HISTORY OF KING HENRY VII. 305 



was not to be practised upon, as persons of quality 

 are ; but tbat the only practice upon their affections 

 was to set up a standard in the field. The place 

 where he should make his attempt, he chose to be 

 the coast of Kent. 



The king by this time was grown to such a 

 height of reputation for cunning and policy, that 

 every accident and event that went well, was laid 

 and imputed to his foresight, as if he had set it be 

 fore : as in this particular of Perkin s design upon 

 Kent. For the world would not believe afterwards, 

 but the king, having secret intelligence of Perkin s 

 intention for Kent, the better to draw it on, went of 

 purpose into the north afar off, laying an open side 

 unto Perkin, to make him come to the close, and so 

 to trip up his heels, having made sure in Kent 

 beforehand. 



But so it was, that Perkin had gathered together 

 a power of all nations, neither in number, nor in the 

 hardiness and courage of the persons, contemptible, 

 but in their nature and fortunes to be feared, as well 

 of friends as enemies ; being bankrupts, and many of 

 them felons, and such as lived by rapine. These he 

 put to sea, and arrived upon the coast of Sandwich 

 and Deal, in Kent, about July. 



There he cast anchor, and to prove the affections 

 of the people, sent some of his men to land, making 

 great boasts of the power that was to follow. The 

 Kentish men, perceiving that Perkin was not fol 

 lowed by any English of name or account, and that 

 his forces consisted but of strangers born, and most 



