Very silly fic: Royal Wedding 1797 !
I think this is possibly the silliest fic I have ever posted - but it would out as a sort of respite from yesterday.
The context is genuine - there waa a royal wedding in May 1797 and the heroes of the Indefatigable were on blockade duty for much of that spring.
other than that - this is in hope of raising just a small smile.
Author: Nodbear
Word length: 1523
Rating: gen
Summary: a silly tale imagines the Indy officers' attitudes to press ocverage of the big royal wedding of 179.
Not that royal wedding
The Duke of York cutter had returned from the fleet rendezvous with despatches enough to weigh a captain’s heart down and certainly had kept the normally cheerful Mr Bracegirdle on the run as well. Though the cutter had also brought letters which he was delighted to give out to various eager hands. And - joy of joys to any beleaguered crew on the 11th week of a blockade duty cruise- there had even been newspapers and they only three weeks old.
Carefully Bracey put them on the wardroom table, almost reverently smoothing out the already crinkled pages and hoping for a moment’s leisure to read.
“Four columns !” said Horatio in those tones of slight moral outrage not quite sure of itself which e sometimes adopted. Archie, who knew and in his way loved those tones ( it usually meant one could - literally - tease out a new thought in his friend ). “ what’s that about four columns ‘Ratio? Is your paper designing porticos now or roman palaces? “ FOUR columns -just about a wedding dress its ridiculous, almost obscene”
“Doesn’t sound obscene to me - though admittedly Princess Charlotte is no featherweight and isn’t seen at her best in, ah yes , “here we have it a rococo style gown, with a petticoat of sarsnet” embroidered in ivory sati- ouch !Archie prepared to retaliate grasping a rolled journal and flourishing it
“This wardroom is going blockade crazy: I do understand that but will you two gentlemen please refrain from fencing with papers that some of us have not yet read ? sighed the first lieutenant, coming in and shedding his boat cloak - it might be May but the mornings at sea were still chill.He was smiling his familiar broad smile.
“Mr Kennedy is that the society pages section -please might I have a look at them?” I want to read all about the wedding in the chapel royal.”
Horatio’s eyes widened a little but he said nothing for the moment:
“Certainly sir” said Archie blithely -“Mr Hornblower is mortified that a newspaper of record devotes four whole columns to Princess Charlotte’s dress,” Archie passed the papers to his senior officer who had not missed the dancing devilry and affection in his eyes.
“ Ah! But, Mr Hornblower, it behoves a man to know something of these things that he may converse with ladies on subjects which are unexceptionable to a young lady - and to her parents. Besides - the study of the subject has some consolations - at least for me...”
“What did Mrs Bracegirdle wear on your marriage day ?”asked Archie wisely ;seeing the nostalgic look in the mild blue eyes.
“Some silk her aunt had kept for her - palest yellow like a butterfly wing,” returned the lieutenant settling down and smiling again at Archie over the top of Horatio’s dark curls, the latter now having his head deep in the Navigational instructor and pretending to be impervious.
“One can’t after all woo merely on polite exchanges about higher mathematics alone,” mused Archie aloud ;keeping his leg well away from a foot that just might strike under the table.
“Indeed no- but it is those with the special mark of Neptune’s favour who may not have time for such frippery reading - so alas Mr Kennedy, our interest in matters of fashion my mean we do not make admiral “ replied Bracey moving over on the bench as Thomas Bowles descended and joined them.
“Wedding fashions ? “ guessed Bowles, and on being appraised of the conversation he added,“ yes, my sisters letter was full of it - rococo indeed ! Mr Hornblower you have company in your misery - can’t understand how men can even want to know....
“Oh !The style,” said Archie, “and the spectacle,” added Bracegirdle , “and the romance and the sheer joy of life.” ..but Bowles was not going to rise to the challenge and ignored them.
“Anyway” Bowles continued, “the captain’s compliments and he asked me all to invite you all to a celebration of the royal marriage albeit three weeks after the event Seems he got some supplies via the cutter Rumour even has it there were several chickens ..”
