Isoult Barry of Wynscote her diurnal book: a tale of Tudor times

Front matter

§0 t\t sam* &u%r. ASHCLIFFE HALL; A TALE OF THE LAST CENTURY. Small 8vo, cloth extra, with Frontispiece, 5s., post free. CONTENTS. Old Cicely has her Thoughts. A Rat behind the Wainscot. Alone in the World. Wanted, Diogenes' Lantern. Inside and Outside. Anent John Paterson. How Philip came Back. Traitors — Human and My Lady Ingram. The Harrying of Lauchie. The Troubles of Greatness, The Night Soswith Died. Canine. Lady Griselda's Ruby Ring. Extracts from Reviews. " Deserves a high place among the best books of its class. It is both well written and thoroughly entertaining from beginning to end, likely to arrest and retain the interest of its readers." — Record. "'Ashcliffe Hall' seems to us to be a remarkable example of a really good religious novel. It is able and natural . . . The pains the authoress has taken, and the real ability with which she has worked up her materials, entitle her to the highest commendation." — English Independent.

" In this new volume Miss Holt displays all the knowledge of history of every-day life and character, as they existed a century ago, which made her previous works so acceptable. The style is bright and natural, and there is throughout a degree of tenderness and refine ment which charms the heart as much as the sentiment and thought commend themselves to the judgment." — Freeman. "At once well written and interesting."— Public Opinion, §3 i\t same %\\t\ax. MISTRESS MARGERY : A Tale of the Lollards. Third Edition. Small 8vo, cloth extra, with Frontispiece, 3s. 6d., post free. Contents. A Regular of Oxenforde— A Late Dinner— Coming Events cast their Shadows Before— Life in London— The Beginning of the End— News from. Home — Bereavement, but not Death — A Lodging on the Cold Ground — An Obdurate Heretic— Glorifying the Lord in the Fires — Margery's Letter — Eastward Ho ! — The Day after Agincourt.

Extracts from Reviews. 11 This most presentable volume has our warmest commendation. . . . For a most effective illustration of the Canon Law, for a really well-written and interesting narrative, this book deserves high praise." — Record. "It is one of the sweetest, most tender, and most holy books of the season. It is a page in history which young men and maidens will do well to saturate with holy tears." — Sword and Troivel. "The Authoress has culled her historical facts with care; her style is animated, and marked with much refinement ; the costumes, the every-day manners of the time, are well indicated. In a word, the little work affords a graphic description of English life in the fourteenth century." — Standard. " Unusually good in its way is 'Mistress Margery.' The lady knows a goodish deal about social life in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, and she has the pen of an artistic writer." — Athenæum.

Preface

. THE ensuing tale is so strictly historical, that the fictitious element in it is no more than a chain uniting the scattered gems of fact. All the prominent persons are real characters, and many of the secondary ones ; and every fictitious person is indicated as such in a note, when first introduced. To these real characters very few acts or sentiments have been attributed which are not actually on record. Nearly all the numerous facts contained in the story have been taken from unpublished MSS. Of the Lisle Papers alone there are eighteen quarto volumes, and the extracts from them which may be found in Mrs Everett Green's Letters of Royal and Illustrious Ladies (all that have been published) would barely fill one of the eighteen. Fifteen of them, comprising the English correspondence, have been laid under contribution for this little volume.

To have given the authority for every fact would have encumbered the tale with several pages of notes of reference : but to afford the oppor tunity of verification, a list is appended of those MSS. which have been chiefly used. I hope to be able (God willing) to carry on the story hereafter to a later period, keeping strictly to historical truth, and so far as possible retaining the same dramatis personæ. Authorities : — State Paper Office. Lisle Papers, vols. i.-xv. (Chapter-House Papers, Room xix., Press 32, Shelf r): two docu ments among the uncalendared MSS, entitled respectively, Touching the Lord Lisle, and Inventory of the Lord Lyslefs Goods: Patent Rolls, 38 H. VIII., Part 7, and 4-5 Philip and Mary, Part r5 : Ancient Compotuses of the Exchequer, Devon and Cornwall, r9~20 H. VIII., no. 20; 29-30 H. VIII, no. 23; r M. — 2 P. et M., no. to ; Norfolk and Suffolk, 34-5 H. VIII.

