Guest Post: Anna Belfrage on 17th century religious conflicts

Today we welcome Anna Belfrage to HT as part of the blog tour to celebrate the release of The Prodigal Son, the third book in the Graham Saga.

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I’d like to start by thanking Historical Tapestry – and the ladies behind the blog – for taking part in the on-going blog tour for my book, The Prodigal Son by allowing me the opportunity to share my ramblings here.  The Prodigal Son is set in the latter half of the 17^th century, a period defined by religious conflicts, and the below is an attempt to give some background to these tumultuous times.

In 1637, a young Scottish woman stood up in the midst of the church service, gripped her stool and hurled it at the dean. Picture the scene; St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh is crammed with people, most of them there under protest, the dean is shifting from foot to foot, now and then his voice squeaks as he reads his way through the new liturgy. Up stands Jenny Geddes, incensed to the point of self-combustion, and sends her stool flying. Moments later, St Giles is a cacophony of raised voices, people shove and push and the poor dean retreats behind a stout pillar to avoid being hit by all the objects that people are throwing.

So why all the hullabaloo? Well, it all comes down to religion – it often does, even in these days – and the conflict between Charles I, who wanted to impose a book of common prayer on all his subjects, and the leaders of the Scottish Kirk, who would rather eat a plate of toadstools than acquiesce to their sovereign’s meddling with their beliefs.

When Jenny stood up that day in St Giles, I am sure she acted out of conviction. I am, however, far more doubtful as to the spontaneity of her little protest. For months the Scottish Kirk has organised protests, fanning the righteous anger of their flock into explosive fire. In keeping with the example set by John Knox, the father of the Scottish reformation, the Scottish Kirk of the seventeenth century insisted it should govern itself. When Charles tried to force the issue, the Kirk fought back – successfully, one might add.

Incensed ministers of the Kirk called their flocks together, all over Scotland men came together to sign the National Covenant, a document that stated that no king had the right to come between man and God. It also served as a call to arms, and some years on the Scottish Covenanter Army was a force to be reckoned with, ably led by battle hardened veterans from the Thirty Year War.

Charles I lost his throne – and his life – as a consequence of his meddling. Okay, okay, that is a simplification, because while religious controversy was the spark that ignited the Civil War, there were other, far more pragmatic, political reasons behind the ousting of the king.

All of this happened well before the events in The Prodigal Son – but the reality Matthew Graham and his wife, Alex, experience, is very much a consequence of the religious upheaval in the preceding decades. Charles II came to the throne with the intent of staying on it – and while he showed commendable clemency on most matters, he came down like a ton of bricks on the men who had signed the order of execution for Charles I and on anyone arguing religious matters fell outside the king’s control. This included those stubborn, loud-mouthed Scottish ministers and their refusal to kowtow to their king as overlord of their Kirk…

Charles II looking dark and dangerous

For men raised on the National Covenant, for men who had fought for their right to pray and believe as was taught by their Kirk, it was impossible to meekly abjure their faith. Instead, the congregations followed their ministers out on the moor to listen to the word of God as they considered it should be preached (a lot of brimstone and fire, no mealy-mouthed references to gambolling lambs in green pastures, not in a land defined by its core of harsh granite – both in its mountains and in its people). A deadly cat-and-mouse game followed, with the soldiers of the king chasing ministers and followers over the moors, while said ministers (and followers) did their best to evade them. Men were fined, they were flogged, and many of them were deported, some were executed in creative ways (such as being tied to a stake while the tide was out and left to drown when the tide came back in. Must be an awful way to die…) Still these stubborn Scots clung to their Kirk, still they refused to accept the hegemony of the king.

“Idiots,” Alex Graham mutters when she reads this. (For Alex all this religious stuff is totally incomprehensible. Well, it would be, seeing as she was born in 1976… Being yanked out of her time and propelled three centuries backwards comes with serious complications.)

“How idiots?” Matthew looms over his wife, hazel eyes burning into hers. He looks quite intimidating, but Alex seems unperturbed.

“You’re risking everything,” she hisses. “What if…” She breaks off and turns her back on her husband. “One day your luck will run out, Matthew Graham, and then what?”

“I go canny, lass. But you can’t expect me to sit on my hands when…”

Alex wheels. “Why not? Why can’t you just stay out of it?” Her hands whiten as she tightens her hold on her skirts and her eyes are uncommonly dark in her pale face.

