THE CHRONICLE HISTORIE OF PERKIN WARBECK A Strange Truth Acted some-times by the Queenes MAIESTIES Servants at the Phaenix in Drurie lane Fide Honor LONDON Printed by T. P. for Hugh Beeston and are to be sold at his Shop neere the Castle in Cornehill 1634 The Scene The Continent of Great Britayne The Persons presented Henry the seaventh Dawbney Sir William Stanly Oxford Surrey Bishop of Durham Vrswicke Chaplaine to King Henry Sir Robert Clifford Lambert Simnell Hialas a Spanish Agent Constable Officers Servingmen and Souldiers Iames the 4th King of Scotl Earle of Huntley Earle of Crawford Lord Daliell Marchmount a Herauld Perkin Warbeck Frion his Secretarie Mayor of Cork Heron a Mercer Sketon a Taylor Astly a Scrivener Women Ladie Katherine Gourdon wife to Perkin Countesse of Crawford Iane Douglas Lady Kath: mayd TO THE RIGHTLY HONOVRABLE VVILLIAM CAVENDISH Earle of New-Castle Viscount Mansfield Lord Boulfouer and Ogle MY LORD Out of the darknesse of a former Age enlighten'd by a late both learned and an honourable pen I haue endevoured to personate a great Attempt and in It a greater Daunger In other Labour's you may reade Actions of Antiquitie discourst In This Abridgement finde the Actors themselues discoursing in some kinde practiz'd as well What to speake as speaking Why to doe Your Lop. is a most competent Iudge in expressions of such credit commissioned by your knowne Abilitie in examining and enabled by your knowledge in determining the monuments of Time Eminent Titles may indeed informe who their owners are not often what To your's the addition of that information in BOTH cannot in any application be observ'd flattery the Authoritie being established by TRVTH I can onely acknowledge the errours in writing mine owne the worthinesse of the Subject written being a perfection in the Story and of It. The custome of your ps entertainements even to Strangers is rather an Example than a Fashion in which consideration I dare not professe a curiositie but am onely studious that your p will please amongst such as best honour your Goodnesse to admit into your noble construction IOHN FORD To my owne friend Master Iohn Ford on his Iustifiable Poem of Perkin Warbeck This Ode THey who doe know mee know that I Vnskil'd to flatter Dare speake This Piece in words in matter A WORKE without the daunger of the Lye Beleeue mee friend the name of This and Thee Will liue your Storie Bookes may want Faith or merit glorie THIS neither without Iudgement 's Lethargie When the Arts doate then some sicke Poet may Hope that his penne In new-staind-paper can finde men To roare HE is THE WIT'S His NOYSE doth sway But such an Age cannot be know'n for All E're that Time bee Must proue such Truth mortalitie So friend thy honour stand's too fixt to fall George Donne To his worthy friend Master Iohn Ford vpon his Perkin Warbeck LEt men who are writt Poets lay a claime To the Phebean Hill I haue no name Nor art in Verse True I haue heard some tell Of Aganippe but ne're knew the Well Therefore haue no ambition with the Times To be in Print for making of ill Rimes But loue of Thee and Iustice to thy Penne Hath drawne mee to this Barre with other men To justifie though against double Lawes Waving the subtill bus'nesse of his cause The GLORIOVS PERKIN and thy Poet 's Art Equall with His in playing the KINGS PART Ra E'ure Baronis Primogen To my faithfull no lesse deserving friend the Authour This indebted Oblation PERKIN is redivin'd by thy strong hand And crownd' a King of new the vengefull wand Of Greatnesse is forgot HIS Execution May rest vn-mention'd and HIS birth 's Collusion Lye buried in the Storie But HIS fame Thou has't eterniz'd made a Crowne HIS Game HIS loftie spirit soares yet Had HE been Base in his enterprise as was his sinne Conceiv'd HIS TITLE doubtlesse prou'd vnjust Had but for Thee been silenc't in his dust George Crymes miles To the Authour his friend vpon his Chronicle Historie THese are not to expresse thy witt But to pronounce thy Iudgement fitt In full-fil'd phrase those Times to rayse When PERKIN ran his wilie wayes Still let the methode of thy brayne From Errours touch and Envy's stayne Preserue Thee free that eu'r thy quill Fayre Truth may wett and Fancy fill Thus Graces are with Muses mett And practick Critick's on may frett For heere Thou hast produc't A Storie Which shall ecclipse Their future Glorie Iohn Brograue To my friend and kinsman Master Iohn Ford the Authour