Constance Sherwood: An Autobiography of the Sixteenth Century

by Georgiana Fullerton

taking notice of, she must needs proposeto visit him with all her retinue, in order, she said, to examine hislibrary and hold conference with him. But learning that his wife hadbeen buried only four hours, her majesty would not enter, but desiredmy Lord Leicester to take her down from her horse at the church-wallat Mortlake and to fetch the doctor unto her, who did bring out forher grace's inspection his magic-glass, of which she and all thosewith her did see some of the properties. Several of the noblementhereunto present were greatly contented and delighted with thiscunning witchery, and did agree to visit again, in a private manner,this learned man, for to have their nativities calculated; and mylord, I grieve to say, went with them. And this cheat or wizard, formethinks one or other of those names must needs belong to him,predicted to my lord that he should be in great danger to beoverthrown by a woman. And, I ween, good Constance, there was acraft in this most deep and deceptive, for doth it not tend, whicheverway it be understood, to draw and urge onward my lord to a carefulseeking to avoid this danger by a diligent serving and waiting on hermajesty, if she be the woman like to undo him, or else to move him tothe thought that his marriage--as I doubt not many endeavor toinsinuate into his mind--should be an obstacle to her favor such asmust needs mar his fortunes? Not that my lord hath breathed so much asone such painful word in my hearing, or abated in his kind behavior;but there are others who be not slow to hint so much to myself; and, Ipray you, shall they not then deal with him in the same manner, albeithe is too noble and gentle to let me hear of it? But since that day heis often thoughtful when we are alone, and his mind ever running onmeans to propitiate her majesty, and doth send her many presents, thevalue of which should rather mark them as gifts from one royal personto another than from a subject to his prince. O Constance, I wouldKenninghall were a thousand miles from London, and a wild sea to runbetween it and the court, such as could with difficulty be crossed;but 'tis vain wishing; and I thank God my lord should be willing toremove there, and so we shall be in quiet."

  "God send it!" I answered; "and that you, my sweet lady, may findthere all manner of contentment." Then I asked her ladyship if she hadtidings of my Lady l'Estrange.

  "Yea," she answered; "excellent good tidings, for that she was acontented wife to a loving husband. Sir Hammond," she said, "hath amost imperious temper, and, as I hear, doth not brook the leastcontradiction; so that a woman less mild and affectionate thanMilicent should not, I ween, live at peace with him. But her sweettemper doth move her to such strict condescension to his humors, thatshe doth style herself most fortunate in marriage and a singular happywife. Dost mind Master Chaucer's tale of the patient Grizzel, whichPhil read to me some years back, soon after our first marriage, for togive me a lesson on wifely duty, and which I did then write to theethe story of?"

  "Yea, well," I cried; "and that I was so angered at her patience,which methought was foolish, yea, wicked in its excess, that it didthrow me into a passion."

  My lady laughed and said, indeed she thought so too; but Milicent, inher behavior and the style of her letters, did mind her so much ofthat singular obedient wife, that she did sometimes call her Grizzelto her face. "She is now gone to reside with her husband," she said,"at a seat of his not very far from Lynn. 'Tis a poor and wilddistrict; and the people, I hear, do resort to her in great numbersfor assistance in the way of medicine and surgery, and for much helpof various sorts. She is greatly contented that her husband doth innowise impede her in these charitable duties, but rather the contrary.She is a creature of such natural good impulses and compassionatespirit that must needs show kindness to all who do come in her way."

  Then my lady questioned me touching Muriel and Mistress Ward, and Kateand Polly, who were now both married; and I told her Kate had a fairson and Polly a little daughter, like to prove as sharp as her motherif her infant vivacity did not belie her. As to Muriel and her guideand friend, I told her ladyship that few were like to have speech withthem, save such as were in so destitute a condition that nothing couldexceed it. Now that my two elder cousins had left home, mine uncle'shouse was become a sort of refuge for the poor, and an hospital fordistressed Catholics.

  "And thou, Constance," my lady said, "dost thou not think onmarriage?"

  I smiled and answered I did sometimes; but had not yet met with anyone altogether conformable to my liking.

