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  The Mystery of the Black Convent. An Interesting Spanish Tale of the Eleventh Century.

  Unknown

  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 sepulcher in the churchyard and go down. Martinez followed her, only to hear her shriek and faint on seeing a moving human form. Hurriedly, Martinez locked up the gate of the sepulcher, and gathered all the monks who quickly arrested the woman and the ghostly figure. He was none other than Anselm, an old friar.

  The next day, Alme, revealed herself to Fr. Fernando, as Beatrice, the daughter of Anselm who was, actually, the noble man Raymond de Spalanza. Fernando forgave her when she explained how she was forced to enter the monastery in disguise in search of her ailing father who had joined the monastery for a quiet death. Meanwhile, Alphonso, the lover of Beatrice, also reached the monastery in search of her. It was explained that he could not marry Beatrice because he was incarcerated on a trumped up charge, by his own father. With Raymond’s assent, Fr. Fernando united the lovers in holy matrimony in the chapel of the Black Convent and lived happily ever after.

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  THE NUN, OR MEMOIRS OF ANGELIQUE; A TALE [Transcript]

  Unknown

  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.

  After three months of wedded happiness, Angelique and Ferdinand attend a costume ball. At the ball, a man disguised as a monk approaches Angelique. To the shock of all, the “monk” is revealed to be Angelique’s father, at which point Angelique faints.

  The rest of the tale is narrated by Angelique’s father, now truly a monk, to some unknown listener. Angelique’s father reveals that he killed Ferdinand at the costume ball and then fled into the woods. He eventually joined the Chartreuse monastery. The father remained a monk for fifteen years, until the French Revolution prompted him to locate his family. He finds that all of his family are deceased, including Angelique who died in childbirth in the convent from which she had earlier fled. The father now lives alone in the ruins of his family’s chateau, carving a gravestone for Angelique and regretting his “absurd vow.”

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  The Rival Knights; or, the Fortunate Woodlander: A French Romance

  Unknown

  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 out to look for his missing son, took Bliomberis prisoner, but Lionel escaped. Upon returning home, Felicia and Bliomberis fall in love. When Felicia had to marry, Bliomberis was only a prisoner, so he looked for his father. On his journey, he finds Lionel who gives him a letter from his father; fights another knight to prove himself; saves Percival’s lady, Blanchefleur; and befriends Percival who takes him to King Arthur’s Round Table where Clodio tells how he was tended to by Celina. Bliomberis lets Clodio use his horse to return to Celina, but Clodio does not return. Bliomberis and Percival rescued Clodio and Celina; then they return back to Pharamond’s court, two years after Bliomberis first left. Bliomberis does not return until the beginning of the tournament for Felicia’s hand in marriage; he fights a stranger at the tournament, who turns out to be Bliomberis’s father, Palamedes. Bliomberis and Felicia are married and everyone lives happily ever after.

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  The Ruins of the Abbey of Fitz-Martin [Transcript]

  Thomas Isaac Horsley Curties

  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 of Sr. St. Anna haunted the Baron until his own death.

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  THE SECRET TRIBUNAL OR, THE COURT OF WINCESLAUS A MYSTERIOUS TALE [Transcript]

  Unknown

  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 in the court.

  Mira plays her harp for Sophia in order to help Sophia deliver a male heir to Wenceslaus, who then gives birth to a stillborn baby girl. Seizing the opportunity, Duchess Ormsberg charges Mira with sorcery. Mira is summoned to a secret tribunal. During the proceedings Lipstolf appears and helps to exonerate her as well as revealing Mira’s true aristocratic lineage. Mira now goes off to reside with her father, a Count. However, she is pursued by the secret tribunal and goes into hiding in a convent. News reaches her that Lipstolf has now been accused of murder and will face the same tribunal. Lipstolf is acquitted by the tribunal and finds Mira in the convent. Mira is reunited with Listolf and Lindholm and all live well knowing the secret tribunal is now under the authority of a friend and will no longer pursue them.

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  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

  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 this, Henrietta’s mother falls ill and perishes at sea. As India comes into view, a hurricane sinks the ship and Henrietta’s father is lost at sea. Henrietta is saved by a French cook who attempts to rape her, and an English shipmate whom the cook murders for trying to prevent the rape. Henrietta is rescued just in time by a group of Indians, who take her to the house of “the banyan.” After much reluctance, Henrietta marries the banyan in a pagan ceremony. Soon after, Henrietta gives birth to Zoa, and when the banyan catches her performing a Christian baptism, he forces Henrietta to promise that she will never introduce Zoa to her beliefs, a promise that she keeps until writing the letter. The purpose of this letter is for the ailing Henrietta to share her unfortunate story with her daughter, and to urge her toward the Christian faith.

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  The Vindictive Monk or The Fatal Ring [Transcript]

  Isaac Crookenden

  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 her to Holbruzi, after which he refuses to pay Sceloni for his services. Sceloni decides to leave Holbruzi and revenge himself against himby luring Holbruzi to an empty dungeon where Sceloni claims Calini is hidden. When Holbruzi enters the dungeon to kill Calini, Sceloni, shoots him.

  Sceloni decides to kill Calini as well. However, when he goes to Calini, he discovers the ring Calini was left as a baby. Sceloni reveals he is Calini’s true father. Sceloni reveals that he married an unwilling maiden. Because of their unhappy marriage, Sceloni suspected his wife of adultery, believing her ring was a token from a lover and that the infant Calini was illegitimate. In a jealous rage, Sceloni kills his wife and abandons his son, only to discover that his wife was innocent. Sceloni releases Calini who deduces that Alexa must be a captive in Holbruzi’s home. Calini rescues her and the two are married. Sceloni retires to the convent.

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  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

  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 Amabel who reveals that Roland, Castelli’s bastard brother and Captain of the Guard during the time of Amabel’s disappearance, was in love with Amabel and when she did not return that love, Roland, with the help of Otho, used a poison to put her to sleep and kidnap her. Shortly after, Castelli dies in a ship wreck and Roland produces a fake will that names him guardian of the Castelli children but plans to kill them, fight his bastard status and inherit Olival. Vassali finds the Countess being held captive and surrounds the castle with soldiers led by the same White Pilgrim who pretended to be deaf when he asked Roland to take him in but actually heard Roland confess to everything. Horatio returns, having not died in a shipwreck, and retakes Olival. Amabel recovers quickly and she and Horatio have a baby girl.