68 Ambresbury Monastery. 
Her steadiness averted for a while the dreaded crisis, but at 
length the Royal mandate arrived. Very sorrowful were the 
feelings with which many of the recluses abandoned the houses 
where they had intended to find an Asylum to the close of life, and 
to which some of them had bequeathed their ample fortunes, and 
found themselves dependant on the capricious charity of Henry 
VIiI., but their only resource was in the mournful submissiveness 
of which the following letter affords a specimen. The death of the 
writer almost immediately after, saved her from any share in the 
impending calamities of her convent.” 
Florence Bormewe, Prioress, to Lord Cromwell, Lord Privy Seal. 
‘¢ Right honourable my singular good lord, 
I humbly recommend me unto your good lordship, and have received the 
King’s most gracious letters and yours, touching the resignation of my poor 
office in the monastery of Ambresbury ; according to the purport of which letters 
and your good advertisement I have resigned my said office into the hands of 
the King’s noble grace, before the commissioners thereto appointed ;, trusting 
that such promises as the same commissioners have made unto me for assurance 
of my living hereafter shall be performed, And so I most humbly beseech your 
good lordship, in the way of charity, to be means for me unto the King’s high- 
ness, that I may be put in surety of my said living, during the little time that 
it shall please God to grant me tolive. And I shall continually during my 
time pray to God for the preservation of the King’s most excellent no[ble] grace, 
and your honourable estate long to endure, At the poor monastery [of] Am- 
bresbury the 10th day of this present month, August. 
‘« By your poor O[ratrice], 
*¢ Vlorence Bof[rmewe], 
‘* Late Prioress [there ].”’ 
In A.D. 1501, Queen Katharine of Arragon upon her arrival in 
England lodged here on her progress to London from Exeter: and 
the following instructions were issued for her reception. 
‘To be lodged on Saturday 30 Oct. at Shaftesbury Abbey that night and the 
next day following which shalbe the Sonday, and Monday all day which shall 
be All Alonday [All Hallows day]. 
Item ij or iij myles befor she come to Shaftesbury to be mette with Sir Morys 
Barowe, John Mompesson, Thomas Long, John York, and others to conyey her 
to Ambresbury, and ther departe. 
Item the Tewsday next ensuying which shalbe the ij of the said moneth 
(2 Noy.), the said princess accompanyd with the said Sir Morice Barowe and 
th’oder shall disloge from Shaftesbury and drawe towardes Ambresbury, and 
ther loge the next night in thabbey. 
Item it is appoynted that my Lady of Norfolk, with certain ladies awaiting 
upon her, at the naming of the quene and my lord tresourer, be at Ambresbury 