  "Not Mr. Hubert Rookwood?" she said smiling; "I have been told hehaunts Mrs. Lacy's house, and would fain be admitted as MistressSherwood's suitor."

  "I will not deny," I answered, "but that he doth testify a vast regardfor me, or that he is a gentleman of such great parts and exceedinglywinning speech that a gentlewoman should be flattered to be addressedby him; but, dear lady," I continued, opening my heart to her, "albeitI relish greatly his society, mine heart doth not altogether inclineto his suit; and Mr. Congleton hath lately warned me to be less freein allowing of his attentions than hath hitherto been my wont; for, hesaid, his means be so scanty, that it behoveth him not to think ofmarriage until his fortunes do improve; and that his father would notbe competent to make such settlements as should be needful in such acase, or without which he should suffer us to marry. As Hubert hadnever opened to me himself thereon in so pointed a fashion as todemand an answer from me, I was somewhat surprised at mine uncle'sspeech; but I found he had often ministered talk of his passion forme--for so he termed it--to Kate and her husband."

  "And did it work in thee, sweet one, no regrets," my lady asked, "thatthe course of this poor gentleman's true love should be marred by hislack of wealth?"

  "In truth no, dear lady," I replied; "except that I did notice, withso much of pain as a good heart must needs feel in the sufferings ofanother, that he was both sad and wroth at the change in my manner.And indeed I had always seen--and methinks this was the reason that myheart inclined not warmly toward his suit--that his affection was ofthat sort that doth readily breed anger; and that if he had occasionto misdoubt a return from me of such-like regard as he professed, hislooks of love sometimes changed into a scowl, or something nearlyresembling one. Yet I had a kindness toward him, yea, more than akindness, an attachment, which methinks should have led me tocorrespond to his affection so far as to be willing to marry him, ifmine uncle had not forbade me to think on it; but since he hath laidhis commands upon me on that point, methinks I have experienced afreedom of soul and a greater peace than I had known for some timepast."

  "'Tis well then as it is," my lady said; and after some furtherdiscourse we parted that day.

  It had been with me even as I had said to her. My mind had been moreat ease since the contending would and would not, the desire to pleaseHubert and the fear to be false in so doing, had been stayed,--andmostly since he had urged me to entertain him as a friend, albeitdefended to receive him as a lover. And that peace lasted until aday--ay, a day which began like other days with no perceptiblepresentiment of joy or sorrow, the sun shining as brightly, and nomore, at its rise than on any other morning in June; and thethunder-clouds toward noon overshadowing its glory not more darklythan a storm is wont to do the clear sky it doth invade; nor yetevening smiling again more brightly and peacefully than is usuallyseen when nature's commotion is hushed, and the brilliant orb of daydoth sink to rest in a bed of purple glory; and yet that day didherald the greatest joys, presage the greatest anguish, mark the mostmighty beginnings of most varied endings that can be thought of in thelife of a creature not altogether untried by sorrow, but on the brinkof deeper waters than she had yet sounded, on the verge of suchpassages as to have looked forward to had caused her to tremble with atwo-fold resentment of hope and of fear, and to look back to dothconstrain her to lay down her pen awhile for to crave strength torecount the same.

  CHAPTER XIII.

  One day there was a great deal of company at Mistress Wells's house,which was the only one I then haunted, being as afore said, somewhatsickened of society and diversions. The conversation which was mostlyministered amongst such as visited there related to public affairs andforeign countries, an
d not so much as in some other houses to privatescandals and the tattle of the town. The uncertainty I was inconcerning my father's present abode and his known intent soon tocross over the sea from France worked in me a constant craving fornews from abroad, and also an apprehensive curiosity touching reportsof the landing of seminary priests at any of the English ports. Somewould often tarry at Mr. Wells's house for a night who had lately comefrom Rheims or Paris, and even Rome, or leastways received lettersfrom such as resided in those distant parts. And others I met therewere persons who had friends at court; and they often relatedanecdotes of the queen and the ministers, and the lords and ladies ofher household, which it also greatly concerned me to hear of, byreason of my dearest