aBurntShip

' M icah Clarke '  Sir Arthur Conan Doyle novel  about the  Monmouth Rebellion from 1889.                                                                                                                                                                     H.M.Brock  illustration 1903 edition  I am very grateful to the 'ECW  & Stuart era Fiction' Facebook group  for directing me to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's novel  'Micah Clarke- His Statement As Made To His Three Grandchildren Joseph, Gervais, and Rueben During The Hard Winter of 1734'. The images are taken from the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Encyclopedia website and their use is much appreciated  https://www.arthur-conan-doyle.com ''Micah Clarke' is a fictionalised account of a young veteran of the doomed 1685 West Country rebellion led by the Duke of Monmouth against (Roman Catholic) James II ascending the throne of upon the death of Charles II. Micah Clarke, born in Havant,

Andrew Marvell 'Horation Ode  upon Cromwell's Return from Ireland '                                            Returning to Andrew Marvell ( 31st March 1621- 16th August 1678), thought that would be helpful to look at 'An Horation Ode upon Cromwell's Return from Ireland' , written in 1650, but can find no record of it ever being published until after the poet's death.                                            Picture of Andrew Marvell courtesy Wikipedia                     There are many fascinating aspects to this poem. The use of Rome as a major political and cultural reference point during the Commonwealth for one. Moreover, Cromwell's Irish campaign from 15th August 1649- 26th May 1650 evokes such fierce reactions. In fact upon his return, Cromwell was just about to invade Scotland, which led to a final break between Cromwell and Sir Thomas Fairfax.  But what is most striking is the poem's portrayal of Cromwell as some dynamic fo