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When William Shakespeare agreed to be godfather to Ben Jonson’s baby boy, he forgot that he would have to think of a gift for his christening.
The Englishman of the sixteenth century enjoyed a good pun (and many a bad one). This particular example doesn’t work unless you know beforehand that ‘lattin’ or ‘latten’ is an alloy of copper and zinc resembling brass, used to make affordable tableware; and also that it was customary to give babies at Baptism twelve silver spoons, with handles in the shape of the Twelve Apostles.
Posted November 2 2021
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A prophet-for-hire agreed to help Balak, King of Moab, try to do something about the flood of Israelites pouring into his kingdom.
The story of Balaam and his ass, told in the Book of Numbers, is set in the late thirteenth century BC, some forty years after the Israelites escaped slavery in Egypt. Now they were massing in Moab on the eastern side of the Dead Sea, ready to cross the River Jordan into their Promised Land; but Balak, King of Moab, was feeling far from hospitable and already had a plan for moving them on.
Posted October 29 2021
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Eighth-century Northumbrian monk St Bede urged Christians to think of heaven, and then fight our way there for all we are worth.
In a Sermon for All Saints Day, St Bede, a monk of Jarrow in early eighth-century Northumbria, has been speaking of the Christian life as a spiritual warfare against the dark Enemy of mankind his unseen servants. The warefare does not last long, he tells us: soon we are released from it, and the warriors who have fought on to the end are gathered safely into a heavenly citadel.
Posted October 24 2021
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In a sermon for the Feast of All Saints, eighth-century Northumbrian monk St Bede explains why it is worth going for the spiritual burn.
In a Sermon for All Saints Day, St Bede, a monk of Jarrow in early eighth-century Northumbria, picked up on a passage in the Epistle to the Hebrews which compared the Christian to a sprinter in a race. His gaze is fixed on Christ, waiting at the tape, and he is surrounded by cheering spectators from among his own family who have finished the race before him.
Posted October 24 2021
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‘Rain stopped play’ but it did not stop the ladies of Surrey and Hampshire from finishing their epic struggle at the Newington ground.
The first recorded game of cricket between two all-women teams took place back in 1745, but we must fast-forward to 1811 for the first county match, pitting Surrey against Hampshire on neutral ground in Middlesex. Thanks to the enthusiasm of the players and a fashionably boisterous crowd, even ‘rain stopped play’ could not dampen the occasion and a good time was had by all.
Posted October 23 2021
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Sir Robert Walpole wasn’t impressed with kind of politician who pursues his own ambitions in the name of serving the country.
From the moment Robert Walpole was appointed First Lord of the Treasury in 1722, he was accused of toadying to the narrow interests of the Court, and ignoring the broader interests of the Country at large. By February 1741 the clamour for his resignation was getting noisy, but Walpole reminded the Commons that those who talk about ‘the good of the country‘ aren’t always thinking about it.
Posted October 22 2021