Women, Madness and Sin in Early Modern England

The Autobiographical Writings of Dionys Fitzherbert

Katharine Hodgkin

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2017
• Print ISBN: 9780754630180
• eBook ISBN: 9781351871570
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: Literary Criticism
• Index: Literature

A fascinating case study of the complex psychic relationship between religion and madness in early seventeenth-century England, the narrative presented here is a rare, detailed autobiographical account of one woman's experience of mental disorder. The writer, Dionys Fitzherbert, recounts the course of her affliction and recovery and describes various delusions and confusions, concerned with (among other things) her family and her place within it; her relation to religion; and the status of the body, death and immortality. Women, Madness and Sin in Early Modern England presents in modern typography an annotated edition of the author's manuscript of this unusual and compelling text. Also included are prefaces to the narrative written by Fitzherbert and others, and letters written shortly after her mental crisis, which develop her account of the episode. The edition will also give a modernized version of the original text. Katharine Hodgkin supplies a substantial introduction that places this autobiography in the context of current scholarship on early modern women, addressing the overarching issues in the field that this text touches upon. In an appendix to the volume, Hodgkin compares the two versions of the text, considering the grounds for the occasional exclusion or substitution of specific words or passages. Women, Madness and Sin in Early Modern England adds an important new dimension to the field of early modern women studies.

Dionys Fitzherbert's Manuscript Transcript Bodleian Library Ms. E Mus. 169

[Prefatory texts and table of contents]

1 Peter chap 5 vers 8 & 9

be sober and watch. for your aduersarie the diuell as a roaring
lion walketh about seeking whom hee may deuoure

whom resist stedfast in the faith knowing y^t the same aflictions
are acomplished in your brethren which are in the world

{marke chap xiii vers 37}
and thos thinges that i say vnto you
i say vnto all men watch

Dionys Fitzherbert
her Booke

written with her own hand
in this book are conteyned the Originall
copy of M^ris Dionisia Fitzherberts writings

1. The originall Copy of a letter written by her vpon her deathbedd to Mr Rous Keeper of the library
2. An explic a declaration of an Apparition in the firmament the figure whereof is in the closett with her coniecture and explication thereof and both [leaues] diuided
3. a tract of the state and honour of Virginity dedicated to the Church of England 2 copies one fair written the other with her own hande
4. the >originall< Copy of Dr Chetwinds Letter Dean of Bristoll to her written with his own hand

Prefatory texts and table of contents

[These are written on the inside front cover of the book. The table of contents was provided by John Rouse, the librarian.]

I Peter chapter 5 verse 8 & 9¹

Be sober and watch: for your adversary the devil as a roaring lion walketh about, seeking whom he may devour;

Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren which are in the world.

Mark chapter 13 verse 37
And those things that i say unto you, i say unto all men, Watch.

Dionys Fitzherbert
her Book
written with her own hand²

In this book are contained the original copy of Mistress Dionysia Fitzherbert’s writings

1. The original copy of a letter written by herself on her deathbed, to Mr rouse Keeper of the library³
2. A declaration of an Apparition in the firmament, the figure whereof is in the closet with her conjecture and explication thereof and both [leaves] divided
3. A tract of the state and honour of Virginity dedicated to the Church of england, 2 copies, one fair written, the other with her own hand’.
4. The original copy of dr Chetwynd’s letter (Dean of Bristol) to her, written with his own hand⁴

[Letter from Fitzherbert to Mr Rouse, Keeper of the Library]

[f. v]

Good Mr Rowse

I haue sent downe the figure of the
most wonderfull thinge that in all my life
I euer saw, I would not haue commended it
to soe eminent a place, had not my owne eyes
and the eyes of many other bin wittneses of
it, much lesse commend it now to the world
when I am a dyeing woeman. I haue sent
you also the disscription of it in writing which
I would disscribe disire you would transscribe
and fix it into parchment, and fix it vpon the
frame, that all men may reede it. I haue sent
you the orregenall of my booke, >writen with my owne hand< according to your
desier, soe much of it as was writen att the first
the rest was writen att sundry tymes, but ther is
enough to show that it is all one inditeing, I haue
send you an epistle to, dedicated to the church of
England, which though it be not writen with my
owne hand yett it is my owne doeing, & I would
desire you insert it in my booke that you haue
alredy, I haue also sent you the opinion of D^r
Chetwin, vpon that booke, soe I shall commend all the
liueing memory I shall leaue behind me to your trust
and loue, and rest your dyeing but euer well wish
ing freind,
Dyones FittzHerbert
London ye 6^th of may 1641

{I would desire you to buy a curtaine
for this figure and what soeuer I you lay forth to doe those things
I haue desired you, M^r John Hoskins shall pay you
when he comes downe to oxford}

Letter from Fitzherbert to Mr Rouse, Keeper of the Library

[loose sheet attached to inside cover]

