Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 62.djvu/447

  in Birmingham), was born in Birmingham on 20 April 1825. She early developed a strong turn for story writing, and by the time she was twenty had amassed a large quantity of manuscripts both prose and poetry. Her first book, ‘Alice Cunningham,’ appeared in 1846. Between that date and the year of her death she issued about fifty volumes, chiefly stories and novels of a religious and domestic character with commonplace plots and personages. Nevertheless the books won for their author a large circle of admirers, went through many editions, and are wholesome and readable. Of many popular novels by her no fewer than three appeared in 1873, viz. ‘Husbands and Wives,’ ‘The House of Bondage,’ and ‘Our New House, or Keeping up Appearances’ (7th edit. 1891). Among work of a more ambitious kind is her ‘Life of Thomas Arnold, D.D.,’ 1859 (2nd edit. 1865), and ‘Hymns and Songs for the Christian Church,’ 1867. She edited for some years the ‘Christian World Magazine,’ and was a constant contributor to the ‘Christian World.’

Miss Worboise married Etherington Guyton, of French descent, who predeceased her. She died at Clevedon, Somerset, on 24 Aug. 1887, and is buried in the cemetery there.

[Allibone's Dict. iii. 2837, Suppl. i. 734 (under 'Guyton'); Athenæum, 10 Sept. 1887; private information.]  WORCESTER, second [See Somerset, Edward (1601-1667) (DNB00), 1601-1667.]  WORCESTER, [See Percy, Thomas (d.1403) (DNB00), d. 1403; Tiptoft, John (1427?-1470) (DNB00), 1427?-1470; Somerset, Charles (DNB00), first earl, 1460?-1526; Somerset, William (DNB00), third earl, 1526-1589; Somerset, Edward (1553-1628) (DNB00), fourth earl, 1553-1628.]  WORCESTER or, WILLIAM (1415–1482?), chronicler and traveller, was son of William de Worcester, a substantial burgess of Bristol, and Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Botoner by his wife Matilda, who died on 20 July 1402, leaving her son-in-law one of her executors (Itinerarium, p. 276). Thomas Botoner seems to have come to Bristol from Buckingham (ib. p. 172, cf. p. 277). His grandson, who was born in St. James's parish, Bristol, in 1415, sometimes signed himself Botoner, frequently introducing the unexplained letters H. R. into or above his signature (Paston Letters, i. 291; the first letter may possibly stand for Hibernicus; see below). He went to Oxford in 1431, and became scholar of Great Hart Hall, then attached to Balliol (Itinerarium, pp. 178, 222;, p. 115). The manuscript of the ‘Cosmographia’ of John Phreas [q. v.] in Balliol College Library was presented by Worcester. His expenses at Oxford, which he left about 1438, are said to have been defrayed by Sir John Fastolf, who subsequently took him into his service; but this is an erroneous inference from his note in the book just mentioned (cf. Liber Niger, i. xxvi). For many years down to Fastolf's death Worcester acted as his secretary, and was sent by him on missions to London and to hold his courts at Castlecombe in Wiltshire (Paston Letters, i. 289, 430). After his master's settlement at Caister Castle in 1454, he resided there when in Norfolk. But, useful as he was to Fastolf, the close-fisted and irritable old knight would not assign him any fixed position or salary, ‘and so,’ wrote Worcester to John Paston, ‘I endure inter egenos ut servus ad aratrum’ (ib. i. 300, 371). Between his master's arbitrary ill-humour and his fellow-servants' jealousy he had, according to his own account of it, but a poor time (ib. i. 369, 404). Fastolf had no legitimate issue, and as he drew near to his end his wealth was an apple of discord among those who surrounded him.

Worcester found some relief in literary and historical pursuits. Being detained in London in the summer of 1458 by one of Fastolf's many lawsuits, he seized the opportunity to carry on his studies. ‘Worcester,’ wrote a fellow-servant, ‘hath goon to scole, to a Lumbard called Karoll Giles, to lern and to be red in poetre or els in Frensh; for he hath byn with the same Karoll every day ii tymes or iii, and hath bought divers boks of hym, for the which, as I suppose, he hath put hymself in daunger to the same Karoll. I made a mocion to William to have known his besiness, and he answered and said that he wold be as glad and feyn of a good boke of Frensh or of poetre as my Master Fastolf wold be to purchace a faire manoir; and thereby I understand he list not to be commynd with all in such matiers’ (ib. i. 431).

Worcester's frequent absences from Caister during the last two years of Fastolf's life probably injured his prospects. John Paston [q. v.] obtained great influence over the old knight, and after his death on 5 Nov. 1459 Paston with Thomas Howes, parson of Blofield, propounded a will said to have been made two days before which left him residuary legatee. A barren executorship was all that fell to Worcester, though he afterwards asserted that Fastolf had orally declared his intention of providing for him and his