PREVIEW:

1066 A.D.-Reports of sodomy and effeminacy among invading Normans shock the English.

12th Cent.-William Rufus, son of the Conqueror, denied Church burial for alleged homosexuality, punishable by death under prevailing Ecclesiastical Law ... His nephews and companions perished later in the White Ship's wreck: "divine judgement for their crimes of sodomy."

14th Cent.-King Edward II "sleyne with a hoote broche put thro his secret place posteriale" because of his homosexual activities.

15th Cent.-Sodomy becomes civil felony, punishable by death, in an act twice repealed, twice re-enacted... Nicholas Udall, author of first English comedy, RALPH ROISTER DOISTER, convicted of homosexual offense

Christopher Marlowe accused of saying, "all thei that love not tobacco and boyes are fooles." His arrest prevented only by his murder (by a love rival) in a tavern brawl.

17th Cent.-Popular saying: "King Elizabeth is gone, now James is Queen." . . . Earl of Castlehaven beheaded after sodomy trial . . . The Restoration alleged to "bring vices of Sodom in its wake." . . . First gay play, THE RELAPSE, opens in London.

18th Cent.-Margaret Clap tried, sentenced for keeping male brothel . . . Rev. Robt. Thistlewayte, actor-dramatist Samuel Foote and wealthy squire Wm. Beckford, author of VATHEK, involved in flagrant homosexual trials.

19th Cent.-Percy Jocelyn, Bishop of Clogher, apprehended with soldier in back room at White Lion Tavern... Leader of Commons, Foreign Minister the Marquess of Londonberry, a suicide after confessing to George IV that he had been accused (perhaps falsely) of such crimes ... Richard Heber, M.P. from Oxford University, resigns after libel action against newspaper editor who charged the famed book collector with intimacy with the editor's son.

Sir Robt. Peel abolishes death penalty for sodomy... Wm. John Banks, M.P., acquitted of indecency with soldier in lavatory near Westminster Abbey... OFFENSES AGAINST THE PERSON ACT, still on books, imposes maximum penalty of penal serviteude for life for sodomy, paederasty or attempts at same.

In a rider to a bill dealing with "protection of women and girls," all homosexual relations, public or private, are classed as criminal, Heated press discussion dubs this "The Blackmailer's Charter."

Three trials of Oscar Wilde open with his libel action against Marquess of Queenhbury end with playwright sentenced to two years hard labor.

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