To make life more interesting for you and those who follow, Harry, how about taking on a project? One that suggests itself to me is that I would love to know what Minette was writing to Charles II all these years. I bet many answers about what the French were up to would be answered by her. Plus she did have quite a racy life after marrying Monsieur. I believe a book was published with their correspondence a few years ago, and you could probably get a copy cheap ...???
Or a couple of years back, Terry and I copied quite a few letters from Ambassadors about what was going on ... as I recall the Venetian Ambassador to Spain was very chatty. Perhaps they can tell us what happened recently to upset the Prince of Monaco and Charles II? And was a British Envoy to North Africa killed recently or not?
TURPENTINE IS A COMMON SIGHT in hardware stores and art cabinets. Made from pine resin distilled until clear, the oily liquid been used for hundreds of years as a water repellant, paint thinner, solvent, and lamp oil. But for thousands of years, it was also used as a medicine, although modern doctors would strongly advise against ingesting it at all.
Turpentine has deep roots in medical history. In Looking for Longleaf: The Fall and Rise of an American Forest, author Lawrence S. Earley explains that the Romans used it to treat depression, naval surgeons during the Age of Sail injected it (hot) into wounds, and medics used it to try and stop heavy bleeding.
Doctors found it appealing, although they knew about its less-desirable effects. “The rectified oil of Turpentine is a medicine much less used than it deserves to be. The reason probably is, the fear of its producing violent effects on the alimentary canal and urinary organs,” one doctor wrote in 1821. He also wrote that turpentine could greatly be put to use killing internal worms, since insects instantly died if exposed to the liquid. He ordered one patient afflicted with tapeworms to drink turpentine every few hours.
The problem with turpentine oil was not just some harsh side effects. Ingestion is often toxic, causing kidney damage and bleeding in the lungs. So why was it used? Viewed in context, it’s easier to understand why doctors once used it as medicine.
Pine tar, another related product, is still a useful medicine ingredient for rashes and skin problems, while turpentine oil, which was also considered good for lung health, is still an ingredient in Vick’s Vapor-Rub (although it’s listed as an inactive ingredient).
Turpentine is antiseptic, and the terrible taste and harsh effects could have been interpreted as signs that it was working.
Turpentine had three important medical requisites: It smelled loud, tasted bad, and burned like the woods on fire.” It also had the strange side effect of making urine smell like violets.
When sailing meant wooden ships, pine products were in high demand for sealing leaks and preserving wood. The British especially valued pine forests, and almost immediately on reaching the Americas, they went in search of enough pines to produce the favored products. A “turpentine belt” developed in the South, and whole forests were tapped for resin.
For many years, slaves were forced to do the difficult, painstaking work of making turpentine by “boxing” pine trees. Unfortunately, they were also compelled to take it as medicine, along with castor oil, for any number of illnesses.
On 10 July, 1668 Henry Morgan attacked and sacked the city of Porto Bello and held the city ransom for weeks until the Governor of Panama agreed to pay the buccaneers an enormous ransom.
Despite it being a dull backwater most of the time, Porto Bello had excellent defenses because of the presence of great wealth awaiting the infrequent treasure fleets. There were three castles to contend with. At the entrance to the Bay stood the castle of San Felipe, with 12 cannons and a garrison of 100 men. On one side of Portobello Harbor was Santiago Castle, with 200 men and 32 guns covering the harbor and the road into the city. On the other side of the harbor was the unfinished fortress of San Gerónimo. These fortifications would be manned although the treasure fleet was not expected for another year or so.
Such were the defenses on paper, anyway. Because of the castles, the people of Portobello had known years of peace and were not ready for an attack in July of 1668. The castles were seriously undermanned: there were 50 men out of 100 in San Felipe, 75 men out of 200 in Santiago, and only eight in the unfinished castle of San Gerónimo. There were a handful of soldiers in town as well on the night of July 10. Although the soldiers had good small arms including pistols and muskets, the cannons in the castles were in bad repair and there was a shortage of grenades. There were also insufficient gunners to man the cannons if needed.
