The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

354 HISTORY OF KING HENRY VII.
lieutenant, with a clause, that the Earl of IKil- that time and temporising, which, whilst his
dare, then deputy, should obey him. But the practices were covert and wrought well in Engwild Irish, who were the principal offenders, fled land, made for him; did now, when they were
into the woods and bogs, after their manner; and discovered and defeated, rather make against him,
those that knew themselves guilty in the pale, for that when matters once go down the hill, they
fled to them. So that Sir Edward Poynings was stay not without a new force, resolved to try his
enforced to make a wild chase upon the wild adventure in some exploit upon England; hoping
Irish; where, in respect of the mountains and still upon the affections of the common people
fastnesses, he did little good. Which, either out towards the house of York. Which body of
of a suspicious melancholy upon his bad success, common people he thought was not to be practised
or the better to save his service from disgrace, he upon, as persons of quality are; but that the
would needs impute unto the comfort that the only practice upon their affections was to set up
rebels should receive underhand from the Earl of a standard in the field. The place where he
Kildare; every light suspicion growing upon the should make his attempt, he chose to he the coast
earl, in respect of the Kildare that was in the ac- of Kent.
t:on of Lambert Simnel, and slain at Stokefield. The king by this time was grown to such a
Wherefore he caused the earl to be apprehended height of reputation for cunning and policy, that
and sent into England; where, upon examination, every accident and event that went well, was laid
he cleared himself so well, as he was replaced in and imputed to his foresight, as if he had set it
his government. But Poyninlgs, the better to before: as in this particular of Perkin's design
make compensation of the meagerness of his ser- upon Kent. For the world would not believe
vice in the wars by acts of peace, called a parlia- afterwards, but the king, having secret intelliment; where was made that memorable act, gence of Perkin's intention for Kent, the better
which at this day is called Poynings' law, to draw it on, went of purpose into the north afar
whereby all the statutes of England were made off, laying an open side unto Perkin, to make him
to be of force in Ireland; for before they were come to the close, and so to trip up his heels,
not, neither are any now in force in Ireland, having made sure in Kent beforehand.
which were made in England since that time; But so it was, that Perkin had gathered together
which was the tenth year of the king. a power of all nations, neither in number, nor in
About this time began to be discovered in the the hardiness and courage of the persons, conking that disposition, which afterwards, nourished temptible, but in their nature and fortunes to be
and whet on by bad counsellors and ministers, feared, as well of friends as enemies; being
proved the blot of his times: which was the bankrupts, and many of them felons, and such
course he took to crush treasure out of his sub- as lived by rapine. These he put to sea, and
jtQt*' purses, by forfeitures upon penal laws. arrived upon the coast of Sandwich and Deal, in
At this men did startle the more at this time, be- Kent, about July.
cause it appeared plainly to be in the king's na- There he cast anchor, and to prove the affecture, and not out of his necessity, he being now tions of the people, sent some of his men to land,
in float for treasure: for that he had newly received making great boasts of the power that was to
the peace-money from France, the benevolence- follow. The Kentish men, perceiving that Permoney from his subjects, and great casualties kin was not followed by any English of name or
upon the confiscations of the lord chamberlain account, and that his forces consisted but of stranand divers others. The first noted case of this gers born, and most of them base people and
kind was that of Sir William Capel, alderman freebooters, fitter to spoil a coast than to recover
of London; who, upon sundry penal laws, was a kingdom; resorting unto the principal gentlecondemned in the sum of seven and twenty hun- men of the country, professed their loyalty to the
dred pounds, and compounded with the king for king, and desired to be directed and commanded
sixteen hundred: and yet after, Empson would forthe best of the king's service. The gentlemen,
have cut another chop out of him if the king had entering into consultation, directed some forces
not died in the instant. in good number to show themselves upon the
The summer following, the king, to comfort coast; and some of them to make signs to entice
his mother, whom he did always tenderly love Perkin's soldiers to land, as if they would join
and revere, and to make open demonstration to with them; and some others to appear from
the world, that the proceedings against Sir Wil- some other places, and to make semblance as
liam Stanley, which was imposed upon him by if they fled from them, the better to encourage
necessity of state, had not in any degree dimi- them to land. But Perkin, who by playing the
nished the affection he bare to Thomas his bro- prince, or else taught by secretary Frion, had
ther, went in progress to Latham, to make merry learned thus much, that people under command
with his mother and the earl, and lay there divers do use to consult, and after to march in order;
days. and rebels contrariwise run upon a head togethei
During this progress, Perkin Warbeck, finding in confusion, considering the delay of time, and