Page:The Works of Francis Bacon (1884) Volume 1.djvu/477

 HISTORY OF KIXCJ HENRY VII. peisons as amongst the vulgar, that he was in deed Duke Richard. Nay, himself, with long and continual counterfeiting, and with oft telling a lie, was turned by habit almost into the thing i he seemed to be; and from a liar to a believer. The duchess therefore, as in a case out of doubt, did him all princely honour, calling him always by the name of her nephew, and giving him the delicate title of the white rose of England ; and appointed him a guard of thirty persons, halber diers, clad in a party-coloured livery of murrey and blue, to attend his person. Her court, likewise, and generally the Dutch and strangers, in their usage towards him, expressed no less respect. The news hereof came blazing and thundering over into England, that the Duke of York was sure alive. As for the name of Perkin Warbeck, it was not at that time come to light, but all the news ran upon the Duke of York ; that he had heen entertained in Ireland, bought and sold in France, and was now plainly avowed, and in great honour in Flanders. These fames took hold of divers ; in some upon discontent, in some upon ambition, in some upon levity and desire of change, and in some few upon conscience and be lief, but in most upon simplicity ; and in divers out of dependence upon some of the better sort, who did in socret favour and nourish these bruits. A.nd it was not long ere these rumours of novelty had begotten others of scandal and murmur against the king and his government, taxing him for a great taxer of his people, and discountenancer of his nobility. The loss of Britain and the peace with France were not forgotten. But chiefly they fell upon the wrong that he did his queen, in that he did not reign in her right. Wherefore, they said, that God had now brought to light a mascu line branch of the house of York, that would not be at his courtesy, howsoever he did depress his poor lady. And yet, as it fareth in things which are current with the multitude, and which they affect, these fames grew so general as the authors were lost in the generality of speakers. They being like running weeds that have no certain root, or like footings up and down impossible to be traced; but after a while these ill humours drew to a head, and settled secretly in some emi nent persons ; which were, Sir William Stanley, lord chamberlain of the king s household, the Lord Fitzwater, Sir Simon Mountfort, and Sir Thomas Thwaites. These entered into a secret conspiracy to favour Duke Richard s title. Never theless none engaged their fortunes in this busi ness openly but two : Sir Robert Clifford, and Master William Barley, who sailed over into Flanders, sent indeed from the party of the con spirators here, to understand the truth of those things that passed there, and not without some help of monies from hence ; provisionally to be delivered, if they found and were satisfied that there was truth in these pretences. The person of Sir Robert Clifford, being a gentleman of fame and family, was extremely welcome to the Lady Margaret. Who after she had conference with him, brought him to the sight of Perkin, with whom he had often speech and discourse. So that in the end, won either by the duchess to af fect, or by Perkin to believe, he wrote back into England, that he knew the person of Richard Duke of York, as well as he knew his own, and that this young man was undoubtedly he. By this means all things grew prepared to revolt and sedition here, and the conspiracy came to have a correspondence between Flanders and England. The king on his part was not asleep; but to arm or levy forces yet, he thought would but show fear, and do this idol too much worship. Nevertheless the ports he did shut up, or at least kept a watch on them, that none should pass to or fro that was suspected : but for the rest, he choose to work by countermine. His purposes were two ; the one to lay open the abuse, the other to break the knot of the conspirators. To detect the abuse, there were but two ways ; the first, to make it manifest to- the world that the Duke of York was indeed murdered ; the other, to prove that were he dead or alive, yet Perkin was a counterfeit. For the first, thus it stood. There were but four persons that could speak upon knowledge to the murder of the Duke of York ; Sir James Tirrel, the employed man from King Richard, John Dighton and Miles Forrest his servants, the two butchers or tormentors, and the priest of the Tower that buried them. Of which four, Miles Forrest and the priest were dead, and there remained alive only Sir James Tirrel and John Dighton. These two the king caused to be committed to the Tower, and examin ed touching the manner of he death of the two innocent princes. They agreed both in a tale, as the king gave out to tins effect: That King Richard having directed his warrant for the put ting of them to death to Brackenbury, the lieute nant of the Tower, was by him refused. Where upon the king directed his warrant to Sir James Tirrel, to receive the keys of the Tower from the lieutenant, for the space of a night, for the king s special service. That Sir James Tirrel according ly repaired to the Tower by night, attended by his two servants afore-named, whom he had chosen for that purpose. That himself stood at the stab foot, and sent these two villains to execute thf murder. That they smothered them in their bed ; and, that done, called up their master to see theii naked dead bodies, which they had laid forth That they were buried under the stairs, and somo stones cast upon them. That when the usport was made to King Richard, that his will was done, he gave Sir James Tirrel great thanks, but took exception to the place of their burial, being too base for them that were king s children, Whereupon, another night, by the king s warrant 2G