aBurntShip

                   Montague ('Monty') Rhodes James (1862 - 1936) , renowned Medieval Scholar, one time provost of King's College Cambridge, is probably best known as M.R.James, the writer of ghost stories. His tales are regularly dramatised for television and radio. M R James' fiction has also become a major influence on the modern day 'Hauntology' movement.       'George Jeffreys, 1st Baron Jeffreys of Wems 'Attributed to William Wolfgang Claret, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons                                            The M.R.James  ghost story 'Martin's Close ' concerns a murder committed in 1684 , and dominated by a London trial featuring Judge Jeffreys before he became so  notorious. Jeffreys is most known as the 'hanging judge' who was let loose on the wretched rebel prisoners and support...

             'The Uncommon Prayer Book' and Psalm 109                                                                   M.R.James in 1900 courtesy of 'Wikipedia' New years greetings to all visitors this blog and hope that you all have an inspiring 2019. Have spent a great deal of the festive season researching my other interest, World War 2 poetry, and also have written a short article for  The Cromwell Association  newsletter. To start the year off with a consideration - how should the Psalms be treated when considering whether or not there is such a genre as 16th or 17th century war poetry ?  Of course  Psalters, personal collection of selected  psalms, sometimes illustrated, had been in circulation for centuries, often copied out by hand. But ...