“Diverse Matters of Southwark and Bermondsey, Lambeth and Bankside”
-By Sister Elizabeth, Ventrue, of the Order of St. Lazarus.

Sister Elizabeth wrote a complete history of London and Southwark between 1212 and 1450. Her annals were generally respected as the single most accurate and detailed of events during this time of both north and south of the river. She was killed in 1451 by parties’ unknown- some say she died at the hands of the mobs led by Jack Cade; others say that the Mayor of London ordered her death because of her support of Cade; others talked of darker reasons.

Her record, ‘Diverse Matters’ as it is commonly known, survived her death for many years, but in 1677 it fell into the hands of a mortal who tried to bring it to the attention of the authorities. The Mayor of London and the Order moved quickly and soon the mortal was dead and all complete copies of her work were destroyed. Over the years several scholars have tried to find piece together what they can from fragments and shards found here and there. They say the Order actually has a complete copy hidden away somewhere. Others suggest that the Crones hold TWO copies of it and use it to blackmail the Order. It was known that in 1972 the Order of Dracul spent at least six months running around trying to hide a copy of what was widely believed to be a copy of at least half her writings. “Diverse Matters” is a personal book, and one which is said to contain many ‘secrets’ of London, not just from this period but from earlier times.
What follows are the known ‘fragments’ of her writings. The footnotes were added by parties unknown and represent the current knowledge of her work. The contents below appeared in a printed book called ‘Diverse Matters- Fragments and Commentaries’ which turned up in June 1970. The author compiled together the five main ‘sequences’ of fragments that had been found at the time into some kind of chronological order, added footnotes and published it for general readership. One will notice that the text is Masquerade compliant.

New fragments of Sister Elizabeth’s work are much sought after.

Fragment a1.

“ Twas nei that the war twixt the fremen of London, and the fremen of West Minster did occor, for twas mark’d that London twas for the Dauphin still , twile the Minster rode for King Henry; and much battle was wrought by day; and twith night, twas known for two oft the Questors to battle; fort twas reckoned that Animus twas still fettered to his Aldermen; and his Sire was sore wrought with him and much angered; so bloody war was wronght and Animus was slaieth; and Cassiopia oft lamenteth upon this as the division twixt the Questors which contineth .”

Fragment a2.

“ Twen the deluge cameth, the waters poureth South and the Damned did cry out to the Order that their prey had drowned; and the Order did concede Lambeth ; wherein the Crones did may merry upon us; thus spake Venerable Odo and much did he seek us to aid him; but the Lazarus knew that he was fallen and did ignore hith pleas, and thus this year he did fall; so patheth on old but lost; a sheep wandered …”

Fragment b1.

“… and nei that Juden strasse burns and we doth watness the fyres of rebell’ed souls ‘gainst King and City, so doth the Work comt to be shelter ‘gainst the storms. The Order spake and the Bridge opened; many come; many kiss .

Twas last suckle that I did chance pon a Questor and a Deava of no Covnant ; long we curried, for tway were oft od sort; Deava wast calleth ‘Oril’ and twas of dark skin; while Questor was calleth ‘Tobias’ and twas new to the city, seeming of Antwerp and Spanish lands.

And I lepteth twong, and spateth sith, for dilly they marked time. Oril feared the sheep, fort they did seek mortis for the Juden and twas he not seeminging Juden; twhile Tobias sought to knoweth who ruleth the Work, and twas affount twen giftd the Order; fey seemd it to his peepers; and twile we argued …”

Fragment b2.

“… Abbot did commandeth most strong that none wast to seek and or stay or kiss upon those whot maketh common with de Montford , nil matter twhere they stayed, nil matter what stroke wrought ‘pon the Damned, saying, “Too great is the danger, too great is the fire, too foolish the moth” ; and twis wisdom was ill-matched by many; fort Oril twas murderus in his intent to prevt both King and Prince fromt assuming mantle of stolen glory.

And twile news came unto us that oft Noble Blood did base act, twas also knoweth nei Oril oft Deava was taked ti darknes , fort becometh of himt break covernant of the Abbot.

Diverse matters did taeth now; muche made of Will of Kent’s Kiss upon that poor wrethch; twile cnflict did rupteth pon the Man oft Simon of’t Tabard . Fort Tabard twas Simon’s oft old and hist Man did merry whilt Simon was resteth; twas a foolist tas Simon twas not merry int cups bar a few times, and many did saied twas Simons mock make. Simon didt slayeth him, as per his ryght as Damned, but cast himt out; and the Man did cause mirth and even I sawd the merry nei upon Simon oft Tabard; ‘til finat Simon did seek ta slayeth his Man; fort it cameth to many that the Man now hideth northt of the River and no seeking the word of Mayor, Simon dith travel so.

Andt his mock maketh for he’t Barlows Fair, whert his Man was now a Pie Cry, and so int cups had his Kiss been that Simon’t twas unable to reckon his former Man, who reckoned upon him and aft deal for the purchase of a pie, fled; and nowt Simon oft Tabard tis ‘Simplt Simon’.

Twas soont after this that the King was lost untoth power and De Montford cometh King in alt name, ‘twile the Juden did suffet…”

Fragment b3.

