A superbly illustrated guide to the mysteries of myth, legend, and-gulp!-real life.

Nicholas Culpeper's "The English Physitian: or an Astrologo-physical Discourse of the Vulgar Herbs of This Nation" is more commonly known as "Culpeper's Complete Herbal." It was first printed in September 1653 (Culpeper died in January 1654) and immediately became a classic reference that is as fascinating today as it was more than 350 years ago. "Breverton's Complete Herbal" is a reworking of that classic text for a modern day audience. The book identifies each of Culpeper's herbs and spices, with a description of their appearance and Latin name/family; plus descriptions of the herbs' uses in medicine, dyeing and/or cuisine from the Greeks to the present day. Informative and entertaining, and is packed with interesting facts associated with herbs. For example, most herbs have their uses attached to their old names: Lungwort cured lung illnesses, Fleabane was strewn to get rid of fleas, Wolfbane poisoned wolves, and Henbane killed chickens. Dog's Grass was chewed by dogs when they were sick, Eye-Bright cured eye illnesses, Ducks-Meat was pond-algae, Gout-Herb cured gout, Mad-Wort cured the bite of a mad dog, Heart's-Ease was for heart illness, and Rupture-Wort and Spleen-Wort helped ruptures and spleen illnesses. Arranged alphabetically, "Breverton's Complete Herbal" describes 250 herbs and spices while containing feature sidebars and spreads on scented herb/medicinal gardens, the great herbalists, as well as New World herbs.

Did you ever wonder what the Tudors ate and drank? What was Elizabeth I's first meal after the defeat of the Spanish Armada? Which pies did Henry VIII gorge on to go from a 32 to a 54-inch waist? The Tudor Kitchen provides a new history of the Tudor kitchen, and over 500 sumptuous - and more everyday - recipes enjoyed by rich and poor, all taken from authentic contemporary sources. The kitchens of the Tudor palaces were equipped to feed a small army of courtiers, visiting dignitaries and various hangers-on of the aristocracy. Tudor court food purchases in just one year were no fewer than 8,200 sheep, 2,330 deer and 53 wild boar, plus countless birds such as swan (and cygnet), peacock, heron, capon, teal, gull and shoveler. Tudor feasting was legendary; Henry VIII even managed to impress the French at the Field of the Cloth of Gold in 1520 with a twelve-foot marble and gold leaf fountain dispensing claret and white wine into silver cups, free for all!

Breverton's Nautical Curiosities is arranged into thematic chapters:1) 1) The ocean environment - animals, geography, geology, weather, coasts, islands2) 2) Ship types and parts - from the first boat to the latest cutting-edge technology1) 3) People - heroes, heroines, pirates, sailors, captains 2) 4) Disasters, battles, wars3) 5) Literature - stories, myths, legends, proclamations, acts, orders 4) 6) Nautical sayings and slang Breverton's Nautical Curiosities is about ships, people and the sea. However, unlike many other nautical compendiums, the focus of this book is on the unusual, the overlooked or the downright extraordinary. Thus, someone most of us do not know, Admiral William Brown, is given equal coverage to Admiral Nelson. Without Admiral Brown releasing Garibaldi, modern Italy might not exist. And without the barely known genius John Ericsson designing the Monitor, the Confederacy might have won the American Civil War. Readers will be stimulated to read more about the remarkable men - explorers, admirals and trawlermen - who have shaped our world. The sea has had a remarkable effect upon our language. We hear the terms 'steer clear of', 'hit the deck', 'don't rock the boat', 'to harbour a grudge' and the like, and give little thought to them. In the pages of this book, the reader will find the origin of 'bumpkin', a 'brace of shakes', 'born with a silver spoon', 'booby prize', 'to take on board', 'above board', 'bombed' (in the sense of being drunk), the 'blues', 'blind-side', 'blind drunk', 'the pot calling the kettle black', 'reach the bitter end', 'wasters', 'ahoy', 'all at sea', 'to keep aloof', 'piss-artist', 'taken aback', 'barbecue'' and 'bamboozle'. Other colourful terms, which have passed out of common usage, such as 'bring one's arse to anchor' (sit down), 'belly timber' (food) and 'bog orange' (potato) are also included, as well as important pirate haunts, technical terms, famous battles, maritime inventors and ship speed records.

The Tudor Family is the most intriguing royal dynasty in British history. Their era took us out of the Middle Ages through the Renaissance, founded the British Empire and made Britain a world power for the first time. The flowering of literature and music was unprecedented in British history. And what a family! From Henry VII who usurped Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth, through his famous son whose multiple marriages led to the break with the Roman Church, to the brilliant reign of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn's daughter, Elizabeth I, we see over a century of people and events that sometimes seem more fiction than reality. Did Henry VIII compose Greensleeves? What were Thomas Cromwell's bizarre toilet habits? Did Anne Boleyn have six fingers on one hand? For details of these, and many more entertaining Tudor facts, just open this book.

