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
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
voyce admit him What new combustions huddle next to keepe Our eyes from rest the newes Enter Dawbney Daw: Ten thousand Cornish grudging to pay your Subsidies haue gatherd a head led by a Blacksmith and a Lawyer they make for London And to them is joyn'd Lord Audlie as they march Their number daily encreases they are K. H. Rascalls talke no more Such are not worthie of my thoughts to night And if I cannot sleepe I le wake to bed When Counsailes faile and there 's in man no trust Even then an arme from heaven fights for the just Exeunt Finis Actus primi Actus Secundus Scaena prima Enter aboue Countesse of Crawford Katherine Iane with other Ladies Coun. COme Ladies heere 's a solemne preparation For entertainment of this English Prince The King intends grace more then ordinarie T were pittie now if a 'should proue a Counterfeit Kat: Blesse the young man our Nation would be laughd at For honest soules through Christendome my father Hath a weake stomacke to the businesse Madam But that the King must not be crost Coun: A'brings A goodly troope they say of gallants with him But very modest people for they strive not To fame their names too much their god-fathers May be beholding to them but their fathers Scarce owe them thankes they are disguised Princes Brought vp it seemes to honest trades no matter They will breake forth in season Iane Or breake out For most of em are broken by report The King Kat. Let vs obserue 'em and be silent Flourish Enter King Iames Huntley Crawford and Daliell K. I. The right of Kings my Lords extends not onely To the safe Conservation of their owne But also to the ayde of such Allies As change of time and state hath often times Hurld downe from carefull Crownes to vndergoe An exercise of sufferance in both fortunes So English Richard surnam'd Cor-de-lyon So Robert Bruce our royall Ancestor Forc'd by the tryall of the wrongs they felt Both sought and found supplyes from forraigne Kings To repossesse their owne then grudge not Lords A much distressed Prince King Charles of Fraunce And Maximilian of Bohemia both Haue ratified his Credit by their Letters Shall wee then be distrustfull No Compassion Is one rich Iewell that shines in our Crowne And we will haue it shine there Hunt Doe your will Sir K. I. The young Duke is at hand Daliell from vs First greete him and conduct him on then Crawford Shall meete him next and Huntley last of all Present him to our armes sound sprightly Musique Whilst Majestie encounters Majestie Hoboyes Daliell goes out brings in Perkin at the doore where Crawford entertaines him and from Crawford Huntley salutes him and presents him to the King they embrace Perkin in state retires some few paces backe During which Ceremony the Noblemen slightly salute Fryon Heron a Mercer Sketon a Taylor Astley a Scrivenor with Iohn a Watring all Perkins followers Salutations ended cease Musique War: Most high most mightie King that now there stands Before your eyes in presence of your Peeres A subject of the rarest kinde of pittie That hath in any age touchd noble hearts The vulgar storie of a Princes ruine Hath made it too apparent EVROPE knowes And all the Westerne World what persecution Hath ragd in malice against Vs sole heire To the great throne of old Plantaginetts How from our Nursery wee haue beene hurried Vnto the Sanctuarie from the Sanctuarie Forc'd to the Prison from the Prison hald By cruell hands to the tormentors furie Is registred alreadie in the Volume Of all mens tongues whose true relation drawes Compassion melted into weeping eyes And bleeding soules but our misfortunes since Haue rang'd a larger progresse through strange Lands Protected in our Innocence by Heaven Edward the Fift our brother in his Tragedie Quenchd their hot thirst of bloud whose hire to murther Paid them their wages of despaire and horrour The softnesse of my childe-hood smild vpon The roughnesse of their taske and rob'd them farther Of hearts to dare or hands to execute Great King they spard my life the butchers spard it Returnd the tyrant my vnnaturall Vncle A truth of my dispatch I was conveyd With secresie and speede to Tournay fosterd By obscure meanes taught to vnlearne my selfe But as I grew in yeares I grew in sence Of feare and of disdaine feare of the tyrant Whose power swaide the throne then when disdaine Of living so vnknowne in such a servile And abject lownesse prompted mee to thoughts Of recollecting who I was I shooke off My bondage and made hast to let my Aunt Of Burgundie acknowledge mee her kinsman Heire to the Crowne of England snatch'd by Henry From Richards head a thing scarce knowne i th world K. I. My Lord it stands not with your Counsaile now To flie vpon invectiues if you can Make this apparent what you haue discourst In every Circumstance wee will not studie An answer but are ready in your Cause War: You are a wise and just King by the powers Aboue reserv'd beyond all other aydes To plant mee in mine owne inheritance To marrie these two Kingdomes in a loue Never to be divor'd while time is time As for the manner first of my escape Of my Conveyance next of my life since The meanes and persons who were instruments Great Sir t is fit I over-passe in silence Reserving the relation to the secrecy Of your owne Princely eare since it concernes Some great Ones living yet and others dead Whose issue might be question'd For your bountie Royall magnificence to him that seekes it WEE vow hereafter to demeane our selfe As if wee were your owne and naturall brother Omitting no occasion in our person To expresse a gratitude beyond example K. I. Hee must bee more then subject who can vtter The language of a King and such is thine Take this for answer bee what ere thou art Thou never shalt repent that thou hast put Thy cause and person into my protection Cosen of Yorke thus once more Wee embrace thee Welcome to Iames of Scotland for thy safetie Know such as loue thee not shall never wrong thee Come wee will taste a while our Court delights Dreame hence afflictions past and then proceede To high attempts of honor on leade on Both thou and thine are ours and wee will guard yee Leade on Exeunt Manent Ladies aboue Coun: I haue not seene a Gentleman Of a more braue aspect or goodlier carriage His fortunes moue not him Madam y are passionate Kat: Beshrew mee but his words haue touchd mee home As if his cause concernd mee I should pittie him If a' should proue another then hee seemes Enter Crawford Craw. Ladies the King commands your presence instantly For entertainment of the Duke Kat. The Duke Must then be entertain'd the King obayd It is our dutie Coun: Wee will all waite on him Exeunt Flourish Enter King Henry Oxford Durham Surrey K: H Haue yee condem'd my Chamberlaine Dur. His treasons condem'd him