Henry Morgan knew the city was going to be surprised, but he did not know the castles were so undermanned. He decided on a land assault. He took his fleet down the coast and unloaded his men - some 500 in all - using long canoes he had brought along for that purpose. The men paddled the canoes for four days, sneaking past the fortress of San Lorenzo at night. One ship remained with them, a little further out to sea. This escort ship was eventually spotted by the Spanish, but caused no alarm: what damage could one ship do?
Henry Morgan's buccaneers made a lucky capture: a local fisherman was pressured into guiding them. On the night of July 10, they were at Orange Island, ready to begin the assault.
"she was taken into the castle of St. Jago, and there a negro told her that he belonged to Prince Maurice;"
This creates a little confusion, because Fort St. Jago is opposite Elmina, Ghana, so slaves could meet here, but it's a bit out of the way for a story about the Caribbean.
SPOILER: In July 1668 Henry Morgan and many buccaneers attack Porto Bello:
Morgan writes "... we took our canoes, 23 in number and rowing along the coast, landed at 3 o'clock in the morning and made our way into the town, and seeing that we could not refresh ourselves in quiet we were enforced to assault the castle ..." When they had captured the fort of San Geronimo they made their way to the dungeon and there found 11 English prisoners covered with sores caused by the chafing of their heavy chains. http://www.data-wales.co.uk/morga…
I suspect he was looking for Prince Maurice; I wonder who he rescued?
'Charles II: January 1668', in Calendar of State Papers Domestic: Charles II, 1667-8, ed. Mary Anne Everett Green (London, 1893), pp. 153-204. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/…
@@@ Jan.6. 1668 Deposition of John Ayres.
Was told by one Joan, an English woman, taken prisoner by the Spaniards, that she was taken into the castle of St. Jago, and there a negro told her that he belonged to Prince Maurice; that the Prince was cast away in a hurricane at Porto Rico, kept in a dungeon there till demanded by the English, and then sent to the castle of St. Jago, in Porto Bello, where he remains in a dungeon without attendance; the negro begged her not to tell this till she came to some English government. Being very cruelly treated by the Spaniards, the deponent, with some others, escaped to Jamaica. Taken 27 Dec. 1667, and certified 6 Jan. 1668, by Sir Thos. Modyford [governor of Jamaica]. [2 pages. S.P. Dom., Car. II. 232, No. 45.] --- Prince Rupert never accepted that Maurice was dead. Reports like this kept his hope alive of finding his kid brother.
And it is 'interesting' (coincidental) to note that Henry Morgan will attack Porto Bello in July of 1668 ... I bet he checked the dungeons. https://goldenageofpiracy.org/his…
Louis XIV strictly regimented his day. That made things easier for everyone. Allowing for the following to have taken place maybe 20 years after the end of the Diary, and for regional differences, here's a decription of what Louis XIV ate what we would consider dinner:
'“The Sun King” loved to eat. Supper, anyway. His breakfasts and lunches were moderate, but around 10 P.M. he and his retinue pigged out. These banquets usually consisted of four different soups, a whole pheasant, partridge, chicken, or duck (stuffed with truffles), a large salad, mutton and ham slices, pastries, compotes (fruit desserts cooked in syrup), and jam (eaten straight, not on toast). 'Hundreds of spectators would witness this “grand couvert” (big service). 'Louis loved his orange juice. He had over 1,000 orange trees in tubs on wheels so they could be wheeled outside to get sunlight and rain. He cultivated over 500 types of pears in his gardens. They also grew pineapples and coffee beans. Wheat was grown at Versailles for fresh bread.'
"supper is often a lighter or less formal affair than dinner"
Chris Squire has given us a 21th century rule of thumb here. It wasn't so in the 17th century. Allowing for the following story to be maybe 20 years after the end of the Diary, and for regional differences, here's a decription of how Louis XIV ate what we would consider dinner:
'“The Sun King” loved to eat. Supper, anyway. His breakfasts and lunches were moderate, but around 10 P.M. he and his retinue pigged out. These banquets usually consisted of four different soups, a whole pheasant, partridge, chicken, or duck (stuffed with truffles), a large salad, mutton and ham slices, pastries, compotes (fruit desserts cooked in syrup), and jam (eaten straight, not on toast). 'Hundreds of spectators would witness this “grand couvert” (big service). Louis loved his orange juice. He had over 1,000 orange trees in tubs on wheels so they could be wheeled outside to get sunlight and rain. He cultivated over 500 types of pears in his gardens. They also grew pineapples and coffee beans. Wheat was grown at Versailles for fresh bread.'
