Omens, Signs and False Prophets

Not Just the Tudors

In the autumn of 1621, hundreds of starlings were seen fighting in the sky above Cork. The following May, the city was ravaged by fire. The pleated folds of skin around the neck of a baby born in 1566 were interpreted as divine judgment on starched ruffs. And when not a single wren was seen in Cambridge in the 1620s, people expected a foreign invasion.

In this episode, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Professor Alexandra Walsham, to explore the many signs, wonders, omens and portents she has discovered in the archives, which offer fascinating insights into the collective consciousness of the Elizabethan and early Stuart periods.

Presented by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Alice Smith, audio editor Ella Blaxill and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

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