HISTORY OF KINO HENRY VII. 363 



vealed in time, before it could be executed. And 

 in this again the opinion of the king s great wisdom 

 did surcharge him with a sinister fame, that Perkin 

 was but his bait, to entrap the Earl of Warwick. 

 And in the very instant while this conspiracy was in 

 working, as if that also had been the king s industry, 

 it was fatal, that there should break forth a coun 

 terfeit Earl of Warwick, a cordwainer s son, whose 

 name was Ralph Wilford ; a young man taught and 

 set on by an Augustin Friar, called Patrick. They 

 both from the parts of Suffolk came forwards into 

 Kent, where they did not only privily and under 

 hand give out that this Wilford was the true Earl 

 of Warwick, but also the friar, finding some light 

 credence in the people, took the boldness in the 

 pulpit to declare as much, and to incite the people 

 to come in to his aid. Whereupon they were both 

 presently apprehended, and the young fellow exe 

 cuted, and the friar condemned to perpetual impri 

 sonment. This also happening so opportunely, to 

 represent the danger to the king s estate from the 

 Earl of Warwick, and thereby to colour the king s 

 severity that followed ; together with the madness 

 of the friar so vainly and desperately to divulge a 

 treason, before it had gotten any manner of strength : 

 and the saving of the friar s life, which nevertheless 

 was, indeed, but the privilege of his order ; and the 

 pity in the common people, which if it run in a 

 strong stream, doth ever cast up scandal and envy, 

 made it generally rather talked than believed that 

 all was but the king s device. But howsoever it 



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