Hoydens Round Up...

With three new members of the Hoydens and Firebrands team we thought it timely to do a little catch up on our recent releases and forthcoming news.

Starting with our newest members:

CHRISTY ROBINSON

Nothing much to report on my books, except I'm formatting a Kindle version of my third book into a paperback version. It's my nonfiction book, The DYERS of London, Boston, & Newport.
Find out more about Christy at http://marybarrettdyer.blogspot.com 



JO ANN BUTLER
The Golden Shore, the final mss for my Herodias Long trilogy, is coming together nicely. It should be ready to publish next spring, if I don't let playing bass clarinet in several community bands distract me!
To read more about Jo Ann visit http://www.rebelpuritan.com/






DEBORAH SWIFT 
My teen/adult novel 'Shadow on the Highway' - will be published by the UK's Endeavour Press. It is the first of a series of books based on the life of notorious Highwaywoman Lady Katherine Fanshawe, and is set at the end of the English Civil War. Great fun to write - you can read more about Lady Katherine here: http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/2014/04/13/my-main-character-lady-katherine-fanshawe/ 

'A Divided Inheritance' is now available as an audiobook and in large print. 

 Meanwhile, I am continuing work on my novel based around Pepys's Diary and on the sequel to 'Shadow on the Highway'.

ALISON STUART

My English Civil War, castle siege story, CLAIMING THE REBEL'S HEART came out in January to some lovely reviews. For more information and to read an excerpt visit my website: http://www.alisonstuart.com/claiming-the-rebels-heart.html

In a change of pace (or period), my first foray into Regency, a regency romantic suspense, LORD SOMERTON'S HEIR was published with Escape Publishing (and imprint of Harlequin Australia) in May.

I may have some other, really exciting news but I can't say anything yet... curses!

ANITA DAVISON - Some really big news...

I have two novels being re-released with Books We Love under the titles, The Rebel's Daughter and The Goldsmith's Wife.

The Rebel's Daughter

Helena Woulfe, the daughter of a wealthy Exeter nobleman leads a privileged life. 

However, as King Charles II's reign comes to an end, so does her innocence.
Rebellion sweeps the West Country and when her family is caught in its grip, she finds herself on the road searching for her missing Rebel father and brother after the Duke of Monmouth’s bloody defeat in battle at Sedgemoor.

King James II wants revenge on those who opposed him and their lives are further torn apart when soldiers ransack her home. 

The family estate is confiscated by the crown and given to their bitterest enemy.
Feeling bereft and abandoned, they go to London. Helena hopes the city will overlook 

their past and she can make a new life for herself, and perhaps find love. 

Only, there are others lurking, willing to do harm to a traitor's daughter.

Before she can find happiness with Guy, the man who offers her the security and 

respectability she seeks, she learns her family’s allegiances can snatch away her 

safety at any time.

The Goldsmith's Wife

It is 1688 and in London, and Helena has what she always wanted, respectability and security, although her brothers remain a worry - Aaron schemes in Holland with the Prince of Orange to depose the reigning King James II, and Henry carries his own sorrow, pining for another man's wife.

 

Prince William arrives in England to re-establish the Anglican Church,and when anti-Papist riots break out in London, Helena is forced to flee from her home – again.

 While Helena strives to keep what she holds dear, can she and her brothers attain what they desire and above all, will they ever learn the fate of their missing Father, who disappeared after the Battle of Sedgemoor?

KIM MURPHY

I had an excellent interview in The Atlantic for I Had Rather Die: Rape in the Civi War. 
http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/02/gender-race-and-rape-during-the-civil-war/283754/
And my second book in The Dreaming series Wind Talker will be released in the fall. Like Walks Through Mist, it will be a mix of the modern and 17th-century Virginia.

MARY SHARRATT reports she is between books at the moment and ANDREA ZUVICH is in the throes of moving house when all life stops... 