"This last night Betty Michell about midnight cries out, and my wife goes to her, and she brings forth a girl, and this afternoon the child is christened, and my wife godmother again to a Betty."
Never thought of Elizabeth as being the type to help with a childbirth. She must be fond of Betty Mitchell.
"... to the office, where sat all the morning, and after noon to the office again till night, mighty busy ..."
Apparently, for all Pepys' efforts over the years, there were a lot of loose ends to wrap up before the presentation on the masts accounts to the Brooke House Committee. You think they have to specify which ships received the masts? There would be years of records to go through for at least six shipyards.
Plus they need to document and file all the records accounting for the people paid off with this latest money -- you know someone will want to see that soon. *** I'm still imagining what a cart of money looks like ... no wonder there were highwaymen. Life without banks, checks and credit cards, and only gold and silver coins is hard to imagine. I can see why Charles II recently told them to set up local strongholds for their tax collections, so less has to be transported. (No, I can't find the reference. If/when I do, I'll add it.)
The millers must have kept good records: They kept the kernals and ground them into flour. They needed to know how much flour belonged to each farmer. They also needed to return the right amount of hay bales to each farmer.
I suspect the whole village cooperated to cutting one farmer's field are a time, so there must have been conversations about Joe's north 40 being ready, but Fred's and Harry's needing another week or two to riped.
"Corn" does not refer to "Maize" which we Yanks call corn; is that correct?
Correct Nate: This corn is wheat.
The scythes are busy now ... They cut sheafs of corn from the outside of the field in towards the center, until they have a little "island" of standing corn in the middle of the field. All of a sudden the mice and rats break out, and the terrier dogs go to work. After the mass extermination of rodents, the villagers finish cutting the corn.
The sheafs are taken to the mill so the kernals are removed from the stalks. The stalks are baled and made into haystacks to provide winter fodder for the horses and cattle.
The haystacks must be kept dry, or the hay rots before the animals eat it ... on the other hand, it isn't unusual for haystacks to burn down because of internal combustion.
All those sailors and dockyard workers are needed down on the farm in July and August ... they must be agonizing about leaving before they are paid, or gambling on being paid soon so they can still help out at home this summer.
England's weather is notoriously local ... we see reports of that in these letters: in some places the rain has ruined the crops, in other places they are having a bumper crop.
I can still remember the heady smell of the harvest in Cornwall from my childhood. It's the best smell ever.
An article, and photos, of the last remaining stands of old growth forest in Maine, from whense came the King Pines of the 1660's that Pepys needed for masts.
Apparently the Baltic pines were not big enough for the masts needed by the improved British ships, plus from time to time it wasn't possible to obtain masts from the Baltic. "The King" * therefore turned to New England, and had men mark the biggest of these trees, with a dimension of over 30 inches, with a big arrow cut into the bark, ignoring the fact that the Native population owned these forests. Later loggers went in and took the marked trees.
Trouble ensued, of course, not just with the Native Americans.
* It's not clear if it was Charles I or II who had the trees marked with the King's Arrow; it might even have been Cromwell from the dates given.
James Howard, 3rd earl of Suffolk (1619 – 1689), the eldest son of Theophilus Howard, 2nd earl of Suffolk (1584 – 1640), and his wife, Lady Elizabeth Home (1599/1600 – 1633). Occupation: nobleman.
In 1666 James Howard agreed to sell his vast palace at Audley End, Essex to Charles II for £50,000, while retaining the bulk of the estate, and in March 1667 he was appointed keeper of the king's new house.
