Tudor Books, Hall's Chronicle 1447

23rd February 1447. The duke the night after his emprisonement, was found dedde in his bed, and his body shewed to the lordes and commons, as though he had died of a palsey or empostome: but all indifferent persons well knewe, that he died of no natural death but of some violet force: some Judged hym to be strangled: some affirme, that a hote spittewas put in at his foundement: other write, that he was stiffeled or smoldered betwene twoo fetherbeddes. After whose deathe, none of his seruauntes (although they were arraigned and attainted) wer put to death: for the Marques of Suffolk, when they should haue been executed, shewed openly their pardon, but this doyng appeased not the grudge of the people, whiche saied that the pardone of the seruauntes, was no amendes for murderyng of their master. The dedde corse of the duke, was caried to sainct Albons, and there honorably buried. Thus was this noble prince, sonne, brother, and vncle to kynges, whiche had valeauntly and pollitiquely by the space of xxv. yeres gouerned this Realme, and for his demerites, called the good duke of Gloucester, by a bone cast by his enemies, choked and brought to his fatall fine, and laste ende. So all men maie openly se that to men in aucthoritie, no place no not the courte the cheif refuge of all, nor the dwellyng house, nor yet a mannes priuate Castle, or his bed orcleined for his quietnes, is out of daungier of deathes dart. It semeth to many men, that the name and title of Gloucester, hath been vnfortunate and vnluokie to diverse, whiche for their honor, haue been erected by creacion of princes, to that stile and dignitie, as Hugh Spencer, Thomas of Woodstocke, sonne to kyng Edward the third, and this duke Humfrey, whiche thre persones, by miserable death finished their dales, and after them kyng Richard the. iii. also, duke of Gloucester, in ciuill warre slain and confounded: so y^t this name of Gloucester, is taken for an vnhappie and vnfortunate stile, as the prouerbe speaketh of Seianes horse, whose rider was ever vnhorscd, and whose possessor was ever brought to miserie. When the rumor of the dukes death, was blowen through the realme, many men wer sodainly appalled and amased for teare: many abhorred and'detested y^e faict, but all men reputed it an abhominable crueltie, and a shameful tiranny. But the publique wealth of the realme of Englande, by the vnworthy death of this pollitique prince, susteined greate losse, & ran into ruyne, for surely the whole waight and burden of the realme, rested and depended vpon him, as the experience afterward did declare. For after his death, good & sage men fearing the selfes, fled out of y^e flatteryng court, into whose places entered suche, as desiryng their awne promocion, set open the gates to new faccions, whiche could neuer be extinct till all the seignorics beyod the sea (except Caleice & the marches) were lost, & kyng Henry in conclusion spojled of hys Realme & lyfe. There is an olde sayd saw, that a man entendyng to auoide the smoke, falleth into the fyre: So here the Quene mynding to preserue her husband in honor, & her selfe in aucthoritie, procured & consentid to the death of this noble man, whose onely death brought to passe that thynge, which she woulde most fayne haue eschewed, and toke from her that iewel, w hiche she moste desired: for if this Duke had lyued, the Duke of Yorke durst not haue made title to the crowne: if this Duke had liuyd, the nobles had not conspired against the king, nor yet the cosmos had not rebelled: if this Duke had lyued, the house of Lancastre had not been defaced and destroyed, which thynges hapned all contrary by the destruccion of this good man. This is the worldly iudgement, but God knoweth, what he had predestinate & what he had ordained before, against whose ordenaunce preuayleth no counsaill, and against whose will auayleth no stryuinge.