Tag Archives: Restoration

Restoration 360

Hi there! Last year, my friend Claire Hobson had planned for a day of history talks to coincide with the 360th anniversary of the Restoration of the Stuart monarchy in 1660 with King Charles II. This event was also going to be a fundraiser for the charity, Mind, for mental health. Unfortunately, shortly before we were going to… Read on

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Book Review: ‘Royal Mistress’ by Patricia Campbell Horton

‘Royal Mistress’ by Patricia Campbell Horton follows the story of Barbara Villiers from her adolescence, her passionate relationship with her first love, Philip Stanhope, Earl of Chesterfield, through her marriage to Roger Palmer, her notorious reign as Charles II’s long-term mistress, through Charles’s marriage to Catherine of Braganza, her rivalry with Frances Stuart, up to her becoming Duchess… Read on

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Epidemic: Were the Powers that Be Powerless to Prevent the Plague?: A Guest Post by Claire Canary

One of the many things to really slow me down in writing historical fiction is the level of interest I’ve taken in my research. Nevertheless, it’s been the best learning experience of my life! Thanks to works such as Rebecca Rideal’s 1666: Plague, War and Hellfire, I’ve built the confidence to take Andrea up on her kind offer… Read on

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Charles II’s Scottish Coronation: A Guest Post by Cryssa Bazos

The Scottish Coronation of King Charles II by Cryssa Bazos There is an iconic painting of Charles II, commemorating his coronation in 1661 at Westminster, following the Restoration of the monarchy. An ermine robe is draped over his shoulders, he holds the orb and sceptre in each hand, and the English crown rests firmly on his head. But… Read on

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Film Review: The Wicked Lady (1945)

The Wicked Lady is a film that was released in 1945 and starred Margaret Lockwood, James Mason, and Patricia Roc, and was set in 1683 England. The story begins with a young couple – Caroline and Ralph – who are happily engaged and set to marry in a few days’ time. Caroline, warm and genuine, is completely in… Read on

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Review: Restoration by Rose Tremain

Rose Tremain’s Restoration is probably one of the most popular novels set in the seventeenth century, and with good reason: it’s a great book. Originally published back in 1989, I was but four years old and obviously far too young to read it. That being said, it is lamentable that it took until 2015 for me to get… Read on

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Frenchman’s Creek by Daphne du Maurier

When I finished listening to the audiobook version of Frenchman’s Creek by Daphne du Maurier, I was left sitting at my kitchen table in floods of tears. What a moving story! The first thing I thought after I finished was that this was rather like The Bridges of Madison County – a woman is married to someone and has children… Read on

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Review: Life in a 17th Century Coffeehouse

I just read Life in a 17th Century Coffeehouse by David Brandon and, by and large, I enjoyed it. This is a quick read as it is short (8 chapters and 90 pages long), but it is jam-packed with information and written in a very readable, entertaining style. The chapter on “The Everyday Life of a Coffee Shop” was… Read on

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“They Called Her Babylon” – Guest Post by M.J. Logue

The Seventeenth Century is pleased to welcome M.J. Logue today. I’m currently working on an anthology with Logue and several other 17th-and-18th-century writers which should be out for your enjoyment later this year. Bolton, the Geneva of the North. My own, and Captain Hollie Babbitt’s, home town. A fiercely Puritan town, so-called in reference to the Swiss town… Read on

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“My Dearest Minette: Letters between Charles II and his sister”

Ruth Norrington’s beautifully-bound and carefully selected compilation of letters between King Charles II and his sister, Henrietta, Duchesse d’Orleans is a wonderful read for anyone remotely interested in the Restoration court and the colourful people associated with it. [amazon template=image&chan=default&asin=0720609917] The book begins with an excellent, concise short history of the time shortly before and after the birth… Read on

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1660’s London: Guest Post by Katherine Pym

Please welcome 17th-century historical fiction author Katherine Pym to The Seventeenth Century Lady! My work in progress (WIP) is titled The Barbers, a historical novel set in London 1663. Due to the current events of the 1660’s, my goal is to write a novel per year until 1666. So far, I have released stories that mark each year 1660-1662. This… Read on

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Elegant Evelyn

John Evelyn is my favourite diarist of the 17th century. Why? He calmly noted things that happened, what he observed, with none of the high marital drama that Samuel Pepys recounted in his diary. Also, he was far more prolific in his writing than the far more popular Pepys – he travelled extensively for a man of his… Read on

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Stage Beauty

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

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“On Poet Ninny” by John Wilmot

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

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