Anthony Adolph wrote the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography entry of Henry Jermyn and has pieced together his life from primary sources over the past 20 years. A genealogist and historian educated at Durham University, he has written several books on genealogy and presented programs for the BBC and Channel 4. He is a distant relative of Oliver Cromwell and lives in Canterbury.
Description
Pedigrees: The Jermyns of Rushbrook The Killigrews of Arwenack Stuarts and Bourbons Foreword Prelude: The great coach (Thursday, 12 September 1678) 1 Education of a courtier (1605-22) 2 The Madrid embassy (1622-23) 3 Courting the Louvre (1624-28) 4 Two disputed cases of paternity (1628-35) 5 Sir William D'Avenant's dream of Madagascar (1635-37) 6 'Speak with Mr Jermyn about it' (1637-40) 7 'Do something extraordinary' (1641) 8 Colonel Lord Jermyn (1641-43) 9 'The strongest pillar in the land' (1644) 10 'Some succour for England' (1644-45) 11 The 'Great Hell-Cat' (1645-46) 12 'The Louvre Presbyter' (1646-1649) 13 'Our own condition is like to be very sad' (1649-56) 14 The Chateau of Colombes (1656-60) 15 Restoration! (1660-62) 16 'Grand Master of the Freemasons' (1662) 17 Somerset House (1662-63) 18 The Second Anglo-Dutch War (1664-66) 19 The road to Breda (1666-67) 20 The Grand Design (1667-68) 21 Saint-Denis (1669) 22 The Secret Treaty of Dover (1669-78) 23 'Joining together to surpass all others' (1678-85) 24 'The Funeral of Glory'? (1685 - present) 317 Elegy: (Wednesday, 2 January 1684) 329 Appendices: 335 The calendar in the seventeenth century Red herrings Acknowledgements Bibliography 337 Notes on sources Index 359
Reviews
'Enticing - well-written - interesting.' Michael Braddick, TLS 'Energetic and original - A character as flamboyant as Henry Jermyn deserves to be rescued from history, a task that Anthony Adolph relishes - Adolph could hardly have done him more justice - Fascinating.' John Cooper Literary Review 'A rich and heady brew that gallops along at a cracking pace.' 4 stars, Dan Cruickshank Mail on Sunday Review 'Cracking.' A Non-Fiction Book of the Year, Daily Express 'The hidden power behind Charles II's throne.' Spectator Online 'A visual feel for the age and a rare gift for conveying it.' Blair Worden, Spectator 'One of the Britain's leading genealogists.' Sunday Express 'Brilliant.' Gillian Tindall 'A moving love story between a commoner and a royal, as well as a breathtakingly fresh window into the courts of Charles I and Charles II, and the foundation of London's West End.' Fiona Mountain