The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1896-08-27

was thrilling with the story of the dis
covery of new world, war was de-
clared between England and France,
Charles VII being ruler of the latter
and Henry VII OF the former.
Openly supported by Burgundy and
covertly by France, Perkin Warbeck
landed at Cork, Ireland, late in 1497,
and the Irish, ever antagonistic to the
ruling sovereign of England, flocked
by hundreds to his standard. He de-
feated the English, drove them out Of
Munster and was pushing his victorious
way North when war was declared by
Charles and he was invited to France.
Warbeck left his army with its con
sent and fastened to Paris. The
French monarch received him as an
equal. Great fetes in his honor were
held in Paris, where he was publicly
proclaimed "Duke of York and the
rightful heir to the throne fraudulently
held by one styling himself as Henry
VII" A palace was placed at the
service of War5eck, bodyguard COM
posed largely of mobiles attended him,
and negotiations for his marriage with
a lady of the royal family met with
popular approval.
Henry VII became alarmed, and it
was his fear of Perkin Warbeck rather
than of the French armies that led him
to sign the treaty of peace at Naples.
The leading condition Of this treaty
was that Warbeck should no longer
find honor or even an asylum in
France.
At this juncture the Duchess of Bur
gundy again came to the rescue OF the
brilliant impostor. She invited him
TO her court and in the presence Of the
world; as represented by ambassadors,
statesmen and generals, she proclaimed
him "Duke of York and my nephew"
While the continent was thus treat
ing Perkin Warbeck many of the lead
ing English mobiles, won by his roman
tic story and the belief that he was in
deed the son of the beloved king whom
he SO strongly resembled, declared for
him. So great was the division that
civil war was threatened.
Henry VII learned the true story or
rather sufficient to prove that Perkin
Warbeck was an impostor. He caused
it to be published and ordered all who
believed in the Impostor to be put to
death. As a consequence some Of the
foremost men in the kingdom were
sent to the scafold.
Although there was not drop Of
so-called royal blood in his veins,
there was not in Europe at that time
man occupying throne who in all the
attributes of manhood at all compared
with the impostor and adventurer, Per-
kin Warbeck.
Backed by the Duchess of Burgundy
and many Of the French mobiles whom,
the peace of Naples did not win to
Henry VII, Warbeck landed in the
North of England with small but
we'll equipped army in the manage
ment of which he showed unmistaka bic
evidences of generalship.
He maintained himself for six
months against all the force Henry
could send against him; but having no
treasury, government or base of sup
plies, he was, after stubborn fight,
driven into Scotland, then an indepen
dent kingdom under James ".
The English dared not pursue be-
yond the border, where lowlanders
and highlanders had gathered by
thousands "to help the son of Edward
miraculously saved by Heaven to
bring vengeance Oh the regicides."
The Scotch king received Perkin
Warbeck as an equal. He sent out a
royal edict proclaiming him Duke of
York and "unc:owned king OF our
neighbor England"
Masses were said in all the cha pels
, of Scotland thanking Heaven for the
miraculous preservation Of the prince
Fetes were given in his honor and
the Scotch nobility threw wide open
their castle gates to receive him, and
their retainers girdled on their clay
| mores and swore on the cruci6x to de
| fend him.
There was never a doubt Of thi.
mans genuineness in the minds of the
Scots, and with Celtic impulsiveness
they stood ready to prove their faith
The most beautiful woman in Scot
: land at that time was Lady Katherine
Gorden, daughter OF the powerful
Earl of Huntly.
Great was the rejoicing in th'
Northern kingdom when it was learned
that the daughter Of Sco,land's foe
most noble was be,rothed to ar
Duke of York, the rightful sovereig' ol
England 1-p
They were married in the chapekfat
Hollywood, and the festivities up pu
this time had never been equaled adsl
/ royal wedding. a'
Even If Perkin Warbeck had beer
all he claimed the hono,s Of the grea
and the adulations of interiors, o
which he was now the object, nigh
we'll have turned his head and con
veyed to himself an idea Of divine pro
lection, if not of infallibility. Ba
impostor though he knew himself Il
be, he bore himself with modes,y
grace and dignity that show he wa
not made Of ordinary clay.
A few months after his marriAs
messengers came to him from Cornwal
in the South of England, where tn
language OF ancient Britain was still
spoken, assuring him that the peopl
in that section we're organized an