by Olga Kenyon
By your mother
ED. ALICE D. GREENWOOD, SELECTIONS FROM THE PASTON LETTERS (1920)
ISABELLA OF CASTILE ARGUES FOR HER OWN CHOICE OF HUSBAND
Isabella of Castile (1451–1501) transformed a peninsula of disparate, warring kingdoms into the nation-state of Spain, much as we know it today. Only eighteen when she wrote this letter to her brother, King Enrique, she displays many skills in argument: she underlines her position and rights, as sister and heir to the throne; as sister, she stresses her love for the brother; as princess, she renounces civil war, in order to bring peace to their kingdom. She gives many reasons why the man she favours as her future husband would prove better than her brother’s choices for her, which he had endeavoured to impose by keeping her under house arrest.
October 1470
My worthy Lord and powerful King: your lordship knows full well that after the illustrious King Alonso, my brother and your lordship’s, had passed from this life, many nobles, prelates and knights, who had served and followed him, remained in my service in Avila; I might well have retained the titles and land which Alonso, our brother, won before his death. But I have always placed my great, true love at the service of your majesty’s person and welfare, and the peace and security of these kingdoms. Conscious of your Majesty’s desire to put an end to the wars, riots, dangers, deaths and disturbances, I wished to defer everything which seemed to strengthen my power and authority in order to further the will and disposition of your Excellence. Nevertheless it must be recognised that the lawful succession of these kingdoms always belonged, and still belongs, to me, as legitimate successor and inheritor . . . since you, in the presence of many nobles and the Papal Nuncio, as I have been informed, had sworn on the Holy Bible, and publicly announced, throughout your kingdoms, and much of Christendom, that I am your Heir and legitimate successor.
F. FERNÁNDEZ-ARNESTO, FERDINAND AND ISABELLA (1975) TRANS. OLGA KENYON
LUCREZIA BORGIA TO HER LOVER
Lucrezia Borgia, sister of the infamous Pope, enjoyed a certain amount of power through him. But he was jealous of her relationships which forced her to be circumspect, as this witty letter to her lover Pietro Bembo, shows. As with many women, she expresses ‘powerlessness’ to match his wording, so partly absolving herself from the rashness of a longer missive which could have been intercepted. However, she is aware that when a man falls in love, it is the one moment when a woman in patriarchal society has a modicum of power – which she seems to enjoy in her playing on words. Thesauriero is a pun on a title meaning both thesaurus and treasurer.
[1517]
My dearest Misser Pietro,
I know that the very expectation of something awaited is the greater part of satisfaction because the hope of possessing it lights up desire. The rarer it is, the more beautiful it seems, the commoner, the less so. I decided to put off writing to you until this moment, with the result that by awaiting some exquisite reward to your most exquisite letters, you have become the source of your own satisfaction; you are both creditor and payer.
Nevertheless I have in two of my letters, confessed to Monsignor Thesauriero of my debt to you and this may have constituted no small part of that which I can pay. As far as the rest is concerned, I do not believe that I can be held bound. In your letters you express with such ease all that you feel for me, I, just because I feel so well disposed towards you, am unable to do so. It is this feeling of powerlessness which absolves me from the debt. However as it would be undesirable for me to be both prosecutor and judge of my own cause, I submit to the weighty judgement of the aforesaid Monsignor Thesauriero, commending myself to his Lordship and you. Ferrara the seventh day of August.
Your own Duchess of Ferrara
A. FRASER, LOVE LETTERS (1976)
THE PROMOTION OF CATHOLICISM AGAINST PROTESTANTISM
Mary Tudor (1516–1558) was imbued with the intense Catholic faith which had supported her mother during the long years of rejection by Henry VIII. After the persecution of Catholics, she was determined to reimpose her faith. Her resolve was strengthened by her marriage to Philip II of Spain. By January 1555 she felt secure with the re-establishment of Catholicism, and an apparent pregnancy. She determined to persecute a few well-known Protestants, but without the processions and public confessions demanded by the Spanish Inquisition at that time. This letter is far more humane in approach than attitudes in Rome, though she might be accused of Jesuitical rationalization. Compare it with her sister’s humanistic approach, in the next letter.
To Pole, her legate January 1555
. . . touching good preaching, I wish that may supply and overcome the evil preaching in time past. And also to make a sure provision that none evil books shall either be printed bought or sold without just punishment therefore. I think it should be well done that the universities and churches of this realm should be visited by such persons as my Lord Cardinal with the rest of you may be well assured to be worthy and sufficient persons . . . Touching punishment of heretics me thinketh it ought to be done without rashness, not leaving in the meanwhile to do Justice to such as by learning would seem to deceive the simple, and the rest so to be used that the people might well perceive them not to be condemned without just occasion, whereby they shall both understand the truth and beware to do the like. And especially within London I would wish none to be burnt without some of the Council’s presence and both there and everywhere good sermons at the same. I verily believe that many benefices should not be in one man’s hands but after such sort as every priest might look to his own charge and remain resident there, whereby, they should have but one bond to discharge towards God whereas now they have many, which I take to be the cause that in most parts of the realm there is overmuch want of good preachers and such as should with their doctrine overcome the evil diligence of the abused preachers in the time of the schism; not only by their preaching but also by their good example without which in mine opinion their sermons shall not so much profit as I wish. And like as their good example on their behalf shall undoubtedly do much good, I account myself bound on my behalf also to show some example in encouraging and maintaining those persons well doing their duty (not forgetting in the meanwhile to correct and punish them which do contrary) that it may be evident to all this Realm how I discharge my conscience therein and minister true justice in so doing.
