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The Nun, Or Memoirs Of Angelique; A Tale [Transcript], Unknown

Gothic Archive Chapbooks

The Nun, or Memoirs of Angelique; A Tale begins as the written memoirs of Angelique. A young noblewoman, Angelique loves her cousin Ferdinand. However, when Angelique’s family’s fortune seems to have been lost at sea, Angelique’s father rashly vows that his daughter will become a nun should his ships safely return. When the ships return, Angelique is sent to a convent, where she takes her vows. Soon thereafter, Ferdinand sneaks into the convent dressed as a novitiate, and he quickly persuades Angelique to elope with him. After a midnight wedding, Angelique and Ferdinand escape the convent through a secret passageway. …

Inkle And Yarico; Or, Love In A Cave. An Interesting Tale., Sarah Scudgell Wilkinson

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Narcissa Curry and Thomas Inkle are informed in the beginning of the story that they are engaged to be married. In England, Thomas is happy to hear of his impending marriage, while Narcissa mourns in Barbadoes because of her love of Captain Campley. Enroute to Barbadoes, Thomas’ ship crashes in the Americas and all the passengers are killed by Indians except him and his servant, Trudge. They are rescued by the beautiful Indians Yarico and Woski. Thomas and Yarico fall in love and decide to return to England together. Two events are triggered by Thomas’s arrival in Barbados enroute to …

The White Pilgrim; Or, Castle Of Olival: An Interesting And Affecting Tale, Founded On Singular Facts. Translated From That Highly-Popular French Novel, Le Pelerin Blanc, Sarah Scudgell Wilkinson

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While Count Horatio Castelli is away from home, he receives a letter informing him that his wife, Amabel, has gone missing. Castelli and his friend, Count Vassali, return to Castelli’s hamlet, Olival, only to find out from Aambel’s servant, Theresa, that Amabel had been in a secret correspondence and that she seems to have left voluntarily. Castelli and his three children go to live on Vassali’s villa for two years before returning to Olival. Shortly after returning to Olival, Castelli receives a letter to meet Vassali in London and goes. Vassali brings Castelli to see Theresa, the old servant of …

The Vindictive Monk Or The Fatal Ring [Transcript], Isaac Crookenden

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Calini discovers he is a foundling, abandoned as an infant with a ring left among his. The story continues with Calini as an adult, returning from the home of his beloved, Alexa. Calini is suddenly taken hostage and locked in a dungeon by Sceloni, a monk. It is later discovered that Calni’s kidnapping is a plot by Signor Holbruzi to steal Alexa. The plot was to kill Calini, but Sceloni chooses to secretly imprison Calini instead. Holbruzi pursues Alexa. He is unsuccessful, as Alexa remains devoted to Calini. Frustrated in his attempts, Holbruzi demands that Sceloni kidnap Alexa and bring …

The History Of Zoa, The Beautiful Indian, Daughter Of Henrietta De Bellgrave; And Of Rodomond, Whom Zoa Releases From Confinement, And With Him Makes Her Escape From Her Father, Who Was The Occasion Of Rodomond's Imprisonment And Dreadful Sufferings. To Which Is Added The Memoirs Of Lucy Harris, A Foundling, Who, At Sixteen Years Of Age Was Discovered To Be Daughter To The Countess Of B- A True Story, Unknown

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This story is told by an unnamed narrator to a woman he calls “Madam.” The narrator begins by explaining that Rodomond is the child of his longtime friend, whose untimely death left his three children, including Rodomond, penniless. Consequently, the narrator took the boys under his care, and Rodomond grew into a successful interpreter for the East India Company in Bombay. While there, Rodomond eventually became an enemy of the natives because he demanded fair business practices. One day, Rodomond was kidnapped by five mercenaries for “the banyan,” a powerful local. Luckily, the Banyan’s daughter, Zoa, heard of her father’s …

Almagro & Claude, Or The Monastic Murder [Transcript], Unknown

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Almagro and Claude is a direct extraction from Matthew Lewis’ The Monk, retelling the banditti inset tale and incorporating the bleeding nun narrative.

The Marquis d’Axala changes his name to Don Almagro to conceal his rank, and begins his travels. On his way to Stasbourg, he is stranded in the woods at night, and ends up staying along with the Baroness Wildenheim in a woodcutter’s hut. Tipped off by the housemistress, Antonia, Don Almagro concludes that he and the Baroness have fallen into the hands of some banditti in disguise. Using the element of surprise, he attacks in conjunction …

The Monkish Mysteries; Or, The Miraculous Escape: Containing The History And Villainies Of The Monk Bertrand, The Detection Of His Impious Frauds, And Subsequent Repentance And Retribution., Elizabeth Meeke

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Monkish Mysteries recounts the life of Edward Stanley, The son of a disgraced knight, who is taken in by Pascal and entangled in the hatred between Pascal and the son of a priest and his seduced parishioner, Bertrand, who assumes the name Mystere. One day, Pascal is taken away by four men on horseback under orders by Mystere. Edward pleads for Pascal’s release but to no avail and departs back to Switzerland, followed by Mystere. He returns to find Albina, his love, has left for Germany after being told of Edward’s death.

In the meantime Mystere ingratiates himself with the …

The Rival Knights; Or, The Fortunate Woodlander: A French Romance, Unknown

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Having won France peace, Pharamond returns home to his wife, Rosamond, and his oldest son, Clodio, lover of women, and his daughter, Felicia, server of the distressed. However, the cruel King Boort of Gandes did not want peace. He killed his daughter who had been seduced by Palamedes and gave birth to Bliomberis. King Boort wanted more power and urged his son Lionel to destroy the French, but Pharamond sent Clodio on his campaign and he could not defend France by himself and deserted his army. Lionel and Bliomberis claimed victory. The French returned; Pharamond quickly claimed victory, sent troops …

The Knight Of The Broom Flower; Or, The Horrors Of The Priory [Transcript], Unknown

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Henrique, a rich young French noble, overcomes the tragic death of his parents, proves his worth in battle, and is inducted into the order of the Knights of the Broom Flower, whose humility is only matched by their bravery. Henrique undertakes a journey to his uncle's estate, where he grew up, with his squire Lorenzo. They travel through the night; a storm arises, and they seek shelter in a nearby building. It proves difficult to gain admission; the “tall, robust” porter, Almagro, only lets them in when a female voice, roused by their knocks, allows it. They are well-treated and …

The Mystery Of The Black Convent. An Interesting Spanish Tale Of The Eleventh Century., Unknown

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In the year 1140, St. Alme entered the monastery of the Carthusians in the Spanish city of Castile, known St. Lawrence or the Black Convent. After three of outstanding example in virtue and holiness, Fr. Fernando, the abbot, noticed a significant change in the behavior of St. Alme. Since, he could not extract satisfactory explanation from St. Alme himself concerning his gloomy disposition, Fernando employed Fr. Martinez to look into the matter.

After a few days of intense spying, Fr. Martinez discovered that St. Alme was, actually, a woman disguised as a monk. The next night, Martinez saw Alme the …

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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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 …