Hey, it's Heather, and I want to remind you about our very special tours to the UK.

In 2017, we'll be doing tours focusing on the Even Song experience.

The Even Song service comes from Cranmer's Book of Common Prayer from the mid-16th century.

It's been dubbed the Atheist's Favorite Service because it requires so little and it gives so much. It's simply

divine choral music sung in some of the most historic chapels, abbeys and cathedrals in England.

We'll be spending 10 days visiting places like Cambridge, Oxford, Bath, the Cotswolds,

Winchester and Windsor with walking tours, free time to explore,

and then gathering back each afternoon for the Evensong Service if you choose to attend.

It will be 10 days of beautiful countryside, historic cities and villages, and so, so much music. I invite you to go to Englandcast.com

slash tours for full itinerary and pricing information. Again, Englandcast, E-N-G-L-A-N-D, C-A-S-D, Englandcast.com

slash tours. Thanks so much. And now to the show. Hello, everyone. Welcome to the Renaissance English History Podcast. This is your host, Heather Tesco. But actually, I'm not your host today,

because today, episode number 56, is a guest episode on Bessie Blount by James Bolton. James

is the author and host of the Queens of England podcast, which is undoubtedly my new favorite podcast. So please check it out.

Before I introduce James, though, let me remind you to pop on over to the Renaissance English

History podcast website at wwww.Englandkast, E-N-G-L-A-N-D, Englandcast.com, for full archives of the show, and you can also sign up for my mailing list there. Mailing list subscribers receive an extra mini-cast every month, as well as book giveaways, news, and other fun things. So do go on and check that out. So now on to James. Let me introduce his podcast. Too often, when we think about the

history of a country, we think of the kings and lords, castles and battles. Even when we consider

queens, we think of rulers like Elizabeth I and Victoria. But what about the queens who sat beside

their husbands, the queen's consort, the generations of women who held no formal power,

but still wove an important strand in the tapestry of England.

The Queens of England podcast is an alternative history of England told through the lives

of the women behind the throne. And you can check it out at queens of England podcast.com. I also have a link up on

the Englandcast site. So now I will turn it over to James. And thank you, James. Hello, I'm

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