heraldryofyorkmi01custuoft

ROYAL HERALDRY. 401
Stubbs, in
his admirable Constitutional History of England, has, from them,
traced an entirely different, and, I venture to think, far more accurate,
character of him.
During the reign of his half-brother, Henry IV., he seems to have
lived on most intimate and affectionate terms with him ;
the fact that four
years after his accession the King made him chancellor on the resignation
of Stratford, 1403, and the year following translated him to Winchester,
shews his confidence. But he had an active enemy in Archbishop
Arundel, who, on succeeding to the chancellorship, managed to introduce
into the Act renewing the late King's legitimatising of the Beauforts,
the clause "excepta dignitate regali," which was naturally resented by
his brothers and himself. As time advanced he drew closer to the Prince
of Wales, whose tutor he was; and the Prince rewarded his attachment
by taking his part when, on the death of Beaufort's brother, John, he
declined, as executor, to pay a share of his estate of 30,000 marks to his
widow, who had married Thomas of Lancaster.
On the death of Henry IV., 1413, Henry V. at once made him chancellor
in the place of Archbishop Arundel, and Beaufort became to him
the confidential friend and adviser which Arundel had been to his father ;
indeed, Beaufort generously lent him 2 1 ,000 marks towards his preparation
for his expedition to France, which culminated in Agincourt. In 1422
Henry died, significantly cautioning his brother Gloucester against allowing
his selfish spirit to clash with the interest of the country. His will, unfortunately,
was indistinct, as he appointed therein John, his brother, sole
guardian but his intention ; evidently was that his two brothers, John Earl
of Bedford, aged thirty-three, and Humphrey Earl of Gloucester, aged
thirty-two, should together be guardians, with the Beauforts to preserve the
balance. Parliament decided that the elder should take charge of the
portion of the kingdom in France, and the younger in England, and, during
his brother's absence, be Protector, with a council containing five prelates,
of which Beaufort was one. The Earl of Bedford trusted the Beauforts ;
Gloucester was jealous of them and opposed them, and lost no opportunity
of shewing it. In 1423 the Earl of Bedford made Beaufort chancellor
during his brother's absence; during which time the young King Henry
first
appeared in parliament, and Beaufort in his "opening speech enforced
"the good qualities of a counsellor from the wonderful physical fact that
" the elephant has no gall,
is of inflexible purpose, and of great memory."
But Gloucester on his return immediately picked a quarrel with him, on
the ground that he had garrisoned the Tower with Lancastrians, and nearly
raised a tumult endeavouring to keep him out. For two years dissensions
continuing, Beaufort resigned the seals in 1426, and absenting himself from
the council went eventually to the Holy Land, from whence he returned