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.
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.
1496.
The Scotish king inuadeth Englād 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.
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.