British Museum. — Cott. MS. Caligula, E., iv. ff. rS, 34: Harl. MSS., No. 283, ff. 5, 89; No. 888, sol. 40, b. ; No. roSo, ff. 54, 56, 60, ror, ro2, 254, 343, 344; No. rogr, ff. 46, 77, 82, 95, r22; No. U49, sol. 20; No. rr63, ff. t23, b, 164, b, 171 ; No. 1167, sol. r; No. 1538, ff. r8r, 182, 233, 280; No. 1541, sol. 41, b; No. 2rr9, sol. 99; No. 2408, ff. ro2, U2, 113 ; No. 3288, sol. 36; No. 4031, sol. 76, b; No. 6r2S, sol. 14, b. CONTENTS. CHAP. PAGE. I. WYNSCOTE MANOR, ...... I II. FROM WYNSCOTE TO WESTMINSTER, . . . -32 III. LIGHT AFAR OFF, . . . . . -57 IV. THE LAST PLANTAGENET, . . . . 85 V. GLAD TIDINGS IN THE LADY CHURCH, . . . .112 VI. THE FAINTING OF THE STANDARD-BEARERS, . -152 VII. HOW CALAIS FAILED OF THE GRACE OF GOD, . . 184 VIII. THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF LISLE, . . . . 219 IX.

UNDER A CLOUD, ...... 249 X. OLD FRIENDS AND NEW, ..... 2S0 XI. THE MESSENGER BRINGS THE KING'S PARDON, . . 322 XII. HOW IT FARED WITH GEORGE BUCKER, . . . 359 APPENDIX, ....... MISTRESS ISOULT BARRY, OF WYNSCOTE, IN DEVON, GENTLEWOMAN, HER DIURNAL BOOK: §hgrm this IJwstni star of oar J. or!, (gob, Pteiiij.

Chapter I. Wynscote Manor

" Ici il n'y a pas d'Arcadie." B-Igrtscotr, fit Be-Ott, Nslurmrj-t gliffj, Srato JBomtnf jtHtacffij. Sith I am now come unto years of discretion, meet to give heed unto mine own matters, and am presently to visit with my right worthy and loving kinswoman, Mistress Jane Basset, and Mrs Thomasine her sister, at Umberleigh, I shall, methinks, keep a book, wherein day by day I may write meetly all that happeth unto me. For seeing that my cousins aforesaid at Umberleigh be so high in place, and have kinsfolk among the nobles of this land, yea, even in the King's Grace's own Court, certain things may come unto me the which shall be worthy noting. Wherefore I shall so do — not wasting A [i534 2 leisure unto the making of vanities which be nought, but (the saints aiding me) writing daily or the like such matters as do approve themselves unto my judgment to be of profit unto them that shall come after.

And I, being now of the age of xxij years, so that I may yet see much hap unto me, yea, may perchance hand down such record unto my children or my child ren's children, do account it meet to set down also certain notes touching myself, and my kinsfolk, and the place where I dwell. I then, Isoult Barry, am the younger of the ij daughters of John Barry, of Wynscote Manor, in the county of Devon, gentleman ; and my mother (her name Anne) is daughter unto Master Patrick Bellewe of Aldcrvescot. I was born the Eve of Saint Lawrence, in the year MDXII, at Wynscote aforesaid, and did receive holy baptism at the hands of Father Christoplier Holland, parish priest of Saint Giles, which is our parish. For the place where I dwell, it is Wynscote above named, in Devon, which lieth between Torrington and Okehampton : so sweet and lovel/ a place in. mine eyes as the whole world, methinks, hath not its like.

