Digital Commons Network^™

The Secret Tribunal Or, The Court Of Winceslaus A Mysterious Tale [Transcript], Unknown

Gothic Archive Chapbooks

Set in Bavaria, The Secret Tribunal, follows the young maiden Mira, who is being raised by her two parents, Old Lindhom and Ms. Lindholm and is pursued by the young Lipstolf. Lipstolf, a member of the Court of Wenceslaus, is told to leave as he and Mira can never be together due to a family secret. He leaves and becomes a knight. Mira gains entry to the Court of Wenceslaus as an attendant to Wenceslaus’ wife Sophia. Mira ingratiates herself to Sophia, much to the chagrin of the Countess Ormsberg who wishes for her daughter to be a favorite …

Ethelred & Lidania; Or, The Sacrifice To Woden [Transcript], Sarah Scudgell Wilkinson

Gothic Archive Chapbooks

The story is set in the medieval period and begins with Sir Ethelred, a superstitious but tolerant pagan knight, caught in a storm at sea with his Christian tutor and friend, Aribert. He was returning from a visit to a Count’s daughter, who his wealthy but overbearing pagan father wanted him to marry. Desperate to survive the storm, he invokes the Saxon god Woden to save him, promising to sacrifice the first person to greet him at his home. The weather calms, and Ethelred returns home. Happy to have survived, he immediately greets his wife. He quickly remembers his vow …

Oakcliffe Hall Or The Fatal Effects Of Feudal Quarrels. A Tale Of The Fifteenth Century [Transcript], Sarah Scudgell Wilkinson

Gothic Archive Chapbooks

Oakcliffe Hall is the home of the Lord and Lady Bellonmore and their children, Walter and Ellinor. The family is happy and generous to all until the Lord and Lady spend six weeks at court to present their son Walter, now twenty years old, and acknowledge the new queen. Upon returning home, they find that Ellinor has not fared well in their absence. Her caregivers, chaplain Lemuel Percy and governess Allicia are unable to explain the cause of her paleness and sadness, but report it began two weeks after her parents had left for court. Eventually, Lady Bellonmore notices that …

Horatio And Camilla; Or, The Nuns Of St. Mary. A Tale Of The Fourteenth Century [Transcript], Sarah Scudgell Wilkinson

Gothic Archive Chapbooks

Horatio, a young nobleman, is engaged to Lavinia, a young noblewoman. For the three years before the marriage, Lavinia lives in the convent of St. Mary; Horatio falls in love with Camilla, one of Lavinia's companions. Soon afterwards Camilla disappears, apparently having run away with a nun from the convent. Camilla is recaptured, and it is said that she dies; Lavinia eventually leaves the convent and marries Camilla's brother Henry. Shortly after the marriage Lavinia is called to the convent of St. Bennet, where she is reunited with Camilla, who had eloped with a disguised Horatio, been recaptured and ill-treated …

The Ruins Of The Abbey Of Fitz-Martin [Transcript], Thomas Isaac Horsley Curties

Gothic Archive Chapbooks

A corrupt Baron exploits the monks of St. Catherine's monastery by publicizing the acts of one Sr. St. Anna, a nun from the monastery that broke her vow of chastity. Under pressure from the scandal, the monks hand over the monastery to the Baron, who converts it into a secular property that swiftly falls into ruins. Many years later, Thomas Fitz-Martin and his daughter Rosaline, the last descendants of this Baron, move into these ruins and discover that the Baron himself seduced Sr. St. Anna under the name of Vortimer, leading her to her ruin and eventual death. The ghost …

The True And Affecting History Of Henrietta De Bellgrave; A Woman Born Only For Calamities. Being An Unhappy Daughter, Wretched Wife, And Unfortunate Mother; Containing A Series Of The Most Uncommon Adventures That Ever Befel One Person By Sea And Land, Unknown

Gothic Archive Chapbooks

This narrative is comprised of a letter from Henrietta de Bellgrave to her daughter, Zoa. As Henrietta relates, she was born in France to the daughter of a Baron and the son of a Count. The two married in secret because Henrietta’s mother was bound for a convent, which angered the Baron, who made their early marriage so uncomfortable that Henrietta’s father was compelled to accept a position as the governor of Iranadad, a colony in the East Indies. On the voyage there, their boat is attacked by pirates, only nearly saved by an English ship bound for Bombay. After …