“I can’t. These are my brothers, Alex, these are my ministers. Of course I must help.”

“And risk your life – our lives.”

“It won’t come to that,” he tries, placing his big hands on her shoulders.

“How do you know?” Her voice wobbles. “How can you stand here and tell me things will be okay when both of us know that sometimes they go very, very wrong?”

“I…”

Alex holds up her hand and backs away. “I don’t want to hear, okay?”

“Alex,” he groans. She shakes her head and stumbles off. I think she’s crying, but knowing Alex she wouldn’t like me to go after her – at least not now.

I throw Matthew a long look. “She’s right, you know. Your involvement may come at a heavy price.”

He gnaws his lip. “I must follow my conscience.”

“And what about her?” I point at his wife, now halfway up the hill. “Who comes first, Matthew? Your wife and family or your faith?”

“Both,” he tries.

I shake my head, “Ultimately you’ll have to choose. Don’t leave it too late, okay?”

“Too late?” His eyes are stuck on Alex.

“Too late,” I nod. “Some things lost can never be replaced.”

Matthew blanches and looks at me. “I have no choice,” he says hoarsely.

“Of course you do – all of us do.” I pat his arm. “Let’s just hope you make the right choice – for you and for her.” I’m talking to air. Matthew is bounding off in pursuit of his wife.

“Alex,” he calls. “Wait for me!”

It is somewhat ironic that the two king(s) that succeeded in totally rubbing most of the Scottish Protestants up the wrong way were, in fact, Scots. Charles I and his son were Stuarts, a dynasty young on the English throne, old on the Scots, but they were quick to forget their old homeland when presented with the tantalising – and exceedingly richer – aspects of their new, southern kingdom. As we all know, pride comes before fall, and some years on the last Stuart king would lose his throne to a large extent due to the lack of support from the Lowland Scots. 

But those events, dear reader, are the matter for a future instalment in The Graham Saga.

Tour Details

Link to Tour Schedule: http://hfvirtualbooktours.com/theprodigalsontour/
Twitter Hashtag: #ProdigalSonTour
Anna Belfrage's website.
Anna Belfrage on Facebook
About the Author

I was raised abroad, on a pungent mix of Latin American culture, English history and Swedish traditions. As a result I’m multilingual and most of my reading is historical -  both non-fiction and fiction.

I was always going to be a writer - or a historian, preferably both. Instead I ended up with a degree in Business and Finance, with very little time to spare for my most favourite pursuit. Still, one does as one must, and in between juggling a challenging career I raised my four children on a potent combination of invented stories, historical debates and masses of good food and homemade cakes. They seem to thrive … Nowadays I spend most of my spare time at my writing desk. The children are half grown, the house is at times eerily silent and I slip away into my imaginary world, with my imaginary characters. Every now and then the one and only man in my life pops his head in to ensure I’m still there. I like 

that – just as I like how he makes me laugh so often I’ll probably live to well over a hundred. 

I was always going to be a writer. Now I am - I have achieved my dream.

The Black Pearl by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles

The saga of the Morlands continues, with hope reborn as the monarchy is restored after Cromwell's Commonwealth. For Ralph Morland, the return of the King is a chance to rebuild the family estates and fortune, and for the beautiful and ambitious Annunciata, the Restoration brings a journey to London...

I am not 100% sure why, but it has been more than 18 months since I read The Oak Apple, which is the fourth book in the sprawling Morland dynasty series. I can assure you that it will not be that long before I read the next one! I reviewed the first four books in the series here.

The previous book in the series, The Oak Apple, covers the events leading up to the removal of Charles I from the throne and the establishment of the English Commonwealth as headed by Oliver Cromwell. This book mostly skips the Commonwealth years, although it does deal with the tail end of that era, but then picks up speed as Charles II is called back from exile and ascends to the throne!

When the book opens the main focus is on Ralph Morland. He is head of the family, but the influence that once would have accompanied that position has been somewhat diminished as a result of having supported the Royalist side during the Civil War. Like other Royalists the Morlands were forced to pay huge fines, and large sections of Morland land has had to be sold off to meet these costs.

Ralph is married to Mary, who is quite a devout Catholic, which was still very dangerous during the end days of the Commonwealth. He has also drawn the enmity of the local magistrate who would love to see nothing more than himself becoming the owner of Morland.

As it seems is normal, in a Morland novel, some characters are introduced and others are killed off, and as always there are cousins falling love all over the place which is hard for us to necessarily understand but was seemingly normal at the time.

