- Gossip as History: Anne Boleyn, Part 1
- Gossip as History: The Murder of Amy Robsart.
- Gossip as History: Figure Flingers, Poisoners and Shrovetide Plays.
- Gossip as History: The Letters of John Chamberlain.
Even the well-educated Tudor author lived in a world shot
through with active agents of the devil seeking to do evil at every level of
society. Even a monarch or the doctor of a monarch went about their activities
in the grip of these ideas. A great deal, then, has to be taken with a pinch of
salt.
Was that a cramp? Or was it a sorcerer kneading a figure
of you over which he or she had cast a spell? Or was it the sign of a slow
poison? Was the Queen’s agonizing
toothache the effect of sugar or that figure being kneaded again, this time pushing
a decayed tooth into its head?
Here Stowe tells the story of Simon Pembroke as gospel truth:
The seventeenth day of Januarie, [1578,] Simon Pembrooke,
dwelling in Southwarke, being a figure flinger [astrologer], and vehemently
suspected to be a conjurer, by commandment of the ordinarie Judge of those
parts, appeared in the parish Church of Saint Saviour, at a court holden there,
which Simon being busied in entertaining a Proctor, and having money in his
hand, leaned his head upon a pewe, wherein the Proctor stood: which after he
had done a certaine space, the proctor began to lift up his head, to see what
he ayled, and found him departing out of life, and straitway the said Simon
fell downe ratling a little in the throat, and never spake a word after: this
was done even as the Judge came into the church, who said it was just judgement
of God towards those that used sorcerie, and a great example to admonish other
to feare the justice of God. After his clothes being opened, there were found
about him five divelish Bookes of conjuration and most abominable pratices,
with a picture of tinne of a man having three dice in his hand, with this
writing, Chaunce Dice fortunately, and diverse papers of such like matters, as
he had dealt in for men, such as are mentioned in Leviticus the twentieth Chapter
and the first verse: If any soule turne himselfe after such worke with spirits,
and after soothsayers, go a whooring after them (saith the Lord,) I will put my
face against that soule, and will cut him off from among my people.[1]
While the judge in this tale seems to have some command
over the dark powers, Queen Elizabeth had to rely on spies and informers
according to Strype’s account. Even the Lord Great Treasurer Burghley stands in
mortal danger.
Certain wickedly disposed persons this year [1578] practised
magic against her majesty queen Elizabeth, to take away her life.... [T]hree
waxen images were framed; whereof one was of the queen, and the two other of
two persons nearest her, (perhaps the lord treasurer Burghley, and the lord
high steward, the earl of Leicester,) which were found in the house of a priest
near Islington, (who was a magician, and so reputed,) in order to take away
their lives.
For all they were caught, the powers of darkness may have had a degree of success.
Whether it were the effect of this magic, or proceeded from
some natural cause, but the queen was in some part of this year under excessive
anguish by pains of her teeth; insomuch that she took no rest for divers
nights, and endured very great torment night and day. There was now in England
an outlandish physician, called Fenot, that happened to be then at court. To
whom some lords of the council applied themselves; requiring and commanding him
to give his advice in this extremity for the queen's ease. In obedience
whereunto that learned physician wrote a long letter in Latin unto them, dated
the calends of December. Wherein first, he shewed, “how dangerous a thing it
was for him to give his judgment,…”. But at length he gives his advice to use
several things. But, after all, if they proved ineffectual, and the tooth was
hollow and decayed, then he advised that it might be drawn out.
Perhaps as an attempt to overpower the forces against the
Queen, her beloved Leicester brings in a new doctor to instruct her attendants.
There was now belonging to the court another physician of
fame, that was an Italian, named Dr. Julio Borgarucei, of whom mention hath
been made elsewhere; a great favourite of the earl of Leicester, (and of whom
stories go, that he made great use of for feats of poisoning.) This Italian
doctor had some persons (whether the queen's wards or henchmen, I know not)
committed to his charge, for instructing them in learning and in the language.
But he is reputed to be Leicester’s private poisoner. If
this were more than rumor among chroniclers would she possibly have allowed it?
Oh well, it doesn’t seem to have overwhelmed the Queen’s pleasure in Shrovetide
plays.
At Shrovetide, according as it seemed customary at that
season, were shows presented at court before her majesty at night. The chiefest
was a device presented by the persons of the earl of Oxford, the earl of
Surrey, the lords Thomas Hayworth [Howard] and Windsour. But the device (as the
lord Talbot wrote to the earl his father) was prettier than it had hap to be
performed. [The young noblemen, it seems, did not so well acquit their parts.]
But the best of it, added that lord, and I think the best liked, was two rich
jewels, which were presented to her majesty by the two earls.[2]
She generally expressed her pleasure at these
entertainments. Sometimes with lusty applause, sometimes even with gifts. And
why not? Virtually every moment of a Tudor life was itself a gift which might
be savagely crimped or rescinded at any moment.
[1] Stowe,
John. Annals of England (1603), 1159.
[2] Strype,
John. Annals of the Reformation… (1725, 1824) II.ii. 206-7, 208-9.
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