Historical Snippets 3 Trivia Quiz

Answer: Long locks of hair tied with bright ribbons

Frowned up by the Puritans, that is. During the early days of the reign of the Stuart monarchs in England when the Cromwellian followers were beginning to grow in strength, much mockery was make of the latest hairstyle fashion worn by the royalists followers. This style consisted of long flowing locks worn forward over the shoulders on either side - and tied with colourful ribbons. Variations on this theme were either still growing the hair long but leaving it hang free, or cutting the hair shorter on one side of the head but growing the other side longer - in order to wear a single be-ribboned lovelock hanging down over the chest.

A portrait by van Dyck of "Henri II de Lorraine" features the single ribboned lovelock of the model, while the famous "Charles I in Three Positions", also by van Dyck, shows clearly that Charles, although wearing his hair free in that painting, had his hair cut shorter on one side in order to wear the single lovelock style when the whim took him. And oh, the scorn heaped on those "proud coxcombes in the fashion, wearing taffeta, and an ill-favoured lock on (their) shoulders" (Henry Peacham, 1638).

Answer: His ears had been removed as punishment

William Prynne (1600-1669) had to have been one of the most cold-hearted, tight-lipped, vicious critics of anything to do with fun who was ever born. He was a lawyer, author, polemicist, and as rigid a moralist as possible. The man put the pure into Puritan. Among the more than 200 works he wrote criticising liberal church practices, royalty, the theatre, drinking, women with short hair, and men with long hair, and anything at all to do with laughter or fun (which he called decadence), was his attack on actresses, those vile women who flaunted their bodies on stage. This backfired on Prynne because rightly or wrongly, it was interpreted as being an attack on Henrietta Maria, the wife of Charles I, for, at the same time his book on the subject was finally published, the Queen and her ladies had taken part in a performance of "The Shepherd's Paradise" by Montagu.

Prynne was thrown into the Tower of London for a year, had his lawyer's degree cancelled, was fined five thousand pounds and, while in the pillory for a time, had both his ears removed. This resulted in his wearing his own hair longer than normal in order to hid the scars. He wasn't the slightest bit repentant, however, and kept right on writing, heavily criticising all and sundry, and demanding the most repressive actions against the people of England ever written. This man, so filled with hate, finally died in 1669, unmarried (thank goodness for that) and viciously criticising to the last.

Answer: A bib

For many centuries when babies were first born, it was customary to keep them in swaddling clothes, so that the child's movements were heavily restricted. They were basically wrapped up from head to foot. Fortunately this practice was falling out of favour by the 17th century, but you'll still occasionally see a baby wrapped up like a silkworm cocoon, even today. It is thought that this practice originated from the belief that it kept babies warm and ensured their limbs grew straight. This practice lasted until a child was about 8 months old, when they "graduated" to the next level of clothing.

When it became time for unswaddled children to be fed with mushy solids, bibs were the answer, but these were known in Tudor times as slavering clouts - hardly a flattering term, but babies DO tend to dribble everywhere, not only from mushy foods, but also when cutting teeth. One sorrowful garment that was also part of a newborn was a Chrisom cloth. These were used when small babies had to be christened quickly, because a Chrisom child, as that baby was known, was one that had, heartbreakingly so, died in the first month of life.

Answer: He got stuck

King Charles I of England (1600-1649) was treated quite well upon his initial imprisonment in Carisbrooke Castle following his many defeats during the English Civil War. His captors at Carisbrooke Castle even turned the outer bailey of that structure into a bowling green for the enjoyment of the King. Charles, however, a monarch who believed in his Divine Right to rule, wasn't about to give up so easily. Already noted for a successful escape attempt during a previous imprisonment during the third Siege of Oxford in 1646, (when he disguised himself as a servant to make his getaway), Charles waited for the right time to make his escape from the Isle of Wight. According to the May 2020 edition of the official British Heritage magazine "Britain", he was certainly extricated.

He had to be rescued when he got stuck trying to squeeze through the bars of a window.

Answer: Queen Elizabeth I

Chartered by Good Queen Bess in 1566, and issued in 1567, the Great Lottery of England's purpose was the expansion of its markets around the world. At that time in history, England was at its height as a global world and sea power, but enormous costs were involved in building ships and seaports. The Great Lottery was the answer. Priced at ten shillings each - way beyond the reach of everyday citizens unless they combined purses - the first prize for this Lottery was a (for the times) staggering five thousand pounds.

A further incentive to purchase tickets was that "all ticket holders were promised freedom from arrest for all crimes other than murder, felonies, piracy (a good touch) and murder".

