Short passages for reading, drawn from history, legend, poetry and fiction.
Via Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.
An angel appeared to Mary in her home in Nazareth, and offered her the chance to be part of nothing less than the reopening of the doors of Paradise.
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Photo by Tomwsulcer, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.
It was during the troubled reign of Charles I that the very first bananas seen in Britain went on display.
By Louis-Philippe Crépin (1772–1851), via wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.
A year into his reign as Emperor of France, Napoleon Bonaparte had much of Europe under his government but the United Kingdom still eluded him.
© Yasir Hussein, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: CC-BY-SA 2.0.
Two former soldiers in India find British bureaucracy cramps their style, so they set off to become kings of their own land.
© Adam D. Hope, Geograph. Licence: CC-BY-SA 2.0.
Walter Raleigh had many grievances against James VI and I, but for peace with Scotland he was willing to forget them all.
By George Arnald (1763–1841), via Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.
As Napoleon Bonaparte swept from victory to victory in Europe, he began to think he might add the East to the possessions of the French Republic.