The Battle of Vienna: 1683

The Battle of Vienna 1683

I have just returned from a 3 week jaunt to Greece and Turkey. While thoroughly versed in Ancient Greek and Roman history, the more modern history of that area has eluded me. It is only in recent years (researching different stories) that my research path has crossed that of the Ottoman Empire and a visit to Istanbul and the Topkapi Palace in particular has opened my eyes to the extraordinary power that was once wielded by the Ottoman Sultans.

As my historical interest has mostly been English history, I had not really investigated much beyond the shores of England until, ironically, I became involved in this blog. This is a naive approach to historical study because history is comprised of inter connected events and people and English history does not stand on its own without touching that of European history and European history in turn is intimately interested in the Ottoman Empire which existed on its edges for over 400 years and presented a very real and present danger, particularly to the Austro-Hungarian borders controlled by the Holy Roman Empire. Immediately you can see there is a conflict between Christian and Muslim interests and this continued to roll on right through to the nineteenth century (Crimean War - see my article on causes of the Crimean War HERE) and to the very start of the First World War.

But this blog is about the seventeenth century and so I propose a very quick look at one encounter between the Ottoman Empire and the Levant within the context of that century.

The Ottoman Empire in 1683

By the beginning of the seventeenth century, the Ottoman Empire controlled the Mediterranean through its mastery of  northern Africa, the Holy Land, Greece and the Aegean Sea. It also controlled the Balkan countries and Hungary.  Over the two preceding centuries it had risen to the zenith of its power and influence but the 17th century would begin to see its decline. The “Habsburg-Ottoman” wars had been ongoing conflict since the 15th century as the Habsburg dynasty defended its territories in Spain and in Austro/Hungary.

Vienna was the prize the Ottoman Empire sought for its strategic importance in controlling the Danube and land trade routes. It had come close to gaining it in the 1530s when the Ottoman Sultan, Suleiman the Magnificent, laid siege to the city. Although badly outnumbered, Archduke Ferdinand, resisted stoutly and the Ottoman army withdrew, allowing Ferdinand to regain some of the lost territory in Hungary. By the start of the sixteenth century, Europe dissolved into the Thirty Years war (which I have written about in earlier posts HERE). The destabilisation allowed the Ottomans once more to set their sights on Vienna and in 1663 the Ottomans once more invaded Austria.

Their advance ended disastrously at the Battle of St. Gotthard, owing mostly to the intervention of the French on the side of the Austrians. Unfortunately the distraction of the French conquests on the Rhine did not allow the Austrians to follow through on their victory and the Ottoman Empire remained in control of Hungary, a predatory and restless neighbour.

Jan Sobieski/King John III of Poland

The Ottomans turned their attentions on Poland where they were comprehensively routed by the Polish commander, Jan Sobieski (to be elected King John III in 1674). A brilliant military commander, Sobieski’s forces roundly defeated the Ottoman incursion at the battle of Khotyn in 1673.

In March 1683,following agressive moves from the Ottomans in Hungary, the Polish King signed a treaty with the Holy Roman Emperor, Leopold in which the powers mutually agreed to come to the aid of the Vienna or Krakow, should the Ottomans attack again. In June of that year, Grand Vizier Kara Mustafa Pasha, his forces bolstered by troops from Transylvania and Tartars from the Crimea and invaded Austria and on 14 July 1683 laid siege once more to Vienna.

Grand vizier Kara Mustafa Pasha

 Despite being well prepared, the besieging forces cut off all outside resupply routes to Vienna and by September, the city was suffering severe hardship. Kara Mustafa could possibly have taken the city at that point with an all out attack but it is speculated that he wanted to take the city and all its treasures intact and an attack of that nature would inevitably lead to destruction and looting.

The Treaty of Warsaw had been invoked and in September Jan Sobieski and the Polish forces joined with those of Leopold. Command of the 70,000 allied forces was given over to Sobieski and he turned to confront the Ottoman forces of over 150,000.