BL HARLEIAN MS 444, F. 27; COTTON MS, TITUS C VIII, F. 120
SUPREME GOVERNOR OF THE CHURCH
Elizabeth I had seen religious persecution of Catholics under her brother, and burning of Protestants during her sister’s reign. She was determined to keep a middle way between destructive extremes. Her people could believe what they wished, she demanded no window on their souls, but she insisted on social behaviour that would not promote fanatical reaction. Here she writes to the bishops, stressing her responsibilities as Supreme Governor of the Church, and pointing out her own unique responsibilities for the post
1584
One matter touches me so near as I may not overskip. Religion is the ground on which all other matters ought to take root, and being corrupted may mar all the tree; and that there be some fault finders with the order of the clergy, which so may make a slander to myself and the Church whose overruler God hath made me, whose negligence cannot be excused if any schisms or errors heretical were suffered.
Thus much I must say that some faults and negligence may grow, as in all other great charges it happeneth; and what vocation without? All which if you, my Lords of the clergy, do not amend, I mean to depose you. Look ye therefore well to your charges.
I am supposed to have many studies but most philosophical. I must yield this to be true, that I suppose few that be no professors have read more. And I need not tell you that I am so simple that I understand not, nor so forgetful that I remember not. And yet amidst so many volumes I hope God’s book hath not been my seldomest lectures; in which we find that which by reason, for my part, we ought to believe, that seeing so great wickedness and g
riefs in the world in which we live but as wayfaring pilgrims, we must suppose that God would never have made us but for a better place and of more comfort than we find here. I know no creature that breatheth whose life standeth hourly in more peril for it than mine own; who entered not into my state without sight of manifold dangers of life and crown, as one that had the mightiest and the greatest to wrestle with. Then it followeth that I regarded it so much as I left myself behind my care. And so you see that you wrong me too much if any such there be as doubt my coldness in that behalf. For if I were not persuaded that mine were the true way of God’s will, God forbid I should live to prescribe it to you. Take you heed lest Ecclesiastes say not too true; they that fear the hoary frost the snow shall fall upon them.
ED. G. HARRISON, LETTERS OF QUEEN ELIZABETH I, 1558–1570 (1935)
ELIZABETH I’S DEFENCE OF THE REALM
Elizabeth I also gave forceful orders when war threatened. In this first letter she orders Essex back to London, which he had left without her permission, just after the storm’s destruction of the Spanish Armada in 1588.
Essex,
Your sudden and undutiful departure from our presence and your place of attendance, you may easily conceive how offensive it is, and ought to be, unto us. Our great favours, bestowed on you without deserts, hath drawn you thus to neglect and forget your duty; for other constructions we cannot make of those your strange actions. Not meaning therefore to tolerate this your disordered part, we give directions to some of our Privy Council to let you know our express pleasure for your immediate repair hither; which you have not performed, as your duty doth bind you, increasing greatly therby your former offence and undutiful behaviour, in departing in such sort without our privity, having so special office of attendance and charge near our person. We do therefore charge and command you forthwith, upon receipt of these our letters, all excuses and delays set apart, to make your present and immediate repair unto us to understand our further pleasure. Whereof see you fail not, as you will be loth to incur our indignation, and will answer for the contrary at your uttermost peril
MARIA PERRY, THE WORD OF A PRINCE: A LIFE OF ELIZABETH I (1990)
The queen decided that Parliament’s desire to declare war on Spain was unnecessarily aggressive – and too expensive. She preferred Drake’s plan of hit-and-run attacks on what remained of the Spanish fleet. Sir Roger Williams set sail, with her beloved Essex, to attack and plunder before her order was received. Her angry letter demands the death of the disobedient Sir Roger.
1589
Although we doubt not but or yourselves you have so thoroughly weighed the heinousness of the offence lately committed by Sir Roger Williams, that you have both discharged him from the place and charge which was appointed him in that army and committed the same to some other meet person, yet you should also know from ourself by these our special letters our just wrath and indignation against him and lay before you his intolerable contempt against ourself and the authority you have from us in that he forsook the army and conveyed also one of our principal ships from the rest of the fleet. His offence is in so high degree that the same diserveth by all laws to be punished by death, which if you have not already done then we will and command you sequester him from all charge and service. Therefore consider well of your doings herein.
MARIA PERRY (1990)
A SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY
Maria Theresa, wife of Emperor Joseph of Austria and the mother of Marie Antoinette, writes to her sister, in October 1744, about her attempts to persuade her husband not to go to war, she was twenty-seven; Franz Joseph was thirty-six. In the end she got her way.
