HISTORY OF KING HENRY VII. 351 



jects blood should be spilt. The king, as soon as he 

 heard of Perkin s flight, sent presently five hundred 

 horse to pursue and apprehend him, before he should 

 get either to the sea, or to that same little island 

 called a sanctuary. But they came too late for the 

 latter of these. Therefore all they could do &amp;gt; 

 was to beset the sanctuary, and to maintain a strong 

 watch about it, till the king s pleasure were further 

 known. As for the rest of the rebels, they, being 

 destituted of their head, without stroke stricken, sub 

 mitted themselves unto the king s mercy. And the 

 king, who commonly drew blood, as physicians do, 

 rather to save life than to spill it, and was never 

 cruel when he was secure ; now he saw the danger 

 was past, pardoned them all in the end, except some 

 few desperate persons, which he reserved to be 

 executed, the better to set off his mercy towards the 

 rest. There were also sent with all speed some 

 horse to Saint Michael s mount in Cornwall, where 

 the Lady Catharine Gordon was left by her hus 

 band, whom in all fortunes she entirely loved ; add 

 ing the virtues of a wife to the virtues of her sex. 

 The king sent in the greater diligence, not knowing 

 whether she might be with child, whereby the busi 

 ness would not have ended in Perkin s person. When 

 she was brought to the king, it was commonly said, 

 that the king received her not only with compassion, 

 but with affection ; pity giving more impression to 

 her excellent beauty. Wherefore comforting her, 

 to serve as well his eye as his fame, he sent her to his 

 queen to remain with her ; giving her very honour* 