Sobieski and the allied forces at the Battle of Vienn

The battle commenced at 4am on 12 September. The Ottomans had misjudged the Christian forces, allowing them to cross the Danube unopposed. The Ottomans launched an attack on the city hoping to take it before the Holy League forces arrived but they were too late. The brilliant leadership of Sobieski culminating in a massive cavalry charge, led to victory after a hard fought battle lasting well into the night. As the allied forces triumphed, the crescent moon disappeared behind a cloud, taken as a bad omen for the Ottoman forces.

Paraphrasing Caesar, Sobieski is said to have opined… “Veni, vedi, Deus vicit” (I came I saw, God conquered).

The execution of Kara Mustafa Pasha by strangulation

The Ottomans lost over 60,000 men as well as their entire baggage train. Kara Mustafa was executed by the Jannissaries in Belgrade and the defeat at Vienna marked the end of Ottoman expansion into Europe. By 1699 they had lost Hungary and Transylvania and in 1699 signed the Treaty of Karlowitz with the Holy Roman Empire.

And as a culinary legacy of this great battle, the Austrian bakers devised a pastry in the shape of crescent moon… a delicacy taken to France by the Austrian princess Marie Antoinette - the croissant. It is also said the “bagel” was also a legacy of this battle… a bread in the shape of a stirrup to commemorate the great charge of the Polish cavalry. 

 (Alison's next book, a regency set romantic suspense, LORD SOMERTON'S HEIR will be released by Escape Publishing on 1 May)

"Sweet Steenie" - George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham:

Duke of Buckingham

He was described as "the handsomest-bodied man in all of England"* James I called him his "sweet child and wife". He was James’ “Sweet Steenie” (a nickname that referenced St. Stephen, who was said to have had the face of an angel).

George Villiers (1592-1628), was born a commoner - a gentleman for sure, but still a commoner. His ambitious father, a Leicestershire knight, introduced the precocious and by all accounts, devilishly handsome young man to the court in 1614 where he quickly caught the eye of the King. James I was not a prepossessing object of desire. By all accounts he had rotten teeth and rarely bathed and despite his marriage to Ann of Denmark, his interests, it is said, may have lain in other areas. Throughout his reign a succession of handsome young favourites dallied with the King’s affections and George may have been the latest in the long string, had it not been for his own overwhelming ambition.

James I

He returned the aging King’s affections writing such tender words as: "I naturally so love your person, and adore all your other parts, which are more than ever one man had," "I desire only to live in the world for your sake" and "I will live and die a lover of you." He rose rapidly in the court becoming the Duke of Buckingham in 1623, making him the highest ranking noble in England outside of the royal family. James’ patronage gave him enormous power which he wielded in favour of his own family and in the acquisition of land and power in Ireland. The sheer extent of his power and influence did not win him many friends.

Buckingham and his young family

In 1620 he married the seventeen year old Katherine Manners with whom he had two children George (later to become the second Duke of Buckhingham and friend and confidante of Charles II) and Francis (who died young).

Infanta Maria of Spain

In the final years of James’ reign, Buckingham won over Prince Charles with whom he formed a close friendship. Early in his reign, James had concluded a peace with Spain and he hoped to cement relations with an alliance between his son Charles and the Spanish Infanta. Negotiations were delicate and protracted. This led him into direct opposition with Parliament who opposed any alliance with the Catholic Habsburgs. James declared that Parliament had no right to dictate to him on matters of foreign policy and dissolved Parliament. As the negotiations meandered on, Buckingham persuaded the young Prince to take matters into their own hands and they both left England on a hare brained expedition to Spain to woo the Infanta in person. The venture was a disaster. Buckingham’s behaviour in Madrid so outraged the Spaniards that the Spanish Ambassador in London demanded Buckingham’s execution. Buckingham in his turn called for war, a surprisingly popular move with an English population who still remembered the Spanish Armada. With the fall from power of the “Winter King and Queen” (Frederick of Bohemia and his wife Elizabeth, sister of Charles I) see Hoydens and Firebrands:  Thirty Years War Beginners Guide, public sympathy inclined towards war with Spain.

