The Black Legend of Prince Rupert's Dog
Witchcraft and Propaganda during the English Civil War
Distributed for Liverpool University Press
One of the most bizarre consequences of the English Civil War of 1642–46 was the celebrity status attained by a “dog-witch” named Boy, the loyal companion of Charles I’s nephew, Prince Rupert of the Rhine. Like his master, Boy was held to possess supernatural powers and gained popular interest through artistic renderings and sensational literature, where he was frequently portrayed as a devil or a witch. This compelling new book from Mark Stoyle sets out to uncover the true story of Boy—and in the process sheds new light on a fascinating series of collisions and interactions between polemic and traditional witch-belief in the troubled 1640s.
“[Stoyle] has an enviable record of identifying new and illuminating lines, of offering fresh interpretations backed up by extensive and impeccable research and of presenting his work clearly and attractively.”
“The author’s reputation as a leading scholar of the English civil wars should ensure that this is a book that will be noticed and widely reviewed.”
“A cross over book, appealing as it should to those who are obsessed by witchcraft and those who are keen follower of civil war studies.”
Illustrations
Abbreviations
Acknowledgements
Chronology
Introduction
1. Boy and the Historians
2. The Prince and the Poodle: Before the Civil War
3. ‘Dutchland Devil’: The prince and the pamphleteers, August–December 1642
4. ‘Lapland Lady’: The poodle and the pamphleteers, January–February 1643
5. ‘Imagining Boy’: The roots of the myth
6. ‘Occult Celebrity’: Boy in the public eye, February–August 1643
7. ‘A Dog’s Elegy’: From Newbury to Marston Moor, September 1643 to July 1644
8. A Dog’s Legacy: After Marston Moor
Conclusion
Appendix: Observations upon Prince Rupert's White Dog, Called Boy: Carefully taken by T.B.
Notes
Bibliography
Index
History: British and Irish History
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