In Line of Ascent, Jake rescues Katharina from a pox hospital. Images of 16th Century Hospitals from the Wellcome Library in London.
16th century medicine chest – Images from the History of Medicine (NLM)
A larger image here at 16th century medicine chest – Images from the History of Medicine (NLM).
Slunk Vellum
In Line of Ascent, Jake wanders the tanners’ quarter looking for Katharina and enters the workshop of a parchment maker.
A life-thief stole my world-strength,
Ripped off flesh and left me skin,
Dipped me in water and drew me out.
Stretched me bare in the tight sun…
Translation from Old English by Craig Williamson, “A Feast of Creatures- Anglo Saxon Riddle Songs”, Scolar Press, 1983
This Anglo-Saxon riddle describes the making of a book. Vellum comes from the French for calf. The finest vellum was slunk vellum from stillborn calves.
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Although there is scholarly debate about whether all slunk vellum was from fetuses, Nicholas Hilliard in A Treatise Concerning the Arte of Limning (1598-1603) was pretty specific:
Knowe also that Parchment is the only good and best thinge to limme one, but it must be virgine Parchment, such as neuer bore haire, but younge things found in the dames bellye. Some calle it Vellym, some Abertive derived from the word Abhortive, for vntimely birthe. It must be most finly drest, as smothe as any sattine, and pasted with starch well strained one pastbourd well burnished, that it maye be pure without speckes or staynes, very smoothe and white.
And bras.
Bra found in Austrian castle radiocarbon-dated to the 1400s.
Henri de Mondeville, surgeon to Philip the Fair of France and his successor Louis X, wrote in his Cyrurgia in 1312–20:
“Some women… insert two bags in their dresses, adjusted to the breasts, fitting tight, and they put them [the breasts] into them every morning and fasten them when possible with a matching band.”
Read the full story HERE.
Did 16th-century women color their nails?
Dress by Deredere Galbraith
Well, sure. With vegetable dyes. They also used make-up and blush, dyed their hair, and possessed mirrors, combs, tweezers, manicure sets, and curling irons. These items were popular with royalty and nobility and also among the growing merchant middle class.
When I have a little money. . .
The following is from Erasmus’ letter of March/April 1515. He was on his way to the Frankfurt Book Fair. In Line of Ascent, Jake is with Erasmus on this trip.
In Mainz I had counted up my small stock of money so that I could know if anything had gone astray, for I was so frightened by reports that a ship had been ransacked that I had concealed it in my leggings. I found sixty-six gold coins. . .There was a parlor with a stove in it attached to my bedroom of which I had sole use, in which we talked far into the night, Schürer and I and several other friends. When they had all gone I left my purse there and went to bed. In the morning, not suspecting trouble, I thought I would count the money again, to make sure how much I could afford to take out for buying books. I soon saw that I was two nobles short. My heart sank; I counted again, and found that twenty-two gold florins were missing as well.
From the Collected Works of Erasmus, Vol 3.
Leather spectacles image found in early printed book.
In Line of Ascent, Jake’s eyes have begun to bother him, and he considers spectacles.
Image of Leather Spectacles found in early printed book.
Read the full story HERE.