And I will say so, albeit George Bucker will not have it so ; saying that I have not seen the whole world (the which is a truth) and that therein be M places more fairer than Wynscote (the which I believe not, nor never will).1 But George Bucker is an ill youth, and ever was, and I set little store by his sayings: and Frank Holland saith with me that there is no place so sweet as is Wynscote. For my kinsfolk, they be but few at home, though I have many cousins, at Umberleigh and elsewhere. Those that be here are Father and Mother, my brothers 1 Writers of the Reformation period invariably employ two negatives when they desire to be emphatic. 1534. 3 Henry and Hugh, and Elizabeth my sister. But I have friends. There is Father Christopher aforesaid, which is our confessor, and hath so been these many years : anc' Frank and Annis Holland, his brother's children, the which have neither father ne mother, and have dwelt with him of long time.1 I will not reckon George Backer among my friends, for I love him not, neither he me, since the day when he left me in the wet clay.

It was xiij years past, I being a small maid of ix years, and he a great thick set lad of xiiij : and we had gone a black berrying, being the time of fruits, and George (like an evil imp as he was) did lead me home a long way around, and through some thick clay, wherein my shoes did stick ; and, being stronger than I, the clay did pull my shoes from off my feet, and I wept much to think what Mother should say, and how she should chide me when I came home. But George, that ill urchin, did but flout me, and laugh and mock at me ; and all at once, while I, thus stuck fast in the clay, was a-weeping sore, did gather up his heels and run thence away from me. And in such ill case was I left, thus sticking in the wet clay, and weeping, and nought knowing where I was, neither how far from home, nor the way thither.

It was no good to scream and roar, for George turned not again ; and I cried on our dear Lady and all the blessed saints to aid me, but that (if it be not wicked so to say) seemed of as little use : and the dark was a-falling, and truly I was in woful plight. Then all at once methought I heard a voice say, " Why, Isoult Barry, is it thou ? " and I marvelled if Father's patron, Saint John, had heard me a-crying, and was come unto mine aid. But when I looked up, lo ! there was Frank Holland's face a-looking out of the 1 Father Christopher, Frank, and Annis are fictitious characters. bushes at the side of the field, and he striving sore to push himself through them for to come unto me. So when at last he reached me, I told him it was George Bucker which had done this thing. " Why, poor little Isoult',' quoth he, " it was ill of George to leave thee thus.

He is elder and bigger than I, and should be of better conditions." And he took mine hand, and pulled me out of the clay wherein I was sunk, and searched for my shoes, and found them, and led me home, and besought Mother not to whip me, seeing it was all the fault of that ill lad George Bucker. Wherefore since that day I have felt kindly unto Frank Holland, and very evilly unto George Backer, but for that Father Christopher would chide me if he wist it. George Bucker is Father Christopher his other nephew, being the son of his sister, and cousin unto Frank and Annis Holland. And Frank Holland is iij years elder than I, and Annis is viij months younger than I. And Hal, mine elder brother, is ij years younger than I, and Bessy my sister is a maid of xxiiij years, and Hugh is of xv years. I see Bessy but seldom, for she dwelleth not at home, but with Mother s brother, Uncle Bcllezve, which, having none issue, may perchance think of her in the disposing of his goods.

And if, the very next New Year's Day thereafter, that evil youth George Bucker sent me not a New Year Gift, to wit, a book of the Romaunt of Sir Parys and the fair Florinc, to atone him, quo' he, with me. A dainty gentleman he, by my troth ! and I should count he stole it from his uncle's closet, only that Father Christopher loveth not such vanities. And my brains were somewhat tumbled up and down to know what I should send this ill imp George. It had been ungracious to give him nought, yet would I not send him anything too fair. So I chose from my tree in the orchard (which Father did plant for me, and gave me) the vj unripest apples I might find thereon, and set them in a basket somewhat broken, and with a sad ribbon to the handle (which I begged of Madge) and that I sent him. 'Twas not an over goodly gift, I con fess (and I had suffered had Mother known thereof), yet, by the Queen Isoude that I am named after, was it good enough for him.

