atlasobscura:

The linked headstones of two lovers who refused to let go, even in Death

Until 40 years ago, Catholic and protestant establishments in the Netherlands were separate from one another as a result of Pillarisation, a widespread politico-denominational segregation. Churches, supermarkets, and other public places were segregated by religious and political beliefs. 

All of this sets the scene to the story of Protestant Colonel J.C.P.H of Aeffderson and Catholic noblewoman J.W.C Van Gorkum. Their marriage would’ve caused a storm of scandal back in the 19th century. Not only was it religiously mixed, but they were from two very different social classes. However, despite all of the taboo in 19th century society, the couple’s marriage lasted for 40 years, only ending with the colonel’s death.

Eight years later, when his wife passed away, her wishes dictated that she wanted to be buried next to her husband. Pillarisation was still in effect at the time, and according to the law, this was impossible. However, with a little creative stonework, both Husband and wife were linked eternally together in a different way.

More info here !

Jane Foole

Jane Foole was a 16th century court jester to Catherine Parr, Mary I, and possibly Anne Boleyn, and is the only female jester ever depicted. She features on the lefthand side of this portrait of Henry VIII and his family, whilst the King’s jester, Will Sommers, features on the right.

Even in a time when ‘the privileged amused themselves with dwarfs, the deformed, the disabled and the dimwitted to ridicule and to laugh at,’ a female jester is still particularly curious. Despite this, however, frustratingly little is known about Jane’s life. Other than the above portrait, the only proof of her existence lies only in The Privy Purse Expenses of Princess Mary. Indeed, until her death, Mary financially supported Jane, ensuring she was always well presented in the most fashionable dresses and shoes - over the course of 18 months she was gifted 36 pairs. Furthermore, Mary paid Jane sick pay during “the tyme of her seekness” in 1543, handsomely compensated a Mrs. Ager who cured Jane of an eye ailment in 1556, and paid for elaborate gifts for Jane’s ‘valentines’.

Undoubtedly Jane was better looked after than most women at court, however, she was also required to shave her head twice a month in a custom ordinary for male jesters, but which would have undoubtedly set Jane apart from other women. Unfortunately no records of what she did to entertain the Queens she served survive, but feigning stupidity whilst insulting one’s master, practical jokes, and making up funny stories, were all popular tricks of the trade amongst male jesters of the period and might indicate what Jane got up to as well.

[Sources: Jane Foole | On the Trail of Jane the Fool]

Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable

One year after graduating and moving back home to my parents’ house I have finally unpacked all my belongings, and in doing so I have uncovered this forgotten gem of a book, which I think is a little oddment in itself and I’d recommend to anyone with an interest in literature, history, mythology, folklore or anything of that sort!

It was first published in the late 19th century, aimed at people without a university education who wanted to understand literary allusions and the origins of phrases, however, it also included an array of other more curious features that have been amended and added to over the past century.

There’s a whole section dedicated to the first lines in classical literature, for example, as well as explanations about all manner of fictional characters, historical figures and events; pages dedicated Zodiac signs and how to read palms, as well as an extensive list of the ‘Cries of Animals’. If you want to know the name of ‘Achilles’ wife,’ there’s an entry for that! Need a list of historical witches or court jesters? There are entries for those! Curious about ‘The Fat Boy of Peckham’? Fear not, there’s an entry for that too!  Anyway, any dictionary that includes definitions of ‘Acid Bath Murders,’ ‘Quidditch,’ and ‘A Tub of Naked Children’ is doing it right as far as I’m concerned! 

Concerning the first edition of the book, it has been said that “Some entries seem so trivial as to be hardly worth including”, and I think that’s still true of the later edition I have, but that’s exactly what makes it marvelous! 

ipissedinyourmountaindew:

Mugshot of François Bertillon.

Age: 23 months.

Crime: Gluttony; nibbling all the pears from a basket. October 17, 1893.

(via itcouldbeamazing)

blackpaint20:

Burgfräulein von Strechau, by an unknown artist from the 17th century. The painting hangs in the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna.

The legend (as far as I can determine from the German websites I’ve deciphered with the help of Google Translate) tells that in the late Middle Ages a damsel waited for her lover who left to the Holy Land to fight the infidels. The lady promised that if he did not return she would enter a monastery. Despite her promise, she married another man and when the bride came to the festival her face changed to a skull and devilish figures appeared and pulled her down to hell in front of all the guests.

The legend is derived from a poem.

This is also a good photograph of the painting, via Flickr.

I’ve been looking for this for ages!

blackpaint20:

On Jan. 28, 1393, during a riotous wedding at the royal palace of Saint-Pol, Charles VI and five French nobles dressed up as wild men using linen costumes covered with pitch and hair and ranged among the guests, howling like wolves and daring them to guess their identities. One guest approached too closely with his torch and set them ablaze. The Duchess of Berry had the presence of mind to throw a cloak over the king, and one of the nobles managed to dive into a barrel of water. “The other four were burned alive their flaming genitals dropping to the floor, [the Monk of St. Denis] remarks with a sharp but on this occasion rather unsavoury eye for detail, releasing a stream of blood,” notes Jan R. Veenstra in Magic and Divination at the Courts of Burgundy and France. “Three of them, the count of Joigny, the bastard of Foix and Aymeri de Poitiers were deeply mourned; a fourth victim, Huguet de Guisay, was left wailing in agony for three days before he too expired, but he was not mourned, the Monk of St. Denis explains, since he was a vicious man and people were glad to see him perish.”

kingedwardviii:

Edward VIII taken by his grandmother, Queen Alexandra.

It has been WAY too long since this guy was on my blog! I love Alexandra’s photographs of the family!