page_title: Boy (dog)
section_title: Propaganda and magical powers
hierarchical_section_title: Boy (dog) / Propaganda and magical powers
caption_attribution_description: English: Page from the royalist propaganda pamphlet A Dialogue, or Rather a Parley Between Prince Ruperts Dogge Whose Name is Puddle, and Tobies Dog Whose Name is Pepper issued in London c. 1643. The pamphlet is a fictional dialogue between a cavalier and a royalist dog, meant to parody the conflicts of the English Civil War. The royalist dog probably represents Boy, the dog of Prince Rupert and a popular subject of royalist propaganda at the time
context_page_description: Boy, was a white hunting poodle belonging to Prince Rupert of the Rhine in the 17th century.
  Parliamentarian propaganda alleged that the dog was "endowed" with magical powers.
  Boy accompanied his master into battle and was killed at the battle of Marston Moor on 2 July 1644.
context_section_description: Boy accompanied his master from 1642 to 1644 during the English Civil War. 
  Rupert was the iconic Royalist cavalier of the conflict and was frequently the subject of Parliamentarian propaganda. Boy, who often accompanied Rupert into battle, featured heavily in this, and was widely suspected of being a witch's familiar. There were numerous accounts of Boy's abilities; some suggested that he was the Devil in disguise.
  John Cleveland and other Royalist satirists and parodists mocked these Parliamentarian attitudes and produced lampoons that satirised the alleged "superstition" and "credulity" of their opponents; Cleveland claimed that Boy was Prince Rupert's shapeshifting familiar, and of demonic origins. Other satirists suggested that Boy was a "Lapland Lady" who had been transformed into a white dog. Boy was also "able" to find hidden treasure, was invulnerable to attack, could catch bullets fired at Rupert in his mouth, and prophesy as well as the 16th century soothsayer, Mother Shipton. Royalist soldiers also promoted Boy, as their adopted mascot, to the rank of Sergeant-Major-General.
  Reportedly, Boy had other endearing attributes, such as cocking his leg when he heard the name of John Pym, leader of the Parliamentarian forces. He was also alleged to have performed for Charles I, slept in Prince Rupert's bed, and played with Princes Charles, James and Harry and Princess Henrietta, and was often fed roast beef and capon breast by Charles I himself.
caption: Another Pro-Parliamentary Pamphlet of 1643
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