Description

Book Synopsis

From royalty to peasantry, every age has its bad eggs, those who break all the rules and rub everyone up the wrong way. But their niggling, anti-social and irritating ways not only tell us about what upset people, but also what mattered to them, how their society functioned and what kind of world they lived in.

In this brilliantly nitty-gritty exploration of real life in the Tudor and Stuart age, you will discover:
– how to choose the perfect insult, whether it be draggletail, varlet, flap, saucy fellow strumpet, ninny-hammer or stinkard
– why quoting Shakespeare was very poor form
– why flashing the inside of your hat could repulse someone
– the best way to mock accents, preachers, soldiers and pretty much everything else besides

Ruth Goodman draws upon advice books and manuals, court cases and sermons, drama and imagery to outline bad behaviour from the gauche to the galling, the subtle to the outrageous. It is a celebration of drunkards, scolds, harridans and cross dressers in a time when calling a man a fool could get someone killed, and cursing wasn’t just rude, it worked!

‘Ruth is the queen of living history – long may she reign!’ Lucy Worsley

How to Behave Badly in Renaissance Britain

    Product form

    A Paperback / softback by Ruth Goodman

    £8.99

    Includes FREE delivery

    RRP £9.99 – you save £1.00 (10%)

    Order before 4pm today for delivery by Mon 7 Sep 2026.

    15 in stock

      Trusted by thousands of customers. See 2,385+ Customer Reviews

      View other formats and editions of How to Behave Badly in Renaissance Britain by Ruth Goodman

      Book details

      Publisher Michael O'Mara Books Ltd
      Published 3 September 2020
      ISBN-13 9781789292664
      978-1789292664
      ISBN-10 1789292662
      Also in:
      Non Fiction History European history Social and cultural history

      Description

      Book Synopsis

      From royalty to peasantry, every age has its bad eggs, those who break all the rules and rub everyone up the wrong way. But their niggling, anti-social and irritating ways not only tell us about what upset people, but also what mattered to them, how their society functioned and what kind of world they lived in.

      In this brilliantly nitty-gritty exploration of real life in the Tudor and Stuart age, you will discover:
      – how to choose the perfect insult, whether it be draggletail, varlet, flap, saucy fellow strumpet, ninny-hammer or stinkard
      – why quoting Shakespeare was very poor form
      – why flashing the inside of your hat could repulse someone
      – the best way to mock accents, preachers, soldiers and pretty much everything else besides

      Ruth Goodman draws upon advice books and manuals, court cases and sermons, drama and imagery to outline bad behaviour from the gauche to the galling, the subtle to the outrageous. It is a celebration of drunkards, scolds, harridans and cross dressers in a time when calling a man a fool could get someone killed, and cursing wasn’t just rude, it worked!

      ‘Ruth is the queen of living history – long may she reign!’ Lucy Worsley

      Recently viewed products

      © 2026 Book Curl

        • American Express
        • Apple Pay
        • Diners Club
        • Discover
        • Google Pay
        • Maestro
        • Mastercard
        • PayPal
        • Shop Pay
        • Union Pay
        • Visa

        Login

        Forgot your password?

        Don't have an account yet?
        Create account