Wriothesley's Chronicle 1485-1509. 1495. This yeare was beheaded Sir William Stanley (age 60), Lord Chamberlayne, Sir Symon Monforde and his sonne, and manye other that landed in the Downes,^b to the number of viii^xx, that came from Perkin Werbeck (age 21),^c callinge himselfe King Edwardes sonne.^d

Note b. Near Deal [Map].

Note c. Other authorities say Warbeck's followers, to the number of 169, were on this occasion made captives and gibbeted; but our author has copied Arnold, who has "viii skore."

Note d. Warbeck (age 21) pretended to be Richard Duke of York, son of Edward lV.

Around Oct 1495 John Radclyffe 9th Baron Fitzwalter (age 43) was imprisoned at Guines as a result of his joining the Perkin Warbeck Plot.

Polydore Vergil. Around 10 Sep 1497. Hearing the news, the king (age 40) was no slower in leading an army to Exeter, Devon [Map] than the situation required. He sent ahead a goodly number of light horse to let everyone know of his approach. For meanwhile, under the leadership of Edward Courteney Earl of Devonshire (age 38) and his son William (age 22), an excellent and very brave young man, every noble hastened to come to the aid of Exeter, Devon [Map] with a great company of soldiers. Among these were Thomas Trenchard, Edmund Carew, Thomas Fulford, William Courteney, John Halliwell, John Croker, Walter Courteney, Peter Edgercombe (age 28), and William St. Maurice. When these things came to Peter's (age 23) ears, he abandoned the siege and removed to Taunton, Somerset [Map], the nearest town. There he reviewed his army and drew it up for the coming battle, although it later came to light that he had no great trust in that army. A goodly part were armed only with swords, otherwise unarmed, and ignorant of how to fight.

Polydore Vergil. Around 20 Sep 1497. Learning of his enemies' departure, Henry (age 40) headed straight for Taunton, Somerset [Map]. Duke Edward of Buckingham (age 19) arrived there, a young man endowed with great spirit and virtue of character, and he was followed by a host of right noble knights with armor and all the other things requisite for warfare. In that number were Giles Briggs, Alexander Baynham, Maurice Berkeley, Robert Tames, John Guise, Robert Point, Henry Vernon, John Mortimer, Thomas Tremayle, Edward Sutton, Amyas Powlet (age 40), John Bicknell, John Sapcot, Hugh Luterell, John Wadham and his son Nicholas, John Speck, Richard Beauchamp of St. Amand, Francis Cheney, Rogerd Tokett, Thomas Long, Nicholas Lattimer, John d'Urbeville, William Storton, Roger Newberg, William Martin, Thomas Lind, Henry Rogers, Walter Hungerford, John Semery, Edward Carell, Maurice Borroughs, William Norris, John Langford, Richard Corbett, Thomas Blount, Richard Lacon, Thomas Cornwallis, and many other excellent soldiers. Meanwhile, when the king (age 40) had come up, either to avoid delaying the fight or fearing the fortune of war, he sent ahead Robert Lord Broke, Richard Thomas, and Giles Daubney (age 46) to begin the battle, while he followed after, so that, when he saw the battle begin, he could either come to the aid of his men or launch a simultaneous attack on the enemy rear. But the king's plan was unnecessary. For Peter (age 23) was so far from standing his ground, that after he learned the enemy were in arms, he furtively slipped away in the night and quickly fled to the asylum at Beaulieu Abbey [Map]. Whether he did this out of cowardice (with which he was well supplied), or because he suspected trickery, is not known, but it is well enough agreed that it was a good thing for the king that he was not compelled to come to blows with the Cornishmen, whose strength was so enhanced by despair that they had all determined on conquering or dying to the last man in that battle.

Polydore Vergil. 04 Oct 1497. Learning that Peter (age 23) had decamped, Henry sent out horsemen in every direction to follow him and seek his capture, but he, having covered most of the distance, was not seen before he reached the asylum. But not so his captains, who were taken in mid-flight and brought to the king. And the mob, when they could not see Peter (age 23) nor his captains' standards, having no idea where he was, whether he had been killed by some trick or had fled, were unsure of what counsel to take or what was best to do. In the end, learning of his shameful flight, everybody, immediately unhinged by their common evil, their common fear, their common danger, cast aside their weapons and began to hold up their hands, and out of his kindness the king (age 40) readily forgave them. Being a victor without having had a fight, he went to Exeter, Devon [Map], where he praised the citizenry for having done its duty and extended his thanks, and while there he presided over the execution of some of the Cornishmen responsible for the recent rising. Meanwhile the king's horsemen rode as far as St. Michael's Mount, and there they found Peter's (age 23) wife Catherine and brought her captive to the king. Henry (age 40), marveling at the woman's beauty, thought she was not plunder for soldiers, but worthy of an emperor, and forthwith sent her to the queen (age 31) at London with an escort of honorable matrons, as a sure harbinger of the victory he had won.

Polydore Vergil. King James of Scotland did not break his word. Now being dead sure that he had been the victim of a fraud, he summoned Peter Warbeck and, gently reminding him of all the benefits he had conferred, urged him to migrate to some other country where he could live in peace until a better opportunity for conducting his business offered itself. For he himself had been obliged to make peace with the King of England, and because of the affinity he enjoyed with the king and valued so highly, it was scarcely possible that in the future he could take up arms in Peter's name, as he had gladly done at the beginning when he hoped that Peter would be furnished with timely help by his English friends. But since this expectation had proved to be in vain, he told him he should not take this delay amiss, for it might turn out to be helpful for him in his affliction. Saying these and similar things, he told Peter to go elsewhere. And he, learning the king's will, was devastated by this desertion, now seeing that there was nothing left for him among the Scots. Although he was not able to requite the many benefits he had received from them, nevertheless, so as not to appear to be an ingrate, he accepted the king's command calmly, and a few days later took his wife and left for Ireland, with the idea of returning to Margaret in Flanders, or of attaching himself to the Cornishmen.