DRammatick Poets as the Times goe now Can hardly write what others will allow The Cynick snarl's the Critick howles and barkes And Ravens croake to drowne the voyce of Larkes Scorne those STAGE-HARPYES This I 'le boldly say Many may imitate few match thy Play Iohn Ford Graiensis PROLOGVE STudyes haue of this Nature been of late So out of fashion so vnfollow'd that It is become more Iustice to reviue The antick follyes of the Times then striue To countenance wise Industrie no want Of Art doth render witt or lame or scant Or slothfull in the purchase of fresh bayes But want of Truth in Them who giue the prayse To their selfe-loue presuming to out-doe The Writer or for need the Actor's too But such THIS AVTHOVR'S silence best befitt's Who bidd's Them be in loue with their owne witt's From Him to cleerer Iudgement 's wee can say Hee shew's a Historie couch't in a Play A Historie of noble mention knowne Famous and true most noble 'cause our owne Not forg'd from Italie from Fraunce from Spaine But Chronicled at Home as rich in strayne Of braue Attempts as ever fertile Rage In Action could beget to grace the Stage Wee cannot limitt Scenes for the whole Land It selfe appeard too narrow to with-stand Competitors for Kingdomes nor is heere Vnnecessary mirth forc't to indeere A multitude on these two rest's the Fate Of worthy expectation TRUTH and STATE THE CHRONICLE HISTORIE OF PERKIN WARBECK Actus primus Scaena prima Enter King Henry Durham Oxford Surrey Sir William Stanly Lord Chamberlaine Lord Dawbny The King supported to his Throne by Stanly and Durham A Guard King Still to be haunted still to be pursued Still to be frighted with false apparitions Of pageant Majestie and new-coynd greatnesse As if wee were a mockery King in state Onely ordaind to lauish sweat and bloud In scorne and laughter to the ghosts of Yorke Is all below our merits yet my Lords My friends and Counsailers yet we sit fast In our owne royall birth-right the rent face And bleeding wounds of England's slaughterd people Haue beene by vs as by the best Physitian At last both throughly Cur'd and set in safetie And yet for all this glorious worke of peace Our selfe is scarce secure Dur: The rage of malice Conjures fresh spirits with the spells of Yorke For ninetie yeares ten English Kings and Princes Threescore great Dukes and Earles a thousand Lords And valiant Knights two hundred
fiftie thousand Of English Subiects haue in Ciuill Warres Beene sacrificd to an vnciuill thirst Of discord and ambition this hot vengeance Of the just powers aboue to vtter ruine And Desolation had raign'd on but that Mercie did gently sheath the sword of Iustice In lending to this bloud-shrunck Common-wealth A new too new birth in your Sacred person Daw: Edward the fourth after a doubtfull fortune Yeelded to nature leaving to his sonnes Edward and Richard the inheritance Of a most bloudy purchase these young Princes Richard the Tirant their vnnaturall Vncle Forc'd to a violent graue so just is Heauen Him hath your Majestie by your owne arme Divinely strengthen'd pulld from his Boares stie And strucke the black Vsurper to a Carkasse Nor doth the House of Yorke decay in Honors Tho Lancaster doth repossesse his right For Edwards daughter is King Henries Queene A blessed Vnion and a lasting blessing For this poore panting Iland if some shreds Some vselesse remnant of the House of Yorke Grudge not at this Content Ox: Margaret of Burgundy Blowes fresh Coales of Division Sur: Painted fires Without to heate or scortch or light to cheerish Daw: Yorkes headlesse trunck her Father Edwards fate Her brother King the smothering of her Nephewes By Tirant Gloster brother to her nature Nor Glosters owne confusion all decrees Sacred in Heauen Can moue this Woman-Monster But that shee still from the vnbottom'd myne Of Devilish policies doth vent the Ore Of troubles and sedition Ox: In her age Great Sir obserue the Wonder shee growes fruitfull Who in her strength of youth was alwayes barraine Nor are her birthes as other Mothers are At nine or ten moneths end shee has beene with childe Eight or seaven yeares at least whose twinnes being borne A prodegie in Nature even the youngest Is fifteene yeares of age at his first entrance As soone as knowne 'i th world tall striplings strong And able to giue battaile vnto Kings Idolls of Yorkish malice Ox: And but Idolls A steelie hammer Crushes 'em to peices K: Lambert the eldest Lords is in our service