Prince Charles (later Charles I) c1623

Charles married the French princess Henrietta Maria in 1624, a pointed snub at the Spanish. He ascended to the throne on the death of his father the following year. Buckingham was the only man in James’ court to retain his position of power and influence with the new King. He continued to agitate for war with Spain and with Charles’ connivance led an abortive, if not farcical attack on Cadiz followed by a further failed attempt to intercept the Spanish silver fleet. His influence on the young King and his unpopularity began to grow.

Meanwhile in France, Henry Iv’s Edict of Nantes in France had granted a modicum of tolerance to the French Protestants (The Huguenots). The ascension to power of a young Louis XIII in 1610 under the regency of his mother, the formidable Marie d’Medici, anti protestant sentiment began to rise, ultimately exploding into the Huguenot uprising of 1621. A blockade of La Rochelle, a Huguenot stronghold, by the forces of Louis XIII ended in the treaty of Montpellier. A second uprising in 1625 led Louis to declare the suppression of the Huguenots as the first priority of the nation.

La Rochelle

Through the “diplomacy” of Buckingham, English ships were used by the French against the town of La Rochelle in return for French support against the Spanish occupation of the Palatinate. The English Parliament and public sentiment were appalled at the very idea of English protestants being used by French Catholics against fellow Protestants. Buckingham accused Cardinal Richelieu of treachery and in 1627 Charles sent a fleet of eighty ships, under the command of Buckingham to La Rochelle with orders to foment rebellion. Initially the Huguenots resisted the English intervention, only announcing an alliance in September when the first hostilities with the royal troops commenced. The English blockade St. Martin but the blockade was ineffective and they were forced to withdraw with a loss of 4000 out of a force of 7000. At La Rochelle, French engineers isolated the city with entrenchments 12 kilometres long, fortified by 11 forts and 18 redoubts. The surrounding fortifications were totally completed in April 1628, manned with an army of 30,000. English attempts to resupply the city were repulsed.

Back in England, Buckingham’s popularity had hit its nadir. He had only been saved from impeachment by Parliament because Charles had dissolved Parliament. His personal physician, Dr. Lamb was mobbed and killed on the streets.

John Felton, an English Lieutenant who had been wounded at La Rochelle in 1627, held a particular grudge against the Duke. He believed he the Duke owed money and advancement for his loyalty during the Anglo-French war. On 23 August 1628 Buckingham went to the Greyhound Pub in Portsmouth where he planned to start work on a new campaign in France. There Felton stabbed him. Buckingham reportedly gave a cry of “Villain!” and made to pursue his assassin before falling down dead. Felton foolishly believed he would be hailed as a hero and on publicly declaring his guilt was somewhat surprised to find himself arrested. He was hanged at Tyburn on 29 November 1628 and his body sent back to Portsmouth, no doubt to be used as an example. Instead it became an object of veneration and many pamphlets and poems were written applauding his actions.

Where fact meets fiction: The Duke of Buckingham is perhaps best recalled as a fictional character in Dumas’ THE THREE MUSKETEERS, in which he is portrayed as the secret lover of Queen Anne of Austria. The Queen bestows a gift of diamonds on her lover who takes them back to London and it becomes the musketeers objective to retrieve the diamonds before their loss is discovered by a jealous Louis XIII. This they succeed in doing but are unable to prevent the assassination of the Duke through the agency of Cardinal Richelieu and his fictional agent Lady deWinter.

How does history judge George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham? An inept manipulator who used his charm and good looks to pray on two powerful but weak men? What do you think?