If it had not been for Owain Glyndwr's 15-year struggle against overwhelming odds, the Welsh would not have survived as Europe's oldest nation. His war is the defining era in the history of Wales. Yet Glyndwr is hardly known - a cultured, literate warrior who was never betrayed or captured and vanished into history. No less than six separate invasions were beaten back by Glyndwr's army of volunteers before he disappeared, his family and children either dead or imprisoned for life. Not for Glyndwr the brutal public death of Braveheart, nor a grave to desecrate - only an immortal legacy of hope and freedom. His war of independence led the way for the success of another mab darogan (son of prophecy) seven decades later, when a Welsh army won at Bosworth Field and the Tudor dynasty was founded. This book tells us how Glyndwr came to stir Wales into war, and why his name still resonates today as one of the greatest warriors the world has ever seen.

Did you ever wonder what the Tudors ate and drank? What was Elizabeth I's first meal after the defeat of the Spanish Armada? Which pies did Henry VIII gorge on to go from a 32 to a 54-inch waist? The Tudor Kitchen provides a new history of the Tudor kitchen, and over 500 sumptuous - and more everyday - recipes enjoyed by rich and poor, all taken from authentic contemporary sources. The kitchens of the Tudor palaces were equipped to feed a small army of courtiers, visiting dignitaries and various hangers-on of the aristocracy. Tudor court food purchases in just one year were no fewer than 8,200 sheep, 2,330 deer and 53 wild boar, plus countless birds such as swan (and cygnet), peacock, heron, capon, teal, gull and shoveler. Tudor feasting was legendary; Henry VIII even managed to impress the French at the Field of the Cloth of Gold in 1520 with a twelve-foot marble and gold leaf fountain dispensing claret and white wine into silver cups, free for all!

And you thought unicorns were fabulous? Well, of course they are, but did you know how many other weird and wonderful mythical beasts are out there waiting to be discovered? From dragons and wyverns to vampires, werewolves and mischievous gremlins, pixies and fairies, Breverton's Phantasmagoria is a unique compendium of over 250 mythical animals. Prepare to revisit familiar myths, such as vampires, werewolves and the Loch Ness Monster, the Minotaur and Medusa from Greek legend, and Biblical beasts such as Behemoth and Leviathan. Discover new mysterious animals like the giant serpents of Central America, the lethal Mongolian death worm, and the Ennedi tiger in Africa, and investigate the evidence for sightings of Bigfoot and the reclusive Yeti. Packed with quirky line illustrations and a wealth of weird and wonderful information, Breverton's Phantasmagoria surveys the globe to uncover over 250 imaginary creatures passed down from generation to generation.

Henry Tudor, the future Henry VII, has been called the most unlikely King of England. Yet his rise from obscurity was foretold by the bards, and by 1485, the familial bloodbath of the Wars of the Roses left Henry as the sole adult Lancastrian claimant to the throne. The hunchback usurper Richard III desperately wanted him dead, and in his exile Henry Tudor was left with no choice. He either invaded England or faced being traded to Richard to meet certain death. Henry's father, Edmund Tudor, Earl of Richmond, was the son of a Queen of England, sister to the King of France, and of an obscure Welsh court servant, who had been born in secrecy away from court. Edmund's death at the beginning of the Wars of the Roses left Henry to grow up in almost constant danger, imprisonment and exile. In 1485, his 'ragtag' invading army at Bosworth faced overwhelming odds, but succeeded. Henry went on to become England's wisest and greatest king, but it would be his son Henry VIII and granddaughter Elizabeth I who would take all the credit.

The Wars of the Roses were a bitter and bloody dispute between the rival Plantagenet Houses of York and Lancaster. Only one man, Jasper Tudor, the Lancastrian half-brother to Henry VI, fought from the first battle at St Albans in 1455 to the last at Stoke Field in 1487 and lived to forge a new dynasty - the Tudors. Fighting the Yorkists, rallying the Lancastrians and spending years in exile with his nephew, the future first Tudor monarch, Henry VII, Jasper was the mainspring for continued Lancastrian defiance. He was twenty-four years old in his first battle and fifty-three when he won at Bosworth Field in 1485. Now he could style himself 'the high and mighty prince, Jasper, brother and uncle of kings, duke of Bedford and earl of Pembroke'. Without the heroic Jasper Tudor there could have been no Tudor dynasty. This is the first biography of the real 'kingmaker' of British history.

