victims. These discoveries and executions struck with terror all the partisans of Perkin. He knew, however, that he had many friends in England, who hated the king, and wished for a revolution; and he determined to make a trial of their strength and resolution, by appearing among them. Having accordingly, with the assistance of the duchess of Burgundy, collected a body of troops of different nations, to the amount of six hundred men, he embarked with them, and approached the coast of Kent, near Sandwich (July 3d, 1495). There he commanded a party of his men to land, to gain intelligence and invite the country to declare for him. But the Kentish people, observing that they were all foreigners of a suspicious appearance, fell upon them, killed many, and took one hundred and fifty of them prisoners. These were tried, condemned, and all of them executed by order from the king, to shew what those might expect who would engage in such attempts.

Warbeck, finding that none of his men returned, and suspecting what had happened, sailed back to Flanders. But a treaty of friendship and commerce was concluded (24th February, 1496) between England and the Netherlands, by which the contracting parties mutually agreed not to admit the enemies of each other into their territories, and to expel, reciprocally such of them as had been already admitted. These stipulations being evidently designed. against Warbeck, he resolved to depart before he was compelled, and embarked for Ireland with such of his retainers as still adhered to his cause. But there he found, that the people of all ranks were more averse than ever to embark in his quarrel, and determined accordingly to direct his course to Scotland. When he arrived at Edinburgh, he presented himself to James IV. who then governed that kingdom, and to whom he had been recommended by

the king of France, and by the emperor Maximilian. He approached the king, who was seated on his throne, and surrounded by his nobles; and, in an elegant speech, he related all the particulars concerning his birth, his imprisonment, and his rescue. To this speech, king James replied, that, whoever he was, he should never have reason to repent that he had put himself under his protection. (Bacon, p. 148, 153.)

To these circumstances England was principally indebted for that wise and famous statute, which enacted, that no person, who should by arms or otherwise assist the king for the time being, should ever afterwards, either by course of law, or act of parliament, be attainted for such an instance of obedience. It is more than probable, that Henry, conscious of the defect of his title, promoted this law as the best means to secure his partisans against all events. It is no less remarkable, that though there is no nation who can boast of more loyalty and affection for their legitimate sovereign than the English, there never was a throne more frequently usurped than that of England, until the constitution was fixed on its present immoveable basis.

Ann. 1496, 1497.

There is no doubt that king James was convinced, at that time that Warbeck really was, what he pretended to be; and he carried his confidence so far, as to give him in marriage Catherine Gordon, a lady eminent for virtue as well as beauty, daughter of the earl of Huntley, and related to the royal family. Though by the last truce between the two nations, it was stipulated that neither of the two kings should admit the enemies of the other into his dominions, or give them any assistance; James having determined to support Warbeck, raised an

army, made an inroad into England, attended by him, in hopes that the appearance of the pretended prince might rise an insurrection in the northern countries. Perkin himself published a manifesto full of the bitterest invectives against Henry, and in which his own history is related in these terms. "Whereas

we in our tender age escaped by God's great might out of the tower of London, and were secretly conveyed over the sea to other divers countries, there remaining certain years as unknown, &c. &c." He then invited all his subjects to rally to his standard against the usurper of his throne, &c. &c.

This manifesto did not produce the desired effect; few or none of the English joined the invading army; and about the end of the year, the Scots returned into their own country to secure their booty. Henry determining to resent this insult in a signal manner, summoned a parliament, who granted him one hundred and twenty thousand pounds, together with two fifteenths, for a war with Scotland.

After making this grant they were dismissed. These taxes were easily obtained, but Henry found it was not so easy to levy the money. The inhabitants of Cornwall were the first to refuse contributing supplies for the safety of the northern counties which were so remote from them. Their discontents were further inflamed by a farrier of Bodmin, a notable prating fellow, who, by being loudest in every complaint against government, had acquired a great popularity. To him was joined one Thomas Flammock, a lawyer, the oracle of the neighbourhood. Under these two leaders, the insurgents passed through the counties of Devon and Somerset. When they reached Wells they were joined by lord Audley, a nobleman of an ancient family, but ambitious and restless in his temper. He put himself at their head, and conducted. them towards the capital; they amounted, it is said, to sixteen thousand men. As they met with no op

position, they reached Blackheath, and encamped within sight of London, about the middle of June 1497. Henry employed against them the army he had levied some time before to oppose the Scots. Though the Cornish were brave and strong men, yet being undisciplined and ill armed, they could not resist a superior force of regular troops. About two thousand of them were killed in the battle of Blackheath (22d June), and almost all the rest taken prisoners. Lord Audley, and the two incendiaries, Flammock and the Farrier of Bodmin, were taken and executed; the other prisoners were given up to the disposal of their captors, who set them at liberty for two or three shillings a man.

In the mean time, king James made a second irruption into the north of England, besieged the castle of Norham, and plundered the neighbourhood. But being informed that the earl of Surrey was approaching with an army of 20,000 men, he raised the siege, and returned into his own kingdom. The earl advanced four miles into Scotland, took and demolished the little castle of Ayton, and then returned to Berwick, where he disbanded his army.

Henry earnestly wished for a peace or truce with Scotland, to deprive Warbeck of an asylum in that country; and having discovered by means of the Spanish ambassador, whom he had persuaded to go to Edinburgh for that purpose, that king James's dispositions were not averse to a negociation on that subject; plenipotentiaries were sent from both sides at Ayton, to agree upon the conditions of a treaty.

When king James took that resolution, he intimated to Warbeck in the softest terms, that it was become necessary for him to leave Scotland. Warbeck, it is said, behaved on this trying occasion with great composure and dignity, and embarked for Cork, where he landed, July 30th, with his amiable consort, and about 120 followers.

A truce was concluded between the plenipotentiaries of the contending parties, September 29th, to continue from that day to seven years; and about three months after, it was prolonged to continue during the lives of the two kings, and a year after the death of the longest liver.

Ann. 1498, 1499.

Warbeck. either invited by the inhabitants of Cornwall, or informed that, on account of the odious tax, which was still collected with great severity, they were again taking arms, and resolved to make another attempt more directly against the king than the former, he sailed from Ireland, and landed at Whitsand Bay (September 7th, 1498) with his wife and about a hundred men, who followed his fortunes. Being soon joined by 3000 of the insurgents at Bodmin, he published a second-manifesto, nearly similar to the former, and by the advice of his confederates besieged Exeter, the strongest and most opulent city in those parts. But as he had no artillery he was vigorously repulsed with the loss of 200 men, and compelled to raise the siege. He then retired into Somersetshire, where, receiving news that lord d'Aubeney, with a considerable body of troops, the duke of Buckingham, the earl of Devonshire, and several other barons, who had raised their forces, marched against him, announcing the approach of the king with a much greater army, he fled in the night, and took sanctuary in the monastery of Bewdly. The insurgents being thus abandoned by their leader, submitted to the king's mercy, and were dismissed, except a few of the chiefs, who were soon after hanged at Exeter.

The king being informed of the place where the wife of Warbeck had taken refuge, sent a party of horse to bring her from thence, and was so much