The
story of this boy is a short one; the end of his career fortunately a
comedy instead of a tragedy. In Ireland were many adherents of the house
of York. The story of the handsome lad was believed; he was crowned at
Dublin,--the crown being taken from the head of a statue of the Virgin
Mary,--and was then carried home on the shoulders of a gigantic Irish
chieftain, as was the custom in green Erin in those days.
The youthful claimant had entered Ireland with a following of two
thousand German soldiers, provided by Margaret, Duchess of Burgundy,
sister of Edward IV., who hated Henry VII. and all the party of
Lancaster with an undying hatred. From Ireland he invaded England, with
an Irish following added to his German. His small army was met by the
king with an overpowering force, half of it killed, the rest scattered,
and the young imposter taken captive.
Henry was almost the first king of Norman England who was not cruel by
instinct. He could be cruel enough by calculation, but he was not
disposed to take life for the mere pleasure of killing. He knew this boy
to be an impostor, since Edward, Earl of Warwick, was still in the
Tower. The astute king deemed it wiser to make him a laughing-stock than
a martyr.
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