Death of Eleanor Cobham - Royal Witch

 

 On this day ~ 7th July 1452 

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 Death of Eleanor Cobham - Royal Witch 

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 Eleanor Cobham is probably most well known for being a 'royal witch'.
Eleanor was born in Surrey in 1400, to Sir Reginald and Eleanor Cobham.

 In 1422 Eleanor’s mother died, and Eleanor became one of Jacqueline of Hainault's attendants, at the royal court of Henry V.

Eleanor became well liked at court, and quickly caught the eye of Humphrey Duke of Gloucester, Jacqueline of Hainault's soon to be husband.

 Humphrey and Jacqueline married in 1423.
In an attempt to take Hainault back for his wife, Humphrey took an army, his wife and household to Holland.

As a lady of the household, Eleanor also travelled with the newlyweds.
At some point in their time on the continent, Humphrey took Eleanor Cobham as his mistress.

 Young, intelligent and beautiful, Eleanor was hugely appealing to the duke.
When his military expedition drew to a conclusion, he returned to England with Eleanor, leaving his wife Jacqueline in captivity in Hainault.

Humphrey had his marriage to Jacqueline annulled, and in 1428 Eleanor Cobham became his wife.

 The marriage itself was based on love, but their union was controversial.
Eleanor’s rank was far below that of the duke.

For many courtiers it was a wholly unsuitable match, but one that they could do very little about.

The royal couple moved to a manor in Greenwich, and invested heavily in their enjoyment of the arts, and learning.

 Humphrey was still politically important.
His nephew was King Henry VI, who was still a minor.

Humphrey 's elder brother John duke of Bedford, was away, acting as their nephew's regent in Paris.
This meant that Humphrey was the most powerful man in the land.

Despite his popular appeal, Humphrey refused to get on with the other members on the royal council.

 In 1435 the duke of Bedford died.
The king was still a minor, just entering his teens.

It meant that Humphrey was now the heir to the throne, and sole protector of the realm, in his nephews minority.

At the same time as her husband’s political role altered and became more intense, Eleanor was enjoying her rise on the wheel of fortune.

 Eleanor was now in a very powerful position.
Married to the heir to the throne, she was also influential in court and over the young king.

Eleanor became preoccupied with the idea of Humphrey possibly becoming King of England, and herself Queen Consort.

 At the same time, Eleanor also became interested in horoscopes.

Her own personal future was very much at the heart of what she wanted to learn.

Astrology in itself presented little problem, it was widely practised and acceptable within society.

Eleanor, however, was looking for issues relating to the future of herself, her husband, and by virtue of those, also the king.

 The horoscopes Eleanor procured, made a startling and dangerous prediction~

The king would become seriously ill in the summer of 1441.
Rumours of Eleanor having obtained such a prediction soon spread to court.

Here, the horoscopes presented Eleanor with a problem.
In predicting a serious possibly fatal illness for the king, the astrologers were potentially wishing the king dead - an act that was considered treasonable at the time.

 Eleanor and her astrologers were put under investigation.
During the investigation, it was revealed that Eleanor had instigated the horoscopes.

It was evidence that would soon be used against her and the astrologers.
It was several weeks later that action began to be taken against those involved in the compilation of the horoscopes.

 Between the 10th and 12th of July 1441, the astrologers were arrested on charges of heresy and treasonable necromancy.

When word of the first arrest reached Eleanor, she fled to Westminster to seek sanctuary.

In total, 18 charges had been made against Eleanor.
They were all related to treasonable necromancy, through acts of witchcraft and heretical acts.

 As heresy is an ecclesiastical crime, it was for the church to determine Eleanor's innocence or guilt.

Those being judged for alleged treason or alleged use of witchcraft, could not have the protection of the church.
Sanctuary could not therefore be given to Eleanor at Westminster.

 The first hearing for the accusations against Eleanor Cobham, took place in front of an ecclesiastical tribunal at Westminster Abbey, on 24th July 1441.

It was presided over by the most senior clerics in England, the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, along with the bishop of Salisbury.

 Of the charges against Eleanor Cobham, she accepted guilt on five counts.

This included obtaining potions from Margery Jourdemayne, the Witch of Eye.

These potions were intended to ensure that Eleanor conceived an heir.

 Margery Jourdemayne had a previous conviction for sorcery, dating to 1432, this also went against Eleanor.

Eleanor renounced the behaviours to which she had admitted on July 27th.

She was denied the continued use of Westminster as sanctuary and sent to Leeds Castle in Kent, to be held securely whilst preparations were made for her trial.

 On October 21st judgement was passed on Eleanor Cobham.

Her sentence was humiliating -

* Total removal of all of Eleanor’s titles, wealth and influence.

* On three market days in November 1441, she was to walk barefoot to three churches bearing a taper.
This was a very public act on penance.
Market days were chosen as they were busy, the humiliation and penance would be seen by as many people as possible.

* The marriage of Eleanor to duke Humphrey was ended through an imposed divorce.
This stripped her of her titles and removed Eleanor’s rights to any of the duke’s wealth.

* A sentence of perpetual imprisonment was imposed. She was initially sent to Chester.
In 1443 she was moved to Kenilworth Castle.
Three years later she was transferred to the Isle of Man, before finally being transferred to Beaumaris Castle in 1449 - where she lived in captivity until her death.

 Eleanor did fair better than the others who were implicated.
Margery Jourdemayne was burnt at the stake at Smithfield.

Eleanor's astrologer Roger Bolingbroke, was hanged, drawn and quartered.

Eleanor Cobham, Duchess of Gloucester, died in captivity on 7th July 1452, aged 52.

The Tudor Intruders (and more)
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 Source - thehundredyearswar/eleanor-cobham
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 The public penance of Eleanor Cobham from 'A Chronicle of England' illustrated by J.W.E Doyle ~ 1864