One character who was in little danger of being killed off, in this book at least, is cousin Annunciata. She is the daughter of Ruth, a wealthy spinster, but no one except Ruth knows exactly who her father was and Ruth isn't telling! Annunciata is headstrong and beautiful and captures the hearts of all the men around her at Morland with the utmost of ease. When Charles II returns to the throne she makes her way to London to join the Court. Given Charles' notorious reputation when it comes to women, it was something of a relief to see that Harrod-Eagles didn't take the most obvious route and make Annunciata one of his mistresses. That doesn't mean to say that Annunciata doesn't manage to stay out of trouble completely!

I have posted before about how much I enjoy reading about the Restoration court of Charles II and this book was no exception. I was also glad to see more of Charles' cousin Prince Rupert of the Rhine, a man that I would be just as happy to find out more about! The other major historical event that occurs in the pages of this volume of the saga is the onset of the plague, but I am not telling exactly how the plague affects all of our characters!

I really enjoyed this instalment of the Morland story! On to The Long Shadow now.

Rating 4.5/5

You can read Ana's thoughts about this book by clicking on this link.

Guest Post: Time Travelling to the court of Charles II by Susan Holloway Scott

Today we would like to welcome Susan Holloway Scott to Historical Tapestry. Susan is the author of several books set in the raucous and riotous (at times) court of Charles II.

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To celebrate the release of my new historical novel, The Countess & the King (available September 7), Marg suggested I do a bit of time travel, and imagine a weekend jaunt back to London in 1670, to the royal court of Charles II at Whitehall Palace.

Since I’m from Pennsylvania, which in 1674 is an English colony, I figure I’d be welcome enough. But Pennsylvania is still a primitive outpost of farmers and fur-traders and I’m woefully unstylish, so my first stop at the palace will be to visit the rooms of Louise de Keroualle. Louise is Charles’s current mistress (and the heroine of my last book, The French Mistress), a beautiful French lady known for her exquisite Parisian taste. If anyone can loan me suitable dress for court, then it would be Louise, who has a larger wardrobe than the queen herself and more jewels, too. We’re both tall, so I can borrow a gown without any alterations – though those tight-laced stays she favors will take a little getting used to. Oof!

Then it’s off to join the others already assembled in the Banqueting House, used for evening balls, masques, and gatherings. I’m presented to His Majesty, and I hope I make an acceptable curtsey. But Charles is more concerned with putting me at my ease, and he’s every bit as charming as everyone says, and looks exactly like his portraits. He honors me by asking to dance, but politely I must refuse, since I haven’t the faintest idea of the steps to a sarabande. Instead he dances with Nell Gwyn (the heroine of The King’s Favorite), a former actress who is now another of the royal mistresses. Little Nell’s a much better dancer than I’d ever be, her tiny feet kicking high and auburn curls bouncing.

I’m searching the crowd for others I’d like to meet. Across the room I see Barbara Palmer, Duchess of Cleveland (heroine of Royal Harlot), and though she’s no longer in favor as Charles’s mistress, she’s still seductive, and flirting outrageously with three much younger gentlemen. There’s the fox-faced Duke of Buckingham in the corner, doubtless plotting more political mischief to try Charles’s patience, and there’s the handsome, witty Earl of Rochester, who has clearly already had far too much to drink. Trying hard to appear as if he belongs is that plump little man from the navy board, Samuel Pepys; perhaps I should tell him that the gossipy diary he’s carefully keeping in code will one day be deciphered and printed for all the world to read.

But at last I find Katherine Sedley, the heroine of The Countess & the King. Even in this crowd, she stands out, for she’s thin and angular and not conventionally beautiful like the other ladies. For a mere maid of honor, she’s expensively dressed – after all, she’s a wealthy heiress in her own right – but what impresses me more is how funny she is, her humor sharp and wry. She’s very outspoken about the other courtiers, and we laugh together at her devastating observations. But her dark eyes keep looking past me, searching for someone else. I glance over my shoulder, and there he is – James, the king’s younger brother, his gaze intent on Katherine. She opens her fan slowly, one blade at a time, and smiles at him in unspoken invitation. He’s not seeing any other lady in the room but her, and she understands exactly what he wants, and more, what he needs.

And yes, I can guess what will happen next….

Katherine Sedley

James II

Here’s a link to an excerpt from The Countess and the King on my website (susanhollowayscott.com).

