Sir Wm: Batten used the word Negroe in his Will in 1667 which kind of enforces the Idea that Black was of Hair and complexion more of the Meditteranean hue, as contrasted with the Anglo-Saxon Coloring.
Phil et al; Black person. I used to think that "black", at these times meant as you say, ie. dark haired. Now I'm not at all sure that this is in any way definitive in spite of L&M. Check out Shakespeare's dark Lady etc. below and tell me if it doesn't shake the theory a little. http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Troy/4081/DarkL...
As late as the 1920s David Bertram Ogilvy Freeman-Mitford (Jessica and Nancy Mitford's father) described a cousin's marriage to an Argentinian of entirely Spanish heritage with the phrase, "Robin's married a black."
From dictionary excerts of Samuel Johnson. [Blac Saxon ] 1 Color of the night. 2 dark 3 cloudy of countenance; sullen 4 Horrible;wicked ; atrocious 5 Dismal; mournful 6 Black and Blue color of bruise; stripe That be all;
When Charles II escaped after the Battle of Worcester, a reward of a thousand pounds was offered for his capture, and he was described as "Charles Stuart, a black man, six feet two inches in height." He was also later sometimes referred to as the Black Boy, which has apparently lived on as the name of a few pubs.
Phil Link to this
When Pepys refers to someone as being "black" he means, according to L&M's glossary, "brunette, dark in hair or complexion."
Jenny Doughty Link to this
This usage persisted for a long time. Jane Austen uses the same expression in her letters.
vincent Link to this
Sir Wm: Batten used the word Negroe in his Will in 1667 which kind of enforces the Idea that Black was of Hair and complexion more of the Meditteranean hue, as contrasted with the Anglo-Saxon Coloring.
vincent Link to this
another instance of name descrp:from diary :mar 28 61
".... At last we made Mingo, Sir W. Batten
Rich Merne Link to this
Phil et al;
Black person. I used to think that "black", at these times meant as you say, ie. dark haired. Now I'm not at all sure that this is in any way definitive in spite of L&M. Check out Shakespeare's dark Lady etc. below and tell me if it doesn't shake the theory a little.
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Troy/4081/DarkL...
Pauline Link to this
It means both
Used in referring to a person who is
Cactus Wren Link to this
As late as the 1920s David Bertram Ogilvy Freeman-Mitford (Jessica and Nancy Mitford's father) described a cousin's marriage to an Argentinian of entirely Spanish heritage with the phrase, "Robin's married a black."
doctus Link to this
From dictionary excerts of Samuel Johnson. [Blac Saxon ]
1 Color of the night.
2 dark
3 cloudy of countenance; sullen
4 Horrible;wicked ; atrocious
5 Dismal; mournful
6 Black and Blue color of bruise; stripe
That be all;
Gillian Bagwell Link to this
When Charles II escaped after the Battle of Worcester, a reward of a thousand pounds was offered for his capture, and he was described as "Charles Stuart, a black man, six feet two inches in height." He was also later sometimes referred to as the Black Boy, which has apparently lived on as the name of a few pubs.