The Fall of Robert Tresilian, Chief Justice of England, for misconstruing the laws, and expounding them to serve the prince's affections.
The Tragedy, or unlawful murther of Thomas of Woodstock, Duke of Gloucester.
The Tragedy of Richard II.
The Story of Dame Eleanor Cobham, Duchess
of Gloucester.
The Story of Humphry Plantagenet, Duke of
Gloucester, Protector of England.
The Tragedy of Edmund Duke of Somerset.
Among these the Complaints of Eleanor Cobham, Duchess of Gloucester, who was banished for consulting Conjurers and Fortune-tellers about the Life of King Henry VI. and whose exile quickly made way for the murder of her husband, has of all his compositions been most admired; and from this I shall quote a few lines which that Lady speaks.
The Isle of Man was the appointed place,
To penance me for ever in exile;
Thither in haste, they posted me apace,
And doubting 'scape, they pined me in a pyle,
Close by myself; in care alas the while.
There felt I first poor prisoner's hungry fare,
Much want, things skant, and stone walls, hard and bare.
The chaunge was straunge from silke and cloth of gold
To rugged fryze, my carcass for to cloath;
From prince's fare, and dainties hot and cold,
To rotten fish, and meats that one would loath:
The diet and dressing were much alike boath:
Bedding and lodging were all alike fine,
Such down it was as served well for swyne.