See Baldwine, Baldwine, the vnhappy endes
Of such as passe not for theyr lawfull oth:
Of those that causeles leaue theyr fayth and[668] frendes,
And murder kinsfolkes through their foes vntroth:
Warne, warne all princes, all like sinnes to loth,
And chiefly such as in my realme be borne,
For God hates highly all that[669] are forsworne.][670]
[When[671] this was sayde, quoth[672] one of the company: “Let passe these Scottish matters, and returne wee to our English storyes which minister matter enough of tragedy, without seking or trauayling to forayne countreyes. Therefore returne wee to the rest of the tragicall troubles and broyles which happened in this realme during the minority of king Henry the sixt, and the sondry falls and ouerthrowes of great princes and other noble persons happening thereby.” “Well sayd (qd maister Ferrers) as[673] it happeneth I haue penned here two[674] notable tragedies, the one of Humfrey duke of Glocester, the other of the duchess Elianor his wife, which (as mee seemeth) be two of the most memorable matters fortuning in that[675] time: but whether of them is to bee placed first in[676] the order of our booke, I somwhat stand in doubt. For albeit the sayd duke’s death happened before the deceasse of the duches, yet was her fall first, which finally was cause of both.”[677] “Why should you doubt then (quod the rest of the company) for seeing the cause doth alwayes goe before th’effect and sequell of any thing, it is good reason you should begin with her first. And therefore wee pray you let vs heare first what shee hath to say: for all this while wee haue not heard the complaynt of any lady or other woman.”]
How Dame Elianor Cobham Duchesse of Glocester, for practising of witchcraft and sorcery, suffred open penaunce, and after was banished the realme into the Ile of Man.
1.