Prefer'd by an officious care of Dutie From the Scullery to a Faulkner strange example Which shewes the difference betweene noble natures And the base borne but for the vpstart Duke The new reviu'd Yorke Edwards second sonne Murder'd long since 'i th Towre he liues againe And vowes to be your King Stan: The throne is filld Sir K: True Stanlie and the lawfull heire sitts on it A guard of Angells and the holy prayers Of loyall Subjects are a sure defence Against all force and Counsaile of Intrusion But now my Lords put case some of our Nobles Our GREAT ONES should giue Countenance and Courage To trim Duke Perkin you will all confesse Our bounties haue vnthriftily beene scatter'd Amongst vnthankfull men Daw: Vnthankfull beasts Dogges villaines traytors K: Dawbney let the guiltie Keepe silence I accuse none tho I know Forraigne attempts against a State and Kingdome Are seldome without some great friends at home Stan: Sir if no other abler reasons else Of dutie or alegiance could divert A head-strong resolution yet the dangers So lately past by men of bloud and fortunes In Lambert Simnells partie must Command More than a feare a terror to Conspiracie The high-borne Lincolne sonne to De la Pole The Earle of Kildare Lord Geraldine Francis Lord Louell and the German Baron Bould Martin Swart with Broughton and the rest Most spectacles of ruine some of mercy Are presidents sufficient to forewarne The present times or any that liue in them What follie nay what madnesse 't were to lift A finger vp in all defence but yours Which can be but impostorous in a title K. Stanlie wee know thou lou'st Vs and thy heart Is figur'd on thy tongue nor thinke wee lesse Of anie 's here how closely wee haue hunted This Cubb since he vnlodg'd from hole to hole Your knowledge is our Chronicle first Ireland The common stage of Noveltie presented This gewgaw to oppose vs there the Geraldines And Butlers once againe stood in support Of this Colossicke statue Charles of Fraunce Thence call'd him into his protection Dissembled him the lawfull heire of England Yet this was all but French dissimulation Ayming at peace with vs which being granted On honorable termes on our part suddenly This smoake of straw was packt from Fraunce againe T' infect some grosser ayre and now wee learne Mauger the malice of the bastard Nevill Sir Talor and a hundred English Rebells Thei 'r all retir'd to Flaunders to the Dam That nurst this eager Wholpe Margaret of Burgundie But wee will hunt him there too wee will hunt him Hunt him to death euen in the Beldams Closet Tho the Arch-duke were his Buckler Sur: Shee has stil'd him The faire white rose of England Daw: Iollie Gentleman more fit to be a Swabber To the Flemish after a drunken surfet Enter Vrswick Vr: Gracious Soueraigne please you peruse this paper Dur: The Kings Countenance gathers a sprightly bloud Daw: Good newes beleeue it K: Vrswick thine eare Th' ast lodgd him Vr: Strongly safe Sir K: Enough is Barly come to Vr: No my Lord K: No matter phew hee 's but a running weede At pleasure to be pluck'd vp by the rootes But more of this anon I haue bethought mee My Lords for reasons which you shall pertake It is our pleasure to remoue our Court From Westminster to th' Tower Wee will lodge This very night there giue Lord Chamberlaine A present order for it Stan: The Tower I shall sir K: Come my true best fast friends these clouds will vanish The Sunne will shine at full the Heauens are clearing Exeunt Flourish Enter Huntley and Daliell Hun: You trifle time Sir Dal: Oh my noble Lord You conster my griefes to so hard a sence That where the text is argument of pittie Matter of earnest loue your glosse corrupts it With too much ill plac'd mirth Hunt: Much mirth Lord Daliell Not so I vow obserue mee sprightly gallant I know thou art a noble ladd a hansome Discended from an honorable Auncestrie Forward and actiue do'st resolue to wrestle And ruffle in the world by noble actions For a braue mention to posteritie I scorne not thy affection to my Daughter Not I by good St. Andrew but this bugg-beare This whoresome tale of honor honor Daliell So hourely chatts and tattles in mine eare The peece of royaltie that is stitch'd vp In my Kates bloud that 't is as dangerous For thee young Lord to pearch so neere an Eaglet As foolish for my gravitie to admit it I haue spoake all at once Dal: Sir with this truth You mix such Worme wood that you leaue no hope For my disorderd palate ere to rellish A wholesome taste againe alas I know Sir What an vnequall distance lies betweene Great Huntlies Daughters birth and Daliells fortunes Shee 's the Kings kinswoman plac'd neere the Crowne A Princesse of the bloud and I a Subject Hunt: Right
