Constance Sherwood: An Autobiography of the Sixteenth Century

by Georgiana Fullerton

that purpose rung, in imitation of what wasdone in England in Catholic times, and now in foreign countries. OnEaster Sunday, after mass, a benediction was given to divers sorts ofmeat, and, in remembrance of the Lamb sacrificed two days before, agreat proportion of lamb. Nigh one hundred recusants had repaired toEuston that day for their paschal communion. Basil did invite them allto break Lent's neck with us, in honor of Christ's joyfulresurrection; and many blessings were showered that day, I ween, onMaster Rookwood, and for his sake, I ween, on Mistress Sherwood also.The sun did shine that Easter morning with more than usual brightness.The common people do say it danceth for joy at this glorious tide. Formy part, methought it had a rare youthful brilliancy, more cheeringthan hot, more lightsome than dazzling. All nature seemed to rejoicethat Christ was risen; and pastoral art had devised arches of flowersand gay wreaths hanging from pole to pole and gladdening everythicket.

  Verily, if the sun danced in the sky, my poor heart danced in mybosom. At Basil's wishing, anticipating future duties, I went to thekitchen for to order the tansy-cakes which were to be prizes at thehand-ball playing on the next day. Like a foolish creature, I wasready to smile at every jest, howsoever trifling; and when Basil putin his head at the door and cried, "Prithee, let each one that eatethof tansy-cake to-morrow, which signifieth bitter herbs, take also ofbacon, to show he is no Jew," the wenches and I did laugh till thetears ran down our cheeks. Ah me! when the heart doth overflow withjoy 'tis marvellous how the least word maketh merriment.

  One day late in April I rode with Basil for to see some hawking, whichverily is a pleasure for high and mounting spirits; howsoever, I worenot the dress which the ladies in this country do use on suchoccasions, for I have always thought it an unbecoming thing for womento array themselves in male attire, or ride in fashion like a man, andBasil is of my thinking thereon. It was a dear, calm, sun-shinyevening, about an hour before the sun doth usually mask himself, thatwe went to the river. There we dismounted and, for the first time, Idid behold this noble pastime. For is it not rare to consider how awild bird should be so brought to hand and so well managed as to makeus such pleasure in the air; but most of all to forego her nativeliberty and feeding, and return to her servitude and diet? And what alesson do they read to us when our wanton wills and thoughts take noheed of reason and conscience's voices luring us back to duty's perch.

  When we had stood a brief time watching for a mallard, Basil perceivedone and whistled off his falcon. She flew from him as if she wouldnever have turned her head again, yet upon a shout came in. Then bydegrees, little by little, flying about and about, she mounted so highas if she had made the moon the place of her flight, but presentlycame down like a stone at the sound of his lure. I waxed very eager inthe noticing of these haps, and was well content to be an eye-witnessof this sport. Methought it should be a very pleasant thing to beBasil's companion in it, and wear a dainty glove and a gentle tasel onmy fist which should never cast off but at my bidding, and when I letit fly would return at my call. And this thought minded me of afaithful love never diverted from its resting-place save by heavenwardaspirations alternating betwixt earthly duties and ghostly soarings.But oh, what a tragedy was enacted in the air when Basil, havingdetected by a little white feather in its tail a cock in a brake, castoff a tasel gentle, who never ceased his circular motion till he hadrecovered his place. Then suddenly upon the flushing of the cockhe came down, and missing of it in that down-come, lo what workingthere was on both sides! The cock mounting as if he would have piercedthe skies; the hawk flying a contrary way until he had made the windhis friend; what speed the cock made to save himself! What hastypursuit the hawk made of the fugitive! after long flying killing ofit, but alack in killing of it killing himself!

  "Ah, a fatal ending to a fatal strife!" exclaimed a known voice closeunto mine ear, a melodious one, albeit now harsh to my hearing. Mineeyes were dazzled with gazing upward, and I confusedly discerned twogentlemen standing near me, one of which I knew to be Hubert. I gavehim my hand, and then Basil turning round and beholding him and hiscompanion, came up to them with a joyful greeting:

  "Oh, Sir Henry," he exclaimed, "I be truly glad to see you; and you,Hubert, what a welcome surprise is this!"

