19.1. The colourable oration or counterfeit tale that Perkin told the king of Sco [...]s to iustifie his false title.
The colourable oration or counterfeit tale that Perkin told the king of Sco [...]s to iustifie his false title.
Abr. Flem. ex Edw. Hall fol. xxxviij, xxxix. Perkin saith that he is Ed|ward the fourths law|full sonne._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 punish|ment; whose indubitate sonne (if you know not alreadie) I am, and by the power of al|mightie God, preserued aliue to this houre from the mightie hand of a tyrant. For my father king Edward (when he died) ap|pointed his brother Richard duke of Glo|cester 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 vnfortu|nate chance I may say! how hath his trust beene turned into treason, and his hope in|to hinderance, all men know and I feele. 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, comman|ded Edward my brother & me to be slaine and dispatched out of this mortall life. Wherevpon that person,Perkin tel|leth the king how he was preserued and kept aliue. to whome the weightie and cruell charge was commit|ted 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.
And so wauering in mind and doubtfull what to doo, at the length willing in part to stanch the bloudie thirst of the vnnatu|rall tyrant, and in part to absteine from so heinous & detestable homicide, he destroied my brother and preserued me; like the good preest Ioiada, who saued little Ioas, when all the children of the bloud roiall were commanded by Athalia the queene to be slaine and vtterlie destroied. And further, to the intent that my life might be in suer|tie, he appointed one to conueie me into some strange countrie; where when I was furthest off, and had most need of comfort he forsooke me suddenlie (I thinke he was so appointed to doo) and left me desolate alone without freend or knowlege of anie releefe or refuge. And so king Richard did obteine the crowne as a preie mischeefouslie got|ten by the dispatching awaie of my brother and me. So that I thus escaping, by rea|son 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 percei|ued and learned by little and little what was my estate & degree, and so in conclusion came to mine owne aunt the ladie Mar|garet lieng in Flanders,Perkin cal|leth the ladie Margaret [...]|chesse of Bur|gognie his owne [...]. which was some|time married to Charles duke of Burgog|nie, which as ioifullie receiued and wel|comed 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 pow|er to helpe me with men and munitions of warre, as she would gladlie haue doone for the recouerie of my fathers relme & right|full inheritance: I therefore am driuen to seeke further aid and succour.
And therefore by hir counsell and aduer|tisement, with this small handfull of men of warre and souldiers,Perkin cra|ueth aid of the Scotish king toward the re|couerie of the crowne of England from king Henrie the seuenth. 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 countrie, region, or inheritance, or by extort power and tyrannie kept out of the same (as I my selfe from mine infancie haue beene) whose request was frustrate and denied at your hand. Therefore, by the maiestie of your realme & countrie I desire, & heartilie EEBO page image 781 with praier as I can, I beseech and exhort you to helpe and releeue me now in my ex|treame necessitie. And if it chance me by your aid and succour to recouer & possesse my fathers 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 you; that they must needs 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.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 When he had thus said, the king bad him be of good comfort, and promised him that whatsoeuer he were, it should neuer repent him of his comming to him.] Shortlie after, hauing this Perkin with him in companie,The Scotish king inuadeth Englãd with a great armie in Perkin his behalfe. 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. Héerewith 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 la|den 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 beleeue would come to passe; they de|termined to retire rather with assured gaine, than to tarrie the vncerteine victorie of that counterfeit duke, and so therevpon they withdrew backe into Scotland inriched with preies and booties.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 It is said, that Perkin Warbecke, being retur|ned into Scotland with the king of Scots, vnder a cloked pretense should sore lament the great slaugh|ter, 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 coun|trie,The counter|feit compassi|on of Perkin. besought the king of Scots, that from thense|foorth, 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 destruc|tion of his naturall countrie of England. But the Scotish K. told him, that he seemed 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 see) would once shew themselues readie to aid him in the warre begun for his cause, & in his name, within that realme which he pretended so cléerelie to apperteine to him.