Post by Spooky on Sept 6, 2004 11:11:16 GMT
Dame Elizabeth Hoby, wife of Protestant diplomat, Sir Philip Hoby, was a scholarly lady, well-versed in Greek and Latin. A formidable character, her weakness was a passion for funerals. Married twice, with five children, she attended Queen Elizabeth at Court. She was as ambitious for her children as she was for herself and only had one great disappointment, her son William, who was a poor scholar and infuriated her with his blotted handwriting.
One day, when there were more than the usual number of blotting and scratch-outs in his books, Dame Elizabeth locked William in a small closet as a punishment. Shortly afterwards a courier arrived from the Queen saying that she was required at Court immediately and in her haste to begin her journey she completely forgot about William and did not warn the servants of his being incarcerated in the closet as a punishment. It was only upon her return to Bisham Abbey a few days later that the tragedy was discovered and poor William was found starved to death, his body at his small desk, his books blotted and stained by tears. Dame Elizabeth never forgave herself.
She herself died at Bisham Abbey in 1609 at the age of 91 and her ghost is still said to haunt the Abbey, with a basin floating immediately before her, continuously washing her hands.
It is a great mystery as to who exactly William Hoby was. Dame Elizabeth had four children by her first marriage, two sons and two daughters. She had a son by her second marriage but none of the boys were called William. As Dame Elizabeth was 40 years of age at the time of the Accession of Queen Elizabeth to the Throne in 1558, it is highly unlikely that any child who was studying to write whilst she was in attendance at Court could have been born before the late 1570’s and almost certainly would have been born in the 1580’s. As Dame Elizabeth was already 60 years of age in 1578 it is more than likely that William Hoby was a ward and it is therefore quite understandable that his name would not appear on the Hoby family lineage.
An important discovery was made in the 19th century which helped to corroborate the story, for it had been felt that at one time Dame Elizabeth had thrashed him so unmercifully that he had died of his beating. In 1840, during structural alterations to the Abbey, workmen discovered some old copy books on which William Hoby’s name was written. They had been pushed behind some skirting boards in the same room in which William had starved to death. The pages were filled with untidy handwriting and were also heavily blotted. The last page of one of the books was also found to be smudged with what could only be dry tears.
The ghost of Dame Elizabeth was seen by Admiral Vansittart, who later lived at Bisham. He had ridiculed the idea of ghosts until the night he saw Dame Elizabeth. He is said to have fled from the room.
Since 1946, Bisham Abbey has belonged to the Central Council of Physical Recreation and loud weeping has been heard at night together with footsteps that have also been heard walking along what is now a non-existent corridor. Dame Elizabeth has been seen on many occasions and is recognised from the portrait of her which hangs at the Abbey, with one unusual difference. The ghost is always seen in the negative, that is with a white dress but with black hands and face.
One day, when there were more than the usual number of blotting and scratch-outs in his books, Dame Elizabeth locked William in a small closet as a punishment. Shortly afterwards a courier arrived from the Queen saying that she was required at Court immediately and in her haste to begin her journey she completely forgot about William and did not warn the servants of his being incarcerated in the closet as a punishment. It was only upon her return to Bisham Abbey a few days later that the tragedy was discovered and poor William was found starved to death, his body at his small desk, his books blotted and stained by tears. Dame Elizabeth never forgave herself.
She herself died at Bisham Abbey in 1609 at the age of 91 and her ghost is still said to haunt the Abbey, with a basin floating immediately before her, continuously washing her hands.
It is a great mystery as to who exactly William Hoby was. Dame Elizabeth had four children by her first marriage, two sons and two daughters. She had a son by her second marriage but none of the boys were called William. As Dame Elizabeth was 40 years of age at the time of the Accession of Queen Elizabeth to the Throne in 1558, it is highly unlikely that any child who was studying to write whilst she was in attendance at Court could have been born before the late 1570’s and almost certainly would have been born in the 1580’s. As Dame Elizabeth was already 60 years of age in 1578 it is more than likely that William Hoby was a ward and it is therefore quite understandable that his name would not appear on the Hoby family lineage.
An important discovery was made in the 19th century which helped to corroborate the story, for it had been felt that at one time Dame Elizabeth had thrashed him so unmercifully that he had died of his beating. In 1840, during structural alterations to the Abbey, workmen discovered some old copy books on which William Hoby’s name was written. They had been pushed behind some skirting boards in the same room in which William had starved to death. The pages were filled with untidy handwriting and were also heavily blotted. The last page of one of the books was also found to be smudged with what could only be dry tears.
The ghost of Dame Elizabeth was seen by Admiral Vansittart, who later lived at Bisham. He had ridiculed the idea of ghosts until the night he saw Dame Elizabeth. He is said to have fled from the room.
Since 1946, Bisham Abbey has belonged to the Central Council of Physical Recreation and loud weeping has been heard at night together with footsteps that have also been heard walking along what is now a non-existent corridor. Dame Elizabeth has been seen on many occasions and is recognised from the portrait of her which hangs at the Abbey, with one unusual difference. The ghost is always seen in the negative, that is with a white dress but with black hands and face.