For neep1 - and general SCAdian geekery

May 30, 2008 22:49

So you may well have already seen this, but I was reading it and it made me instantly think of neep1, funnily enough, as she is greatly into the riding of the horses.

Currently I'm reading an abridged edition of the Lisle letters, which were published in six volumes by Muriel St Clare Byrne in 1981, when she was 86 - it had taken her many, many years of perseverance to transcribe them all to a workable format for publication. The abridged edition is her own selection from the full works. One day I'd really love to actually see all the letters, or, even more, for someone to publish a book with facsimiles of the original letters, followed by exact transcriptions of the old English (and French, where applicable) and then the transcription she worked in modern English spelling. That would make for an interesting read.

Anyway, Lisle family, he was sent to Calais to act in a post equivalent to Governor, she ended up being one of the six ladies in waiting when Anne Boleyn went to court, to give you a time reference on the family if you have not previously read of them. The letters are preserved 'cos they all got randomly scooped up and seized for an official enquiry, and aren't we glad they were? There's so many fascinating references throughout to all sorts of everyday details that would have been lost to us otherwise.

Anyway.
This letter is written by Robert Acton to Lady Lisle, and dated 19th September 1534:

"Madam, in my most humblest wise I have me recommended unto your good ladyship, signifying to you that my lord hath sent Christopher the yeoman of his horses unto me to cause certain stuff to be made for your ladyship. He cannot ascertain me whether that your ladyship will have your saddle and harness fringed with silk and gold or not, and in likewise whether your saddle and harness shall be of Lucca velvet or Genoa velvet. Madam, other lords' wives hath their saddles and harness of Lucca velvet, fringed with silk and gold, with buttons of the pear fashion and tassels quarter deep of silk and gold. And whether ye will have a stirrup parcel-gilt, with a leather covered with velvet, or else to have a footstool according unto your saddle; and also your pleasure known what device ye will have given in your saddle head of copper and gilt? It may please your ladyship that I may be ascertained of your pleasure with speed, and I shall be ready to do you all the service that lies in my little power, as God knoweth, who ever preserve you,
from Sowthwarcke the xix day of September
By your owne assuryd to hys lytell power
Robert Acton"

I should dearly love to see examples of the Lucca velvet, and of the Genoa, and to learn why the Lucca was so preferred by the ladies.
This article http://www.jstor.org/pss/879390 which I'm not currently authorised to view makes mention of it being used in Queen Elizabeth I's Coronation Robes (half a yard to line the crown, and 13 yards for a dress).

I would also love to see "buttons of the pear fashion" but a quick google search has not yielded results. I suspect more time will need to be put into this.

The tassels referred to as "quarter deep" I would assume are referring maybe to a quarter of an ell?

Would the footstool "according unto your saddle" refer to a possible side saddle option, rather than the stirrups?

I like the mention of having a device put into the saddle head.

So yes, chances are you've already read this, but on the offchance you haven't, hopefully will find it interesting. As hopefully others may, if they have not already come across it before.

I like learning new stuff. :)
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