I was sick with anger and pain, and I made mon vieux [her husband] ill with my wickedness. I fell back on our usual refuge, caresses and tears; but they did not work, although he is the best husband in the world. . . . In the end I got into another temper, to such effect that now we are both ill. I can’t move him at all, and at the same time I have to confess to myself that his reasons are plausible enough. All the same, if he really goes off I shall either follow him or shut myself up in a convent.
E. CRANKSHAW, MARIA THERESA (1969)
She also drew up a programme for her daily life. Though young, she took her duties and responsibilities seriously.
. . . The Queen must learn to economise her time; method was half the battle. She must allow time for dressing properly, for eating properly and for retreat; only thus could she keep her end up and the world at bay. Very well then, assuming that she got up at eight o’clock she was to give herself an hour for dressing, breakfast and hearing Mass. After Mass, half an hour with her children. Then, from 9.30 to 12.30 it would be solid work; documents to read and initial, ministers to confer with, audiences to take. At 12.30 she was to stop everything, to relax before the midday meal at 12.45. Above all she must be punctual at meals, and she must eat her food before it got cold – and drink up her after-dinner coffee before that got cold. After the meal an hour for herself, her children.
E. CRANKSHAW (1969)
A FRENCHWOMAN WORKS FOR FRATERNITY
In this open letter Flora Tristan persuades English workers to fight to improve their rights, towards the end of the Chartist movement.
Be sure of this, that your freedom and progress depend entirely on spreading throughout your ranks a thorough knowledge of every law and institution which either harms or benefits the workers’ interests.
History shows us that urban and rural workers have been slaves for thousands of years. Their servitude might have endured for ever had not the advent of printing brought books within their reach. Reading has spread slowly among the working classes, but greater freedom has always followed in its wake. When people could read the Bible and the Gospels, they rejected the domination of Rome and the priests; when they had newspapers to instruct them in the rights of man, they demanded that their rulers should be accountable for their actions, that public office should be open to all, and that all (or at least all males) should have equal civil and political rights. I will acquaint you with the callous egotism, revolting hypocrisy and monstrous excesses of the powerful English oligarchy and its unpardonable crimes against the people. I will prepare you for the inevitable and terrible struggle between the proletariat and the aristocracy, and help you to judge whether the English people are destined to throw off the yoke and rise again, or whether this great nation must remain forever divided between a cruel and corrupt aristocracy on the one hand and a wretched and degraded people on the other.
Through the English example you will see how precarious is the existence of a people whose civil liberties are not guaranteed by political rights and social institutions, established in the equal interests of all. You will see how important it is for you to obtain these two guarantees and fit yourselves through education to make proper use of them.
Workers, if you would persevere in the study and investigation of these evils and reflect on them calmly, you will need to steel your hearts and summon up all your courage, for you will uncover wounds too deep to heal.
I clasp your hands in mine, all you men and women who up to this day have counted for nothing in the world. I join with you in the common task, I live in you through love,
I am your sister in humanity,
Flora Tristan, 1842
TRANS. J. HAWKES, THE LONDON JOURNAL OF FLORA TRISTAN (1982)
FANNY BURNEY MEETS DR JOHNSON
Fanny Burney (1752–1840) met many intellectuals of her time at her father’s house, since Dr Burney was a celebrated and hospitable musicologist. Though young when she met the redoubtable Dr Johnson, she penned this unimpressed portrait, addressed to a friend of her father, nicknamed ‘Daddy’, Samuel Crisp. He advised her ‘that trifling, negligence, even incorrectness, now & then in familiar epistolary writing, is the very soul of genius and ease’.
28 March 1777
My Dear Daddy
My dear father seemed well pleased at my returning to my time; and that is no small consolation and pleasu
re to me. So, to our Thursday morning party: Mrs and Miss Thrale, Miss Owen came, Mrs Thrale a very pretty woman still; she is extremely lively and chatty, has no supercilious or pedantic airs. Miss Owen, a relation, is good-humoured and sensible, a sort of butt, prodigiously useful in drawing out the wit and pleasantry of others.
My sister Burney was invited to meet and play to them, and in the midst of the performance Dr Johnson was announced. He is terribly ill-favoured; is tall and stout; but stoops terribly; he is almost bent double. His body is in continual agitation, see-sawing up and down; his feet are never a moment still; and in short his whole person is in perpetual motion. His dress too, considering the times, and that he had meant to put on his ‘best becomes’, being engaged to dine in a large company, was as much out of the common road as his figure; he had a large wig, snuff-coloured coat and gold buttons, but no ruffles to his shirt. He is shockingly near-sighted, and did not, till she held out her hand to him, even know Mrs Thrale (whom he loved). He poked his nose over the keys of the harpsichord, then my father introduced him to (sister) Hetty, as an old acquaintance and he kissed her!
His attention, however, was not to be diverted five minutes from the books, as we were in the library; he pored over them, almost touching their backs with his eyelashes, as he read their titles. At last, having fixed on one, he began, without further ceremony, to read, all the time standing at a distance from the company. I question if he even heard the duet.