Father Innocent, Abbot Of The Capuchins; Or, The Crimes Of Cloisters, Unknown

Gothic Archive Chapbooks

Father Innocent draws large crowds to his sermons due to his famous purity. Among them are Drusilla and her fifteen-year-old niece Ambrosia and two cavaliers, Olmas and Antonio. The four meet in the congregation and form friendships as Antonio seeks to woo Ambrosia. Among Innocent’s followers inside the monastery is his favorite novice, Philario, who turns out to be a woman named Sabrina in disguise; she is a seductress in league with Lucifer, and has come to bring about Innocent’s downfall. She successfully seduces Innocent and traps him with the need for secrecy. Meanwhile, Antonio’s sister, Bertha, is a nun …

"I Only Look'd For Pain And Grief", William Wordsworth, Richard Matlak

Texts relating to the Earl of Abergavenny (ship)

Poem written by William Wordsworth as a private lament on the death of his brother, left unpublished in manuscript. Captain John Wordsworth died when his ship, the Earl of Abergavenny, sank off the coast of England during a storm in February, 1805.

Annotated by Richard Matlak.

Eliza, Or The Unhappy Nun: Exemplifying The Unlimited Tyranny Exercised By The Abbots And Abbesses Over The Ill-Fated Victims Of Their Malice In The Gloomy Recesses Of A Convent. Including The Adventures Of Clementina, Or The Constant Lovers, A True And Affecting Tale., Unknown

Gothic Archive Chapbooks

The tale of Eliza is framed by an unnamed narrator, a British man who traveled France during the French Revolution. A convent, said to be run by a strict abbess stood on a hill near the village, and he heard rumors that an Englishwoman had been kept there. As the narrator prepared to return to England, insurgents came to the village, burning the convent brutalizing the nuns, and murdering the abbess. Though the narrator is sympathetic to King Louis XVI and the French aristocrats whose homes were looted, he believes that the cruel abbess deserved her fate. While exploring the …

Phantastes Chapter 9: Dejection: An Ode, Samuel Taylor Coleridge

German Romantic and Other Influences

From Samuel Taylor Coleridge's "Dejection: An Ode" (lines 47-49 and 53-58). Coleridge published the poem in 1802.

The Distressed Nun [Transcript], Isaac Crookenden

Gothic Archive Chapbooks

Luvido di Brindoli, Florentine nobleman, had two children—a son, Vincentio and a daughter, Herselia. Vincentio bitterly envied Herselia believing that his father loved her more. One night Brindoli received two guests—Count Fovolli and his handsome young son, Henri Velasquez. Herselia instantly fell in love with Henry and confided the matter in his brother who contrived a plot to ruin her happiness forever. Accordingly, he encouraged Herselia to elope with Henry the next day, and, secretly informed Brindoli about it.

The next morning, Brindoli apprehended Herselia outside the palace, and condemned her to a life in a remote convent. After weeks …

Tales Of Wonder. Containing The Castle Of Enchantment Or The Mysterious Deception. The Robbers Daughter Or The Phantom Of The Grotto. The Magic-Legacy & C., Unknown

Gothic Archive Chapbooks

Tales of Wonder contains four short gothic stories. Their titles are: The Castle of Enchantment or The Mysterious Deception, The Robber's Daughter or The Phantom of the Grotto, The Magic Legacy, and The Enchanted Knight; or Phebe. For a more detailed summary of each, please see the Gothic Archive's supplemental materials.

