Ahoy Prometheans!
Keep Spreading the Word of The Burn! May Melusine’s Blessings be Upon You!
Huge thanks to Erica Lagalisse for being my pilgrimage buddy on the second journey of my ‘until-death’ pilgrimage. We had a wonderful afternoon adventure. Making pilgrimage and sacrifice is good for your soul - especially when you can do it in great company. Thank you to BJ50 800139 £10 and BS38 968766 £5 for making the ultimate sacrifice. The Holy Pot is blessed by your Ashley presence. And thank you to the lovely LouLou Whalley for her inspiration and support.
Below is the transcript. [ Research was inconclusive on the spelling. It was likely either Wally, Walley, Whally or Whalley ].
Thaxted Church & the Story of Louise Whalley
Today we make pilgrimage to the Church of Saint John the Baptist with Our Lady and Saint Laurence at Thaxted. It's one of the largest in the U.K and is known as the ‘Cathedral of Essex’.
Through the ages this Church has been at the centre of controversies. From the pre-reformation Lollardy movement initiated by the ‘heretic’ John Wycliffe, through to the Battle of the Flags (when ‘Red Vicar’ Conrad Noel flew the Red Flag and Sinn Fein’s Tricolour alongside the Union Flag) - up until as recently 1976 when Noel’s son-in-law and successor Peter Elers caused controversy by coming out as gay and allegedly blessing two lesbian partnerships — Thaxted Church has been a flashpoint.
Our sacrifice today honours Louise Whalley who we believe lived and worked around Thaxted during the early C15th when anti-Catholic sentiment was brewing. Legend has it that Louise was something of a ‘Polly Garter’ figure. She loved life and lived it to the full. She was the subject of much gossip and a popular patron of the local alehouses.
Her reputation was written into history during the construction of the North Transept. One evening Louise met a Priest who was new to Thaxted. Louise had no regard for the doctrine of Priestly chastity. She believed that our bodies and our sexuality were gifts from nature which were meant to be enjoyed in the earthly realm. She desired him and he, her. This was enough for Louise.
When she awoke from her night of passion the Priest was gone. On her bedside table he’d left a handful of silver coins. While she did not judge others who took money for sex, Louise had not been employed by the Priest that night. To her their love-making was a mutual act which required no payment.
So she took the coins down to the workmen building the North Transept and muttering to herself she angrily threw them into the mortar. Some say that she asked God to forgive her new lover. Others that she cursed him. We shall never know the truth. But in 1430 it is recorded in the Chronicles of London that an otherwise unknown ‘Priest of Thaxted’ was burned at Smithfield as a heretic.
My Sacrifice today honours Louise and all those who stood against the corruption and repression of the Church.
A few extra little nuggets just for you.
John Wycliffe was the man who first translated the Bible into English. The Church were very annoyed with him hence his excommunication and the burning of his books. He’s been called ‘The Morning Star of The Reformation’.
Polly Garter is a character in Dylan Thomas’s Under Milk Wood. She was played (quite brilliantly IMO) by Charlotte Church in Kevin Allen’s wonderful 2015 film. It’s believed Polly’s character was based on Phoebe Evans from Maesgwyn near New Quay in Wales (btw - tying back to the Reformation theme, Phoebe’s real life brother was called Oliver Cromwell). Anyway. My mum knew Phoebe and thought she was ‘a lovely woman’. This seemed to be common feeling in the village despite Polly’s irrepressible ‘lust for life’.
So, I don’t think it’s too much of a stretch to believe that a free spirit like Louise could exist in C15th Thaxted. As a breed libertines are hard to snuff out. We’ll find freedom in the shadows.
It was so spooky to have that gust of wind come when I was talking about Louise either forgiving the Priest or cursing him. I promise you it was genuine - its not something I’ve added in the edit.
Now. Avast Non-Pecuniary Congregants!
Cease thy reading for here cometh the Paywall.
[Hey look, if you’re skint but committed get in touch for a freebie. If you want to test the waters first, take out a free 7-day paid trial. Ultimately though, this Priest needs his stipend. Without the support of the Pecuniary Congregants life for me and Nelson the-22-year-old-Church-Cat would be very much tougher. REMEMBER: ALL ARE BOUND BY THE OATH OF CONFIDENCE!]
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