“Our gallant captain- which side would he weigh into the argument , pondered Bracey to no one in particular
“Oh Ned ?-I should think he’s another of Neptune’s chosen - probably doesn’t even remember his wedding date accurately let alone what his dear lady wore “..
“ care to wager on that ? asked Bracey,with deceptive mildness.
At the celebration in the great cabin eventually talk drifted round to the royal couple and their special day . With such guileless looks the first lieutenant was ideally placed to ask - innocently.
We were speaking earlier, sir of the changes in marriage fashions in the last generation- how different from the days you and I were married merely - what 15 years ago? I still picture my dear wife as she looked then..
" Beautiful As a frigate in full sail eh John ?- Susan wore Chinese brocaded silk .It was gold chrysanthemums on ivory .I had bought the bolt of silk from an East Indiaman trader whose son I had served with..the sharp eyes which missed little took in the lieutenant smiling broadly, Kennedy’s bright complicit grin ,Bowles chagrin and Hornblower eyes wider than ever.
“Have I caused some amusement to my ever diligent crew ?” Pellew asked, knowing full well he had and eying Bracegirdle with gimlet gaze:his First was however undaunted.
You have confounded expectation, won me a bottle of Majendie’s finest next time the
Master has a friend sailing Lisbon way and you have given Mr Hornblower much to think about in terms of neglected areas of his - er curriculum as an officer and gentleman.
“ A captain aims to deserve his worthy crew thus” was the dry response - "though why they have to fill the papers with so much interminable discussion about the royal fashion parade I am sure I don’t know. Anyone would think there was no other news worthy of consideration. I have left my copy of the London Chronicle with the others - can’t stomach another article about His Grace of Wurttemberg’s waistcoat
or the like !Harrumph !
"Talk of journals however reminds me - Mr Hornblower ! "
"Sir ? "
While we are on the subject of new arrived material there is another copy of the Navigational Instructor which I had not noticed earlier - you may exchange your copy for mine in a day or so.
Horatio, somewhat glad that his mentor’s sanity appeared not totally ruined thanked the captain with enthusiasm and shortly afterward took his leave to go on watch, having shared a toast to the royal couple . Several somewhat muted toasts followed but blockade duty took its toll and the party broke up not long afterward, all thanking the captain who inclined his head and returned their goodnights.
Mr Bracegirdle and Mr Kennedy headed by unspoken agreement to the ward room where - normally never seen on blockade duty of this duration - sat the still largely untouched pile of newspapers and journals. They both reached contentedly for them and began to read.
Riches indeed ! sighed Bracegirdle “ your cutting out techniques are improving all the time Mr Kennedy - sarsnet embroidered in ivory satin indeed”
“ ah but the inspiration for the tactic was entirely yours sir- you were eager to read all the details of the ceremony you said- masterly !-
“I am grateful to you,sir - haven’t had so much choice of reading matter in the last three tours on blockade. Think we have it to ourselves for some while yet too :” As he spoke Bracey had been pouring them a final nightcap and held out his glass to meet Archie's in a last toast:
“To Princess Caroline and her wedding dress! May it ever be a beacon to sailors lost for reading material And by the way, just what is sarsnet ? “
“ No idea at all, “ replied Kennedy imperturbably - “though I imagine Horatio will now think he has to learn. Gold chrysanthemums! - who would have thought it ....
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ok - these bits are the vague scholarship underlying the above daftness.George III 's eldest daughter Princess Charlotte, the Princess Royal, married Prince Frederick of Wurttemberg on 18 May 1797 and so it is quite possible that the Indefatigable’s wardroom read the accounts in their stale newspapers which were indeed often delivered by lugger or sloop along with dispatches.
Scurrilous cartoons of their imagined wedding night - of a kind which even our modern tabloids might blench at printing are currently on show at Kew Palace. Age of sail lovers might well want to check them out - an article describing them is at : this page
Chinese brocaded silk was indeed the rage at the time of Edward and Susan’s wedding in the ealry 1780s and great store was set by having the real thing rather than cheaper imitative versions which were beginning to be produced nearer to home. As well as for ladies' dresses it was much in demand for men for waistcoats and for the long dressing gown or banyan, which marked the wearer as a man of culture - and is the style Captain Pellew wears when in his cabin reading or resting in a few scenes in the TV versions.
