The Henson Journals

[391]

Wednesday, September 15th, 1915.

408th day

There is a reference to women in the "Philobiblion" which is illuminating. Books complain that they are cast out from the houses of the clergy:

"For our places are seized now by dogs, now by hawks, now by that biped beast whose co–habitation with the clergy was forbidden of old, from which we have always taught our nurselings to flee more than from the asp & the cockatrice."

Imagine the attitude towards the female sex really implied in such language deliberately penned by the most cultivated English prelate of the age, or by his direction. Yet Richard de Bury, as he moved about the Bishoprick, must constantly have seen little girls, as we see them, fair & winning as angels: & playing with the charming freedom of innocence with their brothers. He must have met many good women, from Queen Philippa downwards. Yet he could write brutally about 'that biped beast'! It takes a good many cathedrals to compensate for so great an injury.

Robertson & I attended Evensong, & then drove to Finchale where we viewed the ruins of the Priory in the level lights of a declining sun. I had some conversation with the Farmer's daughter, a nicely spoken, but rather delicate–looking woman. She said that they had the greatest difficulty in persuading any servant to live with them on account of the loneliness of the place: that there was fish, including trout & salmon in the river: that a fox had recently killed 13 fowls, & that no compensation had been paid. The vigourous–looking girls were her children. We drove back to Durham in the light of a wonderful sun–setting. After dinner we sate in my study, & talked until bed–time, that is, Robertson talked, and I listened. He describes a rather serious financial situation caused by the War in Oxford.

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