1485- Henry VII seized the English Crown, from Richard 111 at Bosworth.
His western followers were assured. the Courtenays were restored, Edward Courtenay of Boconnoc became the new earl of Devon, Sir Thomas Arundell got back the estates that had gone to Sir James Tyrrel, and the Teffry brothers, John (Knighted at Milford Haven) and William received far more than they had lost. Richard Edgcombe was knighted at Bosworth.
Arther Henry's three year's old, eldest son became Duke of Cornwall who thanks to the diplomatic skill of another Cornishman Sir Richard Nanfan, became betrothed to the little Katharine of Aragon.
Things were not well in Cornwall at this time. The Tinners were depressed and discontented, a number of them raided Peter Edgcombe's tin-works at Tremodret-and then came the exactions levied to pay for a war against the Scots.
For the people of Cornwall nothing could have been more remote than forays on the Scottish border, and nothing better calculated to infuriate the impoverished tinners, most of them in debt and entangled by userers, than being taxed and taxed heavily, to repel them.
1497-When therefore in this year, the collectors began their exactions in the West they met sullen resistance, particularly at St Kevern near the Lizard, where the blacksmith Michael Joseph assumed the leadership of the people, and passive resistance was fanned into active revolt when Thomas Flamank, an eloquent Bodmin Lawyer, voiced the popular discontent, and bands of men began to talk of marching to London to rid the king of his evil advisors.
Thus began, so many centuries after their conquest, the first Cornish incursion into England (Columbus was in America, Cabot in Newfoundland and Vasco da Gama on his way to India ). In the long days of early summer the ill-armed Cornishmen marched through Devon and Somerset, picking up recruits on the way, until they reach Wells, where they were joined by Lord Audley, who took over command. By the beginning of June they were South of London in high hopes of being joined by the men of Kent. They were disappointed , however, and the fainter-hearted rebels began to slink away. Well they might, for Henry VII had an army of ten thousand man under Lord Daubeney ready to set out for Scotland, and this was the force that confronted the Cornishmen when they reached Blackheath on June 16th Many of them counselled surrender, but their leaders had not marched to London to throw themselves at the King's mercy, and prepared for battle. That night there were many desertions. the Next day Saturday, the rebels who were only armed only with bows, bills and other country weapons were advanced by the royal forces, the ill- organised Cornishmen, though they fought bravely enough, were soon routed. About two hundred of them were killed, Audley and Flamank were captured on the field, and Joseph was taken as he fled for sanctuary at Greenwich.
After the battle King Henry rode in triumph through the city, followed by the blacksmith "clad in a jacket of white and green of the King's colours, and held as good countenance and spake as bodly to the people as he had been at his liberty.
On the following Monday Joseph , Flamank and Audley were examined in the Tower of London and a week later condemned to death.
Tuesday June 27th-Flamank and Joseph were dragged on hurdles from the Tower to Tyburn where they were Hanged, disembowelled and hacked into quarters as was the custom of the age.
An Gof before his execution is recorded to have said that he should have
Wednesday June 28th-As a peer, Lord Audley was treated less barbarously. He was drawn from the said gaol in Newgate unto Tower Hill where he was be-headed.