Arthur Ingram and Lionel Cranfield were part of the early modern phenomenon of social mobility, rising from humble merchants to titled gentlemen in one generation. Cranfield, especially, reached significant heights in a matter of years. Despite the fact both men have merited biographies which chart their commercial and political careers, little attention has been paid to their lives outside of the political sphere leaving room for an analysis of their family and personal estates and the extent to which they utilised their houses in their self-projection. The originality of this thesis lies in its comparison of the two men which not only highlights their dependency on each other and mutual advertisement of each other’s image, but also opens up the question of regional disparity in house building as Ingram’s country estates were situated in Yorkshire whereas Cranfield’s were mainly close to London. The first chapter introduces the issues of social mobility, self-fashioning, and regionality, provides a literature review and explains the methodology employed. Chapter 2 looks at the careers and families of Ingram and Cranfield before examining the ways in which they furthered their ascent through the fashioning of their attire, education and learning, and social networks. The thesis then focuses on the houses of both men, with Chapters 3 and 4 considering how they built and styled their houses. Chapter 5 examines the craftsmen and materials employed by Ingram and Cranfield on their building programmes and in particular the geographical location of their houses. Chapter 6 discusses the way Ingram and Cranfield furnished their residences and how their households were related to the local community, particularly in terms of hospitality. The gardens and grounds that surrounded their houses are the subject of Chapter 7. The thesis concludes with an evaluation of the significance of Ingram’s and Cranfield’s houses in the self-projection of their image and how far the geographical location of their residences affected how successful this was.

Why write music theory and publish it? In the thesis I investigate the reasons for a seeming over-abundance of practically oriented music treatises in early seventeenth-century Italy. Throughout I challenge our conventional assessment of the study of music theory: I suggest that we can define a music-theoretical text in terms of its material form in addition to its content. Adriano Banchieri (1568-1634) was the most prolific theorist in early seventeenth-century Italy. His music-theory books exemplify contemporary printing patterns, an overt practical focus, and a synthesis of contemporary theoretical innovations. In Chapter 1, after considering the meaning of 'music theory' and how it is typically classified, I discuss the process of and purposes for writing and publishing music theory. In Chapter 2 I explore Banchieri's practical and philosophical motives for writing music theory, and thus introduce the reader to his music-theoretical corpus. The focus of the thesis then broadens: in Chapter 3 I survey the typical authors, publishing houses, content, material form, function and readers of the various kinds of theoretical texts printed in Italy between 1600 and 1630. In Chapter 4 I examine the widespread practice of publishing second and revised editions of music-theory books in order to establish the extent to which a new edition corresponds to a seeming demand for a particular text. The case study of the paratext of Banchieri's Conclusiones de musica (Bologna, 1627) in Chapter 5 demonstrates the great extent to which the preliminary matter of an early Seicento music-theory book is embedded in its socio-cultural context and how a paratext projects ideas contained in the text proper. Lastly, in Chapter 6 I explore to whom and in which particular forums theoretical writings circulated. Here I focus principally on Banchieri's printed letters, which provide evidence of how an author circulated his music books.

Les études littéraires du théâtre ont tendance à considérer la pièce comme si elle constituait à elle seule la totalité de la représentation. Or les pièces de théâtre du XVIIe siècle étaient presque toujours « encadrées » par divers ornements parathéâtraux : prologues, épilogues, chœurs et intermèdes. La représentation était constituée de la pièce, encadrée par ces ornements. Le dessein de cette thèse est double. Nous étudierons, dans un premier temps, la façon dont chaque forme d’encadrement était intégrée à la représentation et quelle fonction pratique les professionnels du spectacle de l’époque lui attribuaient. Nous analyserons, dans un deuxième temps, la façon dont les encadrements influencent l’interprétation de la pièce principale. L’objectif de cette étude est d’illustrer l’utilité herméneutique des encadrements et de démontrer qu’ils sont de véritables clés d’interprétation de l’œuvre, laissées par les auteurs et acteurs du Grand Siècle, qui nous permettent d’appréhender le sens de la pièce tel qu’il était conçu au XVIIe siècle. / Literary studies of theatre have tended to focus on the play itself as though it were the only element of the representation. In reality, however, seventeenth century plays were almost always “framed” by various paratheatrical ornaments such as prologues, epilogues, choruses and intermèdes. Together the play and its complementary encadrements formed a dramatic whole. The purpose of this thesis is twofold. We will first undertake a practical study of each paratheatrical form in order to determine exactly how it was integrated into the performance and what its practical function was perceived to be. We will then analyse the way in which encadrements influence the interpretation of the play. The primary interest of this study is to illustrate the way in which paratheatre is used to direct the spectator’s interpretation. We hope to demonstrate the interest of these “frames” as guides left by the authors and actors of the Grand Siècle, helping us to better understand the meaning of dramatic works as they were perceived in their own time.