I hope you’ll also stop by my blog with fellow author Loretta Chase, where we discuss history, writing, and yes, even the occasional pair of great shoes: http://twonerdyhistorygirls.blogspot.com/

The Historical Fiction Bloggers Round Table have been featuring The Countess and the King for the last few days so if you would like to hear more about Katherine Sedley and the court of Charles II, then you may like to visit the following links. There are also chances to win a copy of the book on these blogs as well.

Hist-FicChick: Two Merry Ladies: Katherine Sedley and Nell Gwyn,
Enchanted by Josephine: Dressing a Royal Bridegroom:
The Maiden's Court: The Fine Art of Poetical Slander:
Historically Obsessed: Introducing Katherine Sedley:
All Things Royal: Guest blog, 9/2, Two Brothers, Two Kings:

Guest post: Charles II's London in July 1660

Gillian Bagwell is the author of the upcoming novel The Darling Strumpet, based on the life of Nell Gwynn, who rose from the streets to become one of London’s most beloved actresses and the life-long mistress of King Charles II.

This is the third in a series of monthly articles chronicling the events from May 1660 through January 1661, in commemoration of the 350^th anniversary of the Restoration of the English monarchy, the reopening of the playhouses, which had been closed for eighteen years under Cromwell, and the first appearance of an actress on the English stage, in contrast to the old practice of boys playing women’s roles.

For further information about the articles and Gillian’s books, please visit her website, gillianbagwell.com.

JULY 1660

July 1660 was another busy month for the newly restored Charles II and his government.

More men who had been responsible for the sentencing and execution of Charles I were arrested.  On Thursday, July 12, Thomas Scott and Colonel Daniel Axtell took up residence in the Tower, and the cell doors slammed on Sir Arthur Haslerig and Sir Harry Vane a day later.  The identity of the King’s executioner had not yet been determined, and in fact it never was, but one suspect, William Giffen, was imprisoned in the Castle of Edinburgh.

In April 1660, before Parliament invited him to return to England, Charles II had issued the Declaration of Breda, promising full pardon to anyone who applied to him for their actions during the wars.  The only people to be exempted were “Oliver Cromwell, Henry Ireton, John Bradshaw, John Cooke, their pretended solicitor, and all others who did actually sit and vote in the murder of our royal father.”  The House of Commons passed the Indemnity Bill in early July, but the House of Lords wanted to exempt everyone who had either sat in judgment on Charles I or signed his death warrant, with the sole exception of Colonel Hutchinson.  The King, frustrated by the delay and the possibility that the Lords would negate his promise to his newly-loyal subjects that they wouldn’t have to look over their shoulders in fear, went to the Lords and harangued them to pass the Bill as he had originally intended it.

As always, money was a problem.  The Army and the Navy were costing £6000 a day.  To give a general idea of how much money this was, according to Liza Picard’s Restoration London, a penny would buy a pound of the cheapest cheese, three red or white herrings, or a loaf of bread, depending on the size.  Not everyone thought the expense of the armed forces was necessary or advisable.  Lord Falkland argued that it was inconsistent for there to be both a Parliament and an army, and now the wars were over, the army should be disbanded in favor of the Trained Bands.  Colonel Birch thought an army endangered the people’s liberties.  Not surprisingly, the King didn’t agree, and the issue of a standing army remained contentious throughout his reign.

Another pressing problem was whether the Church of England would keep some of its Presbyterian aspects or whether the bishops would be returned to full authority.  On July 9, the Grand Committee for Religion debated all day and through an hour of darkness until candles were brought it, and then while the candles were twice blown out.  Finally they decided the King could “call such a number of divines as His Majesty shall think fit to advise concerning matters of religion,” and adjourned until October.

Not all was business.  On Thursday, July 5, the King, his brothers the Dukes or York and Gloucester, and both Houses of Parliament were entertained at the Guildhall with an elaborate pageant, “London’s Glory Represented by Time, Truth, and Fame.”  The Diurnal of Thomas Rugg recorded that “A lane [was] made in the Citty … by the livery men of several companies; and many pageants in the streets….  At Cheap sid his Majesty beheld a famous pagien, and staid there for som little space, where were speeches made by the lady paganetts.”  John Evelyn “… saw his Majestie go with as much pompe & splendor as any Earthly prince could do to the greate Citty feast … but the exceeding raine which fell all that day, much eclips’d its luster.”  Ah, summertime in London.  The average temperature for the month was 15˚C/59˚F.  Evelyn noted the “immense cost” of the event, which according to several sources, was £7888 2 s. 6d., enough to support those expensive soldiers and sailors for about 31 hours.

