68 



Ami res bury Mo n as tery. 



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 to live. 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 0[ratrice], 



" Florence Bo[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 convey her 

 to Ambresbury, and ther departe. 



Item the Tewsday next ensuying which shalbe the ij th of the said moneth 

 (2 Nov.), the said princess accompany d 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 



