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. |
Contents
THE TEXT | 16 |
Intrigues at the Court of England | 70 |
The Bodyguard of the King the Duke | 83 |
Copyright | |
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Admiral affairs ambassador Baron battle beautiful Bernard Gascoigne Biblioteca Riccardiana bishops BNCF Boyle brother called captain Castlemaine Catholic Chancellor Charles Colonel command considered Countess Countess of Castlemaine court Cromwell daughter Duchess Duke of Buckingham Duke of York Duke's Dutch Earl of Bristol enemies English esteem Falconieri father favour fireships fleet Florence France French gentleman Grand Duke guards Henry Oldenburg honour Ireland Italian James King's kingdom knighted ladies Lady Castlemaine 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 rich Robert Robert Boyle Royal Society Samuel Morland Secretary shillings a day ships Sir John Sir Samuel soldiers things Thomas thousand pounds tion vessels Vice-Admiral Viscount wife William women young