by cock and pie
nineweaving linked to the National Archive's paleography tutorial a couple of days ago, and I have sort of become addicted to it, because it is fun and because I feel sort of inept for having a Ph.D. in Renaissance lit and yet being unable to read Elizabethan secretary hand (although granted it is pretty hard to read). If I could actually go to the British Library to see the Woodstock manuscript I wouldn't be able to read the damn thing.
So I am doing this thing online despite the no doubt deleterious effects on my eyesight, and while poking around the practice documents I found this:
This document is a recipe for six mince pies, dated early 17th century.
(Catalogue reference: SP 14/189 folio 7)
This document is curiously catalogued as a state paper. The State Paper Office was founded in 1578 for the safe keeping of the records of secretaries of state and of the privy council. This document comes from the Conway Papers, which date from the reign of Charles I. Edward Conway was Secretary of State from 1623-1628 and, like many other secretaries of state, seems to have treated the documents in his custody as his own private papers. The papers strayed from official custody, and were retained by the Conway family until 1857 when they were returned to official custody.
I don't know why that is so hilarious, and yet it is.
So I am doing this thing online despite the no doubt deleterious effects on my eyesight, and while poking around the practice documents I found this:
This document is a recipe for six mince pies, dated early 17th century.
(Catalogue reference: SP 14/189 folio 7)
This document is curiously catalogued as a state paper. The State Paper Office was founded in 1578 for the safe keeping of the records of secretaries of state and of the privy council. This document comes from the Conway Papers, which date from the reign of Charles I. Edward Conway was Secretary of State from 1623-1628 and, like many other secretaries of state, seems to have treated the documents in his custody as his own private papers. The papers strayed from official custody, and were retained by the Conway family until 1857 when they were returned to official custody.
I don't know why that is so hilarious, and yet it is.