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A review by hmalagisi
Crime and Punishment in Tudor England: From Alchemists to Zealots by April Taylor
4.0
In any society throughout history, there are certain rules and regulations which citizens must follow to maintain order. When there is a transfer of power, those rules and their punishments shift a little bit to fit the vision of those who are in power. England was in a chaotic spiral as law and order were thrown asunder during the Wars of the Roses. The rise of the Tudors marked another shift to the justice system of England, with each monarch during this dynasty, the legal system changed yet again. In her book, “Crime and Punishment in Tudor England: From Alchemists to Zealots,” April Taylor examines the crimes of Tudor England and their respective punishments through case studies.
I want to thank Pen and Sword Books and NetGalley for sending me a copy of this book. I am always interested in different aspects of life during the Tudor dynasty, so when I heard that this one would focus on the justice system in Tudor England, I thought it would be an interesting read.
Taylor begins her book by exploring the origins of the legal system in England, starting with the Romans and going all the way through medieval England, stopping to do a deep dive into the Magna Carta. It is a bit of a whirlwind as this section only takes up about ten to twenty pages. She then dives into the beliefs of medieval England, from witchcraft to superstitions and the church. Taylor also explores how the printing press, prisons, punishment methods, and the legal system changed over time from the medieval to the Tudors.
The bulk of this book focuses on the crimes and their punishments in alphabetical order, from alchemists to zealots. Each section focuses on one specific crime, the definition of the crime, a famous case if there is one, and, finally, a few case studies of lesser-known cases that will be of interest to novices and experts alike. I found this part of the book intriguing as there were some cases that I was not familiar with and might want to explore more in-depth later on.
I do have two concerns about this book. The first one is that Taylor likes to jump around when it comes to the stories that she tells. One minute, she is telling a story about the Tudor era, and the next, she has jumped to the modern day. The other thing that bothered me was her characterization of the Tudor monarchs as either misers or bigoted. It’s not exactly how I view them, so it was hard to read without a justification as to why she believes this about the monarchs.
Overall, I think this was a good book that shows a unique aspect of the Tudor dynasty that has not been explored that much. There are some aspects that I wish Taylor would have done better, but it is a fun read. If you want to read an interesting take on the legal system during the Tudor dynasty, I would recommend you read, “Crime and Punishment in Tudor England: From Alchemists to Zealots” by April Taylor.
I want to thank Pen and Sword Books and NetGalley for sending me a copy of this book. I am always interested in different aspects of life during the Tudor dynasty, so when I heard that this one would focus on the justice system in Tudor England, I thought it would be an interesting read.
Taylor begins her book by exploring the origins of the legal system in England, starting with the Romans and going all the way through medieval England, stopping to do a deep dive into the Magna Carta. It is a bit of a whirlwind as this section only takes up about ten to twenty pages. She then dives into the beliefs of medieval England, from witchcraft to superstitions and the church. Taylor also explores how the printing press, prisons, punishment methods, and the legal system changed over time from the medieval to the Tudors.
The bulk of this book focuses on the crimes and their punishments in alphabetical order, from alchemists to zealots. Each section focuses on one specific crime, the definition of the crime, a famous case if there is one, and, finally, a few case studies of lesser-known cases that will be of interest to novices and experts alike. I found this part of the book intriguing as there were some cases that I was not familiar with and might want to explore more in-depth later on.
I do have two concerns about this book. The first one is that Taylor likes to jump around when it comes to the stories that she tells. One minute, she is telling a story about the Tudor era, and the next, she has jumped to the modern day. The other thing that bothered me was her characterization of the Tudor monarchs as either misers or bigoted. It’s not exactly how I view them, so it was hard to read without a justification as to why she believes this about the monarchs.
Overall, I think this was a good book that shows a unique aspect of the Tudor dynasty that has not been explored that much. There are some aspects that I wish Taylor would have done better, but it is a fun read. If you want to read an interesting take on the legal system during the Tudor dynasty, I would recommend you read, “Crime and Punishment in Tudor England: From Alchemists to Zealots” by April Taylor.