FROM: English Heritage Properties 1600-1830 and Slavery Connections A Report Undertaken to Mark the Bicentenary of the Abolition of the British Atlantic Slave Trade Volume One: Report and Appendix 1 Miranda Kaufmann 2007
The story of the beautiful Brynkinalt Hall, Chirk, Wrexham, Clwyd, Wales is the story of the Trevor family.
The Trevors trace their history to AD 942 when Tudor Trevor, King of Gloucestershire, married Angharad, daughter of Howel Dda, King of Wales.
In 1612 Sir Edward Trevor built the main core of the Hall of brick. The original Jacobean hall, with its richly detailed oak paneling, survives, offering a wonderful glimpse into the early 17th century world of the Trevor family. The Great Hall was originally an open courtyard, and coaches entered through an archway where the staircase now stands.
Marke Trevor was made the 1st Viscount Dungannon by Charles II after he wounded Oliver Cromwell at the Battle of Marston Moor. https://www.britainexpress.com/at…
Comments
Second Reading
About Friday 10 July 1668
San Diego Sarah • Link
The book I remembered: “My dearest Minette: Letters between Charles II and his sister, the Duchesse d’Orléans” by Ruth Norrington.
About Friday 10 July 1668
San Diego Sarah • Link
To make life more interesting for you and those who follow, Harry, how about taking on a project? One that suggests itself to me is that I would love to know what Minette was writing to Charles II all these years. I bet many answers about what the French were up to would be answered by her. Plus she did have quite a racy life after marrying Monsieur. I believe a book was published with their correspondence a few years ago, and you could probably get a copy cheap ...???
Or a couple of years back, Terry and I copied quite a few letters from Ambassadors about what was going on ... as I recall the Venetian Ambassador to Spain was very chatty. Perhaps they can tell us what happened recently to upset the Prince of Monaco and Charles II? And was a British Envoy to North Africa killed recently or not?
Perhaps you have a quest you'd rather follow?
About Turpentine
San Diego Sarah • Link
In later life, Queen Anne consulted oculists who recommended an eyewash of sulphur, turpentine, vivum and honey of roses.
https://www.historyofroyalwomen.c…
Sooner you than me, Queen Anne!
About Turpentine
San Diego Sarah • Link
TURPENTINE IS A COMMON SIGHT in hardware stores and art cabinets. Made from pine resin distilled until clear, the oily liquid been used for hundreds of years as a water repellant, paint thinner, solvent, and lamp oil. But for thousands of years, it was also used as a medicine, although modern doctors would strongly advise against ingesting it at all.
Turpentine has deep roots in medical history. In Looking for Longleaf: The Fall and Rise of an American Forest, author Lawrence S. Earley explains that the Romans used it to treat depression, naval surgeons during the Age of Sail injected it (hot) into wounds, and medics used it to try and stop heavy bleeding.
Doctors found it appealing, although they knew about its less-desirable effects.
“The rectified oil of Turpentine is a medicine much less used than it deserves to be. The reason probably is, the fear of its producing violent effects on the alimentary canal and urinary organs,” one doctor wrote in 1821. He also wrote that turpentine could greatly be put to use killing internal worms, since insects instantly died if exposed to the liquid. He ordered one patient afflicted with tapeworms to drink turpentine every few hours.
The problem with turpentine oil was not just some harsh side effects. Ingestion is often toxic, causing kidney damage and bleeding in the lungs. So why was it used?
Viewed in context, it’s easier to understand why doctors once used it as medicine.
Pine tar, another related product, is still a useful medicine ingredient for rashes and skin problems, while turpentine oil, which was also considered good for lung health, is still an ingredient in Vick’s Vapor-Rub (although it’s listed as an inactive ingredient).
Turpentine is antiseptic, and the terrible taste and harsh effects could have been interpreted as signs that it was working.
Turpentine had three important medical requisites: It smelled loud, tasted bad, and burned like the woods on fire.” It also had the strange side effect of making urine smell like violets.
When sailing meant wooden ships, pine products were in high demand for sealing leaks and preserving wood. The British especially valued pine forests, and almost immediately on reaching the Americas, they went in search of enough pines to produce the favored products. A “turpentine belt” developed in the South, and whole forests were tapped for resin.
