Although Lambert Simnel's enterprise had miscarried, Margaret,
dowager-duchess of Burgundy, did not despair of seeing the crown of
England wrested from the House of Lancaster, and determined at least
to disturb King Henry's government if she could not subvert it. To
this end she sedulously spread abroad a report that Richard, duke of
York, the second son of Edward IV., had escaped the cruelty of his
uncle Richard III., and had been set at liberty by the assassins who
had been sent to despatch him. This rumour, although improbable, was
eagerly received by the people, and they were consequently prepared to
welcome the new pretender whenever he made his appearance.
After some search, the duchess found a stripling whom she thought had
all the qualities requisite to personate the unfortunate prince. This
youth is described as being "of visage beautiful, of countenance
majestical, of wit subtile and crafty; in education pregnant, in
languages skilful; a lad, in short, of a fine shape, bewitching
behaviour, and very audacious." The name of this admirable prodigy was
Peterkin, or Perkin Warbeck, and he was the son of John Warbeck, a
renegade Jew of Tournay. Some writers, and among others Lord Bacon,
suggest that he had certain grounds for his pretensions to royal
descent, and hint that King Edward, in the course of his amorous
adventures, had been intimate with Catherine de Faro, Warbeck's wife;
and Bacon says "it was pretty extraordinary, or at least very
suspicious, that so wanton a prince should become gossip in so mean a
house." But be this as it may, the lad was both handsome and crafty,
and was well suited for the part which he was destined to play.
Some years after his birth, the elder Warbeck returned to Tournay,
carrying the child with him; but Perkin did not long remain in the
paternal domicile, but by different accidents was carried from place
to place, until his birth and fortunes became difficult to trace by
the most diligent inquiry. No better tool could have been found for
the ambitious Duchess of Burgundy; and when he was brought to her
palace, she at once set herself to instruct him thoroughly with
respect to the person whom he was to represent. She so often described
to him the features, figures, and peculiarities of his deceased--or
presumedly deceased--parents, Edward IV. and his queen, and informed
him so minutely of all circumstances relating to the family history,
that in a short time he was able to talk as familiarly of the court of
his pretended father as the real Duke of York could have done. She
took especial care to warn him against certain leading questions which
might be put to him, and to render him perfect in his narration of the
occurrences which took place while he was in sanctuary with the queen,
and particularly to be consistent in repeating the story of his escape
from his executioners. After he had learnt his lesson thoroughly, he
was despatched under the care of Lady Brampton to Portugal, there to
wait till the fitting time arrived for his presentation to the English
people.
At length, when war between France and England was imminent, a proper
opportunity seemed to present itself, and he was ordered to repair to
Ireland, which still retained its old attachment to the House of York.
He landed at Cork, and at once assuming the name of Richard
Plantagenet, succeeded in attracting many partizans. The news of his
presence in Ireland reached France; and Charles VIII., prompted by the
Burgundian duchess, sent him an invitation to repair to Paris. The
chance of recognition by the French king was too good to be idly cast
away. He went, and was received with every possible mark of honour.
Magnificent lodgings were provided for his reception; a handsome
pension was settled upon him; and a strong guard was appointed to
secure him against the emissaries of the English king. The French
courtiers readily imitated their master, and paid the respect to
Perkin which was due to the real Duke of York; and he, in turn, both
by his deportment and personal qualities, well supported his claims to
a royal pedigree. For a time nothing was talked of but the
accomplishments, the misfortunes, and the adventures of the young
Plantagenet; and the curiosity and credulity of England became
thoroughly aroused by the strange tidings which continued to arrive
from France. Sir George Nevill, Sir John Taylor, and many English
gentlemen who entertained no love for the king, repaired to the French
capital to satisfy themselves as to the pretensions of this young man;
and so well had Warbeck's lesson been acquired, that he succeeded in
convincing them of his identity, and in inducing them to pledge
themselves to aid him in his attempt to recover his inheritance.
About this time, however, the breach between France and England was
lessened, and when friendly relations were restored, Henry applied to
have the impostor put into his hands. Charles, refusing to break faith
with a youth who had come to Paris by his own solicitation, refused to
give him up, and contented himself with ordering him to quit the
kingdom. Warbeck thereupon in all haste repaired to the court of
Margaret of Burgundy; but she at first astutely pretended ignorance
of his person and ridiculed his claims, saying that she had been
deceived by Simnel, and was resolved never again to be cajoled by
another impostor. Perkin, who admitted that she had reason to be
suspicious, nevertheless persisted that he was her nephew, the Duke of
York. The duchess, feigning a desire to convict him of imposture
before the whole of her attendants, put several questions to him which
she knew he could readily answer, affected astonishment at his
replies, and, at last, no longer able to control her feelings, "threw
herself on his neck, and embraced him as her nephew, the true image of
Edward, the sole heir of the Plantagenets, and the legitimate
successor to the English throne." She immediately assigned to him an
equipage suited to his supposed rank, appointed a guard of thirty
halberdiers to wait upon him, and gave him the title of "The White
Rose of England"--the symbol of the House of York.
