
A young Oxford scholar finds himself drawn into the world of a genteel Roman‑Catholic family during a summer visit to the rolling hills of Shropshire. The Fisher household, with its ancient manor, ruined priory and a dining‑room lined with portraits of monks, cavaliers and Regency figures, feels like a portal to another age. Over dinner, the family chaplain points out a striking portrait of a novice‑clad Englishman named John Inglesant, hinting at a life tangled in royal intrigue and secret Catholic networks.
That brief exchange opens a tale that follows Inglesant from his service to King Charles I through a Jesuit education and covert missions that span England, Ireland and the continent. As he wrestles with lingering doubts about faith and loyalty, his journey leads him into the hidden societies of Italy and the turbulent politics of the era. Listeners are invited to share his early adventures, where personal honor and spiritual searching intersect against a richly rendered historical backdrop.
Language
en
Duration
~8 hours (494K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Release date
2014-01-04
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1834–1903
Best known for the historical novel John Inglesant, this Birmingham-born English writer brought a reflective, carefully crafted style to Victorian fiction. He was admired for serious, thoughtful storytelling rather than literary showiness.
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