Trial and Punishment of Eleanor Cobham

Trial and Punishment of Eleanor Cobham is in 1436-1453 End of the Hundred Years War.

Chronicle of Gregory 1441. 1441. And in the same yere there were take certayne traytourys, the whyche purposyd to slee oure lege lorde the kyng (age 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 (age 41) toke sayntwerye at Westemyster; and the xj day of Auguste thenne next folowynge she toke the way to the castelle of Lesnes.

Before 27 Oct 1441 Eleanor Cobham Duchess of Gloucester (age 41), wife of the heir presumptive Humphrey 1st Duke Gloucester (age 51), brother of the deceased King Henry V of England, uncle of King Henry VI of England and II of France (age 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" (age 26). She was sentenced to do public penance, divorce her husband and remain confined for the remainder of her life.

Chronicle of Gregory 1441. 27 Oct 1441. And on Syn Symon and Jude ys eve was the wycche (age 26) be syde Westemyster brent in Smethefylde [Map], and on the day of Symon and Jude the person of Syn Stevynnys in Walbroke, whyche that was one of the same fore sayde traytours, deyde in the Toure [Map] for sorowe.

Note 1. Necromancy.

On 27 Oct 1441 Margery Jourdemayne "The Witch of Eye" (age 26) was burned at the stake.

On 28 Oct 1441 Thomas Southwell died whilst in the Tower of London [Map].

Chronicle of Gregory 1441. 13 Nov 1441. Ande in that same yere the Lady of Glouceter (age 41) for the same treson she was juggyde by the spyrytualle lawe to iij [3] sondyr or dyvers placys, that ys 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.

Chronicle of Gregory 1441. 18 Nov 1441. And on the Satyrday next folowyng was Roger Bulbroke hanggyde, and drawe, and quarteryde at Tyburne.

On 18 Nov 1441, Saturday, Roger Bolingbroke was hanged, drawn and quartered at Tyburn [Map].