Good Mr Rowse,⁵

I have sent down the figure⁶ of the most wonderful thing that in all my life I ever saw. I would not have commended it in so eminent a place had not my own eyes and the eyes of many other been witnesses of it, much less commend it now to the world when I am a dying woman. I have sent you also this description of it in writing, which I would desire you would transcribe into parchment and fix it upon the frame⁷ that all men may read it. I have sent you the original of my book written with my own hand, according to your desire, so much of it as was written at the first; the rest was written at sundry times, but there is enough to show that it is all one inditing.⁸ I have sent you an epistle too, dedicated to the Church of England, which though it is not written with my own hand yet it is my own doing, & I would desire you to insert it in my book that you have already. I have also sent you the opinion of Dr Chetwind upon that book. so I shall commend all the living memory I shall leave behind me to your trust and love, and rest your dying but ever well-wishing friend,

Dyones FitzHerbert

London the 6th of may 1641

{I would desire you to buy a curtain for this figure,⁹ and whatsoever you lay forth to do those things i have desired you, Mr John Hoskins¹⁰ shall pay you when he comes down to Oxford.}

[Account of celestial vision]

[f. vi^r]

This wonderfull sight was seene at Almsbury in
wilttsher also >at< shrinam in Barkshire 02 miles from
thenc in 1615 the next full of the moone after
Michelmes day the moone being that night at the full
and as wee gest about tow houers or more high
nere eight or nine a cloke at night: it had
a mighty cloude round about it as spacious as a Court
but round in compas and ouerthwrt it to the vt
most bounds of it a crose in forme just as the
{cros in the} couleurs of Eengland but so shining bright as the
moone being in the midst and center of the crose
it, could not could n^ot posible bee diserned from
it but by a round body ape^aring in the corners
of the crose and allthough the moone sto^od in the
midst of a cloude as blake as darknes it self yet
did it shine as bright as if it bine in the cle^arest
part of Heauen, the ffermament being at that tym^e
also exceding cleare and faire, at the vper end of
crose toewards Heauen came out a round cloude
so bigge as a rainebow of the biggnes of a hand bow
might compas like a Coronet the which a raine
bow did the brightest and clerest of couloure as
posible could be seene: the ends towards the
North and south had strems of light turning
bake againe towards the moone. but the end
towards the earth had nothing at all: and
although wee were continually coming and
going for as I think the space of two houers in
which it appe^ered. yet could none deserne
how it vanishid away soe sudden[ly] it vannishe^d
[f vi^v] so suddenly was it gonne. nether was ther
any allteration in it at all. but sto^od still in the
same forme and fation all that tyme

Account of celestial vision

[Loose sheets attached to inside cover, ruled margin l/h edge. This paper, referred to in the letter to Mr Rouse, describes a celestial phenomenon seen some years after the main events of the narrative. It corresponds to Sion MS. f. 53r ff, which also includes a copy of the picture of the phenomenon; see figure 6.]

This wonderful sight was seen at Amesbury in Wiltshire, also at Shrivenham in Berkshire 2011 miles from thence, in 1615, the next full of the moon after Michaelmas day. 12 The moon being that night at the full, and as we guessed about two hours or more high, next eight or nine o’clock at night, it had a mighty cloud round about it as spacious as a court but round in compass; and overthwart it, to the utmost bounds of it, a cross, in form just as the cross in the colours of England ¹³ but so shining bright as the moon. Being in the midst and centre of it, [it] could not possibly be discerned from it but by a round body appearing in the corners of the cross; and although the moon stood in the midst of a cloud as black as darkness itself, yet did it shine as bright as if it been in the clearest part of Heaven, the firmament being at that time also exceeding clear and fair. At the upper end of the cross, towards Heaven, came out a round cloud, so big as a rainbow of the bigness of a handbow might compass like a coronet,¹⁴ the which a rainbow did, the brightest and clearest of colour as possibly could be seen. The ends towards the north and south had streams of light turning back again towards the moon, but the end towards the earth had nothing at all: and although we were continually coming and going for as i think the space of two hours in which it appeared, yet could none discern how it vanished away so sudden[ly] it vanished, so suddenly was it gone. Neither was there any alteration in it at all, but [it] stood still in the same form and fashion all that time.

I have euer thought from the first apering of
this wonderfull sine. that the full moone in
it figured forth the estat of the c^hurch now
nere her fullnes, the round and mighty blake cloud
y^t enueroned it. the aflictions and vniuersale
trobles that shall besete her on all sids in this
last tymes, as our lord Jesus hath forwarned
in the holy scripturs-----------
The litte cloud crouned with the rainebow
that god will ashuredly remember his >holy< couenant
and promis to his church, and giue it a most
glorious >and certaine< victory ouer all afliction and troble
whatsoeuer, signified by that bright shining and
triumphant Cross ----- / that the moone and
Cross making one intire body shew how
vnceparable the Cross is anexed to the Church
yet shall it. at last bring fourth to it a most
exilent and an eternall waile [weight] of gliory ----------
that the stremes of light turning bake from
the ends of the Cross towards the mone. as
I think signifie from what parts of the
world god will rais some help and eide to
his Church vntill by the glorious Coming of
our lord Jesus Christ all her Calamitys...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• List of Illustrations
• Acknowledgements
• Introduction
• Bibliography
• Note on Transcript
• Transcript of Dionys Fitzherbert's Manuscript
• Appendix
• Index