I trow he made a wry face when his teeth met in the first pippin. Nay, and while I am at it, I may set down an other ill turn this wicked imp did play me, some time there after. 'Twas one Christmas Eve, and a party of lads and lasses was there in the hall, and Mother was in the kitchen, and Father in the little parlour with Farmer Northcote, and the lads and maidens making merry : and I stole me out all alone into the foldyard, and hid me in the barn with an handful of hemp-seed in my napron. And I walked round the barn (the door left a little open) in the true fashion, having a care not to look behind me, and while I scattered the hemp-seed saying the spell all orderly — " Hemp-seed I sow, hemp-seed I hoe; He that shall my true love be, Come after me and mow." I had just made an end of my hemp-seed, and was about to 'scape all suddenly by the door (or elsewise he that should be my true love should have come after and mown off my head) when what should I see but that ill, naughty, evil, abominable, and wicked imp, George Backer, a-looking and laughing with all his might through the door, and Hugh behind, a-roarrng likewise with rurth.

By our blessed Lady ! I never was so 'shamed in all my life, for I knew he would tell it to all the country side, and I should be held up for a laughing-stock, though 'tis no more than every maid in England doth by times. And Hugh can no more keep a secret than he can sew himself a new doublet. I ran back into the barn, and hid me behind the great haystack until they were aweary of flouting me, and then creeping thence with much fear did steal in at the back door, and gat me up into my chamber with as much privity as might be, and there abode, and dared not to go down again amongst them, for fear of that ill lad a-flouting me. And verily I prayed our Lady that day that he might take in hand a journey into Prester John his country, or further if anywhere be. So I saw not my true love after all ; and if I were to do it again, I would take another maid with me, and set her to watch without the door.

And now is George Bucker gone clean away from Devon, and hath so been these iij years, for the which I thank the saints, providing he turneth not again ; and is priest in orders, and chaplain unto my Lord of Rochester that was,1 but sithence his Lord's durance truly I wis not where he is become. Now, since that great invention of printing, L or more years gone, books be marvellous increased, and many have taken in hand to write histories and chronicles of this our land, it needeth not that I set down in this my book any great account of public deeds. Yet will I be bold to say (seeing that such as shall read this my book shall (it may be) not have a chronicle at hand) that in this year of our Lord God is reigning King in this our country of England King Harry the Eight, and is, 1 Bishop Fisher. according to all mens' saying, the best and noblest Prince that did ever live : being right mighty in arms, and most wise and discreet in counsel, likewise fair and beauteous of person, and is now xliij years of age or thereabouts.

And the Queen's Grace, his Highness' most dear wife, is named Anne, 'and is daughter unto the Right Honourable my Lord of Wilts : and his Grace hath not yet (the saints shortly amend the same !) any right heir to his crown, but only one daughter, my Lady Elisabeth's Grace, being a right fair maiden child of one year or over. The King hath indeed another daughter, which was called my Lady Mary's Grace, but is now put from her degree, wherefore I know not what degree she is now of, nor will not assay to speak thereupon. Moreover of late hath been very much bruit noise and disputings touching religion. For the Bishop of Rome of old time called the Pope's Holiness, which had authority in some wise over this Church of England, is now put down, and banished clean out of this realm ; and no man shall pay unto him either Peter s Pence nor first fruits, neither shall in any wise make appeal unto him ; the King's Majesty alone being declared supreme head and chief of this Church of England.

Likewise the Parliament hath put the Bishops from all punishing of heresy, which shall be henceforward for the King's Council alone. And last Palm Sunday was preached a sermon of my Lord of Durham2 against the Bishop of Rome his abominable pride and inordinate living, and his authority in this realm ; and during the sitting of the Parliament, early this year,3 was every Sunday a sermon at Ponies Cross in London, against the usurped authority of the said Bishop. And it hath been 1 Anne Boleyn. 2 Cuthbert Tunstal. 3 Jan. 15 to Mar. 30. found that in the last xxv years the Bishop of Rome hath received out of this realm cclx M pounds. Many lie now in prison for heresy, among which is one Doctor Noylson, who 'tis said is a right pestilent heretic, but what he hath done soothly I wis not. And, indeed, 'tis not a little hard in these times for a poor maid to know what is heresy ; the orders so changeable, that what is pure truth to-day shall be rank heresy to-morrow.

