Nancy,
Rotha Mary Clay gives a few references to her in _The Hermits and
Anchorites of England_. According to the Rows Roll, ed. 1845, wect. 50, ,
one Richard Beauchamp obtained a license to found a perpetual chantry at
Gibbecliff so that God would send him a male heir. He claimed "He did hyt
by the styrryng of a holy anchoras namyd dam Em Rawghtone dwellyng at all
halows in the northe strete of york and for hyt to her appearyd our lady
vii tymes in on yer and seyd that in tyme to cum. . .hyt shuld be a
gracious place to seke to for eny dises or gref and on of Seynt Gyes Eyris
shuld bryng hys Reliks ageyn to the same place." (Clay 35).
Later Clay states that a"when the young Henry VI became King, an anchoress
of York (Dame Emma Rawghton) declared that it had been shown to her by Our
Lady that he ought to be crowned in France as well as in England, and also
that no person was better fitted to be his guardian than Richard
Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick. The Earl turned to this holy woman for advice
in his private affairs. . ."
Hope this provides a starting place for your inquiry. I have photos of her
anchoritic site, if you are interested. The church suffered fire damage
in the last year, but I do not know the extent to which the interior
suffered damage. Perhaps one of the list members in York can provide us
with that information.
Arlene Hilfer
Department of Enlgish
Kent State University
Kent, OH 44242
[log in to unmask]
I profess, and to my last breath I shall profess it, that both in body and
soul, in everything, whether in prosperity or adversity, you provide for
me in the way that is most suitable. . . with the one and uncreated
wisdom, my sweetest God, reaching from end to end mightily and ordering
all things sweetly.
---Gertrude of Helfta
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