A compendium of fascinating information about the great waters that cover two-thirds of our Earth and the men and women that sailed them. Breverton's Nautical Curiosities is about ships, people and the sea. However, unlike many other nautical compendiums, the focus of this book is on the unusual, the overlooked or the downright extraordinary. Someone most of us do not know, Admiral William Brown, is given equal coverage to Admiral Nelson. Without Admiral Brown releasing Garibaldi, modern Italy might not exist. And without the barely known genius John Ericsson designing the Monitor, the Confederacy might have won the American Civil War. Readers will be stimulated to read more about the remarkable men - explorers, admirals and trawlermen - who have shaped our world. The sea has had a remarkable effect upon our language. We hear the terms 'steer clear of', 'hit the deck', 'don't rock the boat', 'to harbour a grudge' and the like, and give little thought to them. In the pages of this book, the reader will find the origin of 'bumpkin', a 'brace of shakes', 'born with a silver spoon', 'booby prize', 'to take on board', 'above board', 'bombed' (in the sense of being drunk), the 'blues', 'blind-side', 'blind drunk', 'the pot calling the kettle black', 'reach the bitter end', 'wasters', 'ahoy', 'all at sea', 'to keep aloof', 'piss-artist', 'taken aback', 'barbecue'' and 'bamboozle'. Other colourful terms, which have passed out of common usage, such as 'bring one's arse to anchor' (sit down), 'belly timber' (food) and 'bog orange' (potato) are also included, as well as important pirate haunts, technical terms, famous battles, maritime inventors and ship speed records.

This long-forgotten factional novel was the literary sensation of its day. The Poet Laureate Robert Southey said of it 'Truth is often stranger than falsehood; and so it is in this case'. This is the account of the privateer William Williams's adventures after being marooned upon the Miskito Coast. It is the first story of a message in a bottle, of buried treasure, the first novel written in America, and incredibly anti-slavery, at a time when America's first three presidents owned slaves. The descriptions of flora and fauna are unparalleled, and some of Williams' stories of mammoth bones and inscribed basalt pillars have only been discovered to be factual in the last two decades. This book updates the language of the original manuscript, which was expurgated when originally printed, and gives a short account of the life of its polymath author. This is a wonderful work of literature which will bring joy to readers old and young, and is crying out to be heard again today. The amazing William Williams: Painter, Author, Teacher, Musician, Stage Designer, Castaway. The activities of this forgotten genius spread across almost every branch of American culture... he will stand out as a significant figure in the development of American culture - James Thomas Flexner I have never read so much of a book in one sitting in my life. He Penrose] kept me up half the night, and made me dream of him the other half... it has all the air of truth, and is most entertaining and interesting in every point of view - Lord George Byron

The bloody Wars of the Roses between the Houses of Lancaster and York ended with the killing of Richard III. With the recent discovery of his skeleton, and the consequent controversy over his final resting place, it is time to re-examine the life of Richard as a duke and king. Was Richard the grotesque usurper and murderer of the Princes in the Tower, as depicted by Shakespeare just over a hundred years after his death in battle? Or has his name been blackened over the years, as claimed by his apologists, the Richard III Society? This biography sifts the contemporary evidence, placing Richard in the context of his times, and assesses the other candidates put forward to have killed the Princes in the Tower. John Locke wrote that 'the actions of men are the best interpreters of their thoughts' and upon this basis the investigation leads to one conclusion.

About the Book This is the first new and unexpurgated translation of Meddygon Myddfai, The Physicians of Myddfai, for over 150 years. The original mediaeval manuscripts are unique, being written in Middle Welsh, whereas across England and the rest of Europe, Latin was the universal language for documents. Nicholas Culpeper's famous 17th century medical handbooks are at least five hundred years later than the genesis of the works of the Myddfai mediciners. Around 1000 Welsh remedies and suggestions for a healthy life make fascinating reading, with many being useful today. The evocative Legend of the Lady of the Lake (Llyn y Fan Fach) is included. This tale is the starting point for the line of practising Myddfai physicians from being court mediciners to Prince Rhys Gryg (d.1234) until the present day. Not only has the herbal and healing tradition carried on for around 800 years, but the places named in the legend can still be seen, and many of the plant cures have uses in modern medicine. About the Author Terry Breverton has written over forty books, with his main focus being upon Welsh history, heritage and culture. A former businessman, consultant and academic, he has worked all over the world, has given talks about Wales in Boston, Washington, Vancouver and elsewhere, and has appeared in several documentaries. He believes that books, whether in print or electronic form, have to be entertaining and informative, and hopes that this is the case with The Physicians of Myddfai.