When the news reached England, in the beginning of 1493, that the Duke
of York was alive in Flanders, and had been acknowledged by the
Duchess of Burgundy, many people credited the story; and men of the
highest rank began to turn their eyes towards the new claimant. Lord
Fitzwater, Sir Simon Mountfort, and Sir Thomas Thwaites, made little
secret of their inclination towards him; Sir William Stanley, King
Henry's chamberlain, who had been active in raising the usurper to the
throne, was ready to adopt his cause whenever he set foot on English
soil, and Sir Robert Clifford and William Barley openly gave their
adhesion to the pretender, and went over to Flanders to concert
measures with the duchess and the sham duke. After his arrival,
Clifford wrote to his friends in England, that knowing the person of
Richard, duke of York, perfectly well, he had no doubt that this young
man was the prince himself, and that his story was compatible with the
truth. Such positive intelligence from a person of Clifford's rank
greatly strengthened the popular belief, and the whole English nation
was seriously discomposed and gravely disaffected towards the king.
When Henry was informed of this new plot, he set himself cautiously
but steadily and resolutely to foil it. His first object was to
ascertain the reality of the death of the young prince, and to confirm
the opinion which had always prevailed with regard to that event.
Richard had engaged five persons to murder his nephews--viz., Sir
James Tirrel, whom he made custodian of the Tower while his nefarious
scheme was in course of execution, and who had seen the bodies of the
princes after their assassination; Forrest, Dighton, and Slater, who
perpetrated the crime; and the priest who buried the bodies. Tirrel
and Dighton were still alive; but although their stories agreed, as
the priest was dead, and as the bodies were supposed to have been
removed by Richard's orders, and could not be found, it was impossible
to prove conclusively that the young princes really had been put to
death.
By means of his spies, Henry, after a time, succeeded in tracing the
true pedigree of Warbeck, and immediately published it for the
satisfaction of the nation. At the same time he remonstrated with the
Archduke Philip on account of the protection which was afforded to the
impostor, and demanded that "the theatrical king formed by the Duchess
of Burgundy" should be given up to him. The ambassadors were received
with all outward respect, but their request was refused, and they were
sent home with the answer, that "the Duchess of Burgundy being
absolute sovereign in the lands of her dowry, the archduke could not
meddle with her affairs, or hinder her from doing what she thought
fit." Henry in resentment cut off all intercourse with the Low
Countries, banished the Flemings, and recalled his own subjects from
these provinces. At the same time, Sir Robert Clifford having proved
traitorous to Warbeck's cause, and having revealed the names of its
supporters in England, the king pounced upon the leading conspirators.
Almost at the same instant he arrested Fitzwater, Mountfort, and
Thwaites, together with William D'Aubeney, Thomas Cressener, Robert
Ratcliff, and Thomas Astwood. Lord Fitzwater was sent as a prisoner to
Calais with some hopes of pardon; but being detected in an attempt to
bribe his gaolers, he was beheaded. Sir Simon Mountfort, Robert
Ratcliff, and William D'Aubeney were tried, condemned, and executed,
and the others were pardoned.
Stanley, the chamberlain, was reserved for a more impressive fate. His
domestic connection with the king and his former services seemed to
render him safe against any punishment; but Henry, thoroughly aroused
by his perfidy, determined to bring the full weight of his vengeance
upon him. Clifford was directed to come privately to England, and cast
himself at the foot of the throne, imploring pardon for his past
offences, and offering to condone his folly by any services which
should be required of him. Henry, accepting his penitence, informed
him that the only reparation he could now make was by disclosing the
names of his abettors; and the turncoat at once denounced Stanley,
then present, as, his chief colleague. The chamberlain indignantly
repudiated the accusation; and Henry, with well-feigned disbelief,
begged Clifford to be careful in making his charges, for it was
absolutely incredible "that a man, to whom he was in a great measure
beholden for his crown, and even for his life; a man to whom, by every
honour and favour, he had endeavoured to express his gratitude; whose
brother, the Earl of Derby, was his own father-in-law; to whom he had
even committed the trust of his person by creating him lord
chamberlain; that this man, enjoying his full confidence and
affection, not actuated by any motive of discontent or apprehension,
should engage in a conspiracy against him." But Clifford persisted in
his charges and statements. Stanley was placed under arrest, and was
subsequently tried, condemned, and beheaded.
The fate of the unfortunate chamberlain, and the defection of
Clifford, created the greatest consternation in the camp of Perkin
Warbeck. The king's authority was greatly strengthened by the
promptness and severity of his measures, and the pretender soon
discovered that unless he were content to sink into obscurity, he must
speedily make a bold move. Accordingly, having collected a band of
outlaws, criminals, and adventurers, he set sail for England. Having
received intelligence that Henry was at that time in the north, he
cast anchor off the coast of Kent, and despatched some of his
principal adherents to invite the gentlemen of Kent to join his
standard. The southern landowners, who were staunchly loyal, invited
him to come on shore and place himself at their head. But the wary
impostor was not to be entrapped so easily. He declined to trust
himself in the hands of the well-disciplined bands which expressed so
much readiness to follow him to death or victory; and the Kentish
troops, despairing of success in their stratagem, fell upon such of
his retainers as had already landed, and took 150 of them prisoners.
