276 HISTORY OF KING HENRY VII. 



against him, did continually, by all means possible, 

 nourish, maintain, and divulge the flying opinion, 

 that Richard, Duke of York, second son to Edward 

 the Fourth, was not murdered in the Tower, as was 

 given out, but saved alive. For that those that 

 were employed in that barbarous fact, having 

 destroyed the elder brother, were stricken with 

 remorse arid compassion towards the younger, and 

 set him privily at liberty to seek his fortune. This 

 lure she cast abroad, thinking that this fame and 

 belief, together with the fresh example of Lambert 

 Simnel, would draw at one time or other some birds 

 to strike upon it. She used likewise a further dili 

 gence, not committing all to chance : for she had 

 some secret espials, like to the Turks commissioners 

 for children of tribute, to look abroad for handsome 

 and graceful youths, to make Plantagenets, and 

 Dukes of York. At the last she did light on one, in 

 whom all things met, as one would wish, to serve 

 her turn for a counterfeit of Richard, Duke of York. 

 This was Perkin Warbeck, whose adventures we 

 shall now describe. For first, the years agreed well. 

 Secondly, he was a youth of fine favour and shape. 

 But more than that, he had such a crafty and be 

 witching fashion, both to move pity, and to induce 

 belief, as was like a kind of fascination and enchant 

 ment to those that saw him or heard him. Thirdly, 

 he had been from his childhood such a wanderer, or, 

 as the king called him, such a land-loper, as it was 

 extreme hard to hunt out his nest and parents. 

 Neither again could any man, by company or con- 



