced to make anie inuasion. The nobles of the realme hearing of the rebellion of the Cornishmen, came to London, euerie man with as manie men of warre as they could put in a readinesse, to aid the king if néed should be. In the which number were the earle of Essex, and the lord Montioy, with diuerse other.

[Sidenote: Iames Twichet lord Audelie chéefe capteine of the Cornish rebels.]

In the meane time, Iames Twichet lord Audeleie being confederate with the rebels of Cornewall ioined with them, being come to Welles, and tooke vpon him as their chéefe capteine to lead them against their naturall lord and king. From Welles they went to Salisburie, and from thence to Winchester, and so to Kent, where they hoped to haue had great aid, but they were deceiued in that their expectation. For the erle of Kent, George lord of Aburgauenie, Iohn Brooke, lord Cobham, sir Edward Poinings, sir Richard Gilford, sir Thomas Bourchier, Iohn Peche, William Scot, and a great number of people, were not onelie prest and readie to defend the countrie, to kéepe the people in due obedience, but bent to fight with such as would lift vp sword, or other weapon against their souereigne lord: insomuch that the Kentishmen would not once come néere the Cornishmen, to aid or assist them in anie maner of wise.

[Sidenote: Manie of the Cornishmen take their héels by night.]

Which thing maruelouslie dismaid the hearts of the Cornishmen, when they saw themselues thus deceiued of the succours which they most trusted vpon, so that manie of them (fearing the euill chance that might happen) fled in the night from their companie, and left them, in hope so to saue themselues. The capteines of the rebels, perceiuing they could haue no helpe of the Kentishmen, putting their onelie hope in their owne puissance, brought their people to Blacke heath, a foure miles distant from London, and there in a plaine on the top of an hill, they ordered their battels, either readie to fight with the king if he would assail them, or else assault the citie of London: for they thought the king durst not have encountered with them in battell. But they were deceiued: for the king although he had power inough about to haue fought with them before their comming so néere to the citie; yet he thought it best to suffer them to come forward, till he had them farre off from their natiue countrie, and then to set vpon them being destitute of aid in some place of aduantage.

[Sidenote: The citie of London sore afraid of the rebels.]

The citie was in a great feare at the first knowledge giuen, how the rebels were so néere incamped to the citie, euerie man getting himselfe to harnesse, and placing themselues, some at the gates, some on the walles, so that no part was vndefended. But the king deliuered the citie of that feare: for after that he perceiued how the Cornishmen were all daie readie to fight, and that on the hill; he sent straight Iohn Earle of Oxenford, Henrie Bourchier, earle of Essex, Edmund de la Poole, earle of Suffolke, sir Rise ap Thomas, and sir Humfreie Stanleie, noble warriors, with a great companie of archers and horssemen, to enuiron the hill on the right side, and on the left, to the intent that all bywaies being stopped and foreclosed, all hope of flight should be taken from them. And incontinentlie he himselfe, being as well incouraged with manlie stomachs as furnished with a populous armie and plentie of artillerie, set forward out of the citie, and incamped himselfe in saint Georges field, where he on the fridaie at night then lodged.

[Sidenote: Blackheath field.]

[Sidenote: Thrée hundred slaine, & a thousand fiue hundred taken prisoners, as Iohn Stow saith.]

On the saturdaie in the morning, he sent the lord Daubeneie with a great companie to set on them earlie in the morning, which first got the bridge at Dertford Strand, which was manfullie defended by certeine archers of the rebels, whose arrows (as is reported) were in length a full cloth yard. While the earles set on them on euerie side, the lord Daubenie came into the field with his companie, and without long fighting, the Cornishmen were ouercome; and first they tooke the lord Daubenie prisoner: but whether it were for feare, or for hope of fauour, they let him go at libertie, without hurt or detriment. There were slaine of the rebels which fought and resisted, aboue two thousand men (as Edward Hall noteth) and taken prisoners an infinite number, & amongst them the blacke smith, and other the chéefe capteins, which were shortlie after put to death. When this battel was ended, the king wanted of all his numbers but thrée hundred, which were slaine at that conflict.

[Sidenote: Iames lord Audelie ignominiouslie drawne to execution and beheaded.]

Some affirme, that the king appointed to haue fought with them not till the mondaie, and preuenting the time set on them on the saturdaie before, taking them vnprouided, and in no arraie of battell; and so by that policie obteined the field and victorie. The prisoners as well capteins as other, were pardoned, sauing the chéefe capteins and first beginners, to whome he shewed no mercie at all. The lord Audeleie was drawne from Newgate to the Tower-hill in a coate of his own armes, painted vpon paper reuersed and all torne, and there was beheaded the foure and twentith of Iune. Thomas Flammocke & Michael Ioseph were hanged, drawne, and quartered after the maner of traitors, & their heads and quarters were pitched vpon stakes, and set vp in London, and in other places: although at the first, the king meant to haue sent them into Cornewall, to haue béene set vp there for a terror to all others. But hearing that the Cornishmen at home were readie to begin a new conspiracie, least he should the more irritate and prouoke them by that displeasant sight, he changed his purpose, for doubt to wrap himselfe in more trouble than néeded.

[Sidenote: An. Reg. 13.]

[Sidenote: The Scots invade the English borders.]

[Sidenote: Fox bishop of Durham owner of Norham castell.]