Pirate Queen

Annotations and comments

Pirate Queen has posted six annotations/comments since 12 August 2015.

The most recent first…

Comments

Second Reading

About Sunday 14 June 1663

Pirate Queen  •  Link

sacked for getting married
Well into the 20th century, it was highly, highly unusual for servants of well-to-do households to be given permission to marry. To marry was to leave service, or to be ejected from it. By now we've all seen Downton Abbey, all 6 years of it, and I will point out that John and Anna Bates's situation as a married couple working in a household was really Not Done.

About Thursday 14 May 1663

Pirate Queen  •  Link

I'd guess that Pall's basket made of paper was done in quillwork, many thin strips of paper (scrolled around the quill from a pen) to make decorative curlicues. It's ladies' busywork - Pall's basket was probably small, to hold trinkets, if it had any use other than decoration. Info on 17th-century quillwork is very scarce and few if any examples have survived, but there's an overview of the craft here. Quillwork has enjoyed a revival in recent decades, by the way.
http://quillingwonderland.com/his…

About Friday 17 April 1663

Pirate Queen  •  Link

More sugar sops

1690, The compleat English and French cook describing the best and newest ways etc. etc. etc.
Contains a "receipt" for Sugar-Sops, listed with "Cawdles, Soops, Drinks, &c.," possets and other dishes usually given for restorative purposes. I couldn't access the actual recipe, unfortunately.

1749, William Ellis, A compleat system of experienced improvements:
"This shepherd ... never found anything answer better, for curing a griped Sheep (!) than to make some Sugar-Sops directly; and when the Crumb of Bread and Ale is boiled, he then adds some Sugar, and a little Pepper, with a small Quantity of Gin, and gives it out of the Bowl of a Spoon at his Discretion."

1811, Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, Francis Grose:
Sugar Sops: Toasted bread soked in ale, sweetened with sugar, and grated nutmeg: it is eaten with cheese.

About Wednesday 27 August 1662

Pirate Queen  •  Link

My family here in Ohio always called canteloupes muskmelons, which apparently is correct. And oddly enough, I have now seen the word "Muske Millon" in 17th-century contexts twice today. Colonial Williamsburg shared the post, below, on Facebook about early pumpkins, melons and squashes. They mentioned that "Captain John Smith, upon his arrival in Jamestown [Virginia, ca. 1607] wrote, “In May also amongst their corne they [Native Americans] plant Pumpeons, and fruit like unto a muske millen."
http://makinghistorynow.com/2015/…

About Tuesday 26 August 1662

Pirate Queen  •  Link

One more person weighing in on "riddance"! Here in Ohio, after dinner my mom always said "Let's redd up the table" meaning clear off the dishes etc. She learned this expression from her mother, both living in NE Ohio. They weren't Amish (at all!) but this is an Amish i.e. "Pennsylvania Dutch" area. My brother and I are always tickled when we run into other people who grew up with "redd up" - as some Pennsylvania friends did.

http://dictionary.reference.com/b…

About Monday 11 August 1662

Pirate Queen  •  Link

Now I'm thinking of a favorite line from my favorite movie, the 1973 version of The Three Musketeers (set not so far before Sam's time!) Seeking a boat to cross the English Channel with his servant Planchet, D'Artagnan presents the pass he has purloined from Rochfort.

Sea Captain: This pass is for one person.
D'Artagnan: I am only one person. That is a servant.