Folger Shakespeare Library
CELM

Gertrude Thimelby

1617–1668

Introduction

Gertrude Thimelby (née Aston), daughter of Sir Walter Aston, later Baron Aston of Forfar (1584-1639), was a poet who belonged to a Roman Catholic family at Tixall, in Staffordshire, which was itself perhaps at the centre of a provincial aristocratic social network of like-minded persons. Two manuscript verse miscellanies largely or partly compiled by her have been identified (Bodleian MS Eng. poet. b. 5 and Huntington HM 904), the latter also partly compiled by her sister Constance Fowler (d.1664). Constance's letters to her brother Herbert Aston (1614-88/9), himself a poet, and compiler of his own verse miscellany (Yale, Osborn MS b 4), characteristically ask him in 1639 send me some uerses for I want some good ones to put in my booke (British Library, Add. MS 36452, f. 30v).

Gertrude Thimelby's original contributions to this close-knit family and cultural community include nineteen poems, which are known only because they were edited for publication in Arthur Clifford's Tixall Poetry (1813). It has been suggested, by Gerard Kilroy, that she may also have been the author of Meditations of the principal obligations of a Christian, taken out of the scriptures, councils and fathers, a series of twenty-four meditations edited by Clifford from a transcription in Gertrude Aston's book, given her by her Revd. Mother, and Aunt Winifred Thimelby, 1671. Clifford himself speculatively attributes this work to Winifred Aston, though conceding that the handwriting was not particularly characteristic of her hand.

Although the corresponce of the Aston family that Clifford subsequently published as Tixall Letters in 1815 still survives (incorporated in nine volumes of Aston Papers in the British Library, Add. MSS 36444-36452), unfortunately other papers in the great trunk of papers brimful and overflowing to which he had access, including the three poetical manuscript volumes he recorded in 1813, have not been seen since then. Neither is there any record of them in subsequent sales of the Tixall library, by Puttick & Simpson and others, which was widely dispersed. It is not impossible that the poetical manuscripts could eventually resurface.

Abbreviations

Tixall Poetry (1813)
Arthur Clifford, Tixall Poetry; with Notes and Illustrations (Edinburgh, 1813).

Verse

Contented Poverty ('You that are worldly wise, and vanely boast')

First published in Tixall Poetry (1813), pp. 88-9.

ThG 1

Copy.

A small quarto volume of verse, lacking a cover.

17th century

Formerly among the papers of the Aston family, of Tixall, Staffordshire.

Selectively edited (as his Second Division: Poems by the Honourable Mrs Henry Thimelby), in Arthur Clifford, Tixall Poetry (Edinburgh, 1813), pp. 83-106.

Untraced Tixal MSS (Tixall MS 2 [unspecified page numbers])
An Epitaph on a Sweet Little Boy of Sir William Persall ('Stay, courteous passenger, this stone')

First published in Tixall Poetry (1813), pp. 105-6.

ThG 2

Copy.

A small quarto volume of verse, lacking a cover.

17th century

Formerly among the papers of the Aston family, of Tixall, Staffordshire.

Selectively edited (as his Second Division: Poems by the Honourable Mrs Henry Thimelby), in Arthur Clifford, Tixall Poetry (Edinburgh, 1813), pp. 83-106.

Untraced Tixal MSS (Tixall MS 2 [unspecified page numbers])
From a Sick Poetesse to Mrs St George, on her Feeding the Swans ('Two freezing winters, and one summer's heat')

First published in Tixall Poetry (1813), pp. 287-8.

ThG 3

Copy.

Edited from this MS in Tixall Poetry.

A miscellaneous collection of MS verse, totally unconnected with each other, and written on backs of letters, or other scraps of paper.

17th century

Formerly among the papers of the Aston family, of Tixall, Staffordshire.

Selectively edited (as his Fourth Division: Miscellaneous Poems) in Arthur Clifford, Tixall Poetry (Edinburgh, 1813), pp. 207-324.

Untraced Tixal MSS (Tixall MS 4 [unspecified item number])
Mrs Thimelby, on the Death of Her Only Child ('Dear infant, 'twas thy mother's fault')

First published in Tixall Poetry (1813), pp. 85-6.

ThG 4

Copy.

A small quarto volume of verse, lacking a cover.

17th century

Formerly among the papers of the Aston family, of Tixall, Staffordshire.

Selectively edited (as his Second Division: Poems by the Honourable Mrs Henry Thimelby), in Arthur Clifford, Tixall Poetry (Edinburgh, 1813), pp. 83-106.