Grâce aux travaux récents des historiens et des spécialistes de la littérature galante, la promotion théorisée et valorisée de la tendresse est bien connue. En revanche, rares sont les études de cas attentives à ses formes d’expression. Au moment où Mme de Sévigné écrit ses lettres, la tendresse est conçue comme une modulation du lien interpersonnel spécifique, dont les enjeux sont à relier d’une part, à la méfiance envers les passions, et d’autre part, aux raffinements affectifs et sentimentaux de l’esthétique galante.Le terme d’écriture le laisse entrevoir : il ne s’agit pas de traquer d’hypothétiques sentiments intimes, mais bien plutôt d’analyser, au plus près du texte, leurs mises en scène et leurs modalités d’inscription. Loin de donner accès en toute transparence à la vie intérieure de l’épistolière, l’expression des sentiments maternels est informée par des stratégies rhétoriques sous-tendues aussi bien par des contraintes génériques que par des hiérarchies axiologiques. Il convient donc de raisonner en termes de possibles langagiers – indissociables de l’appropriation, pragmatiquement orientée, de modèles culturels.Éclairer une manière de dire par les codes et les valeurs qu’elle cristallise, afin de restituer aux modulations stylistiques du sentiment maternel leur pleine portée, dans le cadre de ses possibilités d’expression et de ses marges d’innovation : tel est l’objectif de ce travail. / This thesis analyses the stylistic means by which Mme de Sévigné appropriates the ideal of tenderness and builds an ethical category suited to the particularities of the relationship with her daughter. It emphasizes therefore how historical and ideological circumstances must be taken into account to understand Mme de Sévigné’ s epistolary style in a specific cultural context.

In the seventeenth century, news of the Transylvanian princes in weekly newspapers and biannual Messrelationen rarely comes from the principality itself, but from the cities which are the Transylvanians' allies, enemies and invaded neighbors. This thesis examines the German language periodicals of four periods: István Bocskai's rebellion against the Habsburg Emperor (1604-5), Gábor Bethlen's first march into Hungary (1619-21), György I Rákóczi's Hungarian offensive (1643-5) and György II Rákóczi's incursion into Poland-Lithuania and the subsequent Ottoman invasion of Transylvania (1657-8). Between these periods, political developments and postal improvements shift the reporting networks which carry the news of Transylvania. As a result, each prince is reported on by a different set of reporting regions altering the language of the news. Bocskai's rebellion is presented in the Messrelationen as an alliance of the unchristian Protestants and Ottomans, dependent on military success rather than political legitimacy and causing devastation in the region. This perspective continues in later periods in news from Vienna, the most consistent reporter on Transylvania, as the princes are shown to be capable of upsetting the Emperor's position in Hungary, but more feared for their association with the Ottomans. Bethlen's march is also reported on by Transylvania's allies in Prague, who present the prince with greater diplomatic importance, and supporters in Hungary, who detail the diet meetings where he is elected king, proving his legitimacy. György I's march does not benefit from a breadth of perspectives, and Vienna’s dominates the news with its concern for quick peace. György II’s invasion of Poland is largely reported from the new news centers along the Baltic, presenting him as a military commander with precedent for his claim to the Polish throne. With the Ottomans' invasion the following year, Vienna’s fears for the safety of Christendom once again dictate Transylvania’s portrayal in the news.

The purpose of this thesis is to bring to light some of the music written for, or especially adaptable to, brass ensembles before the close of the eighteenth century. This study must concern itself with the music which has been preserved and is available, and with such music as can be played on modern instruments. It must be stated that some of the music mentioned herein was not written specifically for brass instruments, but the style and general character of the music make it adaptable for a brass instrumentation.

The purpose of this study is to examine how English natural philosophers of the seventeenth century—in particular, Robert Boyle (1627-1691) considered and assessed the personal traits of skill and experience and the significance of these characteristics to the practice of seventeenth-century science. Boyle's writings reveal that skill and experience impacted various aspects of his seventeenth-century experimental natural philosophy, including the credibility assessment of tradesmen and eyewitnesses to natural phenomena, the contingencies involved in the making of experiments, and Boyle's statements about the requisite skills of experimental philosophy in contrast to other traditions. Subtopics explored include the popularization of science and Boyle's expectations concerning the future improvement of natural philosophy.

This thesis examines the influence of Galen (b. 129 AD) on medicine in England between 1618 and 1794, approaching the study of his authority and the use of his work through three case-studies: histories of medicine, pharmacology, and surgery. The histories of medicine illustrate the variety of ways in which Galen is referred to, both as a historical figure, and as an ongoing contemporary influence. His importance in terms of accessing the knowledge of the ancients, and as a fixed point in time around which to discuss the history of medicine, and to situate other practitioners over a broad time period, underlines the significance of his role within medicine. Similarly, the pharmacological texts examined provide a more tangible sense of the influence of Galen, and their varied, but formulaic structures enable specific remedies to be traced over time and their corresponding associations and details compared between different editions. Identifying the role of Galen within surgical treatises also allows for a more theoretical aspect of surgery to be explored, providing a different perspective on an area more frequently portrayed as a manual art. The use of Galenic texts within each case-study, in particular the histories of medicine, demonstrates a significant and nuanced engagement with the content of his works, reiterating the importance of his contribution, and showing the value ascribed to the simplicity offered by past approaches. It is evident that a shift had occurred from the acceptance of ancient authority based on convention, to evaluating the simplicity and utility of information on an individual basis. The value ascribed to utility in the assessment of medical knowledge is evident throughout these texts, which also demonstrate the importance of the experience and observations of the practitioner in facilitating the ongoing and significant use of the influence of Galen.