*Godfrey Goodman, Bishop of Gloucester, quoted in Gregg, Pauline (1984). King Charles I. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. p. 49. ISBN 978-0-52

(ALISON STUART'S latest book, CLAIMING THE REBEL'S HEART, a historical romance set during the English Civil War, is now available from Amazon and all reputable online book stores)

CLAIMING THE REBEL'S HEART - a novel of the English Civil War

In earlier Hoydens blog posts about the English Civil War, I have written about the women who were left behind to defend their family and their husband's properties.   As I looked into the lives of women such as BRILLIANA HARLEY and the formidable COUNTESS OF DERBY, the writer's "what if" antenna started twitching and I started to play with the idea of a castle, a siege, a strong woman and a hero to love. I make no apology for the fact that I write historical fiction with a romantic theme. I like a hero and heroine and a happy ever after but I like to think it is the bit in the middle and how my hero and heroine earn their happy ever after that distinguishes mys stories from what is generally perceived as "historical romance". History first, romance second... or a very close equal first. 

I love my history and I love writing about the period of the English Civil War.  War throws up the possibilities for conflict so beloved of writers and in a civil war you have families pitted against each other. Doesn't matter whether you are English or American or Russian, or French or German... wherever there is civil war, emotions run high.

I also wanted the challenge of writing a story from the parliamentary perspective. It is too easy when writing stories set in this period to come down on the side of the losers, the cavaliers who were "wrong but wromantic" (to use Sellers and Yeatman's description from 1066 and All That). The "roundheads" tend to be universally depicted as "right but repulsive" (Sellers and Yeatman again). So how to make a hero, fighting for the parliamentary cause, "right AND wromantic". 

Drawing heavily on Brilliana Harley and the siege of Brampton Bryan Castle with a sprinkle of Lathom House and Charlotte, Countess of Derby thrown in, I started with a fictional castle in Herefordshire (just over the border from Shropshire...). Herefordshire was a stronghold for the royalist forces  and like Brampton Bryan, I have set my story in one of the few strongholds for the Parliamentary cause, the fictional Kinton Lacey.

A man…a woman… and a castle - CLAIMING THE REBEL’S HEART by Alison Stuart

Herefordshire, England 1643

As the English Civil War divides England and tears families apart, Kinton Lacey castle is one of the brave few loyal to the roundhead cause.

With her father away, Deliverance Felton will do whatever it takes to defend her family home against the royalist forces ranged against it. She can shoot and wield a sword as well as any man and anything she needs to know about siege warfare she has learned from a book...but no book can prepare her for what is to come.

Captain Luke Collyer, soldier of fortune and a man with his own reasons for loyalty to the parliamentary cause, is sent to relieve the castle. Everything he knows about siege warfare in general and women in particular he has learned from experience, but when it comes to Deliverance Felton has he met his match?

Deliverance will not give up her command lightly and Luke will have to face a challenge to his authority as fierce as the cavalier foe outside the walls. He will do whatever it takes to win Deliverance’s trust but will he run the risk of losing his own, well guarded, heart?

To find out more and to read an excerpt visit my website:  Click HERE

Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Claiming-Rebels-Heart-Harcourt-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B00HTRQ9TI 
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/393436

The following is an excerpt from the first chapter… meet the unbiddable Mistress Felton and Captain Luke Collyer - a man with secrets of his own!

Chapter 1

Kinton Lacey Castle, Herefordshire

July 25, 1643

Startled out of an uneasy doze by the crackle of musket fire, Deliverance sent books and papers flying as she rummaged through the detritus on the table in her search for the flint. As the candle sputtered into life, the door opened and her steward, Melchior Blakelocke, stood outlined in the doorway, holding a covered lantern.

“Are we being attacked?” Deliverance asked.

“I don't think so,” Melchior replied. “In fact, my lady, I think it is our besiegers who are being attacked.”

Hope sprang in Deliverance’s heart. “Is it Father? Has he come to relieve us?”

She reached for the elegant French Wheelock musket her father used for hunting, running her hand over the well-polished wood of the stock. It had a kick that threatened to dislocate her shoulder every time she used it, but she took pride in her mastery of the weapon.

