Transcriber's note: Unusual and inconsistent spelling is as printed. _[The Stanton-Corbet Chronicles.]_ _[Year 1529]_ LOVEDAY'S HISTORY A TALE OF MANY CHANGES BY _LUCY ELLEN GUERNSEY_ _Author of_ _"The Foster-Sisters," "Lady Betty's Governess," "Winifred,"_ _Etc., Etc._ NEW EDITION [Illustration] LONDON: JOHN F. SHAW & CO. 48 PATERNOSTER ROW, E.C. CONTENTS CHAPTER I. THE BEGINNING. II. MORE REMEMBRANCES. III. ANOTHER CHANGE. IV. A NEW LIFE. V. THE THUNDER STRIKES. VI. THE LIGHTNING STRIKES AGAIN. VII. OLD FRIENDS AND NEW. VIII. HER GRACE'S GENTLEWOMAN. IX. HER GRACE. X. AT THE GREAT HOUSE. XI. THE DUKE'S RING. XII. THE OLD HALL. XIII. "EXILED, AND YET AT HOME." XIV. ANOTHER HOME. XV. COOMBE ASHTON. XVI. THE GREAT STORM. XVII. THE WANDERERS. XVIII. THE LAST. [Illustration] _LOVEDAY'S HISTORY._ CHAPTER I. THE BEGINNING. I SHALL never forget that beginning. It was like the lightning flash, which always comes suddenly, albeit one may have seen the clouds gathering for hours, and even have heard distant growls and mutterings of thunder. Of such growls and mutterings there had indeed been a plenty when I was quite a little maid, living with my kinswoman, Lady Peckham, in Somersetshire. I remember well my lady's wrath and consternation at hearing that my Lord Cardinal had put down some thirty or more of the small religious houses, especially convents of nuns, and had confiscated their revenues to the endowment of his grand college foundation at Oxford. There was no talk of pensions and sustenance for old or young. The poor souls were turned adrift to shift as best they might. If my Lord Cardinal were alive to see the havoc that hath been made since, he might bethink himself (if he ever happened to hear it) of a certain pithy proverb about showing the cat the way to the cream. The cat hath lapped the cream pretty clean in these days.