The Gothic Story Of Courville Castle; Or The Illegitimate Son, A Victim Of Prejudice And Passion: Owing To The Early Impressions Inculcated With Unremitting Assiduity By An Implacable Mother Whose Resentment To Her Husband Excited Her Son To Envy, Usurpation, And Murder; But Retributive Justice At Length Restores The Right Heir To His Lawful Possessions. To Which Is Added The English Earl: Or The History Of Robert Fitzwalter, Unknown

Gothic Archive Chapbooks

The Gothic Story of Courville Castle begins with Alphonso de Courville returning to his ancestral castle after traveling through foreign lands. During Alphonso’s German travels, he had been attacked by banditti and fallen in love with Julia, a baron’s daughter. However, when Alphonso returns home to gain his uncle’s consent for his marriage, Alphonso is shocked to find Courville Castle entirely abandoned. Alphonso finds a note from his uncle explaining that Alphonso is the true owner of Courville Castle and that the uncle can no longer bear to reside there. Alphonso explores the castle and finds a decaying female corpse …

Cronstadt Castle; Or, The Mysterious Visitor. An Original Romance., Unknown

Gothic Archive Chapbooks

The Count de Cronstadt retires for unknown reasons to his remote family castle with his wife, the Countess, and daughter, Joanna. The family dwells there in complete isolation for ten years until their peace is interrupted by the arrival of a young nobleman, Villeroy, who appears at the castle while the Count is away. His servant, Martin, has been gravely injured defending his master from desperadoes. The Countess agrees to care for Martin on the condition that both men remain hidden and depart without the Count knowing of their stay. Villeroy, who has taken an interest in Joanna, is curious …

The History Of Nicolas Pedrosa, And His Escape From The Inquisition In Madrid. A Tale., Richard Cumberland

Gothic Archive Chapbooks

Andalusian-born Nicolas Pedrosa is a shaver, surgeon, and male-midwife living in Madrid. One day, after assisting in a birth, Nicolas is returning home when his mule becomes obstreperous and he beats it, rejecting the offered advice of a group of passing friars who counsel patience. Angered by Pedrosa's reaction, the friars sweep on only to be trampled when the mule loses control because of the sound of their bells.

The next morning, Pedrosa receives a summons from the Inquisition, an especially worrisome situation for him as he is secretly a Jew. Imprisoned and tortured briefly, Pedrosa The interrogation by the …

The Lady's Drawing Room. Being A Faithful Picture Of The Great World. In Which The Various Humours Of Both Sexes Are Display'd. Drawn From The Life: And Interspers'd With Entertaining And Affecting Novels. The Second Edition., Unknown

Gothic Archive Sources and Related Materials

No abstract provided.

Phantastes Chapter 13: I Prithee Send Me Back My Heart, John Suckling

German Romantic and Other Influences

Lines 13-18 from “I prithee send me back my heart” by the poet Sir John Suckling. Suckling (1609-1641) is associated with the Cavalier Poets, poets who supported King Charles I. Suckling is the inventor of the card game cribbage.

Phantastes Chapter 19: The Innocent Iii, Abraham Cowley

German Romantic and Other Influences

Abraham Cowley (1618-1667) was an English poet whose work echoes the metaphysical wit of John Donne. The lines quoted are lines 5-8 of “The Innocent III” (1647).

New-England Or A Briefe Enarration Of The Ayre, Earth, Water, Fish And Fowles Of That Country. With A Description Of The Natures, Orders, Habits, And Religion Of The Natives; In Latine And English Verse, William Morrell, Andrew Gaudio , Editor

Electronic Texts in American Studies

This text, a Latin poem in dactylic hexameter with an accompanying English translation in heroic verse stands as the earliest surviving work of poetry about New England and the second oldest poem whose origins can be traced directly to the British American colonies. Only two copies of the original 1625 edition are known to survive; one is held at the Huntington Library in San Marino, California, and the other is housed at the British Museum. The Latin portion comprises 309 lines and praises the geographic features, flora and fauna of New England, and spends a majority of its verses describing …

Phantastes Chapter 14: Winter's Tale, William Shakespeare

German Romantic and Other Influences

William Shakespeare (1564-1616), The Winter’s Tale, published in 1623 in the First Folio.

Phantastes Chapter 20: The Faithful Shepherdess, John Fletcher

German Romantic and Other Influences

John Fletcher (1579-1625) was a contemporary of William Shakespeare and followed him as main playwright for the King’s Men. The Faithful Shepherdess (produced in 1608, probably published in 1609) is also important for Fletcher’s definition of tragicomedy, which highlights the importance of near-death to the genre.