Untraced Tixal MSS (Tixall MS 2 [unspecified page numbers])
No Love like that of the Soule ('Some froward heretickes in love ther bee')

First published in Tixall Poetry (1813), pp. 95-6.

ThG 5

Copy.

A small quarto volume of verse, lacking a cover.

17th century

Formerly among the papers of the Aston family, of Tixall, Staffordshire.

Selectively edited (as his Second Division: Poems by the Honourable Mrs Henry Thimelby), in Arthur Clifford, Tixall Poetry (Edinburgh, 1813), pp. 83-106.

Untraced Tixal MSS (Tixall MS 2 [unspecified page numbers])
On Faire Mrs Hall Dying in her Prime ('How soone these faire and forward springs')

First published in Tixall Poetry (1813), p. 98.

ThG 6

Copy.

A small quarto volume of verse, lacking a cover.

17th century

Formerly among the papers of the Aston family, of Tixall, Staffordshire.

Selectively edited (as his Second Division: Poems by the Honourable Mrs Henry Thimelby), in Arthur Clifford, Tixall Poetry (Edinburgh, 1813), pp. 83-106.

Untraced Tixal MSS (Tixall MS 2 [unspecified page numbers])
On Saint Catherines Day ('You glorious saint, tho borne of royall blood')

First published in Tixall Poetry (1813), p. 226.

ThG 7

Copy, subscribed Gert. Aston.

A miscellaneous collection of MS verse, totally unconnected with each other, and written on backs of letters, or other scraps of paper.

17th century

Formerly among the papers of the Aston family, of Tixall, Staffordshire.

Selectively edited (as his Fourth Division: Miscellaneous Poems) in Arthur Clifford, Tixall Poetry (Edinburgh, 1813), pp. 207-324.

Untraced Tixal MSS (Tixall MS 4 [unspecified item number])
To Cannall, in Mourning ('What all in black! all mourning! O that wee')

First published in Tixall Poetry (1813), pp. 100-1.

ThG 8

Copy.

A small quarto volume of verse, lacking a cover.

17th century

Formerly among the papers of the Aston family, of Tixall, Staffordshire.

Selectively edited (as his Second Division: Poems by the Honourable Mrs Henry Thimelby), in Arthur Clifford, Tixall Poetry (Edinburgh, 1813), pp. 83-106.

Untraced Tixal MSS (Tixall MS 2 [unspecified page numbers])
To her Husband, on New-Years-Day, 1651 ('How swiftly time doth passe away')

First published in Tixall Poetry (1813), p. 86.

ThG 9

Copy.

A small quarto volume of verse, lacking a cover.

17th century

Formerly among the papers of the Aston family, of Tixall, Staffordshire.

Selectively edited (as his Second Division: Poems by the Honourable Mrs Henry Thimelby), in Arthur Clifford, Tixall Poetry (Edinburgh, 1813), pp. 83-106.

Untraced Tixal MSS (Tixall MS 2 [unspecified page numbers])
To H--- T--- ('Nature, nor art, (should both contest)')

First published in Tixall Poetry (1813), pp. 89-90.

ThG 10

Copy.

A small quarto volume of verse, lacking a cover.

17th century

Formerly among the papers of the Aston family, of Tixall, Staffordshire.

Selectively edited (as his Second Division: Poems by the Honourable Mrs Henry Thimelby), in Arthur Clifford, Tixall Poetry (Edinburgh, 1813), pp. 83-106.

Untraced Tixal MSS (Tixall MS 2 [unspecified page numbers])
To Mr E--- T---, who holds Selfe-Love in all our Actions ('Selfe-love in all? sure I am not awake!')

First published in Tixall Poetry (1813), pp. 90-2.

ThG 11

Copy.

A small quarto volume of verse, lacking a cover.

17th century

Formerly among the papers of the Aston family, of Tixall, Staffordshire.

Selectively edited (as his Second Division: Poems by the Honourable Mrs Henry Thimelby), in Arthur Clifford, Tixall Poetry (Edinburgh, 1813), pp. 83-106.

Untraced Tixal MSS (Tixall MS 2 [unspecified page numbers])
To my Brother and Sister Aston, on their Wedding-Day, being absent ('They whom unlucky accidents remove')

First published in Tixall Poetry (1813), p. 94.

ThG 12

Copy.

A small quarto volume of verse, lacking a cover.

17th century

Formerly among the papers of the Aston family, of Tixall, Staffordshire.