Answer: Music

Art, music and literature all blossomed in medieval times, but in particular, it was music that held the attention of most people. Reading and writing were luxuries to which only the wealthy, members of the church and aristocrats had access, and it was still, at that time, gradually evolving from Latin and French into English; most people, again, couldn't afford the luxury of painting lessons, so this was another art form out of the reach of many; but music - music was available to all, even if they were just members of an appreciative audience. Secular music, that is, songs of romance, adventure and faraway places, songs that thrilled and entertained, unlike that serious, spiritually uplifting (or depressing) church themes.

Instruments of the time included harps, lutes, violas, bagpipes, and the hurdy-gurdy, lyre and psaltery; and another incentive for luxuriating in the enjoyment of secular music was that the doctors of the time believed that music had the ability to restore one to health, that it could help in healing wounds, that it could even cure paralysis and that it most certainly lifted depression. Amazingly so, this belief, particularly with regard to depression, continues in one form or another, even in this modern age.

Answer: Not to shave

This was a bit of whimsy really, just to bolster the hoped for friendship, after so many years of fighting, between the two nations. Henry VIII of England and Francis I of France were the two young kings involved, and true to his word, Francis turned up unshaven. Henry, however, probably occupied with chasing the latest lady-in-waiting, forgot - and had a shave. This almost brought the hoped for friendship to an abrupt conclusion as the French called foul, but the quick thinking Henry blamed his then wife, Katherine of Aragon, for the removal of his bristles, saying that she preferred him clean shaven.

The Field of the Cloth of Gold meeting was so named for the sheer brilliance and display of the thousands of tents, costumes, music, games, feasts and glorious displays of outfits of gold and silk woven fabric. It lasted 17 days and its conclusion, despite Francis beating Henry at wrestling and Henry beating Francis in a joust, was a vow of permanent peace between the nations and seeking to outlaw war forever in Christian countries. Alas, this soon fell by the wayside, when England was drawn into a war between France and Spain in 1521. So it was back to the battle once more.

Answer: Afternoon tea

Woburn Abbey, located in Bedfordshire, England, was once a thriving Cistercian Abbey that was founded in 1147. Thriving, that is, until Henry VIII had the abbot executed, confiscated the Abbey and all its lands, and gifted the lot to the first Duke of Bedford. He promptly destroyed the Abbey, and built his own palatial home on the grounds instead, retaining only the name of Abbey. Today this beautifully maintained property includes exquisite gardens, a deer park, a safari park complete with giraffes and rhinos, miniatures railway, visitors centre, and tours around the large property in horse and carriage.

Wife of the 7th Duke of Bedford, Anna Maria Russell (1783-1857), takes credit for "inventing" the English tradition of afternoon tea. Prior to this time, the family and guests were not served refreshments between lunch and dinner, but Duchess Anna Maria had a healthy appetite and often found herself rather peckish during the intervening hours. So, at approximately 5pm each day, she began requesting cups of tea (Darjeeling) and a light snack of sweet and savoury nibblies to ward off the hunger pangs. A long time friend of Queen Victoria, she introduced this habit to the Queen, and it became the must have ceremony for the wealthier classes from there. Cucumber sandwich, anyone?

Answer: Oranges

The market town of Totnes is located on the Dart river in South Devon, England. Its recorded history dates back to 907, when the son of Alfred the Great founded a small settlement there. One of its features is a striking motte-and-bailey castle which is still in existence on a hill overlooking the bustling town below. Noted for its music and arts celebrations, Totness is a bit of a hippie Mecca today. One of its interesting feature is the Brutus Stone in Fore Street, where the legendary founder of England, Brutus of Troy, was said to have first set foot on English soil, and dramatically cried "Here I stand and here I rest, And this town shall be called Totnes". Believe that if you like.

A more believable tale associated with Totness occurred in the 1580s when Sir Francis Drake (1540-1596), who was carrying a bag of oranges, accidentally bumped into a delivery boy in Fore Street, lost his hold on his oranges and saw then tumbling down the reasonably inclined street - which sent all the children nearby running after them. Today this event is celebrated in the annual Orange Races, where competitors likewise chase or kick an orange downhill over the 450 metre course. The winner is first across the line with at least a part of his or her orange intact.

Answer: Bathing in the sea

The Isle of Portland is just off the coast of Dorset, England, but tied to that country by what is known as a barrier beach. It is famous for its quarried stone used to build several of England's most famous structures. Beyond its rather breezy headland lies a calm and sheltered bay with a beautiful sandy beach, very popular over the years for holidaymakers stopping at nearby Weymouth with its fine promenade.

King George III of England (1738-1820) was very fond of this place. It was known to be his favourite spot for a holiday, especially during his bouts of nervous illness. He believed that swimming was just what he needed to set him right again, and was one of the first people in England to use bathing machines for this purpose. Unfortunately though, every time he emerged dripping wet from his dip, an enthusiastic attendant band struck up "God Save the King". Because nude bathing for men was the custom at this time in history, it's to be hoped that anthem was in praise of George's physique - and not in sympathy.