Lucrezia Borgia is one of those figures in history that we are taught to believe was a really evil person. The name of Borgia alone conjures up a images of poison, ruthless ambition, incest, cruelty, among other unsavoury traits. More than likely, what we’ve learned about her is from anti-Borgia propaganda, and therefore, not to be taken as… Read on
Stage Beauty, is a film from 2004 which starred Claire Danes as the first actress, Margaret Hughes, and Billy Crudup, as Ned Kynaston. The film is based on the play, “Compleat Female Stage Beauty” by Jeffrey Hatcher. Ned Kynaston is a shining star of Restoration-era drama, and his over-feminine portrayal of Desdemona in Shakespeare’s Othello is popular. He relishes his female… Read on
The humans remains found a few months ago buried in a car park in Leicester have today been confirmed as being those of King Richard III! Richard III has had a very bad reputation for hundreds of years – often described as being one of the worst monarchs to rule England. His time period is, granted, not my… Read on
Alessandro Melani was born on this day, the fourth of February, 1639, in Pistoia. He was born into a family of musicians and one of his brothers was a castrato singer. Castratos were increasingly popular as the Seventeenth Century went on, and they reached their zenith of popularity in the Eighteenth century. I quite like Melani’s music, as… Read on
The Devil’s Whore (2008) is a gorgeous four-part series set during the English Civil War which tells the tale of a beautiful teenaged girl, Angelica Fanshawe, who is rich, aristocratic, and lucky enough to be in the same social circles as King Charles I. She marries her best friend, Harry, who wants her to be submissive (rightly so,… Read on
The Lady and the Highwayman, from 1989, starred Hugh Grant as Lord Lucius Vyne, also known as Silver Blade, the Royalist highwayman, and the beautiful Lysette Anthony as Panthea Vyne, the young lady he has promised to protect. Panthea’s story takes place after the English Civil War during the Interregnum in which Oliver Cromwell was Lord Protector. Panthea, beautiful, sweet,… Read on
The following satire was written by John Wilmot, the debauched Earl of Rochester, in 1678. The following is one of the few I can put here (his naughty bits are found in Bawdy House Banter). Crushed by that just contempt his follies bring On his crazed head, the vermin fain would sting; But never satyr did so softly… Read on
Constancy “Love unreturned, howe’er the flame Seem great and pure, may still admit Degrees of more, and a new name And strength acceptance gives to it. Till then, by honour there’s no tie Laid on it, that it ne’er decay; The mind’s last act by constancy Ought to be sealed, and not the way. Did aught but love’s… Read on