Rebecca Rideal
speaker
1,038 appearances
3 recordings
1 series
first heard Jun 2026
last heard 21 Sep
Rebecca Rideal’s voice in public audio — every appearance, attributed to the second.
Trend
recordings per month · last 12 monthsRecordings per month over the last 12 months — 3 in all, peaking in Sep 2026 with 2.
Appearances
He did show skill in languages from an early age.
He does seem to have been quite intelligent from a young age as well.
So, yeah, I think there was obviously privilege with the education, but that mind of his, that sharpness, what would come to be known as a wit and would be idealised, I suspect that was there from a very young age because it doesn't, to be witty, you don't really need that education.
It's an innate skill often.
I think to start with, it's gratitude for the service of his father.
I think when you think about the difference in ages between the three men, so the Earl of Rochester's father was about 18 years older than Charles II, so he had an almost father-like wardship of him for a short time anyway.
And then with Charles II, he's around 17 years older than the Earl of Rochester as well.
So
Maybe not like a father figure, but more of a guardian.
But also there is that deep respect because the Earl of Rochester, John Wilmot's father, had been the one to help Charles II escape England after the Battle of Worcester, that famous moment where he hides in an oak tree as well.
The Earl of Rochester's father was there with him and orchestrating all of that.
So I think there's a level of respect there.
due to Rochester's paternity.
But I also think as time progresses, Charles sees an affinity with himself and the Earl of Rochester, and Rochester manages to assimilate into the already very witty and funny courtiers that Charles has around him.
So people like the Duke of Buckingham,
who is a well-known restoration rake as well, the son of the famous Duke of Buckingham that had been James I's favourite.
So I think, yes, there's a mixture of reasons.
One is loyalty to his father.
Another is that he just likes him.
interesting.
Showing 41–60 of 1,038 · page 3 of 52
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