FORT! NES P K I A B E K E R N W R C , OMANC A R E . B Y THE R O F FRANKE A ! THO NSTEI N. ’ ’ ’ Ja n ven filz d A n leterre ic hard d Yorc no mmé g , R , ' ue l o n duo nt em t nso mmé Q erre, fi tl n ct et co , ndurer ra nt so ufi r n t a r no b les ex lo xtz E g a ce ; e p p , ’ vre en nn s n str o des A n lo s . bo e e pera ce, d e e R y g y Old French Chromcl ex V IN THREE OL! MES. V OL . III . H NRY COLB! RN AN D RICHARD B NTLEY E E , N W ! LINGTO T E B R N STREE . 1 830 . P E RK I N W A RB E C K . HA C PTER I . I am our wi e y f , N o human ower ca n o r shall ivo rce p d , M f f om u y aith r d ty . r o a n . With M fo rt une and m seemin estin y y g d y, He m e th o n an d ro e it no a e t h me. d b d, b k wit N 0 human tie is sna e betwixt us two pp d . ’ m u nn s wu m u r m s c s z . F IO R N believed that he held the strings, which commanded the movements o f all the puppets . f about him The intrigues o party, the habi tual use o f ill ~means to what those around him him to deemed a good end, had so accustomed f lying and orgery, that his conscience was quite V O L . I I I . B 2 PERKI N WA RBECK . seared to the iniquity o f th ese acts ; truth to w m him as an accident, to be welco ed or not accordin g as it was or was not advantageo us to his plots. Ki ng James prepared a fleet fo r the co nvey ‘ ance o f the Prince ; and the Earl of Hunt o f ley, as a matter course, promised to enter his i n tain daughter royally, until , in a palace Westminster, she should find her destined title and fit abode. The Lady Katherine thanked him , but declared that she was nothing moved l and rom her brida vow, that she never would ’ All desert Richard s side. that her father o f n o i . urged was ava l State and dignity, or h t eir contraries, humiliation and disgrace, could only touch her through her husband ; he was t a her exal er or deb ser, even as he rose or fell ; it was too late no w to repine at degrada - tion, which it ill beseemed the daughter o f 3 Gordon to encounter ; it was incurred wh en she plighted her faith at the altar ; wherever she w i w as, it must be hers. As a pr ncess she as lost ’ wo o r redeemed by her husband s fortunes. As a m a l her r i t an, her glory and l honou must cons s 3 PERK I N WA RBECK . o f o f in never deviating rom the strait line duty, which forbade her absence from his side . The Earl disdained to reason with a fond - doating girl, as he called the constant minded a ho w l dy, but applied to the King, representing it woul d redound to his discredit,should a princess o f his blood wander a vagrant beggar over sea h his and land . James ad pas sed royal word to u Katherine, that she sho ld have her will on ’ hera fa ther s this point ; and when , at suit he tried . to dissuade her, he was at once silenced “ ” by her simple earnest words ; Ask me not, f o f un she said , to place mysel on the list ’ : fo r worthy women your own honour s sake, i in m royal cous n , permit your k swo an to per f f ’ orm a wi e s part unopposed . You and my f f u ather bestowed me, a duti ul s bject, an obe t0 ' o ur dient daughter, according y will ; you f m e trans erred y duty and obedi nce, and truly as ” for I paid it to you , so will I keep it my lord . What can we reply, my good Earl ” IVIa rshall n n e , said James, tur i g to Huntl y, I rebelled against the religion through which I den o ur w K reign , did I y s eet ate free allow B 2 4 PERKI N WA RBECK . ance to follow th e dictates o f her generous heart. Nor let us grudge the White Rose this one fair s n f bloom . Love, uch as Katheri e eels, love, f of God—al ! too oft and the dearest, best gi t as me—lf n t de ied to poor humanity, and mos to se i f i complacency, ar sing rom a good consc ence, will ” repay her every sacrifice. Huntley retired in high indignation ; his will la w was opposed ; his word, which he deemed a , ’ f l o f had but a eather s weight. The b ood the Gordon was stirred to rage ; and he broke forth in fierce and cruel expr essions of anger; calling n — r his daughter, i grate her lo d base, and a traitor . Such muttered curses were reported to Lord Buchan : in the scheme on foot they ’ had somewha t dreaded to incur Huntley s dis pleasure and revenge ; knowing how dearly he prized the hope o f royalty fo r his daughter ; but f him now they ancied that they might draw in , was ere he aware, to approve their deed . The crafty Frion was set on to sound him ; the iron was i hot, most easily, to the r eyes, it took the desi red form . l n i Hunt ey was a Scot, cu n ng even when angry PE R KI N WA RBECK . 5 — cau tious when most passionate. The first inti ' mations o f the conspiracy were greedily received " He f by him . learnt the alsehood o f the letter preten ding to come fr om the Earl o f Surrey ; and t he use that was to be made o f this decoy ' ’ to seize on the Duke of York s person . He did no t scruple to promise his assistance ; he ' reiterated his an gry imprecations against his - in- la w unworthy son ; he thanked Frion . with cordial warmth for affording him this oppo rtu n ity fo r revenge ; he declare d his gratitude to ‘ wards the confederate nobles ; and the French f fu i f man le t him, with the ll bel e that he was ready to lend his best aid to deliver over the E nglish Prince to ignominy and death . ’ Such was the end o f King Henry s last m to o f his sche e obtain possession too no ble, too c l o f f ex elling riva , by means Scottish raud, ’ r o f and the t eason York s dependents. The ' Earl of Huntley conducted the whole afiair wi th r s the utmost sec e y. Ap parently he acted the fbr c part designed him by the onspirators . He reconciled hims elf to the prince ; he urged an c m li i ’ instant o p ance w th Surrey s in vita tion. 6 - KI N W A RBE ic PER c . The English ha d asked for some guarantee o f ’ f u . i s Surrey s truth Huntley obv ated thi di fic lty , Throug h his intervention a new and suflicing impulse was given . Richard appointed the day he t when should repair o Greenock, there to meet the envoy who was to lead him to Lord ’ har Surrey s presence . In the bour of Greenock rode the bark which was to con vey him to his ’ En glish prison . King Henry s hirelings were already there ; Frion conducted the vict ims blindfb ld into the net : they had meant to have gathered together a troop o f rufii an borderers to prevent all resistance ; but Huntley promised to ef h f be there hims l wit a band o Highlanders. The whole thing only seemed too easy, too secure . t The wily secretary had overshot his mark in ’ taking so readily fo r granted Hun tl evs assent to o f f the ruin the Duke o York . He had come upon him in his angry hour : his honied words o f fo r were a dew poison ; his adjurations peace, oil to fire . Then, as the noble strode through the n n e o hall , imprecati g ve geanc , he slid in w rds d him f that ma e stop in ull career. Men are apt to see their wishes mirrored in the obj ect f be ore them ; and, when the Earl bent his grey PERKI N WA RBECK . dyes upo n the Pro ven gal a n d knit his time - fur w ro edl r . in s b ow attention .