Our friend the diarist Samuel Pepys took up his post as Clerk of the Acts, after making a deal to pay £50 a year to old Mr. Barlow, who had held the post under Charles I and who Pepys had been dismayed to learn was still alive.  The King was continuing to reward his loyal supporters with titles.  Pepys’s patron became the Earl of Sandwich.  General Sir George Monck, who had almost single-handedly engineered the Restoration, was made the Duke of Albemarle and Master of the Horse.  James Butler, the Marquess of Ormonde, who had been one of the King’s most valued companions and advisors in exile, was made Grand Master of the Royal Household. 

Londoners continued to flock to have Charles touch them to cure them of the King’s Evil, as scrofula was known.  In fact there were so many people lining up to be touched that some limits had to be imposed.  Charles touched 250 people at the Banqueting House on Monday, July 2, but then it was announced that he would touch only on Fridays, would only touch 200 people each week, and those wanting to be touched had to apply to the Royal Surgeon, Mr. Knight, in Russell Street, for tickets.  Still no democracy, however –Mr. Knight would call at the homes of “persons of quality” who wanted tickets. 

The King was engaged in other touching that was not so wearisome.  On Friday the 13^th, Pepys heard “great doings of music at the next house,” and learned that Charles and his brothers were “there with Mrs. Palmer, a pretty woman that they have a fancy to, to make her husband a cuckold.”  Pepys was uncharacteristically behind on keeping up with the gossip.  Charles had met Barbara Palmer in Holland in February and she had almost immediately become his mistress.  In fact by the time Pepys was writing, she was already about six weeks pregnant by the King.

Although the playhouses had not yet been given official permission to open, at least three companies were performing.  Sir Henry Herbert reminded the actors that the Office of the Revels had had authority for “the allowance of plays, the ordering of players, and the permitting of playhouses … time out of mind,” and started cracking down.  On July 28, John Rhodes was fined £4 6s. for unauthorized performances at the Cockpit up to that date, and he and Christopher Beeston at Salisbury Court each promised to pay Sir Henry £4 a week when their companies acted.

Meanwhile, Thomas Killigrew and William Davenant were taking swift action to secure a monopoly on theatre in London.  Davenant had a patent issued by Charles I in 1639 giving him permission to build a theatre and establish an acting company.  On July 9, 1660, Killigrew got an order for a royal warrant permitting him to do the same.  On July 19, Davenant drafted a further order to be presented for the King’s signature.

It provided “a Grant unto our trusty and well beloved Thomas Killigrew Esquire, one of the Groomes of the Bedchamber and Sir William Davenant Knight, to give them full power and authoritie to erect Two Companys of Players consisting respectively of such persons as they shall chuse and apoint, and to purchase or build and erect at their charges as they shall think fitt Two House or Theatres with all convenient Roomes and other necessaries therto appertaining for the representations of Tragedys, Comedys, Playes, Operas, and all other entertainments of that nature.”

Davenant took a bold step further.  The document, written in the voice of the King, ordered, “Our pleasure is that there shall be no more places of Representations or Companys of Actors or Representors of sceanes in the Cittys of London or Westminster or in the liberties of them then the Two to be now erected by virtue of this authoritie, but that all others shall be absolutely suppressed.”

Sources and further reading:

Online:

The Diary of Samuel Pepys

http://www.pepysdiary.com

Met Office Hadley Center Observations Datasets

http://hadobs.metoffice.com/hadcet

Publications:

1660: The Year of Restoration, Patrick Morrah (Beacon Press, 1960)

The Commonwealth and Restoration Stage, Leslie Hotson (Cambridge Harvard University Press, 1928)

The Diary of John Evelyn, ed. Guy de la Bédoyère (Boydell Press, 1995; First Person Singular, 2004)

The London Stage, 1660-1800, A Calendar of Plays, Entertainments, and Afterpieces Together with Casts, Box-Receipts, and Contemporary Comment, Part I, 1660-1700, ed. William Van Lennep et al. (Southern Illinois University Press, 1963)

Pepys’s Diary, Volume I, selected and edited by Robert Latham (Folio Society, 1996)

Restoration London: Everyday Life in London 1660-1670, Liza Picard (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1997)