“… liketh the moon, fort no cover ovet stars, and thus the first meet oft London and the Work did taeth place upon the River itself; white and frozed as twas, filled with rivelry and event baiting… ”

Fragment c1.

“… Will of Kent doth take rebuke, rightly, for he sought the word of the Hags and they cried upon this matter; but Brother Malachi saieth, “What care we- tis a thing oft Light” . I will admit distention- the market is unimporteth, yet I know the Aldermen do seek to admit the Work to their lands; whct I oppst….”

Fragment b4.

“… tant Simple Simon oft Tabard twas slain upont this dawn fort diverse crimes; forewith- the slaying of manyt sheep and hording of their bodyes, tilt the smelt was known unto the Damned; fort allowt His Man to live withet the knowledge oft the Damned, without mention; and fort ignomy oft the Mayor havt to slay said Man, muct to shame of Abbot; fort takt of Kiss opend, within peepers oft Sheep; for making his haven a place famed and known; and so he went ti darkness; by method sought by Wallace’s death, year prevsos… ”

Fragment d1.

“… overt River? Ney, fort we shall not break covnant with the Lord; Our lands are safe and the flock may come again; but none will commiteth the crime oft Oril oft Deava, nor oft the Crones, for we shalt nay allow such things; yet if cometh in peath and quietness, we shall avail unto them such hospitality as is our wont… ”

Fragment d2.

“ For upon this night, didt my Lady fall to the French Bubos; ant so havt many; not evnt the share of my blood giveth her redemption fromt plague; nei we waiteth for the sufferance; Brother Malachi sayeth that other cities have emerged fromt the contagion, but nei I wonder if thist is God’s vengent upon’d this worlt; I do succor manyt and seek direction; as Damned, is this not timeth to wrought upont the Sheept and bring about Judgement? Malachi says nei, but I wont… ”

Fragment e1

“… sot the mobs driven wilde byeth Lancaster did cometh; and G. of the Crones telleth me that the men of Essex crossed the river to joineth the Men of Kent; twas ill folly that the boy King tookt boat anon river to meeteth them; his fear at sight of their vast numbers, angered tha mob and broutheth them unto London; for none seek cowards to leadeth them; cully that he is.

The mob reacheth the Work firsest; and like the plague of Moses they did erupt; tway they flung open the gates of Marshalsea andt soght ill troublet; and the Abbot did advised wisely that they had no ill-will with us ort our herd; for twas not true that many of the Work hate also the Tax? Wherein pon musing this wisdom, mob marched across to the Palace of Lambeth, seeking Cantebury. But we knew he had fled across Bridge, so witnessed the mob, surely and agry returned to Long Work. Andt as our abbot had advised, so reconing came; for the residents maketh certain the Bridge was not closed to them. And the mob crosseeth the river, wherein many of the Work and the City did join them; and we did witness the opening of the gates of the Fleet and twere alarmed at the burnt of the Temple; down river we saw the flames and my new Lady talked of the plumt of smoke fromt Savoy as she burnt.

Twas thendark days and nights as the Sheep beared theirt teeth and much merry was made, unto the death oft Wat Tyler and Jack Straw; and peace cameth unto London and the Work… ”

Fragment d3.

“…twil be a long time for I forgo the sight of so many died; upon such ways; and screams!” Andt she was broken oft heart; I fear for my Lady, for who would thinkt such pain cometh from sight of a child ; such death from wanton to witness a queen.”

Fragment e1

“… for the Abbot did seneth to the Mayor and demand reason for such things; and twas made known that Invictus sendth manyt upont Games next and did sayeth that the Lord Mayor twil ney enforced such rulings upon the Work; and this was worked by men; upon their reckoning is such things made.

Many sought the Invictus to leave hostage, for it was observ’d that Games themselves wert bann’d by proclimation , andt the Lord Mayor spoke angrily unto the Abbot and much was wroght in talkt about such things; much talkt place in separate rooms and we did observe and feared, for ney had the City and the Work have such crosst words; and the city did say it twas the falut oft Order that such mobs would be reckoned and lest we end the merry, twil be worse unto us; and the sides were angered with t’other.

So, the games endeth and the Abbot did order compliance and diverse matters twer ended as none could meet and the Kiss becameth harder, for even unto the taverns were banned…”

Fragment e2.

“…now flies the flag of the Scots above the church, fort Jane of Winchester is married this day unto James , andt in the feasting which follot, many did kiss openly; and the Apprentices did comes as one andt made merry with the Masqurade; and the Abbot andt Order was sore pressed to recover; so word was sent unto the Mayor; and twas now the Order sent to Goldsmiths hall and liketh the Games 19 years earlt, we now speaketh cross words; and the Mayor force’d to agree; and nil the Apprentices, oft many, went to darkness within the Work and twas in Moorfields, did their foes fall upon them ; but some sayeth that last night two oft the City drank Hearts Blood, forbidden unto all; sayeth I to Lucy oft lambeth and Nosferatu that such things are evil wrought…”

Fragment b5.

“King Jack’s battles upon the Bridge do maketh much troubles; for some sayeth the Mayor and the Abbot do war upont t’other; I prey to the Dark father this thing isnt so… ”