Outside, the entire garrison of Kinton Lacey Castle had deployed along the walls, but to her relief, the firing and shouts came from beyond the crumbling walls of the old castle. She took her now accustomed vantage point on the northern tower of the bastion gate and squinted into the darkness and confusion.

Smoke and flame from burning outbuildings lent a surreal light to the melee of men that whirled and danced in the shadows as if re-enacting some ancient pagan ceremony. Only the clash of steel instead of cymbals brought home the grim purpose of the bizarre pageant.

Two men on horseback appeared out of the smoke and cantered towards the castle. Backlit by the fires, they could have been a pair of vengeful spirits.

Her heart pounding, Deliverance raised her musket and fired, cursing in a most unladylike manner as the musket ball skimmed past the two men, taking the taller man's hat. His horse, startled by its rider's jerk of alarm, reared up depositing the soldier on the ground. For a moment he lay still, before rising to his hands and knees. Shaking his head, he rose slowly to his feet, casting an upwards glance in the direction of the castle, as he dusted off his hat and remounted his horse.

Melchior cleared his throat. “While that is excellent shooting, I think you will find they are friends not foes.”

Deliverance’s stomach lurched. “How can you tell?”

“They wear the orange sash of the parliamentary forces, my lady.”

Deliverance leaned the musket against the wall, clenching and unclenching her hand in an effort to disguise her shaking fingers. Nausea rose in her throat. It was the first time she had fired the weapon intending to kill and she had nearly killed one of their own relieving force.

She took a deep breath, struggling to regain her composure as the two men came to a halt at the bridge over the castle’s defensive ditch. Facing them were the stout oaken gates to the castle that Deliverance had shut on her foe two weeks earlier.

“Hold your fire.” The man she had shot at called up to the defenders. “We are sent by Sir John Felton to relieve this castle.”

Deliverance picked up her musket and drew back to a vantage point where she could see without being seen. “You answer, Melchior.”

Melchior cast her a sidelong glance and stepped forward to the battlements. “Your name, sir?”

“Captain Luke Collyer.”

“How do we know they've come from Father?” Deliverance prompted her steward.

“How do I know you are sent by his lordship?” Melchior demanded.

The man who had identified himself as Captain Luke Collyer produced a paper from his jacket and waved it at the wall.

“These are my orders. While I don't wish to appear churlish, sir, we have no great desire to remain outside these walls when those knaves could be back at any moment.”

“What do you mean?” Melchior asked, leaning further over the ramparts.

“We appear to have seen off your besiegers for the moment.” The man’s voice rose to make himself heard by all on the castle wall.

Deliverance drew a sharp intake of breath as relief flooded through her. The siege was over but she still had to be careful. She put no trust in Farrington not to try and gull her in this fashion.

“Very well, Melchior, let them in, but I want every man with a weapon to have it trained on them.” She tapped a fingernail on the stock of her musket. “I will meet them in the Great Hall.”

“May I suggest a change of dress, madam?”

She looked down at her breeches. “Demure and ladylike?”

Melchior nodded. “Demure and ladylike.”

Nursery Rhymes

It can be hard to find a topic relating to the seventeenth century that is seasonally appropriate. The last thing I want to write about, let alone read, at Christmas are stories of death and misery! And, of course, we are talking about the century when Christmas was banned (see my Hoydens post of 8 December 2008 - click HERE).

So this week, for something lighter, I thought I would look at some familiar Nursery Rhymes, purportedly with their origin in the seventeenth century.

At the most basic level, nursery rhymes are used as a way of familiarising a child with the patterns of their native tongue. Every culture uses variations of these simple rhymes. I can remember rocking my own fractious babies to sleep with “Rock a bye baby” and thinking at the time that the words must have originated from a frustrated mother, not unlike myself, harbouring dark thoughts about her infant… have you ever thought about how violent the words actually are? “When the bough breaks, the cradle will fall and down will come baby, cradle and all…”. So the rhyme served 2 purposes, calming the baby and satisfying the mother’s urge to commit infanticide at the same time!