"Him cheat him friend of him last guinea Him kill both friar and priest, O dear Him cut de t'roat of piccaninny Bloody, bloody buccaneer " --old West Indian balladThis is the swashbuckling biography of the naval officer known as the Sword of England, the Welshman Henry Morgan. Over the years, Morgan came to be portrayed as a black-hearted, fierce pirate. This error in terms and in the assessment of Morganis character led to the filing of the first libel lawsuit, brought in protest to a book published in 1684 claiming he had been an indentured servant, was a pirate, and was responsible for atrocities. In fact, Morgan was commissioned to aid the British navy in fighting enemies of the crown and was a superb military tactician who led a dozen victorious campaigns against massive odds. In 1655, Spain was the greatest naval and military power on earth, and controlled the sea lanes of Central America and the Caribbean. Henry Morgan's career as a buccaneer officially began when, at age twenty, he landed in Barbados as part of a force deployed to capture Cuba or Hispaniola (Puerto Rico) for the British. The deployment failed, but the forces did capture Jamaica, which would become Morgan's adopted home base for the rest of his life. From there, Morgan planned the attacks that would enrich the British throne and usher in the era of British supremacy on the high seas. For his leadership in battle and as lieutenant governor of Jamaica, Admiral Sir Henry Morgan deserves to take his place alongside Sir Francis Drake and the Duke of Wellington in the panoply of history's greatest heroes.

'The Welsh habit of revolt against the English is an old-standing madness ... from the sayings of the prophet Merlin they still hope to recover their land. Hence, they frequently rebel ... but because they do not know the appointed time, they are often deceived and their labour is in vain.' (Vita Edwardi Secundi) The appointed time, it turned out, was 1485. For generations, the ancestors of Welshman Owen Tudor had fought Romans, Irish Picts, Vikings, Saxons, Mercians and Normans. His uncles had been executed in the Glyndwr Welsh War of Independence. Owen fought for Henry V in France and entered the service of Henry's queen, Catherine of Valois. Soon after the king's death he secretly married her, the mother of the eight-month-old Henry VI. Owen and Catherine would have two boys together. Henry VI would go on to ennoble them as Edmund Earl of Richmond, and Jasper Earl of Pembroke, but upon Catherine's death Owen was imprisoned. Escaping twice, Owen was thrown into the beginnings of the Wars of the Roses with his two sons. It would be Edmund's son, Henry Tudor, who would take the English throne as Henry VII. When Jasper led the Lancastrian forces at Mortimer's Cross in 1461, the ageing Owen led a wing of the defeated army, was captured and executed. Without his earlier secret marriage for love, there would have been no Tudor dynasty.

Have you ever wondered what the Tudors ate? What was served at the courtly feasts of Henry VIII, or what kept peasants alive through the harsh winters of the sixteenth century? The Tudor Cookbook provides over 250 recipes from authentic period manuals for starters, mains, desserts and drinks, from chicken blancmange to white pease pottage with seal and porpoise. It even covers vegetarian dishes - the Tudors designed dishes of vegetables to look like meat to be cooked during religious festivals when abstinence from meat was required. A few of the more outlandish ingredients and methods of cooking are now illegal, but the rest of the recipes have been trialled; many are delicious and surprising.

The Welsh: The Biography tells the story of the remarkable survival of the oldest nation and oldest language in Europe. We see how the four original major Celtic tribes are still reflected in the location of Britain's four oldest cathedrals, and how after one and a half millennia of constant invasions and eventual conquest, the Welsh retained their sense of nationality. The story of the Welsh is one of defending the nation against overwhelming odds, and of a major contribution to European literature. Its tenth century laws are acknowledged as the most progressive in the world until the later twentieth century. Almost uniquely in the world, Wales has had heroines as well as heroes, princesses as well as princes who contributed to its progress. Wales has given heroes such as Owain Glyndwr who are recognised across the globe, and men such as David Lloyd George, to whom Hitler attributed the winning of First World War. The character of the Welsh - their pacifism, literary abilities and influence - is splendidly described in this unique history of the Welsh as a people.

Who flew before the Wright Brothers? How was plastic surgery invented? Did Leonardo da Vinci design the first robot? When was the first email sent? Where was beer first brewed? Who invented zero? From the fish hook to fibre optics, the pyramids to postage stamps, and from gunpowder to GPS, this eclectic compendium will inform, inspire and fascinate anyone to know more about the moments of genius that gave shaped our lives today. An extraordinary guide to the greatest feats of ingenuity and innovation.