22 Item, my right doubted lord, it is not vnknowen, that it had not béene possible to the said cardinall, to haue come to his great riches, but by such meanes, for of his church it might not rise, and inheritance he had none. Wherfore my right doubted lord, sith there is great good behouefull at this time, for the weale and safegard of your realmes, the pouertie, necessitie, & indigence of your liege people; in highnesse vnderstand, like it vnto your noble grace, to consider the said lucre of the said cardinall, and the great deceipts that you be receiued in by the labour of him & of the archbishop, aswell in this your realme as in your realme of France and duchie of Normandie, where neither office, liuelod, nor capteine may be had, without too great good giuen vnto him, wherby a great part of all the losse that is lost, they haue béene the causers of; for who that would giue most, his was the price, not considering the merits, seruice, nor sufficiance of persons. Furthermore, it is greatlie to be considered, how, when the said cardinall had forfeited all his goods, bicause of prouision, as the statute therevpon more plainelie declareth; by hauing the rule of you my right doubted lord, purchased himselfe in great defraudation of your highnesse, a charter of pardon, the which good and it had be well gouerned, might manie yeares haue susteined your warres, without anie tallage of your poore people.
23 Item, my redoubted lord, whereas I write much thing for the weale of you and of your realms, peraduenture some will saie and vnderstand, that I would or haue written by waie of accusement of all your councell, which God knoweth, I doo not: for your highnesse may well sée, that I name them that be causers of the said inordinate rule. Wherfore, considering that the said cardinall and archbishop of Yorke béene they, that pretend the gouernance of you, and of your realmes and lordships: please it vnto your highnesse, of your right wisenesse to estrange them of your councell, to that intent, that men may be at their fréedome, to say what they thinke of truth.
24 For truth, I dare speake of my truth, the poore dare not doo so. And if the cardinall and the archbishop of Yorke, may afterward declare themselues, of that is, and shalbe said of them; you my right doubted lord may then restore them againe to your councell, at your noble pleasure.
When the king had heard the accusations thus laid by the duke of Glocester against the cardinall, he committed the examination thereof to his councell, whereof the more part were spirituall persons; so that what for feare, and what for fauor, the matter was winked at, and nothing said to it: onelie faire countenance was made to the duke, as though no malice had béene conceiued against him. But venem will breake out, & inward grudge will soone appeare, which was this yeare to all men apparant: for diuers secret attempts were aduanced forward this season against this noble man Humfreie duke of Glocester a far off, which in conclusion came so néere, that they béereft him both of life and land; as shall hereafter more plainelie appéere.
Abr. Fl. ex Polychron.
Alias Iohn Hum.
For first this yeare, dame Eleanor Cobham, wife to the said duke, was accused of treason; for that she by sorcerie and inchantment intended to destroie the king, to the intent to aduance hir husband vnto the crowne. Vpon this, she was examined in saint Stephans chappell before the bishop of Canturburie, and there by examination conuict, and iudged to doo open penance in thrée open places within the citie of London. [Polychronicon saith she was inioined to go through Cheapside with a taper in hir hand] and after that adiudged to perpetuall imprisonment in the Ile of Man, vnder the kéeping of sir Iohn Stanlie knight. At the same season were arrested, arreigned, and adiudged giltie, as aiders to the duchesse, Thomas Southwell priest, and canon of S. Stephans at Westminster, Iohn Hun priest, Roger Bolingbrooke a cunning necromancer (as it was said) and Margerie Iordeine, surnamed the witch of Eie.
Abr. Fl.
King Edward the fourth borne.