| Wanton Wenches and Wayward Wives: Peasants and Illicit Sex in Early Seventeenth Century England Subjects: Humanities; Language & Literature; Social Sciences; Gender Studies - Soc Sci; History; Cultural Studies; Literature; Sociology & Social Policy; Medieval History 400-1500; Women''s & Gender History; Social & Cultural History; Gender; Literary History; Gender Studies; Historical Sociology; Interdisciplinary Literary Studies; Literature by Geographic Area; Literature by Period; Originally published in 1979. This highly detailed study of illicit sex amongst the peasantry of Somerset between 1601 and 1660 recreates the atmosphere of the period and questions a number of previously accepted hypotheses. Based on the depositions presented to the county and regional courts during this period, it sheds as much light on prevailing village attitudes as it does on the specific discussion matter. Outlining the precarious existence of the peasant and the supervision of sexual morality, the book looks at pre-marital sex, pregnancy, prostitution, masturbation, contraception, rape, homosexuality and incest, along with the prevailing punishments of the time. |