The Comic History of England: Prehistory-1760

Experience history as a glorious and uproarious comedy of errors. Murderers, schemers, traitors, fools, thieves, oligarchs, and torturers make up the real history of Britain’s “nobility” and their misdeeds, this Victorian bestseller was written by one of the founders of Punch narrated with wicked wit by Charles Featherstone.

Gilbert Abbott à Beckett turns his razor-sharp satire on the entire pageant of English history. This audacious and brilliantly funny work lampoons monarchs and milestones with gleeful irreverence. You’ll meet kings like the “Wisest Fool in Christendom,” James I, and witness the farcical collapse of the Republic under the hapless Richard Cromwell. The Tudor era is revealed as a “bloody, backstabbing comedy of royal disasters,” featuring Henry VIII’s history as “the original wife-disposer” and Elizabeth I, who ruled with an iron ruff. The narrative skewers thick-accented German kings like George II, who was reportedly prone to dropping his trousers for “luck” mid-cavalry charge.

The genius behind this humor was as remarkable as the book itself. Gilbert Abbott à Beckett was not only a prolific humorist and playwright but also a respected barrister and Metropolitan Police Magistrate. This unique combination of a legal mind and a comedic spirit allowed him to dissect the absurdities of Britain’s institutions with unparalleled insight.

Embark on a hilarious journey through the centuries, guided by one of the nineteenth century’s most clever and original comic voices. Listen and discover:

Includes biographical notes on Gilbert Abbott a Beckett and the one-act farce “The Man with the Carpet Bag”.