Back to the seventeenth century. The origins of many nursery rhymes are lost in history and those for which we do think we know the origin, may turn out to be specious.

RING A RING ROSIE:

Ring-a-ring o' roses,

A pocket full of posies,

A-tishoo! A-tishoo!

We all fall down.

The common belief is that this rhyme originated with the Plague of 1665 (or the Black death of the 1300s). The words were believed to have described the symptoms of the plague - a rash (the ring of roses) and sneezes and of course death (we all fall down). This interpretation of the rhyme is a comparitively modern one and folklore scholars (now there’s a profession) have dismissed this origin arguing that 1) It did not appear in written form until the mid nineteenth century 2) the description is not accurate for the bubonic plague (although it is for the pneumonic plague) and 3) the plague theory did not appear until the 1950s. Hmm… just because it wasn’t written down until the mid nineteenth century doesn’t mean it didn’t exist in oral tradition for years, if not centuries.

A FROG HE WOULD A WOOING (or courting) GO:

A Frog He Would A-Wooing Go

Whether his mother? let him or no

He rode right to Miss Mousie's den

Said he "Miss Mousie are you within?"

He said "My dear I've come to see"

If you Miss Mousie will marry me"?

I was always under the belief that this rhyme/song referred to Charles II and his love of beautiful women, but scholars believe its origin is earlier. It first appeared in written form in 1611 and it could refer to the reputed marriage of Francis of Anjou to Elizabeth I but versions of it are known from even earlier in the Tudor dynasty. Certainly it is a political satire but which Queen and which Frog are now lost in time.

GEORGIE PORGIE:

Georgie Porgie, Puddin' and Pie,

Kissed the girls and made them cry,

When the boys came out to play

Georgie Porgie ran away

George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham

This rhyme is believed to have originated with George Villiers, the first Duke of Buckingham and boon companion to Charles I. The beautiful George was known to “bat for both teams” (to use a cricketing metaphor) and was reputedly the lover of both James I and Ann of Austria (the Queen of France). Political furore about his influence over Charles I led to his eventual execution assasination (oops!) and will make a good topic for a future post. 

However there is no real evidence for this story and it could just as easily refer to Charles II (Rowley Powley pudding and pie) or George II, both notorious womanisers. 

DOCTOR FELL:

I do not like thee, Doctor Fell,

The reason why - I cannot tell;

But this I know, and know full well,

I do not like thee, Doctor Fell

This little rhyme is said to have been written by the English poet Thomas Brown around 1680 and refers to one of the dons at Oxford, Doctor John Fell of Christ Church, who expelled the young Brown for mischief.

To conclude… one of the best known and most beloved Nursery Rhymes:

HUMPTY DUMPTY:

Humpty Dumpty sat on the wall

Humpty Dumpty had a great fall

All the King’s horses and all the King’s men

Couldn’t put Humpty together again

Like all the rhymes, its origins are reputedly many and varied. “Humpty Dumpty” was a term used in the middle ages to describe someone of large girth and folklore scholars (them again!) have posited the theory it refers to Richard III but by far the most likely origin comes from the English Civil War. In 1648 the town of Colchester was held for the royalists and besieged. The story goes that the King’s men had a large (and presumably rotund) gun which they placed strategically on the wall of the town. However the wall was not built to withstand the weight of the gun and it collapsed, taking the great gun, nicknamed Humpty Dumpty, with it. Despite the efforts of “all the King’s men and all the King’s horses” the great gun was too heavy to be raised again.

I shall conveniently ignore the earliest written forms of this rhyme which make no mention of “King’s” men or horses or the fact it could refer to a kind of ale mixed with brandy, or an exceptionally clumsy person.