your humblest servant Hunt: Enough wee are still friends and will continue A heartie loue oh Kate thou art mine owne No more my Lord of Crawford Enter Crawford Craw. From the King I come my Lord of Huntley Who in Counsaile requires your present ayde Hunt: Some weightie businesse Craw: A Secretarie from a Duke of Yorke The second sonne to the late English Edward Conceal'd I know not where these fourteen yeares Craues audience from our Maister and t is said The Duke himselfe is following to the Court Hunt: Duke vpon Duke t is well 't is well heere 's bustling For Majestie my Lord I will along with yee Craw: My service noble Lady Kat: Please yee walke sir Dal: Times haue their changes sorrow makes men wise The Sunne it selfe must sett as well as rise Then why not I faire Maddam I waite on yee Exeunt omnes Enter Durham Sir Robert Clifford and Vrswick Lights Dur: You finde Sir Robert Clifford how securely King Henry our great Maister doth commit His person to your loyaltie you taste His bountie and his mercy even in this That at a time of night so late a place So private as his Closet hee is pleasd To admit you to his favour doe not faulter In your Discovery but as you covet A liberall grace and pardon for your follies So labour to deserue it by laying open All plotts all persons that contriue against it Vrs: Remember not the witchcraft or the Magick The charmes and incantations which the Sorceresse Of Burgundie hath cast vpon your reason Sir Robert bee your owne friend now discharge Your conscience freely all of such as loue you Stand sureties for your honestie and truth Take heede you doe not dallie with the King He is wise as he is gentle Cliff: I am miserable If Henry be not mercifull Vrs: The King comes Enter King Henry K: H Clifford Cliff: Let my weake knees rot on the earth If I appeare as leap'rous in my treacheries Before your royall eyes as to mine owne I seeme a Monster by my breach of truth K: H Clifford stand vp for instance of thy safetie I offer thee my hand Cliff A soveraigne Balme For my bruis'd Soule I kisse it with a greedinesse Sir you are a just Master but I K: H Tell me is every circumstance thou hast set downe With thine owne hand within this paper true Is it a sure intelligence of all The progresse of our enemies intents Without corruption Cliff: True as I wish heaven Or my infected honor white againe K: H Wee know all Clifford fully since this meteor This ayrie apparition first discradled From Tournay into Portugall and thence Advanc'd his firie blaze for adoration Toth superstitious Irish since the beard Of this wilde Comet Conjurd'd into Fraunce Sparkled in antick flames in Charles his Court But shrunke againe from thence and hid in darknesse Stole into Flaunders flourishing the ragges Of painted power on the shore of Kent Whence hee was beaten backe with shame and scorne Contempt and slaughter of some naked out-lawes But tell me what new course now shapes Duke Perkin Cliff: For Ireland mightie Henrie so instructed By Stephen Frion sometimes Secretarie In the French tongue vnto your sacred Excellence But Perkins tutor now K: H A subtill villaine That Frion Frion you my Lord of Durham Knew well the man Dur. French both in heart and actions K: H Some Irish heads worke in this mine of treason Speake em Cliff Not any of the best your fortune Hath dulld their spleenes never had Counterfeit Such a confused rabble of lost Banquerouts For Counsellors first Heron a broken Mercer Then Iohn a Water sometimes Major of Corke Sketon a taylor aud a Scrivenor Calld Astley and what ere these list to treate of Perkin must harken to but Frion cunning Aboue these dull capacities still prompts him To flie to Scotland to young Iames the fourth And sue for ayde to him this is the latest Of all their resolutions K. H. Still more Frion Pestilent Adder hee will hisse out poyson As dang'rous as infections we must match 'em Clifford thou hast spoke home wee giue thee life But Clifford there are people of our owne Remaine behinde vntold who are they Clifford Name those and wee are friends and will to rest T is thy last taske Cliff Oh Sir here I must breake A most vnlawfull Oath to keepe a just one K. H. Well well be