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Tudor House. Shifted England from Catholicism to Protestantism after the Pope refused to grant him an annulment to his first marriage. Famed for his six wives: Catherine of Aragon (marriage annulled), with whom he had Mary; Anne Boleyn (executed), with whom he had Elizabeth; Jane Seymour (died in childbirth), with whom he had Edward; Anne of Cleves (marriage annulled); Catherine Howard (executed); Catherine Parr (nearly executed, but ultimately outlived him).
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Catherine Parr (c. 1512-1548; Queen of England 1543-1547) -
Catherine Parr (c. 1512-1548; Queen of England 1543-1547)
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Catherine Parr (c. 1512-1548; Queen of England 1543-1547)
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Tudor House. A Protestant king; reigned in his minority, and died young.
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Anne Seymour Dudley, Countess of Warwick (1538-1588), Margaret Seymour (1540-?), and Jane Seymour (c. 1541-1561), daughters of the Lord Protector during Edward VI's minority; a collections of 103 Latin distichs (couplets) for the tomb of Margaret of Valois, queen of Navarre
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This was an attempt to avoid the return of Catholicism to England through the reign of Mary, the eldest child of Henry VIII. Jane Grey was executed in 1554. She was in her late teens at the time.
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Tudor House. Known as "Bloody Mary" for her relentless pursuit of Protestants in England (although in reality her sister Elizabeth had more Catholics executed than Mary did Protestants).
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Tudor House. Restored England to Anglicanism/Protestantism.
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Anne Locke (1533-after 1590), the first published sonnet sequence in England, and the first by a woman.
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Anne Bacon (1528-1610) (this is a manuscript translation of John Jewel's 1564 work) -
Isabella Whitney (1546/48-after 1624)
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Elizabeth's cousin and the mother of the future James I, Mary, Queen of Scots was embroiled in political issues for most of her life (she possibly contrived the death of her husband, Lord Darnley, and plotted escapes and attempts on Elizabeth's life more than once). Still, Elizabeth didn't want to execute her, but ended up doing so under political pressure and after the discovery of the latest attempt on Elizabeth's life. -
A victory claimed by the English in the war with Spain, where a storm swept away the Spanish Armada (which would have likely devastated England, had it landed). Elizabeth's speech at Tilbury occurs (allegedly) just before this event. -
Jane Anger (dates unknown)
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Mary Sidney Herbert (1561-1621)
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Mary Sidney Herbert (1561-1621)
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Psalms translated by Sir Philip Sidney and his sister Mary Sidney Herbert (1561-1621) (manuscript; date c. 1599)
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Stuart House. Married to Anna of Denmark. James I was known for his profligate spending and his general unwillingness to be around the throne, preferring hunting in the countryside.
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Margaret Hoby(1571-1633), Puritan; earliest surviving diary written by a woman (manuscript; dates 1599-1605)
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Aemilia Lanyer (1569-1645)
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Elizabeth Cary, Viscountess Falkland (1585-1639)
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Rachel Speght (1597-?)
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Mary Wroth (1587-1653) (manuscript; date c. 1620)
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Mary Wroth (1587-1653)
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Mary Wroth (1587-1653)
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Rachel Speght (1597-?)
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Stuart House. Charles I was even more profligate than his father, and married Henrietta Maria, a Catholic.
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Mary Wroth (1587-1653) (manuscript; date c. 1620-30)
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Elizabeth Isham (1609-1654); another diary which includes recipes (manuscript; date c. 1638-39)
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Anne Ley (1599-1641) (manuscript; compiled in 1641)
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A series of wars fought between Parliamentarians (supporters of parliamentary rule, called "Roundheads"; also associated with Puritans) and Royalists (supporters of monarchical rule, called "Cavaliers"; associated with Anglicans but also a little bit associated with Catholics). Ultimately the Parliamentarians won and executed the king, ushering in the Commonwealth.
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Jane (1621-1669) and Elizabeth Cavendish (1626-1663) (manuscript; date c. 1643-1645)
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Charles I was executed for treason by order of Parliament on January 30, 1649. -
Anna Weamys (?-?)
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Also known as the Interregnum. Rule by Parliament, under Oliver Cromwell as the Lord Protector, then his son Richard (a.k.a. "Tumbledown Dick"). It ultimately failed to stick and England was easily overtaken again for the monarchy in an invasion by George Monck.
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Elizabeth Isham (1609-1654)
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Anna Trapnell (1630s-?), a prophetess associated with the Fifth Monarchists; this text is her report on her trial for disturbing the peace.
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Hester Pulter (1605-1678) (manuscript; date c. 1640s-1650s)
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Stuart House. The restored monarchy; he was beset by troubles, in part because he was a known philanderer and also because his only heir was his younger brother James, a Catholic.
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Charles II returned to London from exile. -
Ann Fanshawe (1625-1680) (manuscript; c. 1665, includes first known written recipe for ice cream
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Katherine Philips "The Matchless Orinda" (1631/32-1664) (Poems published posthumously)
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Margaret Cavendish, Duchess of Newcastle (1623-1673) (published in three editions in 1653, 1664, and 1668)
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Margaret Cavendish, Duchess of Newcastle (1623-1673) (published in two editions, 1666 and 1668)
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Aphra Behn (1640-1689)
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Bathsua Makin (1600-1675)
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Ann Fanshawe (1625-1680) (manuscript transcribed 1676)
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Aphra Behn (1640-1689)
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Anne Conway (1631-1679) (manuscript date c. 1677; Latin publication 1690; English publication 1692)
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Lucy Hutchinson (1620-1681) (manuscript; date c. 1650s-1670s)
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Lucy Hutchinson (1620-1681) (first 5 cantos published 1679; entirety published posthumously in 1817)
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Lucy Hutchinson (1620-1681) (manuscript only; published 1806)
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Aphra Behn (1640-1689)
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Stuart House. A Catholic king, James was ultimately dethroned by his own daughter, the Anglican [Protestant] Mary.
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Aphra Behn (1640-1689)
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Aphra Behn (1640-1689)
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Hanover House. The Protestant king and queen ruled jointly. Mary II was the Anglican daughter of James II.
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Mary Astell (1666-1731)
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Delarivier Manley (1663/c. 1670-1724)
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Mary Astell (1666-1731)
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Hanover House (although also linked with the Stuart House). Anne was the younger sister of Mary II, and also Protestant. During her time, the disparate countries ruled by the monarch (England, Scotland, and Ireland, and sometimes France) became known collectively as Great Britain in 1707.
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Delarivier Manley (1663/c. 1670-1724)
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Delarivier Manley (1663/c. 1670-1724)