millerx Posted November 11, 2008 Share Posted November 11, 2008 I don't know if the email has come your way, but I thought I'd share: LIFE IN THE 1500's The next time you are washing your hands and complain because the water temperature isn't just how you like it, think about how things used to be. Here are some facts about the 1500s: Most people got married in June because they took their yearly bath in May, and still smelled pretty good by June. However, they were starting to smell, so brides carried a bouquet of flowers to hide the body odor. Hence the custom today of carrying a bouquet when getting married. Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water. The man of the house had the privilege of the nice clean water, then all the other sons and men, then the women and finally the children Last of all the babies. By then the water was so dirty you could actually lose someone in it. Hence the saying, 'Don't throw the baby out with the bath water.' Houses had thatched roofs-thick straw-piled high, with no wood underneath. It was the only place for animals to get warm, so all the cats and other small animals (mice, bugs) lived in the roof. When it rained it became slippery and sometimes the animals would slip off the roof. Hence the saying 'It's raining cats and dogs.' There was nothing to stop things from falling into the house. This posed a real problem in the bedroom where bugs and other droppings could mess up your nice clean bed. Hence, a bed with big posts and a sheet hung over the top afforded some protection. That's how canopy beds came into existence. The floor was dirt. Only the wealthy had something other than dirt. Hence the saying 'dirt poor.' The wealthy had slate floors that would get slippery in t he winter when wet, so they spread thresh (straw) on floor to help keep their footing. As the winter wore on, they added more thresh until when you opened the door it would all start slipping outside. A piece of wood was placed in the entranceway. Hence the saying a 'thresh hold.' (Getting quite an education, aren't you?) In those old days, they cooked in the kitchen with a big kettle that always hung over the fire. Every day they lit the fire and added things to the pot. They ate mostly vegetables and did not get muchmeat. They would eat the stew for dinner, leaving leftovers in the pot to get cold overnight and then start over the next day. Sometimes stew had food in it that had been there for quite a while.Hence the rhyme, 'Peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold, peas porridge in the pot nine days old.' Sometimes they could obtain pork, which made them feel quite special. When visitors came over, they would hang up their bacon to show off. It was a sign of wealth that a man could 'bring home the bacon.' They would cut off a little to share with guests and would all sit around and 'chew the fat.' Those with money had plates made of pewter. Food with high acid content caused some of the lead to leach onto the food, causing lead poisoning death. This happened most often with tomatoes, so for the next 400 years or so, tomatoes were considered poisonous. Bread was divided according to status. Workers got the burnt bottom of the loaf, the family got the middle, and guests got the top, or 'upper crust.' Lead cups were used to drink ale or whisky. The combination would sometimes knock the imbibers out for a couple of days. Someone walking along the road would take them for dead and prepare them for burial. They were laid out on the kitchen table for a couple of day s and the family would gather around and eat and drink and wait and see if they would wake up. Hence the custom of holding a 'wake.' England is old and small and the local folks started running out of places to bury people. So they would dig up coffins and would take the bones to a 'bone-house' and reuse the grave. When reopening these coffins, 1 out of 25 coffins were found to have scratch marks on the inside and they realized they had been burying people alive. So they would tie a string on the wrist of the corpse, lead it through the coffin and up through the ground and tie it to a bell Someone would have to sit out in the graveyard all night (the 'graveyard shift') to listen for the bell; thus, someone could be 'saved by thebell' or was considered a 'dead ringer.' And that's the truth... Now, whoever said that History was boring ! ! ! Educate someone...Share these facts with a friend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
millerx Posted November 11, 2008 Author Share Posted November 11, 2008 Just think of the sayings they will have from us in 500-600 years! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiegie Posted November 11, 2008 Share Posted November 11, 2008 I don't believe for an instant that any of this is true. However, life did suck in the 16th century, there is no doubt about that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
isleseeya Posted November 11, 2008 Share Posted November 11, 2008 my great , great , great granfather is 488 years old and he told me that only some of this is true Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Double Agent Posted November 11, 2008 Share Posted November 11, 2008 "The next time you are washing your hands and complain because the water temperature isn't just how you like it..." Don't think I've ever complained about this. The email is bogus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
millerx Posted November 11, 2008 Author Share Posted November 11, 2008 I don't believe for an instant that any of this is true. However, life did suck in the 16th century, there is no doubt about that. "The next time you are washing your hands and complain because the watertemperature isn't just how you like it..." Don't think I've ever complained about this. The email is bogus. I never stated whether it was true or fictional. But since we can't talk politics on this site, this is the kind of crap you get! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimC Posted November 11, 2008 Share Posted November 11, 2008 my great , great , great granfather is 488 years old and he told me that only some of this is true Is that Skylive or Ursa? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fingfootball Posted November 11, 2008 Share Posted November 11, 2008 I prefered life in 1800. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big John Posted November 11, 2008 Share Posted November 11, 2008 (edited) I don't believe for an instant that any of this is true. And wasn't true when told 3 1/2 years ago. Edited November 11, 2008 by Big John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pope Flick Posted November 11, 2008 Share Posted November 11, 2008 http://www.snopes.com/language/phrases/1500.asp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skylive5 Posted November 11, 2008 Share Posted November 11, 2008 my great , great , great granfather is 488 years old and he told me that only some of this is true Is that Skylive or Ursa? Gotta be some young whipper snapper like Ursa or rockn'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DemonKnight Posted November 11, 2008 Share Posted November 11, 2008 http://www.snopes.com/language/phrases/1500.asp Any time someone links that site I end up reading random stuff on it for like an hour. My boss, surely, thanks you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Footballjoe Posted November 12, 2008 Share Posted November 12, 2008 (edited) My brother and his wife worked at a Plantantion site where they lived life like it was back in the day. I think the time period was the 1700's but am not quite sure. I do remember them telling me that baths were rare and they put flowers and herbs on the floor to keep the smell to a minimum. So at least some of it is true. Edited November 12, 2008 by Footballjoe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeeR Posted November 12, 2008 Share Posted November 12, 2008 I never stated whether it was true or fictional. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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