Eleanor Cobham and the Witch of Westminster
A few weeks ago, I wrote a brief outline on the character of Joan of Navarre, the first English Queen to be accused of witchcraft, who was effectively stripped of all her possessions because her stepson Henry V had spent all the crown’s money trying to conquer France. Her story is closely connected to the […]
A few weeks ago, I wrote a brief outline on the character of Joan of Navarre, the first English Queen to be accused of witchcraft, who was effectively stripped of all her possessions because her stepson Henry V had spent all the crown’s money trying to conquer France.
Her story is closely connected to the one of another woman, of slightly lower status, who’ll see the same charges brought upon her and who’ll go down far worst than Joan: Eleanor Cobham.
The second wife of Humphrey of Lancaster, Duke of Gloucester, Eleanor is often accused of being “the Duchess who wanted to be Queen”, but this is very far from the truth.
A beautiful poem was written for Eleanor’s demise, the most famous verse being “All women may be ware by me”.
Thorow-owt a palys as I gan passe,
I herd a lady make gret mone;
And euer she syghyd and said,
“alas! All erthly ioy is fro me gone.
ffor I am left my-self alone,
And all my frendys fro me thei flee;
Alas, I am full well of one
– All women may be ware by me.
