Biography of Catherine Gordon -1537

Wriothesley's Chronicle [1508-1562]. August 1497... and in August [her husband] Perkin Warbeck (age 23) landed in Cornewale,^g and by pursuit fledd to Bowdley St. Marie [Map],^h but by appoyntment he came to the Kinge, followinge the Courte.ⁱ

Note g. In Whitsand Bay; and, having sent his wife, the Lady Catherine Gordon, for safety to Mount St Michael, assumed the title of Richard IV.

Note h. The Sanctuary of Beaulieu [Map] in the New Forest, written in Arnold "Bewdeley sent wary," which has been erroneously transcribed in our MS. "St. Marie."

Note i. In Arnold this passage is, "and so remained following the Court."

Polydore Vergil [1470-1555]. 4th October 1497. Learning that [her husband] Peter (age 23) had decamped, Henry sent out horsemen in every direction to follow him and seek his capture, but he, having covered most of the distance, was not seen before he reached the asylum. But not so his captains, who were taken in mid-flight and brought to the king. And the mob, when they could not see Peter nor his captains' standards, having no idea where he was, whether he had been killed by some trick or had fled, were unsure of what counsel to take or what was best to do. In the end, learning of his shameful flight, everybody, immediately unhinged by their common evil, their common fear, their common danger, cast aside their weapons and began to hold up their hands, and out of his kindness the king (age 40) readily forgave them. Being a victor without having had a fight, he went to Exeter, Devon [Map], where he praised the citizenry for having done its duty and extended his thanks, and while there he presided over the execution of some of the Cornishmen responsible for the recent rising. Meanwhile the king's horsemen rode as far as St. Michael's Mount, and there they found Peter's wife Catherine and brought her captive to the king. Henry, marveling at the woman's beauty, thought she was not plunder for soldiers, but worthy of an emperor, and forthwith sent her to the queen (age 31) at London with an escort of honorable matrons, as a sure harbinger of the victory he had won.

On 23rd November 1499 [her husband] Perkin Warbreck (age 25) and John Atwater were hanged at Tyburn [Map]. He was buried at Austin Friars.