briefe be briefe Cliff The first in ranck Shall be Iohn Ratcliffe Lord Fitzwater then Sir Simon Mountford and Sir Thomas Thwaites With William Dawbegney Chessoner Astwood Worsley the Deane of Paules two other Fryars And Robert Ratcliffe K. H. Church-men are turn'd Divells These are the principall Cliff One more remaines Vn-nam'd whom I could willingly forget K.H. Ha Clifford one more Cliff Great Sir do not heare him For when Sir William Stanlie your Lord Chamberlaine Shall come into the list as he is chiefe I shall loose credit with yee yet this Lord Last nam'd is first against you K. H. Vrswick the light view well my face Sirs Is there bloud left in it Dur. You alter Strangely Sir K. H. Alter Lord Bishop Why Clifford stab'd mee or I dream'd a'stabd mee Sirra it is a custome with the guiltie To thinke they set their owne staines off by laying Aspersions on some nobler then themselues Lyes waite on treasons as I finde it here Thy life againe is forfeit I recall My word of mercy for I know thou dar'st Repeate the name no more Cliff I dare and once more Vpon my knowledge name Sir William Stanlie Both in his counsaile and his purse the chiefe Assistant to the fain'd Duke of Yorke Dur: Most strange Vrs: Most wicked K: H. Yet againe once more Cliff: Sir William Stanlie is your secret enemy And if time fit will openly professe it K. H. Sir William Stanlie Who Sir William Stanlie My Chamberlaine my Counsellor the loue The pleasure of my Court my bosome friend The Charge and the Controulement of my person The keyes and secrets of my treasurie The all of all I am I am vnhappie Miserie of confidence let mee turne traytor To mine owne person yeeld my Scepter vp To Edwards Sister and her bastard Duke Dur. You loose your constant temper K. H. Sir William Stanlie Oh doe not blame mee hee t was onely hee Who having rescu'd mee in Bosworth field From Richards bloudy sword snatch'd from his head The Kingly Crowne and plac'd it first on mine Hee never fail'd mee what haue I deserv'd To loose this good mans heart or hee his owne Vrs: The night doth waste this passion ill becomes yee Provide against your danger K. H. Let it be so Vrswick command streight Stanly to his chamber T is well wee are i th Tower set a guard on him Clifford to bed you must lodge here to night Wee l talke with you to morrow my sad soule Devines strange troubles Dawb: Ho the King the King I must haue entrance K. H. Dawbneys
Sir which were as Cleere and manifest as foule and dangerous Besides the guilt of his conspiracie prest him So neerely that it drew from him free Confession without an importunitie K: H Oh Lord Bishop This argued shame and sorrow for his follie And must not stand in evidence against Our mercie and the softnesse of our nature The rigor and extremitie of Law Is sometimes too too bitter but wee carry A Chancerie of pittie in our bosome I hope wee may repreiue him from the sentence Of death I hope we may Dur: You may you may And so perswade your Subjects that the title Of Yorke is better nay more just and lawfull Then yours of Lancaster so Stanlie houlds Which if it be not treason in the highest Then we are traytors all perjurd and false Who haue tooke oath to Henry and the justice Of Henries title Oxford Surrey Dawbney With all your other Peeres of State and Church Forsworne and Stanlie true alone to Heaven And Englands lawfull heire Ox: By Veres old honors I le cut his throate dares speake it Sur: T is a quarrell To' ingage a soule in K: H What a coyle is here To keepe my gratitude sincere and perfect Stanlie was once my friend and came in time To saue my life yet to say truth my Lords The man staid long enough t' indanger it But I could see no more into his heart Then what his outward actions did present And for 'em haue rewarded 'em so fullie As that there wanted nothing in our guift To gratifie his merit as I thought Vnlesse I should devide my Crowne with him And giue him halfe tho now I well perceiue T would scarce haue seru'd his turne without the whole But I am Charitable Lords let Iustice Proceede in execution whiles I mourne The losse of one whom I esteemd a friend Dur: Sir he is comming this way K: H If a'speake to me I could denie him nothing to prevent it I must withdraw pray Lords commend my favours To his last peace which I with him will pray for That done it doth concerne vs to consult Of other following troubles Exeunt Ox: I am glad hee 's gone vpon my life he would Haue pardon'd