Phantastes Chapter 22: The Revenger's Tragedy, Cyril Tourneur

German Romantic and Other Influences

Cyril Tourneur (1575-1626) was an English dramatist, a contemporary of Shakespeare; Tourneur was also a soldier and politician. The Revenger’s Tragedy (1607), as its name implies, is a revenge tragedy, and comments on the battle to avenge the destruction by the giants that lead to the brothers’ deaths. Literary critics now believe that the play was written by Thomas Middleton (1580-1627).

Phantastes Chapter 24: The Honest Whore, Thomas Dekker, Thomas Middleton

German Romantic and Other Influences

Thomas Dekker (1572-1632) was a dramatist and writer of popular pamphlets describing London life. This line comes from the play The Honest Whore, Part II (1605 or 1606). The Honest Whore, Part I, a collaboration between Dekker and Thomas Middleton, was performed in 1604.

Phantastes Chapter 13: The Water Is Wide, Unknown

German Romantic and Other Influences

Lines are from an old Scottish ballad, “The Water is Wide,” dating from the seventeenth century. We note, for interest’s sake, that Bob Dylan and Joan Baez sing a version of this song in the 1975 film Renaldo and Clara.

Phantastes Chapter 23: Astrophel: An Elegy, Or Friend’S Passion, For His Astrophill, Matthew Roydon

German Romantic and Other Influences

Matthew Roydon (1580-1622), Elizabethan poet and friend of Sidney’s. In 1593, Roydon published his elegy for Sidney: “Astrophel: An Elegy, or Friend’s Passion, for His Astrophill.” MacDonald quotes lines 103-106. “The lineaments of Gospell bookes,” suggests that Sidney’s face exhibited a spirituality of a kind found in the four gospels of the New Testament

Phantastes Chapter 23: The Countess Of Pembroke’S Arcadia, Philip Sidney

German Romantic and Other Influences

Sir Philip Sidney (1554-1583) was an Elizabethan courtier, soldier, and poet. The quotation derives from The Countess of Pembroke’s Arcadia (1590), and sets out Sidney’s definition of a gentleman. Late in his writing career, MacDonald published a collection of excerpts from Sidney: A Cabinet of Gems, Cut and Polished by Sir Philip Sidney (1892). MacDonald lectured on Sidney as early as 1854.

Phantastes Chapter 20: The Faerie Queene, Edmund Spenser

German Romantic and Other Influences

Edmund Spenser (1552-1599), most famous for The Faerie Queene (1590; 1596), is a key influence on MacDonald generally and on Phantastes in particular. John Docherty writes that “MacDonald bases his upon the figure Phantastes living the forebrain of the ‘House of Alma' (the human body) in book 2 of Edmund Spenser’s The Faerie Queene” (“Sources of Phantastes,” North Wind: A Journal of George MacDonald Studies, vol. 25, 2005, pages 16-28).

Phantastes Chapter 15: Campaspe, John Lyly

German Romantic and Other Influences

Campaspe, an Elizabethan play by John Lyly (1584). The lines quoted are from Act 3, Scene 4, and they indicate the notion of a Platonic beauty, an ideal beauty that the artist can never capture perfectly

Prieres Ordinaires Des Soldatz De L'Armee Conduite Par Monsieur Le Prince De Condé, Accommodees Selon L'Occurrence Du Temps, Louis Prince De Condé (1530-1569)

Albert A. Howard Book History Collection

Morning and evening prayers for the use of soldiers, according to Calvinist rites.

Full title: Prieres ordinaires des soldatz de l'armee conduite par Monsieur le Prince de Condé, accommodees selon l'occurrence du temps = Zwey schone Gebet welche die Soldaten die unter dem herrn Printzen von Conde ligen beide Abends vnd Morgens wenn sie auf vnd von der Wacht zihen sprechen

Find this item in the library catalog.

Bulla Reductionis Generalis Concilii Ad Civitatem Tridentinam Cum Monitione & Requisitione Prælatorum, Pope Julius Iii

Albert A. Howard Book History Collection

Pope Julius III's bull announcing the re-opening of the Council of Trent in 1551 following the death of Paul III in 1549.

Full title: Bulla reductionis generalis concilii ad civitatem Tridentinam cum monitione & requisitione Prælatorum, ad illius prosecutionem p. S. D. N. D. Iulium III. pont. max

Find this item in the library catalog.