Death of an Alchemist (28 page)

G
LOSSARY

Bawcock—a fine fellow

Boozing ken—a drinking establishment

Codpiece—a covering flap or pouch attached to men's hose to accentuate a man's genitals

Cozen—cheat

Cucurbit—a gourd-shaped flask

Cuffin—fellow

Div—a fool

Flicks—thieves

Footpad—robber or thief preying on pedestrians

Gates—stages of a chemical projection

Jackdaw—common bird

Jordan—chamber pot

Kirtle—dress worn by women

Ordinary—an eating establishment

Pizzle—penis

Pottle pot—a two-quart tankard

Puffer—a derogatory term for alchemist

Rakehell—scoundrel, libertine

Rampallian—a mean wretch

Sack—fortified wine from Spain

Starlings—bridge supports

Stew—brothel

Stibium—antimony, a silvery-white crystalline metal

Trug—slut, whore

Wodebroun blue—the blue color of the flower of bugleweed or
Ajuga reptans

Zedoary—white turmeric, a perennial herb

A
UTHOR'S
N
OTE

I began writing
Death of an Alchemist
during the 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa and epidemic scare in the United States. Hemorrhagic fevers are nothing new. Dengue and yellow fever are familiar hemorrhagic diseases, if only in name. The illnesses are usually viral and vector borne.

As a berry farmer I've seen alien pests and diseases introduced to our country that cause widespread impact on our ability to manage crops and our food supply. As a former health-care worker, I've also watched our country panic over epidemics that are feared could rage out of control.

Is there a hemorrhagic virus carried by parrots and transferred by a bite? Not that I found. But the reader will forgive my taking license with the concept. In Tudor England there were plenty of diseases that were mysterious and unexplained.

Sweating sickness is now believed to have been a variant of the modern hantavirus, perhaps carried by rodents. It was not a hemorrhagic fever, but I threw it into the mix to show how diseases can overlap and confuse, especially in a time when science was not around to distinguish them. Like the bubonic plague, the sweat was much feared and little understood.

While researching this book, I watched
Parrot Confidential,
a documentary that aired on PBS in 2013. The film brings attention to the problems of abandonment resulting from the overbreeding and importing of exotic birds. It is an incredible documentary. Please consider supporting the organizations struggling with this problem. Check the PBS
Nature
Web site for more information.

One last topic I wanted to mention. Homosexuality in the modern sense was not defined as such in the 1540s. It was considered an inclination and was believed to be part of human nature, though essentially it was thought of as a masculine sin. To the Tudor mindset, it could surface when judgment was dulled (perhaps from drink). Thus sodomy was a political and religious crime in Tudor England. It was a sin committed against the king: both celestial and terrestrial. One could be accused of treason and duly punished for it.

Many of the alchemy “phrases” were adapted from
Liber Se-cretisimus
by Sir George Ripley.

Again, I apologize for anachronisms and inaccuracies regarding language and syntax. My aim is to capture the “flavor” of the period without alienating modern readers. Some phrases are modernized on purpose.

Another liberty I took was with smoking tobacco; my characters exhibit attitudes more common to the 1580s. I imagine a few folks got hold of the weed before then, but I enjoy using it as a “particular” to Meddybemps's personality. The Bianca Goddard Mysteries hope to entertain and are not meant to be referenced as fact. It is my intention to accurately depict attitudes and history to the best of my ability, but I do not presume to get it perfect.

A
CKNOWLEDGMENTS

I am writing this a few days before the release of my first book,
The Alchemist's Daughter
. It is strange wondering how the series will be received. I am grateful to the people who have contributed their help and expertise. . . .

My thanks to Fred and Susan Tribuzzo for their wonderful suggestions. Chatting with Fred gets the wheels moving, and the series is so much stronger for his insight and guidance.

Andrea Jones, what can I say? Thank you for your enthusiasm and love. To have a writer-friend who understands this insanity and truly supports from the heart is a precious find.

Thank you to Liliane Yacoub and Don Ross, pathologists extraordinaire, who steer me in the right direction in all things medical. If there are issues with how I present disease and mortality, it is completely my fault. They enthusiastically offer their opinions and are marvelous resources for me.

This book would have suffered immeasurably without Tracey Stewart's critical reading and editing. I am extremely fortunate to have found her. She kept Bianca from “grabbing” everything in sight.

Thank you to Megan Beattie, Jeff Umbro, and the PR/Marketing team at Kensington. It isn't easy getting attention in this noisy field.

Thanks to John Scognamiglio, my editor. I continue to be awed by his ability to remember small details about my stories and characters when he has to do it for hundreds of other books. Not only that, I can send him an email and get an answer in a few minutes. Amazing guy.

Thank you to the team at Kensington, from the art department to production. . . . I am lucky to be in such capable hands.

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Kensington Publishing Corp.
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New York, NY 10018

 

Copyright © 2016 by Mary Lawrence

 

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the Publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.

 

 

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eISBN-13: 978-1-61773-713-8
eISBN-10: 1-61773-713-5
First Kensington Electronic Edition: February 2016

ISBN: 978-1-6177-3712-1