Only of course that is needs the true faith which it pleaseth the King's Highness for to put forward to be holden. And upon the rising of the Parliament, which was the xxx day of March, were commissioners sent over all England, to take the oath of every man and woman (being xxj years of age) that the only issue of the Queen's Grace Anne, and none other, should reign and rule in this realm when it should please God to call unto His glory our Sovereign Lord the King.1 I, therefore, was put to oath thereupon, with Father and Mother, also Diggory2 our serving-man, and Steve2 the farming man, and the maids, Joan, and Kate, and Madge2 Likewise on the vj day of M^arch did matters so press upon the Parliament for to be seen unto forthwith, that the Lords of the Parliament did sit in Council until x of the clock at night — a thing unheard afore, and worthy to be set on record.

And now all monks have taken oath that the King's o Highness, and none other, shall be only in earth head supreme of this Church :3 and ij heretics, named Frith and Hezvitt, being wretched, perverse, and obstinate men, were burned in Smithfield the xxij day of July. And a se'nnight after my birthday (to wit, the xvj day 1 This Act was passed Mar. 23, 1534. 2 Fictitious persons. 3 May 5, 1534. of August) the Mews burned down, the King's falconry at Charing Cross, where of late his Highness hath stabled his horses.1 And all the acts and deeds of Mr Secretary Cromwell hath2 been made law by the Parliament ; and a Table of Degrees is now set forth in all churches : and this year hath been a new Pope, which is called Paul the Third. Moreover, this year was the Arch bishop of Dublin murdered by the wild Irish, led by my Lord Garret ;3 and I heard one tell Father that Master William Pole should be sent over into Ireland, to keep order, and have the wild Irish forth of the English pale, and he shall be right nobly appointed, having allowance made of iij s. and iiij d. by the day, and xij d. for his executioner, and xij men at viij d. by the day to assist the said executioner : yet for all this (saith he) had Master Pole liever tarry at home for his wife's sake.

And methought he must be a good man and a rare, to care so much for his wife. Mother calleth me from below, and I must now leave my chronicling. I doubt not 'tis to store and lay laven der in the linen new-washed. JUgnscote, $o_nn_cr gc xbtj. I had no time to pursue my chronicle afore : for the linen was to be stored, and lavender and rosemary to be sought, and so soon as I had made an end; who should touch me on the shoulder but Annis Holland, which was come to sup with us. And, supper ended, we had other maids within which dwell anear, and hot cockles 1 The Kiiig's hawks were here mewed ; hence metvs for a stable. 2 I am sorry to be so ungrammatical, but it cannot be helped. At the time of the Reformation, Lindley Murray's excellent rule concerning "Two or more nouns joined together," etc., was in the most profound abeyance. 3 Fitzgerald Earl of Kildare.

By what corruption he came to be called in England Lord Garret is not easy to decide. and hunt the slipper until late at night. Then came Frank with a lantern, and the palfrey, and their Roger? to fetch Annis home, and so we parted with much mirth. 'Twas nigh ix of the clock ere I was abed. Then the next day, we were all the day, to wit, the maids and I, under direction of Mother, laying aside and packing such matters as were meet for me to carry withal on my journey, and sewing at my new kirtle, which is of sad-coloured damask, and well lined with new dowlas. And yesterday, all the morn I and Joan were a-working on my petty coats, which be of tawny cloth laced. Then in the even I was called down into the hall to see Father Christopher, and receive his blessing, afore I de part. And sithence it will be some months ere I may see him again, and he is an old man, and life is but un sure unto all, I will here set down the holy counsel which he gave me.

First, he willed me to repeat the Credo, which, I thank the saints, I could well do. Whereupon he did ask me if I knew what was signified by " credo." "Yea," quoth I, "truly; to crede is to believe, or hold worthy trust." "Well said," quoth he. "And whereunto dost thou trust thy soul wholly and entirely ? " " Unto God's mercy," I made answer, " and the inter cession of our blessed Lady and all the holy saints, and such good works as shall please God withal." " Well said, Isoult" saith Father from the settle in the chimney-corner, where he was a-sitting. "Ah, Isoult!" quoth Father Christopher, "I would thou hadst put somewhat in thine answer the which thou hast left out." "What is that, Father, an't please you?" said I, louting. 1 A fictitious person. " I am an old man, child," said he, " threescore and xvij years old, and maybe the old eyes and the dying see further into the other world than the young.

