Perkin's Triumph

18th Century Dutch propaganda Cartoon alluding to what would happen if the Stewarts were restored to the throne of Great Britain. It shows a procession towards parliament led by the Pope on horseback trampling institutions such as law and clergy as it goes, various horrific tortures representing the type of persecution that Protestants could expect and even the sun being blotted out! The little gun carriage containing a Jacobite soldier in the foreground is riding on a frog; this is perhaps an attack on the Catholic state of France for supporting the rebellion. The title ‘Perkin’s progress’ is comparing Charles Edward Stewart to Perkin Warbeck ‘The Great Pretender’. Warbeck was a young man who, in the 15th century claimed to be Richard, Duke of York, brother of Edward V and the rightful King of England. Richard had disappeared along with his brother Edward as children amidst sinister circumstances when being held in the Tower of London by their uncle Richard, Duke of Gloucester. During the boys captivity they were declared illegitimate by their uncle, and Gloucester had himself declared king, Richard III. The boys soon disappeared and are presumed to have been murdered on their uncle’s orders.   This print is contained within the Boyd Family Album - a portfolio of documents, images and other manuscripts collected by the Boyd Family after they inherited the title Earl of Erroll.