The Trials of Frances Howard: Fact and Fiction at the Court of King James

'A Wife, A Witch, A Murderess and A Whore' refers to the great scandal of Frances Howard, convicted in 1616 of murder with her husband, the Earl of Somerset. Howard was branded as a 'lewd woman', as well as the the more unsavory epithets comprising the title, and became an icon of female villany. Has she been misjudged? In a fascinating examination of both the historical evidence and cultural representations of Howard, David Lindley presents important new insights into the case against her. In doing so he radically challenges the assumptions which have constructed Howard as a deviant woman, raising questions not only about the perception of women in the 17th century, but how society continues to do so.

David Lindley is a Senior Lecturer in English at the University of Leeds.