It was only a little over six hundred years ago that the peerage system evolved, when all peerages began to be created by letters patent, a writ of summons to the Lords, the Great Council which existed before Parliament began. A throwback to these days is the usage of issuing writs to peers to attend [...]
I ran across a little tidbit that I thought I would share because it fits perfectly into the setting of my story that I’m working on called Unlikely Knight. The Year of the Three Kings is the most memorable date in English history. The year started with the death of King Edward the Confessor. Then [...]
Not only was wool the cornerstone of early British economy, it was also the resource for everybody’s wardrobe, whether you were an aristocrat or a tradesman, tenant, etc. I thought it strange when I found out that flax was used to make underclothing. I use flax seed when I make bread, and I’ve used flax [...]
Sock. Hose. Stocking. However we define these related words today, or however we use them in a sentence interchangeably, one thing is for sure. These items are not the same as they are now. For example, the sock in Roman times was a soft leather slipper Roman women, and some high councilmen, wore. Hose covered [...]
In December 1085 William the Conqueror commissioned the book to be written. William invaded England in 1066 and defeated them during the Battle of Hastings, where he killed King Alfred with an arrow to his eye. The first draft was completed in August 1086 and contained records for 13,418 settlements in the English counties south [...]
Intoxicants & Potions Knowledge Cards Years ago when I was in New York City, I found these wonderful knowledge cards by Jeffrey Kacirk that tests a person’s familiarity with British historical facts about every day stuff. On the back of the box (which is the same size as a box of playing cards) it says: [...]
Interesting how one takes things for granted. For instance, bushes. There are all kinds of bushes in my area—bottle brush, poison ivy that grows on stumps, honey suckle, crabapple. I was writing and just said something about her hiding behind a bush. Then I started thinking, what kind of bush? Are there even any bushes [...]
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