tted to the custody of his
mother. (_Rot. Pat_. 11 R. II, Part 2.) In or about May, 1378, he
became Lord Le Despenser by the death of his elder brother, Edward, and
was also substituted for him as bridegroom of the Princess Constance of
York, whom he married between May 30th, 1378, and November 7th, 1379.
(_Ibidem_, 1 R. II, Part 6; _Register of John of Gaunt_, II, folio 19,
_b_.) Shortly afterwards, February 16th, 1380, all the Despenser lands
were granted to his father-in-law during his minority--an unusual step,
for which there must have been some private reason in the mind of the
Regent, Thomas Duke of Gloucester. We next hear of Le Despenser when a
lad of fifteen as at sea in the King's service, in the suite of the Earl
of Arundel, and his mother was formally exonerated from all
responsibility concerning his custody until he should return. (_Rot.
Pat_. 11 R. II, Part 2.) On the 20th of May, 1391, when eighteen, he
received the royal licence to journey to Prussia--then a semi-civilised
and partly heathen country--with fifty persons, and the arms and goods
necessary. (_Ibidem_ 14 R. II, Part 2.) He doubtless accompanied the
King to Ireland in September, 1394, since letters of attorney were
issued for him on the 10th of that month. (_Ibidem_, 18 R. II, Part
1.) Two indentures show us that Le Despenser spent the autumn of 1395
at Cardiff. (_Ibidem_, 1 H. IV, Parts 5, 8.) Certain manors which had
belonged to the Duke of Gloucester and Earl of Warwick were granted to
Le Despenser and Constance, September 28th, 1397. He is styled in this
grant Earl of Gloucester, (_Ibidem_, 21 R. II, Part 1), though it was
not until the day following that his creation took place. The custody
of the Castle of Gloucester was also granted to him for life; and the
manors were conceded with a (then unusual) limitation to heirs male.
The next day, September 29th, he was created Earl of Gloucester in
Westminster Hall, "girded with sword, and a coronet set on his head by
the King in manner and form accustomed." (_Harl. Ms_. 298, folio 85.)
Letters of attorney were issued April 16th, 1399, for the persons who
formed the King's suite in Ireland--Thomas Earl of Gloucester being
named third. The King was his guest on the journey, reaching Cardiff
about the 9th of May, and Morgan on the 11th. They embarked at Milford
Haven about the 27th, and were at Waterford on the 31st. But on the
fourth of July Henry of Bolingbroke and Arc