The Great History of the Manor Bouchove Part 1: Small Village in the Big World

By Pith Schure

We live in a house in the centre of a small village. With its stately façades and turret, the villagers sweetly call it châtelet. Before us, French noblesse stayed in it, gentry with impressive estates in France. During numerous holiday trips, we located and documented all of it. But that didn't give an answer to the question: How to present it in a digestible...no, into a captivating manner?
How to abridge the centuries and how to connect the turbulent history of Europe with everyday life in the village?
For that purpose, I introduced a family of estate stewards employed by the Masters of Bouchove. After all, 'masters come and go, but stewards stay'. Besides clerks, marketers and a villain.
Thus, I got a storyline and could start processing the numerous bits and pieces of information into three volumes that give the rich history of Bouchove.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Austin Macauley Publishers
• Release date: Jan 31, 2019
• ISBN: 9781528945295

Pith Schure

The author was born in Maastricht, Netherlands, before WW2. After secondary school, he moved to Wageningen to study at the Wageningen Agricultural University. That laid the basis for working in two dozen countries all over the world in the company of his wife, who gave him two girls and a boy. In 1968, he purchased a châtelet in the village of Bokhoven, that inspired him to take up local history, laying the basis for this historical novel. He stopped working in 2009 and sold the châtelet to move with his wife to a penthouse.

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About the Author

The author was born in Maastricht, Netherlands, before WW2. After secondary school, he moved to Wageningen to study at the Wageningen Agricultural University. That laid the basis for working in two dozen countries all over the world in the company of his wife, who gave him two girls and a boy. In 1968, he purchased a châtelet in the village of Bokhoven, that inspired him to take up local history, laying the basis for this historical novel. He stopped working in 2009 and sold the châtelet to move with his wife to a penthouse.

Dedication

To my wife.

Copyright Information

Copyright © Pith Schure (2019)

The right of Pith Schure to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with section 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers.

Any person who commits any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library.

ISBN 9781788483179 (Paperback)

ISBN 9781788483186 (Hardback)

ISBN 9781528945295 (E-Book)

www.austinmacauley.com

First Published (2019)

Austin Macauley Publishers Ltd

25 Canada Square

Canary Wharf

London

E14 5LQ

Acknowledgements

Thanks to my wife, children and those who’ve

given me guidance.

Foreword

It was on a Christmas night in the Saint John. The night this Cathedral in Brabant provides the best of what it can offer: darkness and light, wintry chill and human warmth, silence and bustle, angels singing and organ play, bread and wine, smoke and incense – in short: ‘splendor’.

In that atmosphere, I was musing about other things.

We live in a house nearby; an old house in a simple village. With its stately façades and turret, the villagers sweetly call it châtelet. We have lived there so long that the house and the village have come to life for us. All we could think of, we have amassed about it. During dozens of holiday trips, we followed the trail of the Bouchove nobility in southern resorts.

And thus opened a history of high nobility and toiling villagers. On the one hand, the small circle that lives in the big world, and on the other hand, the people who solely depend on their village and surrounding land.

A lot has already been written about the Manor Bouchove but what was missing was a complete and readable book for a wide readership. During that Christmas night, I was pondering about all that.

How could I bridge the centuries in a way that all the subsequent generations with distinguished men and elegant women would be stringing together? And how to connect the turbulent history of Europe in which they travelled with everyday life in the village?

As messages from heaven that night, I got one inspiration after the other to answer this question, ‘Hallelujah!’ I would create a number of figures whose lives would connect the separate historic facts together. Firstly, a family of estate stewards employed by the Masters of Bouchove. After all ‘masters come and go, but stewards stay’, besides clerks, marketers and a villain.

Thus, I got a storyline and could start processing the numerous bits and pieces of information into one volume on the rich history of Bouchove.

The story begins in 1790, on the first anniversary of the French Revolution and ends in 1928, the year in which the assets of the former manor Bouchove were sold by the last Countess. By looking back in the past, the history of a long, even very long, time before has been told. Remains mysticism. Such as the relation of La Licorne with the Virgin Mary, the existence of underground passages with spirits, a mausoleum with a countess immersed in sleep. It turns out that all comes out in a rosette in the middle of a labyrinth. In the story, the veils of all the mysteries are lifted, while insolvable riddles are left for what they are.

The writing was a pleasure in itself. Again and again, momentum had to be created to keep the stories alive, and occasionally the novel took over the lead of the historical sources. Therefore, a reliable overview of the illustrious history of the manor has been added.

Chapter 1: Paris

Wednesday, July 14, 1790

Emilie wakes up in a troubled mood. Lately, that happens to her quite often. The previous night, she fell asleep with the revolution on her mind, and during the night, she dreamed about it; and just now, she woke up with it. Her husband is sleeping quietly. He still believes firmly in his ability to lead things into the right direction. However laudable this might be, it is time that he saw the reality.

At the time, Marianne enters the room. She gestures her to remain silent, crawls out of her bed and takes over the tray to place it on the side table for Louis. With a conspiratorial look, she grabs Marianne by the arm, and together they sneak out of the bedroom.

