Eleanor Cobham

Also known as: ladie Eleanor Cobham · Family: House of Lancaster · Role: duchess · First appears: Henry VI 5

Eleanor Cobham was a Lancastrian duchess. Around 1424, Humphrey Duke of Gloucester abandoned Jacqueline of Hainaut and took Eleanor as his second wife; she was the daughter of Lord Cobham of Sterberow and had reportedly been his “souereigne paramour,” bringing him slander and dishonour.

Around 1441, Eleanor was accused of treason against Henry VI, allegedly using sorcery and enchantment to destroy him so that Humphrey Duke of Gloucester could take the crown. Examined in Saint Stephen’s Chapel, she was convicted, made to do open penance in three places in London, and sentenced to perpetual imprisonment on the Isle of Man under John Stanley. Thomas Southwell, John Hun, Roger Bolingbroke, and Margery Jourdaine were arrested, tried, and found guilty as her aiders. Roger Onleie was also accused of practising with Eleanor by sorcery to kill the king, condemned, and executed, though some considered him innocent.

Relationship record

Life events

c. 1424 · Humphrey Duke of Gloucester abandoned Jacqueline of Hainaut and married Eleanor Cobham.(Henry VI 5)
- With: Humphrey Duke of Gloucester
- “and tooke in a second marriage Eleanor Cobham, daughter to the lord Cobham of Sterberow, which before (as the fame went) was his souereigne paramour, to his slander and dishonour.”
c. 1441 · Eleanor Cobham was convicted of treason and sentenced to perpetual imprisonment under John Stanley’s custody.(Henry VI 32 · 📍 Ile of Man)
- With: Henry VI John Stanley
- “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.”

Henry VI 5

married with Humphrey Duke of Gloucester “and tooke in a second marriage Eleanor Cobham, daughter to the lord Cobham of Sterberow, which before (as the fame went) was his souereigne paramour, to his slander and dishonour.”

Henry VI 32

married with Humphrey Duke of Gloucester “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.”
enemies with Henry VI “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.”
with John Stanley (John Stanley was appointed keeper of Eleanor Cobham during her imprisonment.) “and after that adiudged to perpetuall imprisonment in the Ile of Man, vnder the kéeping of sir Iohn Stanlie knight.”
allies with Thomas Southwell “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.”
allies with John Hun “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.”
allies with Roger Bolingbroke “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.”
allies with Margery Jourdaine “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.”

Henry VI 66

with Roger Onleie (Roger Onleie was accused of practising sorcery with Eleanor Cobham.) “Roger Onleie, borne in the west countrie (as Bale thinketh) was accused of treason, for practising with the ladie Eleanor Cobham, by sorcerie to make the king awaie, and was thereof condemned, and died for it, though he were innocent thereof, as some haue thought”
allies with Roger Onleie (The passage alleges that they practised sorcery together.) “was accused of treason, for practising with the ladie Eleanor Cobham, by sorcerie to make the king awaie”
enemies with Henry VI (The king is identified by the surrounding passage as Henry VI; the treasonous act is reported as an accusation.) “was accused of treason, for practising with the ladie Eleanor Cobham, by sorcerie to make the king awaie”

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Extracted from the original text of Holinshed's Chronicles — the reigns Shakespeare dramatized. Made with Rho MD.