the Traytor had a'seene him Sur: 'T is a King composd of gentlenesse Dur: Rare and vnheard of But every man is neerest to himselfe And that the King obserues t is fit a' should Enter Stanly Executioner Vrswick and Dawbney Stan: May I not speake with Clifford ere I shake This peice of Frailtie off Dawb: You shall hee s sent for Stan: I must not see the King Dur: From him Sir William These Lords and I am sent hee bad vs say That he commends his mercy to your thoughts Wishing the Lawes of England could remit The forfeit of your life as willingly As he would in the sweetnesse of his nature Forget your trespasse but how ere your body Fall into dust Hee vowes the King himselfe Doth vow to keepe a requiem for your soule As for a friend close treasur'd in his bosome Ox: Without remembrance of your errors past I come to take my leaue and wish you Heaven Sur: And I good Angells guard yee Stan: Oh the King Next to my soule shall be the neerest subject Of my last prayers my graue Lord of Durham My Lords of Oxford Surrey Dawbney all Accept from a poore dying man a farewell I was as you are once great and stood hopefull Of many flourishing yeares but fate and time Haue wheeld about to turne mee into nothing Enter Clifford Daw: Sir Robert Clifford comes the man Sir William You so desire to speake with Dur: Marke their meeting Cliff: Sir William Stanlie I am glad your Conscience Before your end hath emptied every burthen Which charg'd it as that you can cleerely witnesse How farre I haue proceeded in a dutie That both concern'd my truth and the States safetie Stan: Mercy how deare is life to such as hugge it Come hether by this token thinke on mee Makes a Crosse on Cliffords face with his finger Cliff: This token What I am abusd Stan: You are not I wetr vpon your cheekes a holy Signe The Crosse the Christians badge the Traytors infamie Weare Clifford to thy graue this painted Emblem Water shall never wash it off all eyes That gaze vpon thy face shall reade there written A State-Informers Character more vglie Stamp'd on a noble name then on a base The Heavens forgiue thee pray my Lords no change Of words this man and I haue vsd too manie Cliff: Shall I be disgrac'd without replie Dur. Giue loosers Leaue to talke his losse is irrecoverable Stan: Once more To all A long farewell the best of greatnesse Preserue the King my next suite is my Lords To be remembred to my noble Brother Darby my much griev'd brother Oh! perswade him That I shall stand no blemish to his house In Chronicles writ in another age My heart doth bleede for him and for his sighes Tell him hee must not thinke the stile of Darby Nor being husband to King Henries Mother The league with Peeres the smiles of Fortune can Secure his peace aboue the state of man I take my leaue to travaile to my dust Subjects deserue their deaths whose Kings are just Come Confessor on with thy Axe friend on Exeunt Cliff: Was I call'd hither by a Traytors breath To be vpbraided Lords the King shall know it Enter King Henry with a white staffe K: H The King doth know it Sir the King hath heard What he or you could say Wee haue given credit To every point of Cliffords information The onely evidence 'gainst Stanlies head A' dyes for t are you pleasd Cliff: I pleasd my Lord K: H No ecchoes for your service wee dismisse Your more attendance on the Court take ease And liue at home but as you loue your life Stirre not from London without leaue from vs Wee le thinke on your reward away Cliff: I goe Sir Exit Clifford K: H Dye all our griefes with Stanlie take this staffe Of office Dawbney henceforth be our Chamberlaine Dawb: I am your humblest servant K: H Wee are followed By enemies at home that will not cease To seeke their owne confusion 't is most true The Cornish vnder Awdley are marcht on As farre as Winchester but let them come Our forces are in readinesse wee le catch 'em In their owne toyles Dawb: Your Armie being mustred Consist in all of horse and foote at least In number six and twentie thousand men Daring and able resolute to fight And loyall in their truthes K: H Wee know it Dawbney For them wee order thus Oxford in chiefe Assisted by bolde Essex and the Earle Of Suffolke shall leade on the first Battalia Be that your charge Ox: I humbly thanke your Majestie K: H The next Devision wee assigne to Dawbney These must be men of action for on those The fortune of our fortunes must relie The last and mayne our selfe commands in person As