THE TRUE LOVE Dorothy Osborne

In this episode, a 17th-century tale of true love and extreme patience. Dorothy Osborne and William Temple fell deeply in love, but her family forbade the match. For years, while Dorothy’s creepily overbearing brother presented her with suitor after suitor of his own choosing, Dorothy and William faithfully sent each other secret love letters. Dorothy’s letters survive, and reveal the story of her escape from the clutches of her possessive brother in pursuit of “happily ever after.” Katie interviews Professor Bernard Capp, foremost expert on 17th-century Britain and author of the new book, The Ties That Bind.

A digital archive of Dorothy Osborne’s letters can be found here, and free audio performances of her letters are at Librivox.

After completing his masters and doctorate at the University of Oxford, Guest Bernard Capp went on to teach at the University of Warwick for half a century. He has written books on a wide range of early modern English topics including the family, gender, radical movements in the English Revolution, the impact of puritan rule during the interregnum, astrological almanacs, popular literature, and the Cromwellian navy. 

Music featured in this episode included: “Canarios” by Gaspar San, performed by Marc Nelson, and “Queen Marie’s Dumpe,” “The Nightingale,” “Franklin & Focky,” “Parthenia,” “Gerard’s Mistresse,” and “Fairwell Fair Armidia” by Dr. Phillip Serna.

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