For many years, slaves were forced to do the difficult, painstaking work of making turpentine by “boxing” pine trees. Unfortunately, they were also compelled to take it as medicine, along with castor oil, for any number of illnesses.
A few highlights from https://www.atlasobscura.com/arti… d=8eeadcaf45
About Friday 10 July 1668
San Diego Sarah • Link
The black asterisk means it's new since you logged on the last time. Your highlighted names question I'll leave to Phil Gyford to answer.
About Friday 10 July 1668
San Diego Sarah • Link
On 10 July, 1668 Henry Morgan attacked and sacked the city of Porto Bello and held the city ransom for weeks until the Governor of Panama agreed to pay the buccaneers an enormous ransom.
Despite it being a dull backwater most of the time, Porto Bello had excellent defenses because of the presence of great wealth awaiting the infrequent treasure fleets. There were three castles to contend with.
At the entrance to the Bay stood the castle of San Felipe, with 12 cannons and a garrison of 100 men.
On one side of Portobello Harbor was Santiago Castle, with 200 men and 32 guns covering the harbor and the road into the city.
On the other side of the harbor was the unfinished fortress of San Gerónimo. These fortifications would be manned although the treasure fleet was not expected for another year or so.
Such were the defenses on paper, anyway. Because of the castles, the people of Portobello had known years of peace and were not ready for an attack in July of 1668. The castles were seriously undermanned: there were 50 men out of 100 in San Felipe, 75 men out of 200 in Santiago, and only eight in the unfinished castle of San Gerónimo. There were a handful of soldiers in town as well on the night of July 10.
Although the soldiers had good small arms including pistols and muskets, the cannons in the castles were in bad repair and there was a shortage of grenades. There were also insufficient gunners to man the cannons if needed.
Henry Morgan knew the city was going to be surprised, but he did not know the castles were so undermanned.
He decided on a land assault. He took his fleet down the coast and unloaded his men - some 500 in all - using long canoes he had brought along for that purpose.
The men paddled the canoes for four days, sneaking past the fortress of San Lorenzo at night. One ship remained with them, a little further out to sea. This escort ship was eventually spotted by the Spanish, but caused no alarm: what damage could one ship do?
Henry Morgan's buccaneers made a lucky capture: a local fisherman was pressured into guiding them. On the night of July 10, they were at Orange Island, ready to begin the assault.
For what happened next, see
https://goldenageofpiracy.org/his…
About Monday 6 January 1667/68
San Diego Sarah • Link
"she was taken into the castle of St. Jago, and there a negro told her that he belonged to Prince Maurice;"
This creates a little confusion, because Fort St. Jago is opposite Elmina, Ghana, so slaves could meet here, but it's a bit out of the way for a story about the Caribbean.
SPOILER: In July 1668 Henry Morgan and many buccaneers attack Porto Bello:
Morgan writes "... we took our canoes, 23 in number and rowing along the coast, landed at 3 o'clock in the morning and made our way into the town, and seeing that we could not refresh ourselves in quiet we were enforced to assault the castle ..."
When they had captured the fort of San Geronimo they made their way to the dungeon and there found 11 English prisoners covered with sores caused by the chafing of their heavy chains.
http://www.data-wales.co.uk/morga…
I suspect he was looking for Prince Maurice; I wonder who he rescued?
About Monday 6 January 1667/68
San Diego Sarah • Link
'Charles II: January 1668', in Calendar of State Papers Domestic: Charles II, 1667-8, ed. Mary Anne Everett Green (London, 1893), pp. 153-204. British History Online
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/…
@@@
Jan.6. 1668
Deposition of John Ayres.
Was told by one Joan, an English woman, taken prisoner by the Spaniards, that she was taken into the castle of St. Jago, and there a negro told her that he belonged to Prince Maurice;
that the Prince was cast away in a hurricane at Porto Rico, kept in a dungeon there till demanded by the English, and then sent to the castle of St. Jago, in Porto Bello, where he remains in a dungeon without attendance;
the negro begged her not to tell this till she came to some English government.
Being very cruelly treated by the Spaniards, the deponent, with some others, escaped to Jamaica.