These were tried, sentenced, and executed by order of the king, who
was determined to show no lenity to the rebels. Perkin being an
eye-witness of the capture of his people, immediately weighed anchor,
and returned to Flanders.
Hampered, however, by his horde of desperadoes, he could not again
settle quietly down under the protecting wing of the Duchess Margaret.
Work and food had to be found for his lawless followers; and in 1495
an attempt was made upon Ireland, which still retained its preference
for the House of York. But the people of Ireland had learnt a salutary
lesson at the battle of Stoke, and Perkin, meeting with little
success, withdrew to Scotland. At this time there was a coolness
between the Scottish and English courts, and King James gave him a
favourable reception, being so completely deceived by his specious
story, that he bestowed upon him in marriage the beautiful and
virtuous Lady Catherine Gordon, the daughter of the Earl of Huntly,
and his own kinswoman. Not content with this, the King of Scots, with
Perkin in his company, invaded England, in the hope that the adherents
of the York family would rise in favour of the pretender. In this
expectation he was disappointed, and what at first seemed likely to
prove a dangerous insurrection ended in a mere border raid.
For a time Warbeck remained in Scotland; but when King James
discovered that his continued presence at his court completely
prevented all hope of a lasting peace with England, he requested him
to leave the country. The Flemings meanwhile had passed a law barring
his retreat into the Low Countries. Therefore, after hiding for a time
in the wilds of Ireland, he resolved to try the affections of the men
of Cornwall. No sooner did he land at Bodmin, than the people crowded
to his banners in such numbers, that the pretender, hopeful of
success, took upon himself for the first time the title of Richard
IV., king of England. Not to suffer the expectation of his followers
to languish, he laid siege to Exeter; but the men of Exeter, having
shut their gates in his face, waited with confidence for the coming of
the king. Nor were they disappointed. The Lords D'Aubeney and Broke
were despatched with a small body of troops to the relief of the city.
The leading nobles offered their services as volunteers, and the king,
at the head of a considerable army, prepared to follow his advanced
guard. Perkin's followers, who numbered about 7000 men, would have
stood by him; but the cowardly Fleming, despairing of success,
secretly withdrew to the sanctuary of Beaulieu. The Cornish rebels
accepted the king's clemency, and Lady Gordon, the wife of the
pretender, fell into the hands of the royalists. To Henry's credit it
must be mentioned that he did not visit the sins of the husband upon
the poor deluded wife, but placed her in attendance upon the queen,
and bestowed upon her a pension which she continued to enjoy
throughout his reign, and even after his death.
It was a difficult matter to know how to deal with the impostor
himself. It would have been easy to make the privileges of the church
yield to reasons of state, and to take him by violence from the
sanctuary; but at the same time it was wise to respect the rights of
the clergy and the prejudices of the people. Therefore agents were
appointed to treat with the counterfeit prince, and succeeded in
inducing him, by promises that his life would be spared, to deliver
himself up to King Henry. Once a captive, he was treated with derision
rather than with extreme severity, and was led in a kind of mock
triumph to London. As he passed along the road, and through the
streets of the city, men of all grades assembled to see the impostor,
and cast ridicule upon his fallen fortunes; and the farce was ended by
the publication of a confession in which Warbeck narrated his real
parentage, and the chief causes of his presumption to royal honours.
But although his life was spared, he was still detained in custody.
After a time he escaped from prison, and fled to the Priory of Sheen,
near Richmond, where he desired the prior, who was a favourite with
the king, to petition for his life and a pardon. If Henry had listened
to the advice of his counsellors he would have taken advantage of the
opportunity to rid himself of this persistent disturber of his peace;
but he was content to give orders that "the knave should be taken out
and set in the stocks." Accordingly, on the 14th of June 1499, Warbeck
was exposed on a scaffold, erected in the Palace Court, Westminster,
as he was on the day following at the Cross on Cheapside, and at both
these places he read a confession of his imposture. Notwithstanding
this additional disgrace, no sooner was he again under lock and key,
than his restless spirit induced him to concoct another plot for
liberty and the crown. Insinuating himself into the intimacy of four
servants of Sir John Digby, lieutenant of the Tower, by their means he
succeeded in opening a correspondence with the Earl of Warwick, who
was confined in the same prison. The unfortunate prince listened
readily to his fatal proposals, and a new plan was laid. Henry was
apprised of it, and was not sorry that the last of the Plantagenets
had thus thrust himself into his hands. Warbeck and Warwick were
brought to trial, condemned, and executed. Perkin Warbeck died very
penitently on the gallows at Tyburn. "Such," says Bacon, "was the end
of this little cockatrice of a king." The Earl of Warwick was beheaded
on Tower Hill, on the 28th of November 1499.