[“Svrely,” sayd one of the company, “this lady hath done much to moue the hearers to pitye her, and hath very well knit vp her[696] tragedy according to the beginning: but I meruayl much where shee learned all this poetry touched in her tale, for in her dayes learning was not common, but a rare thing, namely in women.” “Yes,” quod Maister _Ferrers_, “that might shee very well learne of the duke her husband, who was a prince so excellently learned, as the like of his degree was no where to bee founde. And not only so, but was also a patron to poets and orators, much like as _Mecenas_ was in the time of _Augustus Cæsar_. This duke was founder of the diuinity schole in _Oxford_, whereas he caused _Aristotle’s_ workes to bee translated out of Greeke into Latin, and caused many other thinges to bee done for aduauncement of learning, hauing alwayes learned men nere about him, no meruayl therefore though the duchesse brought some pece away.” “Mee-thinke,” quod another, “shee passeth boundes of a ladye’s modesty, to inuey so cruelly against the cardinall _Beaufort_.” “Not a whit,” quod another, “hauing such cause as shee had, and somwhat ye must beare with women’s passions. Therefore leaue wee her to eternall rest, and let vs heare what Maister _Ferrers_ will say for the duke her husband, whose case was the more lamentable, in that hee suffered without cause. And surely though the cardinall against nature was the duke’s mortall foe, yet the chiefe causers of his confusion was the queene and _William Delapoole_, earle of _Suffolke_, and afterwardes duke, whose counsayle was chiefly followed in the contriuing of this noble man’s destruction. Shee through ambition to haue soueraynty and rule, and hee through flattery to purchase honour and promotion, which as hee in short time obtayned, so in as short time he lost agayne, and his life withall by the iust iudgement of God, receiuing such measure as he before met to this good prince. This drift of his turned to the vtter ouerthrowe of the king himselfe, the queene his wife, and _Edward_ theyr son a most goodly prince, and to the subuersion of the whole house of _Lancaster_, as you may see at large in the cronicles: but now let vs heare what the duke will say.”] Howe _Hvmfrey Plantagenet_ Duke of Glocester Protector of England, during the minority of his nephue King _Henry_ the sixt, (commonly called the good Duke) by practise of enemyes was brought to confusion. 1.