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

ana often daring lmpOstors, but the
man-before unknown-who suddenly
lifts himself from the ranks of the
masses and proclaims himself; by "right
of birth and the grace OF Cod" right
full monarch Of one of the greatest ma
tions in the world, must have in him, if
sane, those qualities of daring and
leadership that are supposed to be the
prerogatives of majesty.
Great as is the danger, there has
been a number of royal impostors-
''pretenders" there have been without
count-and the foremost, the king Of
all these, is Perkin Warbeck.
Poet, novelist, painter and historian
have made this daring youth subject
for investigation and art treatment.
And to-day, after the lapse of centu-
ries and his own confession in the
Tower of London there are not want
ing those romantic natures who be-
lieve that Perkin Warbeck was all he
claimed to be when, as a young ad-
venturer, he left the dikes of Holland
with the throne of England as his des-
tination. 1t is possible that some one
of the 81 different stories as to the
place and time of birth and the an
cestry of Perkin Warbeck may be right,
but as each story has been retuted in
turn it is safe to say that history re-
tains no authentic record of the ante
cedents of one of its conspicuous char
acters.
| He and his adherants claimed
and they did it with force of arms and
royal honors-that he was the Duke of
York, son of Edward ", of England, !,
who was supposed to have been mur-
dered in the tower with his older
brother by Richard III. These peo-
pie maintained, and with a show of
reason that won all Scotland and much
OF England 10 their side, that while the
older brother was killed the younger
was saved and sent to Holland. The
wonderful resemblance of the daring
young impostor to his reputed father,
Edward, helped to sustain and strength
en- his claim. Without doubt i: was
this striking resemblance that first at
tracted the attention of the English,
who hated the tyrant Richard III and
his two successors, to the young man
and decided them to push his claims
for their own ends.
! Among all the gueSses as to the al
cestry of Perkin Warbeck that of the
French writer Devereaux, is most ac
curate. He shows, to his own satisfac-
ton at least, that Warbeck was the H.
legitimate son of Jew banker and
that he was born in Tournay, France,
about the year 147o.
In proof of this Devereaux shows
tnat nothing is known of the young
mans mother, but all writer's who
have treated Of the subject agree that
he was educated at Tournay, and that
the Jew banker met all his expenses
there and furnished him with money
afterward. Others claim that the Jew
was an honest man and simply acted
as the custodian of funds intrusted to
him for the purpose by the opponents
of Richard.
IE the same way there have been
scores of theories as to where, how and
when the great impostor got, took OF
was given the rather plebeian name OF
Perkin Warbeck.
After he reached the age of 20, in
14oo, up to the hour of his tragic
death the historical record is complete,
and it is safe to say it is fairly accu
rate.
In that year he was ga youth o
youth of wonderful beauty, rare &C
complishments and royal bearing
For year his right to the English
throne had been discussed, particularly
by the opponents OF England and the
haters of Henry VII, chief of whom
was Margaret, dowager duchess oi
Burgundy.
This lady sent for Perkin Warbeck.
She addressed him as her "Cousin
Richard, Duke of York." and received
him with the honors due to royalty
Without doubt the Duchess of Bur-
gundy knew that her guest was an i'm
postor, but so handsome was his per-
son, so cultured his mind, so knightly
his bearing and SO great his resem-
blance to Edward that, like a child
alarmed at the bears of its own crea.
ton, she at length became believer
in the man whom she mad called 10
her court to be her tool.
Although in the thickening shad,
ows of long and far from holy life,
it is said the old Duchess was deeply
enamored of Perkin Warbeck and be-
came Jealous of her maids Of honor, al
of whom seem to have fallen in love
with him, no. so much because he wa:
the possible king Of England as fol
his unusual beauty and fascinating
} manners.
In an age of vice and intemperanc'
Perkin Warbeck was sober and clean
but he would have been more or les
than a man if he had withstood tns
temptations of the court Of Burgundy
Indeed, that same Devereaux strongl.
hints that although Perkin Warbecl
failed Of the English throne his de
scendants can be traced, "even unit
! this day." among not only many o
the aristocratic families Of France ant
Germany, but among many Of tn
royal families as we'll.
At the court of Burgundy the nam
Perkin Warbeck was dropped. and h
l was known there and thereafter a
j "his royal highness the Duke Of York.