282 HISTORY OF KING HENRY VIL 



and an enemy of France ; and wished him to come 

 over unto him at Paris. Perkin thought himself 

 in heaven now that he was invited by so great a king 

 in so honourable a manner. And imparting unto his 

 friends in Ireland for their encouragement, how for 

 tune called him, and what great hopes he had, sailed 

 presently into France. When he was come to the 

 court of France, the king received him with great 

 homage ; saluted, and styled him by the name 

 of the Duke of York ; lodged him in great 

 state. And the better to give him the represen 

 tation and the countenance of a prince, assigned 

 him a guard for his person, whereof the Lord Con- 

 gresall was captain. The courtiers likewise, though 

 it be ill mocking with the French, applied themselves 

 to their king s bent, seeing there was reason of state 

 for it. At the same time there repaired unto Perkin 

 divers Englishmen of quality ; Sir George Neville, 

 Sir John Taylor, and about one hundred more ; and 

 amongst the rest, this Stephen Frion, of whom we 

 spake, who followed his fortune both then and 

 for a long time after, and was indeed his principal 

 counsellor and instrument in all his proceedings. 

 But all this on the French king s part was but a 

 trick, the better to bow King Henry to peace. And 

 therefore upon the first grain of incense that was 

 sacrificed upon the altar of peace at Boloign, Perkin 

 was smoked away. Yet would not the French king 

 deliver him up to King Henry, as he was laboured 

 to do, for his honour s sake, but warned him away 

 and dismissed him. And Perkin on his part was as 



