The Lost Case for Murder, 6 February 1685 by Stephen M. Carter In today’s social media-filled world, conspiracy theories and fake news spread like a wildfire that burns truth in its path. Therefore, when we look back at history we do so with envy. Surely, the facts are the facts? Especially when later writers repeat the same accounts,… Read on
Mistresses: Sex and Scandal at the Court of Charles II, written by historian Linda Porter and published by Picador in 2020, is the second book on the Stuarts of the seventeenth century by Dr Porter, the first being, Royal Renegades: The Children of Charles I and the English Civil Wars. Porter previously wrote several books on Tudor history,… Read on
Good day to you all! Please welcome 17th-century historical fiction author Anita Davison (who writes as Anita Seymour) to The Seventeenth Century Lady! ______________________________________________________ I was born in Islington, and hail from a family of Londoners, and although I was brought up in the suburbs, I was fed a diet of family stories about wartime London and the… Read on
Today I have the pleasure of welcome my friend – and fellow 17th-century buff – Anna Belfrage to The Seventeenth Century Lady. Anna has written several wonderful historical novels, and I’m sure you’ll love her guest post. _______________ Falling in Love with Mr Unknown – How One Painting Inspired a Whole Series It’s all the fault of the… Read on
Many of you know that I was eagerly anticipating this programme ever since I heard about it. I am always so pleased when filmmakers decide to set a story in the 17th-century. The more programmes and films that are made about this time period will make it as popular as the Tudors are. I thought The Devil’s Whore… Read on
This post is dedicated to Mary, a controversial, intelligent, beautiful, ill-fated, yet beloved Queen, died on this day the 28th of December, 1694. She was only thirty-two years old. I say that she was controversial because her reign was, and still is, a subject of controversy. You see, William and Mary were invited to take the throne… Read on
Please welcome Historical fiction/romance writer, Francine Howarth to The Seventeenth Century Lady! Thank you so much Andrea for inviting me over to your blog and for letting me run riot across the page brandishing sword, pistol and musket in true Cavalier style. But first, let me say I favour neither Cavalier or Parliamentarian within my series of novels set within the… Read on
In an interview with Charles II, I would ask the following: Were you frightened that the same fate that befell your father would eventually happen to you? Once and for all, were you, or were you not, married to Lucy Walter? If not, why do you believe there was such intense speculation surrounding your relationship with her? Where… Read on
Thursday night at Fleetwood Public Library in Lancashire, I gave my first book talk about His Last Mistress. I met some really lovely people and it was an enjoyable evening. My husband was filming the event, but only 1/3 of the talk was captured because the video filled up the SD card far too quickly! At least you’ll… Read on
Hello everyone! This is just a heads up. My guest post entitled, The Stuart Curse: The Tragic Lives of a 17th-Century Dynasty is on the English Historical Fiction Authors page now. I hope you enjoy it.
On Monday the 15th of July, I went to Tower Hill where I spoke about the life of James Scott, Duke of Monmouth. I will now include photos and excerpts I used from contemporary sources. It was a beautiful day to remember a beautiful man. It was a very hot and sunny, and I bought two bouquets of… Read on
Ford, Lord Grey, was one of the Duke of Monmouth’s closest friends, and played a particularly important role both in the Rye-House Plot of 1683 and Monmouth’s Rebellion in 1685. During the course of researching His Last Mistress, I re-read The Confession of Ford, Lord Grey, which he wrote during his incarceration at the Tower of London in… Read on
I am an unabashed romantic. That being said, I do not require the majority of the books I read to end happily ever after. In fact, all of my favourite romances from history and literature have been tragic. I grew up reading Arthurian legends, Thomas Hardy, Shakespeare’s tragedies, and more. I must be frank with you, I have… Read on
This will be an informal meetup to commemorate the tragic execution of James Scott, Duke of Monmouth and Buccleuch on the 15th of July, 1685. We will meet by the plaque between Tower Hill Tube Station and The Liberty Bounds pub. This is generally the area upon which his execution took place. There will be readings of excerpts… Read on
I was given permission to share the selected cover with you. What do you think? I’m quite happy. It shows the passion between these two star-crossed lovers well! You can now buy it! [amazon asin=B00CX1PYZA&template=image&chan=default]
The 313th anniversary of the death of the major seventeenth-century Restoration dramatist and first Poet Laureate, John Dryden, occurred recently on the 1st of May (1700). I felt quite bad about neglecting such an event, so here’s my little homage to Dryden’s work: King David, from “Absalom and Achitophel”: In pious times, ere priestcraft did begin, Before polygamy… Read on
Hi everyone! I’ve been a busy little bee in recent days, well, recent months. After writing the novella, sending it around to four proofreaders, hacking it up and re-writing bits, changing things here and there, I finally just sent it to the publishers. It’s quite an experience, I have to say, waiting around, sweaty-palmed, my heartbeat nearing palpitation… Read on
Taunton Castle now houses the Museum of Somerset, which is a fabulous place for both human history and natural history, with fossils and other fascinating things from the prehistoric past. It’s definitely worth visiting if you’re in the West Country! I came to Taunton Castle to research more about the Monmouth Rebellion of 1685, and this building played… Read on
Blake Museum is nestled in a little street near the heart of Bridgwater, only a few minutes walk from St. Mary’s Church at 5 Blake Street, Bridgwater, TA6 3NB. This was the home of Admiral Robert Blake (1598-1657) who was one of the most important men from this town. His bust is on display in St. Mary’s Church.… Read on
A church has stood in this spot since before the Norman Conquest of 1066. The painting in the middle, above the altar, is a seventeenth century piece called The Deposition, and there is controversy as to who the artist was who painted it. Some say it is Italian, others, Spanish. It could be Murillo or Guido. We may… Read on
I’m just adding the review for this that I gave them on TripAdvisor: I was in this area researching for my novel about the Duke of Monmouth and the Battle of Sedgemoor. Doing this, I worked up quite an appetite, and I looked around for somewhere to eat. This inn has excellent location, right next to the historic… Read on
One of the things on my bucket list was to visit the site of the Battle of Sedgemoor, and I was able to cross that one off the list. But…I have a confession to make…I got lost… How can this be possible? Well, see the photo above? I asked a passing local which direction, and I was told… Read on