HUMPHREY, DUKE OF GLOUCESrlER - 1907 - PREFACE - THE following pages have been written amidst many interruptions and completed amidst great difficulties. The excuse for their existence is to be found in the total absence of any adequate biography of their subject, and the attraction to the author at any rate of a varied and interesting career. My indebtedness to those who have made a study of the fifteenth century is acknowledged in the bibliography, but my obligations extend much further. My thanks are due to many librarians who have given me every facility to inspect manuscripts in their care, but to Mr. Falconer Madan of the Bodleian Library at Oxford I am under no ordinary debt of obligation. His consistent kindness and interest has made many paths smooth that would otherwise have been rough. I am indebted to Lord Leicester for his kindness in allowing me to examine a manuscript life of the Duke which forms part of his Library, and to Mr. Yates Thompson for a similar permission with regard to the Dukes Psalter. Still more do I desire to thank Dean Kitchin for his courtesy and kindness in sending me a transcript of a letter in a Durham manuscript, whilst Professor Oman has given me the great encouragement of his sympathy and advice. To Dr. Morris of Bedford I owe assistance on some points of difficulty, and Sir Alfred Scott-Gatty, Garter, was kind enough to answer several questions with regard to the Dukes armorial bearings. To my mother, who has spent many weary hours in copying my manuscript to my sister, who is largely responsible for the iudex and to my friend, Mr. H. W. Ward of Frenchay, whose assistance, both clerical and critical, has been freely given, the mere record of iny grat, itude is not sufficient. fr. E. Alfred Jones has kindly allowed me to reproduce the photograpll of a cup which ouce belonged to Duke Hnmphrey, and which forms part of the collection he has made for his book on The Old 13Zat, of the Camb idge Collcgcs, whilst the possessor of the lrianuscript copy of Beccarias tledication to Duke Humphrey, prefaced to his translation of 13occacci0, was good enough, through the lrinrl instrunlentality of Mr. Strickland Giloson of the Rodleian Library, to allow nle to photograph this unique document. l. H. V. Birth of Humphrey his 1 arents-Tho change of dynasty-Tlic Order of the Bath-Plot to kill Hcn1. y IV. and his sons-Hunlphrey made n Knight of the Ciartcr-Visit to rIl11 c y of Bardney-Accession of Henry v.-IJtumphrcy crcatcd Earl of Pemhroke and Duke of Glou estcr- egoti ti011fi hetwce --England and France-Preparations for war-The Southampton Conspiracy its arniug-Glouccstefs retinnc in the 1415 campnig i-The siegc of Harfleur- Al, zrt h from Hnrflcur to Agincourt-Thc battle of Agirrconrt-The Icings return t n Ellgland, . . 1-22 Various phases 01 C louccstcrs career-Thc Empwor Sigilimu ltls visit to Engl ncl rcccption I y Glouccstcr- Llle Trcnty of Canterbury-Glouccstel. hostage R t t . On crfo r tllc safety of the Duke of T urgrulc y visiting Henry v. at Calais-Gloucester and Sigismund n. contrast in cljnractcrs-Rencwal of thc war - The siege of Cacn--Gltwccstcrs military clualit, ics-- llle siegca of Alenc t n m tlF n n, i c- 1111rccsttelre tccl . lt or 1111-due the C, tcntin-- rllr C tcn Lilt cx r. cliCic ll- lIrc sic. gc of Che...