Mons Meg at Edinburgh Castle

But reference to a giant siege gun of the English Civil War segues nicely into a casual mention of my January release… CLAIMING THE REBEL’S HEART, a historical with romance set in a siege during the English Civil War. It will be released on January 22 and for more information and to read an excerpt, visit my website by clicking HERE.

A SAFE AND HAPPY CHRISTMAS AND HOLIDAY SEASON TO ALL OUR READERS FROM THE HOYDENS and FIREBRANDS.

Hoydens News - December 2013

It is good to stop and draw breath for a minute and reflect on the busy year the Hoydens have enjoyed.

But firstly we are thrilled to welcome three new members as regular posters to the Hoydens. All these ladies have been guest posters over the past year so they will be familiar to you all. So in no particular order allow us to introduce:

CHRISTY ROBINSON

Christy K Robinson is published in the historical fiction, nonfiction, and inspiration genres, and has edited and contributed to a variety of other books and magazines during her career as a writer and editor. Mary Dyer Illuminated and Mary Dyer: For Such a Time as This are her first novels. To follow her research in 17^th-century England and New England, or to contact her, visit http://ChristyKRobinson.com  

ANDREA ZUVICH

Andrea Zuvich, aka The Seventeenth Century Lady, lives in a small town in England. She is a full-time historian, author of historical fiction set in the 17th Century, and often gives lectures about the Late Stuart period, in which she specialises. Originally from Philadelphia, Zuvich grew up in Florida with a keen interest in Early Modern European history. She was one of the original developers of and guides on the Garden History Tours at Kensington Palace. Find out more about Andrea at The Seventeenth Century Lady Website

and
JO ANN BUTLER

Jo Ann Butler, author of The Reputed Wife and Rebel Puritan, was born during the twelve days between Christmas and Epiphany, when Teutonic myth destines her to become a werewolf. In the meantime, she has been a colonial archeologist, genealogist, home health therapist, executive dogsbody, and a computer jockey in San Diego’s aerospace industry. Now Ms. Butler is an essayist and historical novelist. What comes next – besides lycanthropy? 

We are looking forward to their future posts.

And for the battle hardened veterans?

For ANITA DAVISON (writing as ANITA SEYMOUR) The year started off with the release of ROYALIST REBEL, a fictionalised account of the life of the scandalous Elizabeth Murray.  She is currently entertaining murderous thoughts and working on a cosy mystery set in the early years of the twentieth century.

MARY SHARRATT goes from strength to strength with her critically acclaimed recent release ILLUMINATIONS: A NOVEL OF HILDEGARD VON BINGEN winning the 2013 Nautilus Gold Award: Better Books for a Better World. 

DEBORAH SWIFT's latest release A DIVIDED INHERITANCE, a story of love and treachery set in early seventeenth century England and Spain, is getting consistent 4 and 5 star reviews. She has just finished a teen (YA) novel set in the English Civil War so all fingers are crossed that her agent finds a home for it.

KIM MURPHY's non fiction book, book I HAD RATHER DIE: RAPE IN THE CIVIL WAR  (that is the American Civil War) will be released on January 1 2014.  

 "A meticulously documented and gut-wrenching account of the gratuitous acts of violence against women's bodies, black and white, slave and free, young and old… A major work of scholarship that was long overdue, and that all historians should be grateful for." --Susan Brownmiller, author of Against Our Will: Men, Women and Rape.


ALISON STUART's late 2012 release, the  World War One paranormal romance GATHER THE BONES went on to become an Amazon best seller and to gather award nominations in five major awards during 2013.  In 2013 she released a short time travel romance with an English Civil War setting SECRETS IN TIME (currently on sale at Amazon until 14 December). In January 2014 CLAIMING THE REBEL'S HEART, an English Civil War set historical romance based (very, very loosely) on the siege of Brampton Bryan castle will be released. 

If you are looking for some good holiday reading, there are some wonderful options here...

The Hoydens thank their readers for all the support during 2014 and wishes everyone a happy and safe holiday season.