1499.
Perkin Warbecke escapeth from his kéepers.
When the bishop was returned into England, and come to the king, he declared to him all the communication had betwéene king Iames and him, from point to point in order. The king liked well thereof as he to whome peace was euer a souereigne solace and comfort. In this meane time Perkin Warbecke, disappointed of all hope to escape out of the Englishmens hands (which was the onelie thing that he most desired) found meanes yet at length to deceiue his kéepers, & took him to his héels. But when he came to the sea coasts, and could not passe, he was in a maruellous perplexitie: for euerie by way, lane, and corner was laid for him, and such search made, that being brought to his wits end, and cut short of his pretensed iournie, he came to the house of Bethlem, called the priorie of Shéene beside Richmond in Southerie, and betooke himselfe to the prior of that monasterie, requiring him for the honour of God, to beg his pardon of life of the kings maiestie.
The prior, which for the opinion that men had conceiued of his vertue, was had in great estimation, pitieng the wretched state of that caitife, came to the king, and shewed him of this Perkin, whose pardon he humblie craued, and had it as fréelie granted. Incontinentlie after was Perkin brought to the court againe at Westminster, and was one day set fettered in a paire of stocks, before the doore of Westminster hall, and there stood a whole day, not without innumerable reproches, mocks and scornings. And the next daie he was caried through London, and set vpon a like scaffold in Cheape by the standard, with like ginnes and stocks as he occupied the daie before, and there stood all daie, and read openlie his owne confession, written with his owne hand, the verie copie whereof here insueth.
The confession of Perkin as it was written with his owne hand, which he read openlie vpon a scaffold by the standard in Cheape.
Perkin maketh an anatomie of his descent or linage.
It is first to be knowne, that I was borne in the towne of Turneie in Flanders, and my fathers name is Iohn Osbecke, which said Iohn Osbecke was controller of the said towne of Turneie, and my moothers name is Katharine de Faro. And one of my grandsires vpoa my fathers side was named Diricke Osbeck, which died. After whose death my grandmoother was married vnto Peter Flamin, that was receiuer of the forenamed towne of Turneie, & deane of the botemen that row vpon the water or riuer called le Scheld. And my grandsire vpon my moothers side was Peter de Faro, which had in his kéeping the keies of the gate of S. Iohns within the same towne of Turneie. Also I had an vncle called maister Iohn Stalin, dwelling in the parish of S. Pias, within the same towne, which had maried my fathers sister, whose name was Ione or Iane, with whome I dwelt a certeine season.
Perkins education or bringing vp.
And after I was led by my moother to Antwerpe for to learne Flemish, in a house of a cousine of mine, an officer of the said towne, called Iohn Stienbecke, with whome I was the space of halfe a yeare. And after that I returned againe to Turneie, by reason of warres that were in Flanders. And within a yeare following I was sent with a merchant of the said towne of Turneie, named Berlo, to the mart of Antwerpe, where I fell sicke, which sickenesse continued vpon me fiue moneths. And the said Berlo set me to boord in a skinners house, that dwelled beside the house of the English nation. And by him I was from thense caried to Barow mart; and I lodged at the signe of the old man, where I abode for the space of two moneths.
Perkin a notable landloper.