Biography of Eleanor Cobham Duchess of Gloucester 1400-1452

On 20th March 1413 King Henry IV of England [aged 45] died in the Jerusalem Chamber, Cheyneygates, Westminster Abbey [Map] in Westminster Abbey confirming a prophesy that he would die in Jerusalem. His son Henry [aged 26] succeeded V King of England. His sons King Henry V of England and [her future husband] Humphrey Lancaster 1st Duke Gloucester [aged 22] were present. He was buried in the Chancel of Canterbury Cathedral [Map].

On 22nd April 1433 [her brother-in-law] John Duke Bedford [aged 43] and Jacquetta Luxemburg [aged 18] were married at Thérouanne [Map]. She by marriage Duchess Bedford. The difference in their ages was 25 years. She the daughter of Peter Luxemburg I Count Saint Pol [aged 43] and Margherita Baux [aged 39]. He the son of King Henry IV of England and Mary Bohun. They were half fifth cousins. She a great x 5 granddaughter of King Henry III of England.

The marriage caused a rift with Philip "Good" Duke Burgundy [aged 36], John's late wife's brother, who regarded the marriage, some five months after his sister's death, an insult to her memory. There was no issue from the marriage with John dying a year and a half later.

On 14th September 1435 [her brother-in-law] John Lancaster 1st Duke Bedford [aged 46] died at Rouen Castle [Map] without legitimate issue. Duke Bedford, Duke Bedford, Earl Kendal and Earl Richmond extinct. [her husband] Humphrey Lancaster 1st Duke Gloucester [aged 44] became heir to the throne.

Before 27th October 1441 Eleanor Cobham Duchess of Gloucester [aged 41], wife of the heir presumptive Humphrey 1st Duke Gloucester [aged 51], brother of the deceased King Henry V of England, uncle of King Henry VI of England and II of France [aged 19], was tried for predicting the future of the King; in reality a veiled attack on her husband who had over-reached himself. She had consulted two astrologers Thomas Southwell and Roger Bolingbroke. All three were arrested, tried and found guilty. Eleanor denied most of the charges but confessd to obtaining potions from Margery Jourdemayne "The Witch of Eye" [aged 26]. She was sentenced to do public penance, divorce her husband and remain confined for the remainder of her life.

Chronicle of Gregory. 1441. And in the same year there were take certayne traytourys, the whyche purposyd to slee our lege lord the kyng [aged 19] by crafte of egremauncey¹, and there instrumentys were opynly shewyde to alle men at the Crosse [Map] in Powlys chyrche yerde a-pon a schaffolde i-made there-for. Att the whyche tyme was present one of the same traytours, whiche was callyd Roger Bulbroke, a clerke of Oxforde, and for that same tresoun my Lady of Glouceter [aged 41] toke sayntwerye at Westemyster; and the xj day of Auguste thenne next folowynge she toke the way to the castelle of Lesnes [Map].

Note 1. Necromancy.

An English Chronicle. [22nd July 1441]. In the mene tyme, the forsaid maister Roger was examned before the kyngis counsel; where he confessid and saide that he wroughte the said nygromancie atte stiryng of the forsaid dame Alienore [aged 41], to knowe what sholde falle of hir and to what astat she sholde come. Wherfore she was citid to appere befor certayn bisshoppis of the kyngis; that is to say, befor maister Harri Chicheli [aged 78], archebisshop of Cauntirbury, maister Harry Beaufort [aged 66] bisshoppe of Wynchestre and cardinalle, maister Johan Kemp [aged 61] archebisshoppe of York and cardinalle, maister William Ayscoughe [aged 46] bisshoppe of Salisbury, and othir, on the Monday the xxij day off Juylle next folowyng, in saint Stepheneȝ chapelle of Westmynstre, forto ansuere to certayn articleȝ of nygromancie, of wicchecraft or sorcery, of heresy and of tresoun. Atte whiche day she apperid; and the forsaid Roger was brouȝt forth forto witnesse ayens hir, and saide that she was cause and first stirid himme to laboure in the said nygromancie; and thanne be commaundement of the said bisshoppis she was committid to the warde of sir Johan Stiward knyghte, and of Johan Stanley squier, and othir of the kyngis hous, forto be lad to the castelle of Ledis, there to be safli kept vnto iij wikis aftir Mighelmasse next thanne comyng. But the said dame Alienore was lothe to go out of the sayntwary and fayned her seek, and wolde haue stole away priveli be watir, but she was let of her purpos and lad forth to the castel beforsaid.

Chronicle of Gregory. 13th November 1441. Ande in that same year the Lady of Glouceter [aged 41] for the same treson she was juggyde by the spyrytualle lawe to iij sondyr or dyvers placys, that is to wete, on Mondaye, the xiij daye of Novembyr, to Powlys; and on the Wanysday i-sygnyd unto Crychyrche; and on the Fryday nexte folowyng to Synt Mychellys in Cornehylle.

On 23rd February 1447 [her husband] Humphrey Lancaster 1st Duke Gloucester [aged 56] died at Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk [Map]. He was possibly poisoned although more likely he died from a stroke. Duke Gloucester, Earl Pembroke extinct. His death left England with no heir to the throne in a direct line. Richard Plantagenet 3rd Duke of York [aged 35] became heir presumptive until the birth of Edward of Westminster Prince of Wales six years later.