Duke York

Around August 1483 the Princes in the Tower, brothers King Edward V of England [aged 12] and Richard of Shrewsbury 1st Duke of York [aged 9] disappeared from the Tower of London [Map].

King Edward V of England: Earl March and Earl Pembroke extinct.

Richard of Shrewsbury 1st Duke of York: Duke York, Duke Norfolk and Earl Norfolk, Earl Nottingham extinct.

Commines writes "Not long after, he received letters from the Duke of Gloucester, who had made himself king, styled himself Richard III, and barbarously murdered his two nephews".

Robert Ricart, Mayor of Bristol: "And this yere the two sonnes of King E. were put to scylence in the Towre of London." although it should be noted this was written in the margin.

Croyland Chronicle: "while a rumour was spread that the sons of king Edward before-named had died a violent death, but it was uncertain how."

Polydore Vergil: "And to rid himself of this altogether he decided to kill his nephews, for as long as they were safe he could by no means be free of danger."

Jean Molinet: "They were imprisoned for about five weeks; and by the captain of the tower, the Duke Richard secretly had them put to death and eliminated."

Mancini: "I have seen not a few people burst into tears and weep when his memory was brought up after he was removed from the sight of men, and it was already suspected that he had been eliminated. Whether he has indeed been removed, and by what manner of death, I have not yet discovered."

Robert Fabyan: "In which passe tyme the prynce, or of ryght kynge Edwarde the v., with his broder the duke of Yorke, were put under suer kepynge within the Tower, in suche wyse that they neuer came abrode after."

Chronicle of Edward Hall [1496-1548]. This yere was borne at Grenewiche [Map] lord Henry, second son to the King [aged 34], which was created duke of Yorke, and after Prince of Wales, and in conclusion succeeded his father in crown and dignity. Nowe let us return to the new found son of King Edward, conjured by men's policies from death to life.

And first to declare his lineage and beginning, you must understad that the Duchess of Burgoyne [aged 45] so nourished and brought up in the seditious and scelerate factions of false contryers and founders of discord could never cease nor be unquiet (like a viper that is ready to burst with superfluity of poison) except he should infest and unquiet the King of England, for no desert or displeasure by him to her committed, but only because he was propagate and descended of the house of Lancaster, ever being adverse and enemy to her line and lineage. For which only cause she compassed, imagined and invented how to cast a scorpion in his bosom, and to infect his whole realm with, a pestiferous discord. To the intent that he being vanquished and brought to confusion, both the boiling heat of her malicious heart might be fully satiated with his innocent blood, and also advance and prefer some darling of her faction to his Empire rule and dignity. And principally remembering that the Earl of Lincoln, which was by her set forth and al his company had small fortune and worse success in their progression and enterprise, contrary to her hope and expectation, she like a dog reverting to her olde vomit, began to devise and spin a new web, like a spider that daily weaves when his caul is torn. And as the devil provides venomous sauce to corrupt banckettes, so for her purpose she espied a certain young man of visage beautiful, of countenance demure, of with subtle crafty and pregnant, called Peter Warbreck. And for his dastard cowardness of the Englishmen, in derision called Perkin Warbreck [aged 17], according to the Dutch phrase, which change the name of Peter to Pekin, to younglings of no strength nor courage for their timorous hearts and pusillanimity. Which young man travelling many countries, could speak English and many other languages, and for his basenes of stock and birth was known of none almost, and only for the gain of his living from his childhood was of necessity, compelled to seek and frequent diverse realms and regions. Therefore the duches thinking to have gotten God by the foot, when she had the devil by the taile, and adjudging this young man to be a mete organ to convey her purpose, and one not unlike to be duke of Yorke, son to her brother King Edward, which was called Richard, kept him a certain space with her privately, and him with such diligence instructed, both of the secretes and common affaires of the realm of England, and of the lineage, descent and order of the House of Yorke, that he like a good scholar not forgetting his lesson could tell all that was taught him promptly without any difficulty or sign of any subornation and besides, he kept such a princely countenance, and so counterfeit a Majesty Royal, that all men in manner did firmly believe that he was extracted of the noble house and family of the Dukes of Yorke. For surely it was a gift given to that noble progeny as of nature in the root planted that all the sequel of that line and stock did study and devise how to be equivalent in honour and fame with their forefathers and noble predecessors.