Taken 27 Dec. 1667, and certified 6 Jan. 1668, by Sir Thos. Modyford [governor of Jamaica].
[2 pages. S.P. Dom., Car. II. 232, No. 45.]
---
Prince Rupert never accepted that Maurice was dead. Reports like this kept his hope alive of finding his kid brother.
And it is 'interesting' (coincidental) to note that Henry Morgan will attack Porto Bello in July of 1668 ... I bet he checked the dungeons.
https://goldenageofpiracy.org/his…
About Louis XIV (King of France, 1643-1715)
San Diego Sarah • Link
Louis XIV strictly regimented his day. That made things easier for everyone.
Allowing for the following to have taken place maybe 20 years after the end of the Diary, and for regional differences, here's a decription of what Louis XIV ate what we would consider dinner:
'“The Sun King” loved to eat. Supper, anyway. His breakfasts and lunches were moderate, but around 10 P.M. he and his retinue pigged out. These banquets usually consisted of four different soups, a whole pheasant, partridge, chicken, or duck (stuffed with truffles), a large salad, mutton and ham slices, pastries, compotes (fruit desserts cooked in syrup), and jam (eaten straight, not on toast).
'Hundreds of spectators would witness this “grand couvert” (big service).
'Louis loved his orange juice. He had over 1,000 orange trees in tubs on wheels so they could be wheeled outside to get sunlight and rain. He cultivated over 500 types of pears in his gardens. They also grew pineapples and coffee beans. Wheat was grown at Versailles for fresh bread.'
https://www.historyanecdotesforte…
About Thursday 18 February 1663/64
San Diego Sarah • Link
"supper is often a lighter or less formal affair than dinner"
Chris Squire has given us a 21th century rule of thumb here. It wasn't so in the 17th century. Allowing for the following story to be maybe 20 years after the end of the Diary, and for regional differences, here's a decription of how Louis XIV ate what we would consider dinner:
'“The Sun King” loved to eat. Supper, anyway. His breakfasts and lunches were moderate, but around 10 P.M. he and his retinue pigged out. These banquets usually consisted of four different soups, a whole pheasant, partridge, chicken, or duck (stuffed with truffles), a large salad, mutton and ham slices, pastries, compotes (fruit desserts cooked in syrup), and jam (eaten straight, not on toast).
'Hundreds of spectators would witness this “grand couvert” (big service). Louis loved his orange juice. He had over 1,000 orange trees in tubs on wheels so they could be wheeled outside to get sunlight and rain. He cultivated over 500 types of pears in his gardens. They also grew pineapples and coffee beans. Wheat was grown at Versailles for fresh bread.'
https://www.historyanecdotesforte…
About Sunday 12 July 1668
San Diego Sarah • Link
"This last night Betty Michell about midnight cries out, and my wife goes to her, and she brings forth a girl, and this afternoon the child is christened, and my wife godmother again to a Betty."
Never thought of Elizabeth as being the type to help with a childbirth. She must be fond of Betty Mitchell.
About Saturday 11 July 1668
San Diego Sarah • Link
"... and overnight took some pills …"
Poor Pepys ... more of the eye medicine from Dr. Turberville Dawbigney? I'm having my doubts about this treatment.
https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…
About Thursday 5 October 1665
San Diego Sarah • Link
If you are unaware of the genius of Grinling Gibbons, take a look at these photos of his work. Stunning.
https://spitalfieldslife.com/2021…
About Hackney coaches
San Diego Sarah • Link
L&M: For the introduction of glass windows in coaches, see
https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…
And https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…
About Thursday 9 July 1668
San Diego Sarah • Link
"... to the office, where sat all the morning, and after noon to the office again till night, mighty busy ..."
Apparently, for all Pepys' efforts over the years, there were a lot of loose ends to wrap up before the presentation on the masts accounts to the Brooke House Committee. You think they have to specify which ships received the masts? There would be years of records to go through for at least six shipyards.
Plus they need to document and file all the records accounting for the people paid off with this latest money -- you know someone will want to see that soon.
