|
John Lambe (or Lamb) (c. 1545 – 13 June 1628) was an English astrologer who served George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, during the early 17th century. Accused of black magic and rape, he was stoned to death by an unruly mob in London. ==Background== Little is known about Lambe's early life, aside from the fact he was a writing tutor for children in Worcestershire. By the early 17th century, however, Lambe had established a reputation as a "cunning man" – that is, someone well-versed in astrology and magic. Calling himself "Doctor Lambe" (though he was not a licensed physician),〔 (In 1627, Lambe actually failed an examination from the College of Physicians)〕 he claimed that he could read fortunes, identify diseases, repel witchcraft, and locate missing or stolen items with his crystal ball. Rumors also emerged that he was skilled in the dark art of conjuration. Records indicate that he charged approximately 40 to 50 pounds for his services, and he was active in the London-area from approximately 1608 to 1628. Sometime before 1625, Lambe attracted the attention of George Villiers, a favourite of King Charles I, and he eventually became the Duke's personal adviser. Public opinion of Lambe was roughly split into two camps: those who thought the “doctor” was a nothing more than a quack, and those who believed he actually had magical abilities. The latter referred to Lambe as "the Duke's Devil," and they suspected he was exerting a supernatural influence over Villiers, who in turn influenced King Charles. At the time, Charles was particularly unpopular for his questionable military campaigns and absolutist policies, and a popular chant went as follows: :::''Who rules the Kingdom? The King.'' :::''Who rules the King? The Duke.'' :::''Who rules the Duke? The Devil!''〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「John Lambe」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|