The context is genuine - there waa a royal wedding in May 1797 and the heroes of the Indefatigable were on blockade duty for much of that spring.
other than that - this is in hope of raising just a small smile.
Author: Nodbear
Word length: 1523
Rating: gen
Summary: a silly tale imagines the Indy officers' attitudes to press ocverage of the big royal wedding of 179.
Not that royal wedding
The Duke of York cutter had returned from the fleet rendezvous with despatches enough to weigh a captain’s heart down and certainly had kept the normally cheerful Mr Bracegirdle on the run as well. Though the cutter had also brought letters which he was delighted to give out to various eager hands. And - joy of joys to any beleaguered crew on the 11th week of a blockade duty cruise- there had even been newspapers and they only three weeks old.
Carefully Bracey put them on the wardroom table, almost reverently smoothing out the already crinkled pages and hoping for a moment’s leisure to read.
“Four columns !” said Horatio in those tones of slight moral outrage not quite sure of itself which e sometimes adopted. Archie, who knew and in his way loved those tones ( it usually meant one could - literally - tease out a new thought in his friend ). “ what’s that about four columns ‘Ratio? Is your paper designing porticos now or roman palaces? “ FOUR columns -just about a wedding dress its ridiculous, almost obscene”
“Doesn’t sound obscene to me - though admittedly Princess Charlotte is no featherweight and isn’t seen at her best in, ah yes , “here we have it a rococo style gown, with a petticoat of sarsnet” embroidered in ivory sati- ouch !Archie prepared to retaliate grasping a rolled journal and flourishing it
“This wardroom is going blockade crazy: I do understand that but will you two gentlemen please refrain from fencing with papers that some of us have not yet read ? sighed the first lieutenant, coming in and shedding his boat cloak - it might be May but the mornings at sea were still chill.He was smiling his familiar broad smile.
“Mr Kennedy is that the society pages section -please might I have a look at them?” I want to read all about the wedding in the chapel royal.”
Horatio’s eyes widened a little but he said nothing for the moment:
“Certainly sir” said Archie blithely -“Mr Hornblower is mortified that a newspaper of record devotes four whole columns to Princess Charlotte’s dress,” Archie passed the papers to his senior officer who had not missed the dancing devilry and affection in his eyes.
“ Ah! But, Mr Hornblower, it behoves a man to know something of these things that he may converse with ladies on subjects which are unexceptionable to a young lady - and to her parents. Besides - the study of the subject has some consolations - at least for me...”
“What did Mrs Bracegirdle wear on your marriage day ?”asked Archie wisely ;seeing the nostalgic look in the mild blue eyes.
“Some silk her aunt had kept for her - palest yellow like a butterfly wing,” returned the lieutenant settling down and smiling again at Archie over the top of Horatio’s dark curls, the latter now having his head deep in the Navigational instructor and pretending to be impervious.
“One can’t after all woo merely on polite exchanges about higher mathematics alone,” mused Archie aloud ;keeping his leg well away from a foot that just might strike under the table.
“Indeed no- but it is those with the special mark of Neptune’s favour who may not have time for such frippery reading - so alas Mr Kennedy, our interest in matters of fashion my mean we do not make admiral “ replied Bracey moving over on the bench as Thomas Bowles descended and joined them.
“Wedding fashions ? “ guessed Bowles, and on being appraised of the conversation he added,“ yes, my sisters letter was full of it - rococo indeed ! Mr Hornblower you have company in your misery - can’t understand how men can even want to know....
“Oh !The style,” said Archie, “and the spectacle,” added Bracegirdle , “and the romance and the sheer joy of life.” ..but Bowles was not going to rise to the challenge and ignored them.
“Anyway” Bowles continued, “the captain’s compliments and he asked me all to invite you all to a celebration of the royal marriage albeit three weeks after the event Seems he got some supplies via the cutter Rumour even has it there were several chickens ..”
“Our gallant captain- which side would he weigh into the argument , pondered Bracey to no one in particular
“Oh Ned ?-I should think he’s another of Neptune’s chosen - probably doesn’t even remember his wedding date accurately let alone what his dear lady wore “..