***
I'm still imagining what a cart of money looks like ... no wonder there were highwaymen. Life without banks, checks and credit cards, and only gold and silver coins is hard to imagine. I can see why Charles II recently told them to set up local strongholds for their tax collections, so less has to be transported.
(No, I can't find the reference. If/when I do, I'll add it.)
About Thursday 9 July 1668
San Diego Sarah • Link
The millers must have kept good records: They kept the kernals and ground them into flour. They needed to know how much flour belonged to each farmer. They also needed to return the right amount of hay bales to each farmer.
I suspect the whole village cooperated to cutting one farmer's field are a time, so there must have been conversations about Joe's north 40 being ready, but Fred's and Harry's needing another week or two to riped.
I bet these were heated conversations.
About Thursday 9 July 1668
San Diego Sarah • Link
"Corn" does not refer to "Maize" which we Yanks call corn; is that correct?
Correct Nate: This corn is wheat.
The scythes are busy now ... They cut sheafs of corn from the outside of the field in towards the center, until they have a little "island" of standing corn in the middle of the field. All of a sudden the mice and rats break out, and the terrier dogs go to work. After the mass extermination of rodents, the villagers finish cutting the corn.
The sheafs are taken to the mill so the kernals are removed from the stalks. The stalks are baled and made into haystacks to provide winter fodder for the horses and cattle.
The haystacks must be kept dry, or the hay rots before the animals eat it ... on the other hand, it isn't unusual for haystacks to burn down because of internal combustion.
All those sailors and dockyard workers are needed down on the farm in July and August ... they must be agonizing about leaving before they are paid, or gambling on being paid soon so they can still help out at home this summer.
England's weather is notoriously local ... we see reports of that in these letters: in some places the rain has ruined the crops, in other places they are having a bumper crop.
I can still remember the heady smell of the harvest in Cornwall from my childhood. It's the best smell ever.
About Masts
San Diego Sarah • Link
An article, and photos, of the last remaining stands of old growth forest in Maine, from whense came the King Pines of the 1660's that Pepys needed for masts.
https://www.atlasobscura.com/arti…
Apparently the Baltic pines were not big enough for the masts needed by the improved British ships, plus from time to time it wasn't possible to obtain masts from the Baltic. "The King" * therefore turned to New England, and had men mark the biggest of these trees, with a dimension of over 30 inches, with a big arrow cut into the bark, ignoring the fact that the Native population owned these forests. Later loggers went in and took the marked trees.
Trouble ensued, of course, not just with the Native Americans.
* It's not clear if it was Charles I or II who had the trees marked with the King's Arrow; it might even have been Cromwell from the dates given.
About Audley End House, Essex
San Diego Sarah • Link
James Howard, 3rd earl of Suffolk (1619 – 1689), the eldest son of Theophilus Howard, 2nd earl of Suffolk (1584 – 1640), and his wife, Lady Elizabeth Home (1599/1600 – 1633). Occupation: nobleman.
In 1666 James Howard agreed to sell his vast palace at Audley End, Essex to Charles II for £50,000, while retaining the bulk of the estate, and in March 1667 he was appointed keeper of the king's new house.
FROM:
English Heritage Properties 1600-1830 and Slavery Connections A Report Undertaken to Mark the Bicentenary of the Abolition of the British Atlantic Slave Trade Volume One: Report and Appendix 1 Miranda Kaufmann 2007
About John Trevor
San Diego Sarah • Link
The story of the beautiful Brynkinalt Hall, Chirk, Wrexham, Clwyd, Wales is the story of the Trevor family.
The Trevors trace their history to AD 942 when Tudor Trevor, King of Gloucestershire, married Angharad, daughter of Howel Dda, King of
Wales.
In 1612 Sir Edward Trevor built the main core of the Hall of brick. The
original Jacobean hall, with its richly detailed oak paneling, survives, offering
a wonderful glimpse into the early 17th century world of the Trevor family.
The Great Hall was originally an open courtyard, and coaches entered
through an archway where the staircase now stands.
Marke Trevor was made the 1st Viscount Dungannon by Charles II after he wounded Oliver Cromwell at the Battle of Marston Moor.
https://www.britainexpress.com/at…