The life of Elisabeth, Lady Falkland, 1585-1639

Preface

The great attraction of works of fiction consists in the fact that they more or less present to their readers a description of trials, struggles, and emotions which they themselves have experienced. When a biography, without transgressing the limits of strict veracity, fulfils the same conditions, it appeals with far greater power to the heart and mind. Thus Lady Falkland’s life can hardly fail to interest the very numerous per¬ sons who are going through in our day, hardships resembling those she underwent more than two hun¬ dred years ago. A different state of society, and the modern absence of penal restrictions as to religion no doubt modify these trials, but their nature remains the same, and many a wife and mother will find in the history of this convert of the seventeenth century, a resemblance with her own. May this record of her sufferings, and of her invincible perseverance take its place among those “ footsteps in the sands of time,” the sight of which refreshes the wayfarer on his road, long after the pilgrim of other days has entered eternal rest !

In an historical as well as religious point of view, the biography oLthe famous Lord Falkland’s mother vm

PREFACE.

is worthy of note. The times she lived in, the eminent persons she was connected with, her remarkable gifts, and many virtues, unite in making it interesting. She was not a saint ; she had faults more detrimental to her¬ self than to others, but as a generous, courageous, noble-hearted woman, who fought a good fight, kept the faith, and continued in it to the end, she may well be honoured and admired, and her example offered to the imitation of all who suffer for justice’ sake.

A life of Lady Falkland was written shortly after her death by one of her four daughters, all of whom became nuns in the Benedictine Convent at Cambray, in whose archives it was discovered some years ago. Which of them was the authoress it is impossible to ascertain, though it appears probable that it was the work of Anne, the eldest, in religion. Dame Clementina. Patrick Cary, the youngest brother of these religious lad'es revised that manuscript, and added to it some notes and comments of his own. It is from this me¬ moir, published in i86i,by the late Richard Simpson, Esq., and the ample appendices he attached to it, that the materials of the following biography are principally drawn. The original life is written with considerable shrewdness, and a certain amount of force and ability, but the language is so involved, the names of persons and places so frequently left out, as well as the dates of events, that it has been a somewhat difficult task to disentangle the details and present them in consecu¬ tive order and connexion. Many literal extracts from the original work, have, however, been embodied in the present narrative. One discrepancy occurs, the

PREFACE.

IX solution of which can only be guessed at. It regards the offering made by Lady Falkland, when still a Pro¬ testant, of one of her infant daughters to our Blessed Lady. From the place where it occurs, it would seem that the child thus' early consecrated was her third daughter, Mary, but this circumstance is distinctly mentioned later on in reference to Anne, the eldest of the sisters. It may be that Anne’s second name was Mary, and that thence arose the confusion. The graphic picture of William Chillingworth’s relations with Lady Falkland and her children form not the least remarkable feature in this memoir, exhibiting as it does, the peculiarities of that extraordinary man’s character, and the religious condition of England at that period.

G. F.

Ayrfield, Bournemouth :

Feast of St. Cecilia, 1883.

V

•c

Contents

PAGE

Chapter I. Childhood and Marriage

Burford Priory . . . i

Sir Lawrence Tanfield . 2

Pleads against the Queen . 3

Nervousness in capital trials .... 4

Sudden death of a Judge . 5

Lady Tanfield ... 6

Childhood of Elisabeth . 6

Her studies at night . . 7

Discovered by her mother. 8

Calvin’s Institutes . . 8

Anecdote of the trial of a witch .... 10

Marriage to Sir Henry Cary .... 12

.Chapter II.

Early married life.

Elisabeth at fifteen . . 13

Her letters to her husband 14

The Dowager Lady Cary . 1 5

Elisabeth under her charge 16

Her seclusion . . . 17

Her husband prisoner . 17

His return . . . .18

Birth of her eldest son . ^8

Her married life . . 19

First religious doubts " . 20

PAGE

Absence from Protestant services . . . .21

Dr. Neale .... 21

Her submission to Anglican teaching .... 22

Education of her children. 23 Results on them. . . 24

Her eldest daughter . ’ . 25

Lady Cary’s anxieties .

Her ' devotion to her husband. ... 27

Indifference to worldly matters .... 28

Traits of character . . 29

Sir Henry Cary made Vis¬ count Falkland . . 30

Chapter III. Lady Falkland in Ireland

Sir Henry Cary as Comp¬ troller of the Household 31

A mask at Caversham . 32

Generosity to her husband 33

At Dublin .... 34

Sermon by Usher . . 35

State of Ireland. . . 36

The Protestant Clergy . 37

Enforcement of the Penal Laws . . . .38

Lady Falkland’s schools . 39

Xll

CONTENTS.

PAGE

Their failure ... 40

Rashness in expenditure . 41

Lord Inchiquin and Doctor Hatchett .... 44

Lucius Cary in the Fleet Prison .... 45

Sent abroad ... 46

At Oxford .... 46

Lady Falkland returns to England .... 47

Chapter IV. Return to England and conversion

Storm on the passage across . '. . .48

The plague in London . 49

Lady Home’s married life. 50

Her death by accident . 51

Grief of Lady Falkland . 52

Vision of Our Lady . . 53

Lord Conway . . • , 53

Misgivings of Lord Falkland. • • . 55

Persecution and suffering.

Lady Falkland's allowance stopped ....

Her husband’s harshness .

PAGE

He writes to the King . 67

Accusations against priests 68

He urges his wife’s banish¬ ment .... 69

Catholics assisting her . 70

She is set at liberty . . 71

Threat of separation . . 72

She answers his letter . 73

Cause of his displeasure . 74

Efforts at reconversion . 75

Conference at Lord New¬ burgh’s .... 76

Conversion of Bessie Poulter .... 77

Arrest of Father Dunstan. 78

Generous conduct of Lady Falkland .... 79

Letter of the Duchess of Buckingham ... 80

Letter from Lord Falkland 81

Chapter VI. Correspondence — petitions — retire¬ ment from London

Letter to Lord Conway

Letter to Secretary Coke .

