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The Lances of Lynwood
Seldom had the interior of this island presented a more peaceful and prosperous aspect than in the reign of Edward III, when the more turbulent spirits among his subjects had found occupation in his foreign wars, and his wise government had established at home a degree of plenty, tranquility, and security, such as had probably never before been experienced in England. Castle and cottage, church and convent, alike showed the prosperity and safety of the inhabitants, at once by the profuseness of embellishment in those newly erected, and by the neglect of the jealous precautions required in former days of confusion and misrule. Thus it was with the village of Lynwood, where, among the cottages and farmhouses occupying a fertile valley in Somersetshire, arose the ancient Keep, built of gray stone, and strongly fortified; but the defenses were kept up rather as appendages of the owner's rank, than as requisite for his protection. It is well that they were; for the days of peace were at their end and the hour of the lances was at hand.
204 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1855
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About the author
Charlotte Mary Yonge
734 books76 followersCharlotte Mary Yonge was an English novelist, known for her huge output, now mostly out of print.
She began writing in 1848, and published during her long life about 160 works, chiefly novels. Her first commercial success, The Heir of Redclyffe (1853), provided the funding to enable the schooner Southern Cross to be put into service on behalf of George Selwyn. Similar charitable works were done with the profits from later novels. Yonge was also a founder and editor for forty years of The Monthly Packet, a magazine (founded in 1851) with a varied readership, but targeted at British Anglican girls (in later years it was addressed to a somewhat wider readership).
Among the best known of her works are The Heir of Redclyffe, Heartsease, and The Daisy Chain. A Book of Golden Deeds is a collection of true stories of courage and self-sacrifice. She also wrote Cameos from English History, Life of John Coleridge Patteson: Missionary Bishop of the Melanesian Islands and Hannah More. Her History of Christian Names was described as "the first serious attempt at tackling the subject" and as the standard work on names in the preface to the first edition of Withycombe's The Oxford Dictionary of English Christian Names, 1944.
Her personal example and influence on her god-daughter, Alice Mary Coleridge, played a formative role in Coleridge's zeal for women's education and thus, indirectly, led to the foundation of Abbots Bromley School for Girls.
After her death, her friend, assistant and collaborator, Christabel Coleridge, published the biographical Charlotte Mary Yonge: her Life and Letters (1903).
-Wikipedia
The Charlotte Mary Yonge Fellowship, a website with lots of information.
See Charlotte's character page for books about her.
She began writing in 1848, and published during her long life about 160 works, chiefly novels. Her first commercial success, The Heir of Redclyffe (1853), provided the funding to enable the schooner Southern Cross to be put into service on behalf of George Selwyn. Similar charitable works were done with the profits from later novels. Yonge was also a founder and editor for forty years of The Monthly Packet, a magazine (founded in 1851) with a varied readership, but targeted at British Anglican girls (in later years it was addressed to a somewhat wider readership).
Among the best known of her works are The Heir of Redclyffe, Heartsease, and The Daisy Chain. A Book of Golden Deeds is a collection of true stories of courage and self-sacrifice. She also wrote Cameos from English History, Life of John Coleridge Patteson: Missionary Bishop of the Melanesian Islands and Hannah More. Her History of Christian Names was described as "the first serious attempt at tackling the subject" and as the standard work on names in the preface to the first edition of Withycombe's The Oxford Dictionary of English Christian Names, 1944.
Her personal example and influence on her god-daughter, Alice Mary Coleridge, played a formative role in Coleridge's zeal for women's education and thus, indirectly, led to the foundation of Abbots Bromley School for Girls.
After her death, her friend, assistant and collaborator, Christabel Coleridge, published the biographical Charlotte Mary Yonge: her Life and Letters (1903).
-Wikipedia
The Charlotte Mary Yonge Fellowship, a website with lots of information.
See Charlotte's character page for books about her.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
January 5, 2017
Though this was considered a classic in my grandparents' day, it is largely forgotten today. The tale is of brave knights and treacherous danger and was originally published in the 1850s. The writing for middle grade of that day is, of course, for the college educated of today, but I truly enjoyed it. The sentences and word choices bring an excellent mood to the story—
"Stand up, John, and let us know if you are in your senses," said Gaston, angrily; "we have no time for fooleries."
Or—
"At last, wearied out with the exertions of that day and the preceding, he listened to Eustace's persuasions, and, removing the more cumbrous portions of his armor, threw himself on his bed, and, in a moment, his regular breathings announced that he was sound asleep."
(The woman can stuff commas into a sentence even better than I can.)
At any rate, in this delightsome tale we find most excellent and heroic knights, to whom death is to be had before dishonor, and gallantry above all. True heroes rather than weak antiheroes, despite the main knight being slight and bookish. The tale is set in roughly the period of 1370-1375.
"Stand up, John, and let us know if you are in your senses," said Gaston, angrily; "we have no time for fooleries."
Or—
"At last, wearied out with the exertions of that day and the preceding, he listened to Eustace's persuasions, and, removing the more cumbrous portions of his armor, threw himself on his bed, and, in a moment, his regular breathings announced that he was sound asleep."
(The woman can stuff commas into a sentence even better than I can.)
At any rate, in this delightsome tale we find most excellent and heroic knights, to whom death is to be had before dishonor, and gallantry above all. True heroes rather than weak antiheroes, despite the main knight being slight and bookish. The tale is set in roughly the period of 1370-1375.
did-not-finish
March 7, 2021Quite simply I lost interest. Nothing the matter with the book itself.
April 11, 2016
I have been a fan of Bertrand Du Guesclin and his wife Tiphaine Raguenel after reading Froissart's Chronicles and this novel is a fine addition to the rare collection of historic novels that feature this couple.
October 10, 2011
Free download available at ManyBooks.net
March 24, 2018
Lances of Lynwood was a very enjoyable read.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews