evident that the King of Scots had already
in his own mind given up the adventurer's cause. And after the
negotiations had been concluded and peace made between England and
Scotland, Perkin and his beautiful young wife and his train of followers
set sail from Scotland in a little flotilla of three ships, intending it
is said to go to Ireland, where he had been well received before coming
to the Court of James. The imagination follows with irrestrainable pity
the forlorn voyage of this youthful band of adventurers: the young
husband trained to all the manners and ways of thinking of a prince,
however little reality there might be in his claims; the young wife,
mild and fair, the White Rose as she was called, with the best blood of
Scotland in her veins; the few noble followers, knights, and a lady or
two who shared their fortunes, setting out vaguely to sea, not knowing
were to go, with the world before them where to choose. When they got to
Ireland Prince Perkin heard of an insurrection in Cornwall, and hastened
to put himself at the head of it, placing his wife for security in the
quaint fortress, among the waters, of St. Michael's Mount. But the
insurrection came to nothing, and "the unfortunate prince or adventurer"
was taken prisoner. He was pardoned it is said, but making a wild
attempt at insurrection again, was this time tried and executed. His
White Rose, most forlorn of ladies, was taken by King Henry from her
refuge at the end of the world, placed in charge of the Queen, and never
left the English Court again. There is no record that she and her
husband were ever allowed to meet. So ends one of the saddest and most
romantic of historical episodes.

This story takes up a large part of the early reign of James, who no
doubt saw his error at the last, but in the beginning threw himself into
Perkin's fortunes with characteristic impetuosity, and thought nothing
too good, not even his own fair kinswoman, for the rescued prince. It
was an error, however, that James shared with many high and mighty
potentates who gave their imprimatur at first to the adventurer's cause.
But even for the most genuine prince, when only a pretender, the
greatest sovereigns are but poor supporters in the long run. James had a
hundred things to do to make him forget that unfortunate adventure of
Perkin. It was in the year 1497 that this incident ended so far as the
Scottish Court was concerned, and James returned to the natural course
of