“ care to wager on that ? asked Bracey,with deceptive mildness.
At the celebration in the great cabin eventually talk drifted round to the royal couple and their special day . With such guileless looks the first lieutenant was ideally placed to ask - innocently.
We were speaking earlier, sir of the changes in marriage fashions in the last generation- how different from the days you and I were married merely - what 15 years ago? I still picture my dear wife as she looked then..
" Beautiful As a frigate in full sail eh John ?- Susan wore Chinese brocaded silk .It was gold chrysanthemums on ivory .I had bought the bolt of silk from an East Indiaman trader whose son I had served with..the sharp eyes which missed little took in the lieutenant smiling broadly, Kennedy’s bright complicit grin ,Bowles chagrin and Hornblower eyes wider than ever.
“Have I caused some amusement to my ever diligent crew ?” Pellew asked, knowing full well he had and eying Bracegirdle with gimlet gaze:his First was however undaunted.
You have confounded expectation, won me a bottle of Majendie’s finest next time the
Master has a friend sailing Lisbon way and you have given Mr Hornblower much to think about in terms of neglected areas of his - er curriculum as an officer and gentleman.
“ A captain aims to deserve his worthy crew thus” was the dry response - "though why they have to fill the papers with so much interminable discussion about the royal fashion parade I am sure I don’t know. Anyone would think there was no other news worthy of consideration. I have left my copy of the London Chronicle with the others - can’t stomach another article about His Grace of Wurttemberg’s waistcoat
or the like !Harrumph !
"Talk of journals however reminds me - Mr Hornblower ! "
"Sir ? "
While we are on the subject of new arrived material there is another copy of the Navigational Instructor which I had not noticed earlier - you may exchange your copy for mine in a day or so.
Horatio, somewhat glad that his mentor’s sanity appeared not totally ruined thanked the captain with enthusiasm and shortly afterward took his leave to go on watch, having shared a toast to the royal couple . Several somewhat muted toasts followed but blockade duty took its toll and the party broke up not long afterward, all thanking the captain who inclined his head and returned their goodnights.
Mr Bracegirdle and Mr Kennedy headed by unspoken agreement to the ward room where - normally never seen on blockade duty of this duration - sat the still largely untouched pile of newspapers and journals. They both reached contentedly for them and began to read.
Riches indeed ! sighed Bracegirdle “ your cutting out techniques are improving all the time Mr Kennedy - sarsnet embroidered in ivory satin indeed”
“ ah but the inspiration for the tactic was entirely yours sir- you were eager to read all the details of the ceremony you said- masterly !-
“I am grateful to you,sir - haven’t had so much choice of reading matter in the last three tours on blockade. Think we have it to ourselves for some while yet too :” As he spoke Bracey had been pouring them a final nightcap and held out his glass to meet Archie's in a last toast:
“To Princess Caroline and her wedding dress! May it ever be a beacon to sailors lost for reading material And by the way, just what is sarsnet ? “
“ No idea at all, “ replied Kennedy imperturbably - “though I imagine Horatio will now think he has to learn. Gold chrysanthemums! - who would have thought it ....
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ok - these bits are the vague scholarship underlying the above daftness.George III 's eldest daughter Princess Charlotte, the Princess Royal, married Prince Frederick of Wurttemberg on 18 May 1797 and so it is quite possible that the Indefatigable’s wardroom read the accounts in their stale newspapers which were indeed often delivered by lugger or sloop along with dispatches.
Scurrilous cartoons of their imagined wedding night - of a kind which even our modern tabloids might blench at printing are currently on show at Kew Palace. Age of sail lovers might well want to check them out - an article describing them is at : this page
Chinese brocaded silk was indeed the rage at the time of Edward and Susan’s wedding in the ealry 1780s and great store was set by having the real thing rather than cheaper imitative versions which were beginning to be produced nearer to home. As well as for ladies' dresses it was much in demand for men for waistcoats and for the long dressing gown or banyan, which marked the wearer as a man of culture - and is the style Captain Pellew wears when in his cabin reading or resting in a few scenes in the TV versions.