Lorenzo Magalotti at the Court of Charles II: His Relazione D’Inghilterra of 1668In the late 1660s the English court received a visitor from Florence--Lorenzo Magalotti, an intelligent, sensitive writer and diplomat with a passion for observation and description. Magalotti had come from a state governed by an absolute grand duke to a kingdom engaged in a fierce struggle for political liberty, and from a society in which the sexual behaviour of women was closely controlled by law and custom, to one of unexampled licentiousness among the upper classes. This cultural shock produced fascinating portraits by Magalotti of Charles II and his court, accounts of their amorous intrigues, and percipient if sometimes biased observations on politics. There is also substantially accurate account of the armed forces of the kingdom, and a good deal about its intellectual and artistic life. W.E. Knowles Middleton has provided a clear and elegant translation of this document, along with an informative introduction and supplementary notes. |
From inside the book
Results 1-5 of 21
Page 20
... bishop most in favour with the King gradually prevail . Hatred of the bishops increases because people see how in the King's frequent need of money , all the taxes are placed on the laity , always leaving the estates of the ...
... bishop most in favour with the King gradually prevail . Hatred of the bishops increases because people see how in the King's frequent need of money , all the taxes are placed on the laity , always leaving the estates of the ...
Page 21
... bishops to lead England back under the yoke of Rome and into the errors of the old Roman superstition . In this way they will procure the extermination of the Angli- can reform and put the scythe to the roots of the monarchy . This ...
... bishops to lead England back under the yoke of Rome and into the errors of the old Roman superstition . In this way they will procure the extermination of the Angli- can reform and put the scythe to the roots of the monarchy . This ...
Page 22
... bishops . I think that their hope is based on the consideration that their party is daily becoming larger , and that when it reaches a formidable size none of the parliamentarians will object to abandoning a religion in which , even at ...
... bishops . I think that their hope is based on the consideration that their party is daily becoming larger , and that when it reaches a formidable size none of the parliamentarians will object to abandoning a religion in which , even at ...
Page 23
... bishops inflame the breasts of those people with such fervour . Some of these were even Presbyterians corrupted by their gifts . These , however , will no longer have so much force when the King , persuaded of his real interest , is ...
... bishops inflame the breasts of those people with such fervour . Some of these were even Presbyterians corrupted by their gifts . These , however , will no longer have so much force when the King , persuaded of his real interest , is ...
Page 24
... bishops , fearful of leading the kingdom back into obedience to Rome in this way , and on the other hand attracted by a certain glory in having in the kingdom rather a model than a copy of religion , diverted the mind of the King from ...
... bishops , fearful of leading the kingdom back into obedience to Rome in this way , and on the other hand attracted by a certain glory in having in the kingdom rather a model than a copy of religion , diverted the mind of the King from ...
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
Admiral affairs ambassador Baron battle beautiful Bernard Gascoigne Biblioteca Riccardiana bishops BNCF Boyle brother called captain Castlemaine Catholic Chancellor Charles Colonel command considered court Cromwell daughter Duchess Duke of Buckingham Duke of York Duke's Dutch enemies English esteem Falconieri father favour fireships fleet Florence France Francis Glisson French gentleman George Grand Duke guards Henry Henry Oldenburg History honour Howard Ireland Italian James John Graunt John Wallis King's kingdom knighted ladies later letter lieutenant lives London Lord Arlington Lorenzo Magalotti Magalotti Magalotti's visit Marquis married Miss Crinò nobility noble Oldenburg Oxford Parliament Pepys philosopher Portugal pounds sterling Presbyterian present Prince Cosimo Queen realm regiment Relazione religion reputation Robert Robert Boyle Royal Society Samuel Morland Secretary shillings a day ships Sir John Sir Samuel Sir William soldiers things Thomas thousand pounds tion vessels Vice-Admiral Viscount wife women young
Popular passages
Page 148 - The Tenure of Kings and Magistrates PROVING THAT IT IS LAWFUL, AND HATH BEEN HELD SO THROUGH ALL AGES, FOR ANY WHO HAVE THE POWER TO CALL TO ACCOUNT A TYRANT, OR WICKED KING, AND AFTER DUE CONVICTION TO DEPOSE AND PUT HIM TO DEATH, IF THE ORDINARY MAGISTRATE HAVE NEGLECTED OR DENIED TO DO IT.
Page 135 - He speaks French and Italian very well, but has some impediment in his speech, which is often interrupted by a sort of stammering, which seems as if he were constrained by an internal force to swallow his words again and with the words also his breath, so that he seems so near to bursting that it excites compassion in the...
Page 138 - EGR TAYLOR, The Mathematical Practitioners of Tudor and Stuart England (Cambridge, 1954), pp.
Page 135 - New Experiments physico-mechanicall touching the Spring of the Air and its Effects. Oxford 1662.
Page 47 - Visiting London in 1668, Lorenzo Magalotti likewise found that one of the Society's chief figures, Sir Robert Moray, was hardly neutral on the subject of foreigners' beliefs: "His whole weakness consists of a hatred, too apparent and of a completely unnecessary intensity, of Rome and the Pope. He always carries with him a catalogue of all the scriptural texts that can be stretched to consider Rome as Babylon, and the pope Anti-Christ".
Page 1 - Middleton, The Experimenters. A Study of the Accademia del Cimento, Baltimore 1971.
Page 147 - MOLINES (William). Myotomia: or The Anatomical Administration of all the Muscles of an Humane Body, as they arise in Dissection. As also an Analitical Table, reducing each Muscle to his Use and Part. Newly Revived with Additions, by William Molins. Whereunto 1s added Sir Charles Scarborough's Syllabus Musculorum.
Page 146 - The Country-Man's Recreation; or, The Art of Planting, Grafting and Gardening, in three books.
Page 87 - The History of the King's Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard, by COLONEL SIR REGINALD HENNELL, DSO With about 70 coloured plates, photogravures, collotypes, etc.