That which but a few years gone was dim unto me, is now clear ; and that which was then clear is now growing dim. From where I am, I can see but one, and trust but one thing, which is the woful death and meritorious passion of Jesus Christ our Lord." " There be, Father, that would count you an heretic to hear you say that," saith Father, smiling. " God forbid ! " quoth Father Christopher, a-crossing himself devoutly. " I am the most humblest and un worthiest, yet a very true son of Holy Church. Truly I hate all manner of heresy. But I pray you, Master Barry, wherefore said you that ? Celebrate we not our Lord's passion every Good Friday in the church? Is He not the very and only Head of the Church in Heaven ? " " In good sooth and very deed, so it is," answered Father i " but you know well, good Father, that these wicked heretics do speak much of our Lord, and leave alway to make mention of our blessed Lady and the holy saints."

"Truly, good friend," answered Father Christopher, "and I had liever hear that, than for a man to make all mention of our Lady and none at all of our Lord. All honour and worship be unto her ! yet is it as His mother ; and He it was that died for us, not she. But for heresy, as I said, I hate it with my whole heart. Isoult, good child ! " he then said, turning him unto me, "see thou that thou take not up with no manner of Lutherans, for they be poisonous serpents, and will sting thee to death eternal ; but never leave go thine hold of our Lord Jesus Christ, which the Church doth hold."1 1 Such men as the one here sketched have doubtless been rare among the Then I louted low, and did promise unto him that, God helping me, I would be alway obedient and faith ful ; and he laid hands on mine head, and blessed me.

When he was gone forth, Father saith unto Mother, " Father Christopher should have a care, or he may be haled afore the Bishop for worser things than he witteth of. He meaneth right well, I cast no doubt, but here tics say such things as these ; and I have heard afore now of men condemned for less than he hath spoken this night." " God keep him!" quoth Mother, and she crossed her self. Whereat I was so painful that I ran up-stairs with my napron over my face, and did weep heartily. For it would be so dreadful if Father Christopher were attaint of heresy ! But I had not leisure to weep long. My petty coat was yet to be ended, whereon I fell to work, and ere supper had all ready for my journey on the morrow. Farmer Northcote'1 came up to speak with Father touching the malady whereof he hath lost iij cows, and did avise him, if aught ailed any of ours, to cut a few hairs from the cow's tail, and set them atween a piece of bread and butter, and give it to eat unto the first strange dog that cometh by ; which is, quoth he, a sovereign remedy, and was told him by the wise woman of Langtrec.

And if the dog will eat the same, then the cow shall recover; but if he utterly refuse it, the cow servants of the great apostacy. Yet surely there have been such simple, honest men, able through God's grace to refuse the evil and choose the good, abhorring the " heresy " of which they knew nothing, and of which their own faith was unwittingly the counterpart. Such there will be in that great day of the Lord when Babylon shall fall, for the cry is first raised, " Come out of her, My people." 1 A fictitious person. shall die. I think Father will try it, if need arise. So supper waited for a while, for which reason when it came was the pie much overbaken, and Mother chid both Kate and Madge therefor. Mother will speak with me after supper. I marvel whereupon. Metrusteth I have wrought no ill, that I should be chidden. ŒJmbcrln'rjtj, fkbcmbn: gc xbttj.

I am come up into my chamber, to write and then go to bed, but truly I have more list to weep than either. I never counted it such an hard thing to leave home. I had been looking forward unto this visit with much delight, and now it hath come, I could shed a kerchief full of tears. Yet have I no great cause. Only that I was never from Wynscote afore, and Mother was more tender than her custom is in bidding me farewell ; and Father blessed me, and gave me a fair rose noble for a token ; and Jowler drooped his ears and his tail, and looked melancholy at my going. And Hal kissed me, and said he would fain have gone withal, and Hugh would make me take a thing of his, an ancient shilling of King Edward, to remember him by, quoth he — as though I could forget the lad, dear heart ! — whereby I know he setteth great store.