They had museums back then, but, in England at least, you could also go tour private homes when the family was away and private collections often had works by great masters.

Try the No Fear Shakespeare editions. They give side-by-side interpretations. Have patience with yourself. It takes time to get good at it. And my favorite is Measure for Measure.

That probably depends on the specific member of the royal family. But the Cavalier King Charles was bred specifically to be a lapdog for that particular kind. (Charles I, I believe.) Queen Elizabeth II preferred corgis.

The Great Courses has one called Medieval England. The professor is Paxton, I think. She does a great job and you can listen to it like an audiobook.