Richard Topcliffe and the Book Culture of the Elizabethan Catholic Underground

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DOI:

https://doi.org/10.26512/rhh.v10i19.47054

Keywords:

hist´ória do livro, história moderna, século XVI

Abstract

Richard Topcliffe (1531–1604) was the most infamous torturer of Elizabethan England. He was also a professional reader. Historians of the book are interested in how repressive regimes read the books of their enemies. This essay identifies a number of books that contain Topcliffe’s marginalia and have not previously been studied by scholars. It argues that Topcliffe’s reading was forensic in nature, and was utilized directly by the Elizabethan regime in its campaign against Catholicism. This investigation reveals the connection between racking and reading, and demonstrates the ways in which Topcliffe’s reading legitimated state-authorized violence. 

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Published

2024-03-21

How to Cite

Rankin, M., & Gouveia de Lima Borges, R. M. (2024). Richard Topcliffe and the Book Culture of the Elizabethan Catholic Underground. History, Histories, 10(19), 158–207. https://doi.org/10.26512/rhh.v10i19.47054

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