Staff profile

At Durham I am an Honorary Research Fellow, having worked at the Open University earlier in my career.In my current role, I research, write, and talk with colleagues and students.

Research Interests

Most of my published work concerns the exchange of ideas between religious reformers in England and Italy during the sixteenth century. My book, 'Nicodemites', concentrates on those who tried to conceal what they believed, usually in order to avoid persecution. Among them, the English Cardinal, Reginald Pole, and his evasive Italian friends are a special interest.Recent work is on radicals who fled to Basel expecting some sympathy in that great Swiss humanist centre. Even there, however, these incomers went too far, daring to suggest tolerance instead of persecution.

Qualifications

Level 8 - Doctorate Degrees (PhD/DPhil) (2002) in Doctor of Philosophy from Open University

Authored book

• Nicodemites: Faith and Concealment between Italy and Tudor England
  
  Overell, M. A. (2018). Nicodemites: Faith and Concealment between Italy and Tudor England. Brill Academic Publishers.
• Italian Reform and English Reformations, c.1535–c.1585
  
  Overell, M. A. (2008). Italian Reform and English Reformations, c.1535–c.1585. Ashgate Publishing.

Chapter in book

• Books of Italian Spirituali in Tudor England
  
  Overell, M. A. (2018). Books of Italian Spirituali in Tudor England. In J. M. Willoughby & J. Catto (Eds.), Books and Bookmen in Early-Modern Britain: Essays Presented to James P. Carley (pp. 199-216). Toronto: Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies.
• ‘Soul Talk and the Reformation’
  
  Overell, M. A. (2012). ‘Soul Talk and the Reformation’. In T. F. Mayer (Ed.), Reforming Reformation (pp. 119-140). Ashgate Publishing.
• ‘Recantation and Retribution: “Remembering Francis Spira”, 1548–1638’
  
  Overell, M. A. (2004). ‘Recantation and Retribution: “Remembering Francis Spira”, 1548–1638’. In K. Cooper & J. Gregory (Eds.), Retribution, Repentance and Reconciliation (pp. 159-168). Boydell.
• ‘A Nicodemite in England and Italy: Edward Courtenay, 1548–1556’
  
  Overell, M. A. (2004). ‘A Nicodemite in England and Italy: Edward Courtenay, 1548–1556’. In D. Loades (Ed.), John Foxe at Home and Abroad (pp. 117-135). Ashgate Publishing.
• ‘Bernardino Ochino’s Books and English Religious Opinion: 1547–1580’
  
  Overell, M. A. (2004). ‘Bernardino Ochino’s Books and English Religious Opinion: 1547–1580’. In R. Swanson (Ed.), The Church and the Book (pp. 201-211). Boydell.
• ‘Edwardian Court Humanism and Il Beneficio di Cristo, 1547–1553’
  
  Overell, M. A. (n.d.). ‘Edwardian Court Humanism and Il Beneficio di Cristo, 1547–1553’. In J. Woolfson (Ed.), Reassessing Tudor Humanism [Contracted by publisher] (pp. 151-174). Palgrave.

Journal Article

• ‘Books from the Circle of Cardinal Pole: the Italian Library of Michael Throckmorton’
  
  Overell, M. A., & Willoughby, J. M. (2012). ‘Books from the Circle of Cardinal Pole: the Italian Library of Michael Throckmorton’. Journal of the Warburg and Courtauld Institutes, 75, 111-40.
• ‘Whose Wonderful News? Italian Satire and William Baldwin’s Wonderfull Newes of the Death of Paul the III’
  
  Overell, M. A., & Lucas, S. C. (2012). ‘Whose Wonderful News? Italian Satire and William Baldwin’s Wonderfull Newes of the Death of Paul the III’. Renaissance Studies, 26, 180-196.
• ‘Cardinal Pole's Special Agent: Michael Throckmorton, c.1503–1558’
  
  Overell, M. A. (2009). ‘Cardinal Pole’s Special Agent: Michael Throckmorton, c.1503–1558’. History, 94, 265-278. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-229x.2009.00454.x
• An English Friendship and Italian Reform: Richard Morison and Michael Throckmorton, 1532–1538
  
  Overell, M. A. (2006). An English Friendship and Italian Reform: Richard Morison and Michael Throckmorton, 1532–1538. Journal of Ecclesiastical History, 57.
• Vergerio’s Anti-Nicodemite Propaganda and England: 1547–1558
  
  Overell, M. A. (2000). Vergerio’s Anti-Nicodemite Propaganda and England: 1547–1558. Journal of Ecclesiastical History, 51.
• The Reformation of Death in Italy and England: circa 1550
  
  Overell, M. A. (1999). The Reformation of Death in Italy and England: circa 1550. Renaissance and Reformation, 23, 5-21.
• Peter Martyr in England 1547–1553: An Alternative View
  
  Overell, M. A. (1984). Peter Martyr in England 1547–1553: An Alternative View. Sixteenth Century Journal, 15.
• Arthur Golding’s translation of the Beneficio di Cristo
  
  Overell, M. A. (1978). Arthur Golding’s translation of the Beneficio di Cristo. Notes and Queries, 25, 424-426.
• ‘Pole’s Piety? The Devotional Reading of Reginald Pole and his Friends’
  
  Overell, M. A. (n.d.). ‘Pole’s Piety? The Devotional Reading of Reginald Pole and his Friends’. Journal of Ecclesiastical History, 63, 458-474.