Christmas
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On September 28, the Catholic Church remembers Saint Wenceslas, a 10th-century Bohemian duke and martyr. St. Wenceslas is known for his piety, patronage of the poor, and his role in converting Bohemia to Christianity. He converted his nation to Christianity and was known for his kindness, generosity, and piety. He was martyred by his brother,…
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The Earl of Lincoln and the enchanted willows….
“Princes”, Anne Neville, Battle of Stoke, Bestwood Lodge, bigamy, Bosworth, Bridlington Priory, Bruges, caravel, Christmas, Cicely Plantagenet, Edmund of Langley, Edward IV, Edward of Middleham, Edward of Warwick, Elizabeth of York, George Duke of Clarence, Henry of Buckingham, Henry VII, horses, illegitimacy, John Earl of Lincoln, Kirkensea Abbey, Lord Protector of the Realm, Margaret of Burgundy, Middleham Castle, Portuguese marriage plans, relics, Richard Duke of York, Richard III, royal hunting estates, Saint Trumwald, security, Sherwood Forest, white rose, William IIThis is a Yorkist fairy tale for Christmas. There is no proof that John de la Pole, Earl of Lincoln, fought at Bosworth, or about what really happened to the sons of Edward IV—until the recent amazing discoveries by Philippa Langley. The revelations of her new research came after I’d written this tale, which although…
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Richard II was certainly the royal connoisseur of food. His famous book of recipes (well, he didn’t actually write it!) the Forme of Cury, is constantly resorted to as a record of just how well our 14th-century ancestors were provided for when they sat down to eat. How often are we told that they…
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A VISIT TO KING’S LANGLEY
Anne Mortimer, camels, Cecily Neville, Christmas, Clarendon Palace, clocks, Dominican friaries, Edmund of Langley, Edward II, Edward III, Eleanor of Castile, fire, Henry III, Henry IV, Isabel of Castile, Joan of Navarre, John of Wheathampstead, King’s Langley, palaces, Piers Gaveston, Reformation, Richard Earl of Cambridge, Richard II, royal tombsKing’s Langley was once home to a massive Plantagenet palace, built out of the remnants of a hunting lodge of Henry III for Edward I’s Queen, Eleanor of Castile. She furnished it lavishly, with carpets and baths. There were shields decorating the hall and a painted picture of four knights going to a tournament, while…
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In the medieval period Christmas was actually a solemn occasion in abbeys, and was celebrated appropriately. The austerity of Advent preceded the marvel of Christ’s birth, and while there was a little gift-giving and entertainment, it bore no comparison whatsoever to the flapping around and overindulgence of today. Read more about the monks’ Christmas at…
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According to this site, which is all about the play entitled the Coventry Carol, and details its history: “In Coventry — where Richard III attended plays shortly before he was killed at the Battle of Bosworth Field — the plays lasted for longer than in other cities.” Well, whatever he watched, it wasn’t the Coventry…
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While the traditional Yule Log is associated with Great Britain – as its television broadcast/DVD version is associated with America – it seems to have originated in the misty past of Central Germany and Westphalia. It is certainly of pagan origin as are many of our Christian customs. To quote Sir James George Frazer in…
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“….the beautiful, unspoiled Mediterranean town of Patara is the birthplace of the bearded gift-giver, who we look out for with such excitement on Christmas Eve. Or rather, the birthplace of the third century Christian saint whose life of kindness and miraculous do-goodery created a legend which has evolved down the centuries, and given us the…
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Well, I can’t believe poinsettias, pretty as they are, ever featured in medieval European Christmas festivities! Any more than turkeys, roast potatoes, cranberries, chocolate and other such delights that are due entirely to the New World. The above picture is from this article about the pagan origins of Christmas, and for all its New World…
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It seems the Bible didn’t actually specify a birth date for Christ. The Church decided on various dates, and today we observe the event on 25th December, but many of us regard the season itself (as distinct from the birth date) as commencing on 6th December, the Feast of St Nicholas, who has now evolved…
The New Murrey and Blue blog 