humour
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I have been experimenting with some free AI apps. I’m in two minds about them – they are incredibly clever, but, as an artist and writer, I feel they cannot be a good thing for the livelihoods of creative people. Anyway, I decided to see if this app would create a good image of Richard.…
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Here’s a smile for New Year’s Eve. Was it ever a 15th century mode—even for as briefly as a month—for men to, um, stick their bottoms out for the sake of fashion….? Look at the two gents talking lower centre in the image above. Are they or are they not adopting a stance that ensures…
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‘Twas Christmas Eve after Bosworth, the feast had been brill,but the Camembert* was vengeful, and Henry was ill.He’d gorged on a surfeit of Brie so scrumptious,and gobbling the Roquefort made him feel nauseous. As he curled up in bed, his innards were churning.Cheeses floated before him, constantly turning.His eyes he did close. “Please, Lord, let me…
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I found the information below on The Tudor Intruders – and more, a very interesting Facebook group (https://www.facebook.com/thetudorintruders). No, I’m not about to criticise anything Tudor! Not this time. The Funniest Medieval Dog Names is both amusing and informative, and I’m delighted to have the group’s permission to publish it below. I’m therefore indebted to…
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June, July, August 1399. How England fell.
Berkeley Castle, Bishop of Norwich, Bridlington Priory, Bristol, Carmarthen, Chester, Chris Given-Wilson, Cromer, Doncaster, Douglas Biggs, Earl of Wiltshire, Edward Duke of York, executions, Glamorgan, Gloucester Castle, Henry Greene, Henry IV, John of Gaunt, Milford Haven, Nigel Saul, North Wales, Oxford, Pevensey Bay, Richard II, Shrewsbury, Sir John Bussy, sir john russell, Sir Piers Legh of Lyme, Thomas Despenser, Thomas of Lancaster, Thomas Percy Earl of Worcester, Waterford, YorkshireThe sources for these weeks take some unravelling. The most useful secondary source is Three Armies in Britain by Douglas Biggs, a book that, unfortunately, has not received the credit due to it. Nigel Saul‘s Richard II is of value, as is Chronicles of the Revolution by Chris Given-Wilson. The analysis that follows is largely…
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As I write my failure to find anything online about a particular event, apart from someone’s FB page, leads me to hesitate. But let’s assume it IS what’s happening…. It ‘s said that art galleries are suddenly declining to display the above portrait of Henry VIII, Jane Seymour and the boy Edward VI (who died…
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Medieval cooking is always a fascinating subject, and I don’t doubt that we’ve all seen the word “coffin/coffyn” applied to pastries and pies. Well yes, coffin is a coffin in the usual meaning, but it also seems a sensible enough word to use for a well-filled pie! What we call raised pies, e.g. pork pies…
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SIR ROBERT BRACKENBURY – ‘gentle Brakenbery….*
“Princes”, “The History of King Richard III”, Battle of Bosworth, Buckingham rebellion, Calais, Constable of the Tower, Durham, Essex, Graham Turner, ightham mote, John Greene, John of Gloucester, Kent, Philippa Langley, Polydore Vergil, Ricardian Bulletin, richard haute, royal hunting estates, selaby, Sir Robert Brackenbury, Stony Stratford, Thomas More, tunbridge castle, W.E. Hampton, Walter HungerfordMy latest sparkypus.com post… The last charge of King Richard III. It is possible that it was during this charge that Sir Robert Brackenbury fell, alongside his king. Painting by artist Graham Turner **********SIR THOMAS MORE , A MAN FOR ALL REASONS: SAINT OR SINNER? ‘Of all Richard III’s Northern Lieutenants few were…
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When we think of Edward of Woodstock (the “Black Prince”) I doubt if his sense of humour figures very much. He was definitely not known for curling up in laughter or playing pranks, so perhaps it will come as a surprise to find that humour did indeed figure in at least one aspect of…