  Then he introduced me to Sir Henry Jemingham; for he it was who,bowing in a courteous fashion, addressed to me such compliments asgentlemen are wont to pay to ladies at the outset of theiracquaintanceship.

  These visitors had left their horses a few paces off, and then SirHenry explained that Hubert had been abiding with him at his seat fora few days, and that certain law-business in which Basil was concernedas well as his brother, and himself also, as having been for one yearhis guardian, did necessitate a meeting wherein these matters shouldbe brought to a close.

  "So," quoth he then, "Master Basil, I proposed we should invade yoursolitude in place of withdrawing you from it, which methought of thetwo evils should be the least, seeing what attractions do detain youat Euston at this time."

  I foolishly dared not look at Hubert when Sir Henry made this speech,and Basil with hearty cheer thanked him for his obliging conduct andthe great honor he did him for to visit him in this amicable manner.Then he craved his permission for to accompany me to Lady Tregony'shouse, trusting, he said, to Hubert to conduct him to Euston, and toperform there all hospitable duties during the short time he should beabsent himself.

  "Nay, nay," quoth Sir Henry, "but, with your license, Master Basil, wewill ride with you and this lady to Banham Hall. Methinks, seeing youare such near neighbors, that Mistress Sherwood lacketh notopportunities to enjoy your company, and that you should not depriveme of the pleasure of a short conversation with her whilst Hubert andyou entertain yourselves for the nonce in the best way you can."

  Basil smiled, and said it contented him very much that Sir Henryshould enjoy my conversation, which he hoped in future should makeamends to his friends for his own deficiencies. So we all mounted ourhorses, and Sir Henry rode alongside of me, and Basil and Hubertbehind us; for only two could hold abreast in the narrow lane whichled to Fakenham. A chill had fallen on my heart since Hubert'sarrival, which I can only liken to the sudden overcasting of a brightsun-shiny day by a dark, cold cloud.

  At first Sir Henry entered into discourse with me touching hawking,which he talked of in a merry fashion, drawing many similitudesbetwixt falconers and lovers, which he said were the likest people inthe world.

  "For, I pray you," said he "are not hawks to the one what his mistressis to the other? the objects of his care, admiration, labor, and all.They be indeed his idols. To them he consecrates his amorous ditties,and courts each one in a peculiar dialect. Oh, believe me, MistressSherwood, that lady may style herself fortunate in love who shall meetwith so much thought, affection, and solicitude from a lover or ahusband as his birds do from a good ostringen."

  Then diverting his speech to other topics, he told me it was bruitedthat the queen did intend to make a progress in the eastern countiesthat summer, and that her majesty should be entertained in a verysplendid manner at Kenninghall by my Lord Arundel and also at hishouse in Norwich.

  "It doth much grieve me to hear it," I answered.

  Then he: "Wherefore, Mistress Sherwood?"

  "Because," I said, "Lord Arundel hath already greatly impaired hisfortune and spent larger sums than can be thought of in the likeprodigal courtly expenses, and also lost a good part of the landswhich his grandfather and my Lady Lumley would have bequeathed to himif he had not turned spendthrift and so greatly displeased them."

  "But and if it be so," quoth he again, "wherefore doth this youngnobleman's imprudence displeasure you, Mistress Sherwood?"

  I answered, "By reason of the pain which his follies do cause to hissweet lady, which for many years hath been more of a friend to my poorself, than unequal rank and, if possible, still more unequal meritshould warrant."

  "Then I marvel not," replied Sir Henry, "at your resentment of herhusband's folly, for by all I have ever seen or heard of this lady shedoth show
herself to be the pattern of a wife, the model of high-bornladies; and 'tis said that albeit so young, there doth exist in her somuch merit and dignity that some noblemen confess that when they comeinto her presence they dare not swear, as at other times they are wontto do before the best of the kingdom. But I have heard, and am verilyinclined to believe it, that he is much changed in his dispositionstoward his lady; though pride, it may be, or shame at his ill-usage ofher, or fear that it should seem that, now his favor with the queendoth visibly decline, he should turn to her whom, when fortune smiledupon him, he did keep aloof from, seeking her only when clouds gatherround him, do hinder him from showing these new inclinations."

  "How much he would err," I exclaimed, "and wrong his noble wife if hemisdoubted her heart in such a