Thomas Penn article from March 2012
Thomas Penn article from March 2012
Re: Thomas Penn article from March 2012
Thank you for posting this link. Apart from what you what you rightly question about Penn's acceptance of the
usurpation story, I found the article good in a sense, as it stresses the fact that a lot of Edward's and Richard's books were 'usurped' by Henry and subsequently seen as proof for the rise to high culture of the Tudor Court,
once the Yorkist age ended.
Regarding Penn, it rises some doubts about his forthcoming book on the York Brothers. I found his 'Winter
King' very readable and objective. But there was one sentence in it, that made my hackels rise:" As the poet Thomas Wyatt later recalled, his father, Henry VII's jewel-house keeper, had been racked on the orders of Richard III,who had sat and watched." I hope Penn has since read Anette Carson's article on that matter.
If he sticks to this in his new book, then, in my eyes, his standing as historian will be seriously impaired..
As a little antidote to this poisonous quote, one from David Santiuste in his 'Edward IV And The Wars Of The Roses': "It is my own view that Richard of Gloucester was a brave, charismatic and intelligent man, but his actions in 1483 defy easy analysis." Well I see now, that the subordinate close does not make me happy
either. But I still find it courageous for a historian to express such a positive opinion of Richard.
Eva
Re: Thomas Penn article from March 2012
Hi Sandra,
Thank you for posting this link. Apart from what you what you
rightly question about Penn's acceptance of the
usurpation story, I found
the article good in a sense, as it stresses the fact that a lot of Edward's and
Richard's books were 'usurped' by Henry and subsequently seen as proof for
the rise to high culture of the Tudor Court,
once the Yorkist age
ended.
Regarding Penn, it rises some doubts about his forthcoming book on the
York Brothers. I found his 'Winter
King' very readable and objective. But
there was one sentence in it, that made my hackels rise:" As the poet Thomas
Wyatt later recalled, his father, Henry VII's jewel-house keeper, had been
racked on the orders of Richard III,who had sat and watched." I hope Penn has
since read Anette Carson's article on that matter.
If he sticks to this in
his new book, then, in my eyes, his standing as historian will be seriously
impaired..
As a little antidote to this poisonous quote, one from David
Santiuste in his 'Edward IV And The Wars Of The Roses': "It is my own view that
Richard of Gloucester was a brave, charismatic and intelligent man, but his
actions in 1483 defy easy analysis." Well I see now, that the subordinate close
does not make me happy
either. But I still find it courageous for a
historian to express such a positive opinion of Richard.
Eva
Re: Thomas Penn article from March 2012
Thank you for posting this link. Apart from you rightly questioning Penn's odd ideas about Richard usurping
the throne,I found it good in a way. I have not, as yet, read any article, that stated so clearly how Henry
'usurped' various books from the royal library. These books belonged to Edward and Richard, and were a token of their taste, culture and learning. And not of the sudden rise of culture at the Tudor court, which was only made possible by the fall of the Yorkist regime.
Penn's remark on Richard does not bode well for his future book 'the Brothers York'.
Some time ago, I read his 'Winter King'. I thought it was interesting, very readable and objective then. There was however one sentence, that made my hackles rise. It read:" As the poet Sir Thomas Wyatt later recalled, his father, Henry VII's jewel-house keeper Henry Wyatt, had been racked on the orders of Richard III, who sat there and watched." I really hope that Penn has since read Anette Carson's article on Henry Wyatt and learned
about the difference between fact and fiction.
Eva
Re: Thomas Penn article from March 2012
I must apologize to you all. I thought my posting was lost. It had happened before that I pressed the wrong button. So sorry that I bothered you with a second version of the same subject!
Eva
Re: Thomas Penn article from March 2012
On Jun 15, 2014, at 7:56 AM, "eva.pitter@... []" <> wrote:
Hi Sandra and All
I must apologize to you all. I thought my posting was lost. It had happened before that I pressed the wrong button. So sorry that I bothered you with a second version of the same subject!
Eva
Re: Thomas Penn article from March 2012