Tendencies to Catholicism

Letter from Lady Tanfield

Dr. Cozens.

Letter to the King

• •

Disputations at Lord

Letter to Lord Conway

Ormond’s house

Lady Falkland’s

great

Lady Falkland’s resolution destitution

Her abjuration .

Faithfulness of

Bessie

Imprisoned in her rooms .

Poulter . ,

• •

Interview with Cozens

Mr. Clayton

• •

His failure ....

Literary work .

• •

Lord Falkland to

Lord

Chapter V.

Conway .

• •

Decision of the Privy Council . . . .10

Lord Falkland to his agent 102 Lady Falkland to Lord Conway .... 104

CONTENTS.

• « * Xlll

PAGE

Another appeal . . . io6

Redress by order of the Privy Council. . . 109

Lord Falkland to the King in Death of Lady Tanfield . 112

The Countess of Bucking¬ ham . , . . 113

Chapter VII

Lady Falkland's literary pursuits — she returns to London — reconcilia¬ tion with her husband.

Translation of Cardinal Perron .... 115

Compliments to the author 116 Dedication to the Queen , 118

Epistle to the reader . .120

Lucius Cary . . .121

His character . . .122

His marriage . . . 123

Anger of his father . .124

Anne Cary .... 125

Pilgrimage to Holywell . 125

Return of Lord Falkland to England , . .126

Mediation of the Queen . 127 Reconciliation . . .128

Chapter VHI.

Lord Falkland's death — The Miss Carys reside with their Mother.

Lady Falkland’s children . 130

Accident to her husband , 132 His critical condition , 133

He desires to see a Priest . 135

His peaceful death . .136

Great sorrow of Lady Falkland. . . .137

Her children return to her 138

PAGE

Payment of debts , .139

Support of her children . 140

Abstinence days . .141

Consideration for others . 142

Society at her house . . 143

Hopes of the conversion of her children . , 144

Chillingworth . . .145

Her motherly patience . 145

Chapter IX

Conversion of the Miss Carys, Mr. Chillingworth seeks to undermine their faith.

Lady Falkland, and her daughters . . . 148

Account of Father Cuthbert 150 The Miss Carys received . 151

They refuse to live with their brother . . *153

Danger from Chillingworth 154 His history . . . I55

His conversion . . , 156

Laud writes and brings him back from Douay . 157 Opinions concerning his return . . . , 158

Advice to a Catholic friend 160 Duplicity. of Chillingworth 161 Lady Falkland deceived . 162

Snares laid for her daughters . . . .163

Laud’s letter to the King . 164

.Chapter X.

A traitor in the camp.

The Catholic movement in England . . . .165

Cunning ^of Chillingworth 168 His apparent candour , 169

XIV

CONTENTS.

PAGE

Continual deceit . . 171

Direct attacks on the

Church .... 172 Crafty proposal . • 173

His falsehood detected . 174

Chapter XI. Lady Falkland warned . 175

Elisabeth Cary . . . 177

Falsehood of Chillingworth 178 Fictitious interview . .179

A new religion . . .181

Father Leander misrepre¬ sented .... 182

Indignation of Lady Falkland • . . .184

Chaperlin and Chillingworth . . . . 184

Conference with Father Holland .... 185 Chillingworth loses his temper ■ . - . . . 186

His final detection . .187

He resides with Lord Falkland . . .188

Patrick and Placid Cary . 189 The Maid of Honour . 190

Lady Falkland’s pecuniary straits .... 191

Her almsgiving . . .192

Obliged to break up her

establishment . . *193

Her - daughters with their brother . . . .194

Unforeseen results . .195

• Chapter XII.

The two Slingshys.

Conversion of Francis Slingsby . . . .197

PAGE

Letter from his father . 198

Newman’s visit to Mr.

English .... 200 Letter from Lady Slingsby 201 Francis in Ireland . . 202

The Countess of Kildare . 203 Archbishop Usher . . 206

Bishop Bramhall . . 207

Examination before the Privy Council . . 209

Lord Castlehaven befriends Francis .... 209 Letters to Father Gerard . 210 Henry Slingsby at Few . 21 1

Meets Lady Falkland’s daughters . . .211

Francis Slingsby recon¬ ciled to his father . .212

His father’s tenants . . 214

Discussions as to property 215 The General of the Jesuits 216 Letter from Father Gerard 217 An arduous struggle . .219

Triumph of grace . . 220

Francis bids farewell to his father . . . .221

He enters the noviceship . 224 Renunciation of earthly prospects ’ . . . 224

Troubles of Henry Slingsby 225 Death of Francis . . 227

Chapter XIII. Patrick and Placid Cary's escape from Few

Change in LSjdy Falkland’s manner of life . . 229

Strict economy . . . 230

Her two boys wish to be Catholics . . . 231

She writes to Lord Falk¬ land • . ... 232

CONTENTS.

XV

PAGE

Chillingworth again at work .... 233

His abuse of the Holy Scriptures . . . 233

His method of argu¬ ment .... 236 Lx)rd Falkland’s opin¬ ions .... 237 Lord Falkland’s temporary absence .... 238

Plan of escape for the boys .... 239 Favourable incidents. . 241 Escape of the boys . . 243

Their safe arrival . . 245

The Privy Council . . 245

Threats against Lady Falkland . . . 247

Chief Justice Bramston . 248 The boys conveyed to France .... 249

Their subsequent life . 250

PAGE