aka The John Dee Chronicles
J.A. Downes 
The Pilgrimage of Grace in 1536 saw over 30,000 Catholic rebels march from Yorkshire demanding restoration of dissolved monasteries and removal of Protestant advisors like Thomas Cromwell. Henry VIII promised pardons and a parliament at York, then executed approximately 200 participants including leader Robert Aske, who was hanged in chains at York Castle.
Thomas Cranmer’s 1549 Book of Common Prayer revolutionised English worship by mandating services in English rather than Latin, but caused major rebellions including the Prayer Book Rebellion in Devon and Cornwall where over 4,000 died. Rebels demanded the restoration of Latin mass, calling the new English service a ‘Christmas game.’
Henry VIII’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon lasted 24 years (1509-1533), making it by far his longest relationship, yet he claimed it was never valid because she had briefly been married to his deceased brother Arthur in 1501.
Henry VIII’s fourth wife, Anne of Cleves, outlived him by 10 years and received a generous divorce settlement in 1540 that made her one of the wealthiest women in England, including Richmond Palace and Hever Castle.
Our correspondent catches up with the mysterious redhead whose charm masked deadly intentions Renaissance Weekly: Arrabella, you’ve certainly made quite an impression during your time in France. Our readers are dying to know – what’s your secret to being so… memorable? She laughs, a tinkling sound that doesn’t quite reach her green eyes. Her fingers … Read more
Elizabeth I maintained a passionate correspondence with Thomas Seymour in 1547-1548 when she was just 14, leading to a scandal that nearly destroyed her claim to the throne when Seymour was executed for treason in 1549.
From Resurrection: The Heresy of a Jesuit: “They plunged across the stream, man and horse in perfect harmony, galloping for their lives. His tattered and mud-splattered cape streamed behind him, and his breeches bore the scratches and rips that headlong flight through dense woodland had inflicted. And yet, his mind sang with exhilaration that approached … Read more
From Divination: A Conspiracy of Blood: “The bruised Cambridge sky threatened to ruin the day of any students unlucky enough to venture outdoors. I’ll be glad when spring finally arrives, thought John Dee, as he hurried across Trinity College courtyard, his scholar’s gown billowing behind him like a sail. He was late, again, and this … Read more
Norwich maintained its position as England’s second largest city throughout most of the Tudor period, with over 12,000 residents by 1579, largely due to an influx of Dutch and Flemish Protestant refugees who established ‘New Draperies’ – innovative lightweight fabric production that revolutionised English textile manufacturing.
In 1485, Coventry was England’s fourth largest city with over 6,000 inhabitants, but by 1563 its population had crashed to just 3,474 people – a devastating decline of nearly 50% that reflected the broader economic crisis hitting many Tudor towns as traditional cloth trade routes shifted.