art to them and went on, and besieged the
city of Exeter, the principal town for strength and wealth in those
parts.

Perkin, hearing the thunder of arms, and preparations against him from so
many parts, raised his siege, and marched to Taunton, beginning already
to squint one eye upon the crown and another upon the sanctuary; though
the Cornish men were become, like metal often fired and quenched,
churlish, and that would sooner break than bow; swearing and vowing not
to leave him till the uttermost drop of their blood were spilt. He was at
his rising from Exeter between six and seven thousand strong, many having
come unto him after he was set before Exeter, upon fame of so great an
enterprise, and to partake of the spoil, though upon the raising of his
siege some did slip away.

When he was come near Taunton, he dissembled all fear, and seemed all the
day to use diligence in preparing all things ready to fight. But about
midnight he fled with threescore horses to Bewdley[3], in the New Forest,
where he and divers of his company registered themselves sanctuary-men,
leaving his Cornish men to the four winds, but yet thereby easing them
of their vow, and using his wonted compassion not to be by when his
subjects' blood should be spilt. The King, as soon as he heard of
Perkin's flight, sent presently five hundred horse to pursue and
apprehend him before he should get either to the sea or to that same
little island called a sanctuary. But they came too late for the latter
of these. Therefore all they could do was to beset the sanctuary, and to
maintain a strong watch about it, till the King's pleasure were further
known.

Perkin, having at length given himself up, was brought into the King's
court, but not to the King's presence; though the King, to satisfy his
curiosity, saw him sometimes out of a window or in passage. He was in
show at liberty, but guarded with all care and watch that were possible,
and willed to follow the King to London. But from his first appearance
upon the stage in his new person of a sycophant or juggler, instead of
his former person of a prince, all men may think how he was exposed to
the derision not only of the courtiers, but also of the common people,
who flocked about him as he went along, that one might know afar off
where the owl was by the flight of birds; some mocking, some wondering,
some cursing, some prying and picking matter out of his countenance and
gesture to talk of; so that the