The Time Traveller's Guide to Elizabethan England by Ian Mortimer

One subject that demonstrates some of the extremes of Elizabethan knowledge is the practice of surgery. Sometimes the man ended up doing penance when the woman was able to secure the required compurgatrices and he was not. For sexual sins, one had to provide enough compurgatrices – or compurgators – (witnesses) in court to be exonerated. But in an interesting turn of events, sometimes women went unpunished while men suffered. Women had many legal restrictions in Elizabethan England, particularly married women. The poorer you were, the less often you could wash your linen, but society definitely looked down on the dirty.

The wealthy would have new linen every day, rubbing down with it and changing out their linen undergarments which had absorbed sweat. In a time where water was harder to come by, especially clean water, it was easier and more sensible to “wash” with linen. We judge people in the past by how many baths they took! However, just like us, they cared about cleanliness. Mortimer writes that “in the modern world we are fixated on washing in soap and water but there are many other ways to remove dirt,” (pg. I found the subject of washing revealing. And that was only one method of punishment.Īnother theme in the book is Hygiene, Illness, and Medicine. More and more stones were then placed on top of the board until death occurred. Called peine forte et dure, which means strong and hard punishment, the victim was forced to lie beneath a board, sometimes with a sharp rock underneath their back. One that particularly struck me was death by crushing. What might Elizabethans think of foreigners? Education? Superstition? Violence?Īlong the lines of violence, Mortimer exposes the details of gruesome punishments used in the 16th century. Then you discover what sort of mindsets you might encounter during your social interactions in the chapter, Character. You find out about the lay of the land in the first chapter, Landscape. Even those who balk at reading a nonfiction history book will be pleasantly surprised at his convivial tone and presentation suitable for the “historical layman.”Įach chapter is themed on a different aspect of 16th century society. It feels like a confidential guide giving you “insider” advice for your upcoming “trip,” or perhaps even move, to Elizabethan England. Ian Mortimer, The Time Traveler’s Guide to Elizabethan England Sometimes the past will inspire you and sometimes it will leave you weeping. Mortimer gives credit where credit is due, but he doesn’t hesitate to reveal the disturbing aspects of society. He shows what was, not what we might wish it to be. Ian Mortimer illuminates an Elizabethan England in all its horrifying glory.

The Time Traveller's Guide to Elizabethan England by Ian Mortimer