Selectively edited (as his Second Division: Poems by the Honourable Mrs Henry Thimelby), in Arthur Clifford, Tixall Poetry (Edinburgh, 1813), pp. 83-106.

Untraced Tixal MSS (Tixall MS 2 [unspecified page numbers])
To Sir William and My Lady Persall, upon the Death of theire and our Deare Mall ('We are too much concern'd to dry your teares')

First published in Tixall Poetry (1813), pp. 103-4.

ThG 13

Copy.

A small quarto volume of verse, lacking a cover.

17th century

Formerly among the papers of the Aston family, of Tixall, Staffordshire.

Selectively edited (as his Second Division: Poems by the Honourable Mrs Henry Thimelby), in Arthur Clifford, Tixall Poetry (Edinburgh, 1813), pp. 83-106.

Untraced Tixal MSS (Tixall MS 2 [unspecified page numbers])
To Sir William and My Lady Persall, uppon the Death of their Little Franke ('Happy parents, mourne no more')

First published in Tixall Poetry (1813), pp. 99-100.

ThG 14

Copy.

A small quarto volume of verse, lacking a cover.

17th century

Formerly among the papers of the Aston family, of Tixall, Staffordshire.

Selectively edited (as his Second Division: Poems by the Honourable Mrs Henry Thimelby), in Arthur Clifford, Tixall Poetry (Edinburgh, 1813), pp. 83-106.

Untraced Tixal MSS (Tixall MS 2 [unspecified page numbers])
To the Lady Elizabeth Thimelby, on New-Yeares-Day, 1655, Looking dayly for here Sonne from Travaile ('Past is the winter absence of the sunne')

First published in Tixall Poetry (1813), pp. 104-5.

ThG 15

Copy.

A small quarto volume of verse, lacking a cover.

17th century

Formerly among the papers of the Aston family, of Tixall, Staffordshire.

Selectively edited (as his Second Division: Poems by the Honourable Mrs Henry Thimelby), in Arthur Clifford, Tixall Poetry (Edinburgh, 1813), pp. 83-106.

Untraced Tixal MSS (Tixall MS 2 [unspecified page numbers])
To the Lady Southcot, on her Wedding-Day ('If mongst the happy number this day crowd')

First published in Tixall Poetry (1813), pp. 101-2.

ThG 16

Copy.

A small quarto volume of verse, lacking a cover.

17th century

Formerly among the papers of the Aston family, of Tixall, Staffordshire.

Selectively edited (as his Second Division: Poems by the Honourable Mrs Henry Thimelby), in Arthur Clifford, Tixall Poetry (Edinburgh, 1813), pp. 83-106.

Untraced Tixal MSS (Tixall MS 2 [unspecified page numbers])
Upon a Command to Write on my Father ('Teares I could soone have brought unto this hearse')

First published in Tixall Poetry (1813), pp. 92-3.

ThG 17

Copy.

A small quarto volume of verse, lacking a cover.

17th century

Formerly among the papers of the Aston family, of Tixall, Staffordshire.

Selectively edited (as his Second Division: Poems by the Honourable Mrs Henry Thimelby), in Arthur Clifford, Tixall Poetry (Edinburgh, 1813), pp. 83-106.

Untraced Tixal MSS (Tixall MS 2 [unspecified page numbers])
Upon the Lady Persalls Parting with her Daughter without Teares ('You who a mistick patche's losse can mourne')

First published in Tixall Poetry (1813), p. 97.

ThG 18

Copy.

A small quarto volume of verse, lacking a cover.

17th century

Formerly among the papers of the Aston family, of Tixall, Staffordshire.

Selectively edited (as his Second Division: Poems by the Honourable Mrs Henry Thimelby), in Arthur Clifford, Tixall Poetry (Edinburgh, 1813), pp. 83-106.

Untraced Tixal MSS (Tixall MS 2 [unspecified page numbers])
Uppon the Returne from our Friends in Staffordshire ('What? has our progresse from kind friend to friend')

First published in Tixall Poetry (1813), p. 87.

ThG 19

Copy.

A small quarto volume of verse, lacking a cover.

17th century

Formerly among the papers of the Aston family, of Tixall, Staffordshire.

Selectively edited (as his Second Division: Poems by the Honourable Mrs Henry Thimelby), in Arthur Clifford, Tixall Poetry (Edinburgh, 1813), pp. 83-106.

Untraced Tixal MSS (Tixall MS 2 [unspecified page numbers])

Contents