Modern critical works on the seventeenth-century Extremaduran author Catalina Clara Ramírez de Guzmán are sparse, with the exception of recent interest manifested by a small group of feminist scholars in the United States. Apart from intermittent mentions of her poetry, she is virtually unknown among British Hispanists. This thesis seeks to fill many existing gaps in knowledge on her by providing a broader critical assessment of her surviving poetry than has been available thus far, particularly by situating it and its author within their historical, literary and social contexts and drawing thematic and stylistic analogies with works by other authors, male and female. Part I will concentrate primarily on historical aspects. It will establish the reputation enjoyed by the poet in her day and review references to her work in modern critical literature. It will also provide a detailed reconstruction of the poet's family antecedents and discuss the evidence of a literary community in her home city during the period in which she was active as a writer. Part II will focus on the poetry itself, specifically a consideration of the thematic content of a broad representative selection of Ramírez de Guzmán's verses, which were not published until nearly two centuries after her death, and an examination of her interaction with the genres of occasional verse, verse portraiture and burlesque and satirical poetry, all of which will be discussed against the background of their respective traditions.

Cette thèse doctorale prétend contribuer, premièrement, à soumettre à discussioncette interprétation dominante de la pensée philosophique et scientifique du PèreMinime Marin Mersenne (1588-1648), étant portée et structurée par la question duscepticisme, et deuxièmement, à mettre en avant la manière dont cette philosophieincarne l’esprit de la révolution scientifique du XVIIe siècle par sa capacité de se mettreen question dans sa recherche insatiable de la vérité; une recherche accompagnée d’unsouci de conservation de l’ordre politique et religieux. L’hypothèse principale de notretravail consiste à affirmer une profonde transformation dans la conception de la musique: transformation qui mène d’une science quadriviale et subalterne aux mathématiques,exigeant la soumission au jugement de la raison dans la pratique, à une science physiqueet mathématique, dont la recherche se fonde sur de nombreuses expériences,reconnaissant l’individualité de l’expérience esthétique, la liberté de l’imagination descompositeurs et le caractère ineffable du sublime musical. Il s’agit d’une transformationqui n’est pas exempte de difficultés, car elle ne conduit pas simplement à affirmerl’existence de deux périodes dans la pensée de Mersenne. En effet, il exprime ses doutessur la pertinence de l’approche spéculative lorsqu’il discute avec ses correspondants surla réforme musicale proposée à l’imitation des anciens et ne cesse de rappeler laperfection des rapports numériques des consonances lorsqu’il est prêt à les mettre enquestion en acceptant et en cherchant les fondements de la pratique de l’accordage desinstruments. Or, malgré cette complexité (voire ces contradictions) nous jugeons et nousprétendons montrer que cette transformation est indéniable et que l’épistémologie duMinime doit être analysée à la lumière des problématiques et de nouvelles expériencesscientifiques auxquelles il est confronté et non comme une manière de donner réponseaux arguments du scepticisme. / This PhD dissertation provides a critical perspective of the dominantinterpretation of the scientific and philosophical works of Father Marin Mersenne(1588-1648) entirely structured by the sceptical question. The development of his ideasabout music embodies the spirit of the scientific revolution which emerges in theseventeenth-century. His investigation has the capacity to put his methods into questionwith an insatiable quest for the truth; a quest that involves political and religiousconcerns. The aim of this study is to show a profound transformation in the conceptionof music. This transformation that leads from a science of the quadrivium (subordinateto mathematics and claiming superiority of the judgement of reason) to a physical andmathematical science grounded on experience that recognizes the individuality of theesthetic experience, the liberty of the imagination of the composers and the ineffabilityof the sublime. It is quite difficult however to identify the existence of two differentstages in Mersenne’s thought. It is surprising how he expresses doubts about therelevance of the speculative approach to music whereas a musical reform is proposed inhis apologetic writings, having as a model the perfection of proportions of consonancesand rhythmic combinations well known by the ancients. And also, when he accepts thepractice of musical temperament, challenging the observation of the mathematicalperfection, he will continue to remind the proportions underlying the consonances.Despite this complexity (even these contradictions) we consider and pretend to showthat this transformation is undeniable and that the Mersenne epistemology must beanalysed according to the scientific questions and experiences which he faces in hisinvestigations and not as a response to a sceptical crisis.