Let him sleep. Last night, he came home late again, and later in the day, he will go to les Tuileries. The two of us take breakfast together. While Marianne goes to arrange breakfast in the kitchen, Emilie reads again the message that had been delivered the day before.

Back from the kitchen, Marianne finds her mistress in tears. She rushes over to her and comfortingly laying her arms around Emile’s neck, she reads over her shoulder the letter on the table.

’Madame, with all due respect to you, I cannot wait to make you aware of an imminent danger. Your spouse is today in Paris, the only aristocrat who is so valued that no one dares to openly oppose him. Unfortunately, he is an obstacle to some dark elements that want to eliminate the honourable Louis de Montmorency.

Avec.’

The message is clear, and thus the false sense of security must be left. Reason has gone, as has civilization. Whose life is ensured when an elected member of the Constituent Assembly, who is fully committed to the necessary reforms, is being threatened. And thus, everyone in this house is in danger, up to and including Jean in the stable, and Marie in the kitchen. Madame turns her head to Marianne. Start preparing for a final departure from this place. For this afternoon, I want a break. Louis could bring us to town.

* * *

It’s raining when Luc enters the restaurant on Rue St Antoine at noon. Adrien is already there for their monthly rendez-vous. "Bonjour, how are you? Rainy day!" Already, before he is fully seated at the table, he feels that something is troubling his friend. Not that this is surprising, because almost every day something is going on since the storming of the Bastille exactly one year ago.

A can of beer within reach and seated opposite one another at a table, Luc enquires, Well, how is it really?

It’s all right, let’s have something to eat.

Alright, the guy needs some time before he can tell.

"Do you know they are placing a huge tent between the ravage on la Bastille. They expect a lot of people, and there will be a great ball. ICI ON DANSE is written in large letters on the tent, so I’m curious. They are building all kinds of kiosks, and there are cafés, stalls, etc. I’m going to have a look over there. Are you coming along with me?"

The assault on La Bastille of 14 July 1789

I’d like to, but I really can’t, since I must leave.

After food is being served on their table, "Bon appétit!"

"Do not be misled by the appearance of unity. Today, they are allowed to celebrate ‘la fête de la fédération’, and tomorrow, they think in terms of ‘la tempête de la ségrégation’. It is too dangerous. Good friends insist that I leave the city immediately. So, after this lunch, I leave."

Ho, ho, my friend, if it is so dangerous for you, then it is also for me! For the first time, he gives a hearty laugh, because their positions, indeed, are not comparable at all. ‘Anne Adrien Pierre de…’, and that’s just the beginning of the name of the man opposite him. Three names are two too many nowadays, and by adding the rest, you risk to be killed. How would his famous uncle deal with all these threats?

Here’s the envelope. The next time you go to Mallet. Monsieur Guillaume himself knows about it. Nice guy, bit exact model, but that is part of his job.

This is always the hardest moment of their meetings, and this time, it is hitting extra hard. They have thought of him again, even now they are under attack themselves. "I’ll make up for it later, I promise."

Adrien looks up from this submissive tone. Would he really have no idea why he is taken care of? ‘Luc Lalicorne’, with that name, you do not play hide and seek, and it’s a beautiful name too, a name with alliteration.

The food quality has not suffered from the Revolution; though, the service is not what it used to be. After a few glasses of wine, they both cheer up. We could walk together under my umbrella to La Bastille. From there I will take some kind of vehicle to get out of town. From there on, I will take the diligence.

Moments later, they find the site with coaches to Porte d’Orléans. On the way, I swap again. That takes some time, but it is good to keep moving, let’s say. They grin at one another understandingly. "Once you arrive safely at home, you can go for dinner. Au revoir, Citoyen."

* * *

The once genteel carriage has been stripped of all frills. The doors look as if there has never been a code of arms on them. All that glitters have been removed; even the posh red spokes are put in dark tone. In it, Louis is sitting in thoughts; and his fellow passenger is realising ‘why’.

They drive into the direction of L’église actuelle de Saint-Sulpice and take to the left in order to ride via Rue du Bac to Pont Royal. Louis gets off at the Manège des Tuileries.

After, the carriage continues along the right bank of the Seine. Emilie gives the coachman a signal to turn left into Rue St Antoine. Because of the crowds, they continue slow, giving Emilie the opportunity to look out for the restaurant that Louis and she frequented before. If not mistaken, she is seeing now her nephew, Adrien, leaving the restaurant in the company of a young man.

Arriving at Place de la Bastille, the coachman and Marie help the ladies off. Rarely, the folks on this market are seeing such a fuss.

Working people are busy with the arrangements for the celebration of La Révolution, while curious citizens look on. Hawkers are doing extra good business on this day.

In between, the debris removal continues. The best materials have been stolen right after the demolition of la Bastille, but between the piles are still masses of stone blocks, which are suitable for construction, while the finer debris will serve as filling material for buildings and roadbeds.

Paris, route from Rue du Cherche Midi via les Tuileries to place de la Bastille (1)

Paris, route from Rue du Cherche Midi via les Tuileries to place de la Bastille (2)

Among the mixed Parisian crowd, foreign adventurers can be seen. These are characterised by the rags they wear and their noisiness, bad manners and strange speech.

Emilie suppresses her distaste for those scenes and is heading to the area with the better products.