On This Day
1621 – The London Pageant of 1621 celebrates the inauguration of Edward Barkham (Lord Mayor).[1]
The London Pageant of 1621 including Thomas Middleton’s The Sun in Aries followed the inauguration of Edward Barkham as Lord Mayor of London on 29 October 1621.[1]
Edward Barkham was sworn into the office of Lord Mayor on 29 October 1621 at the Guildhall, as part of the traditional annual Lord Mayor’s Show held on that date. The performance was sponsored by the London Company of Drapers. Middleton’s play was published in 1621 by Edward Allde. It celebrates the mercantile values professed by the City of London.[2] The scenery was built by the carpenter Master Garret Christmas.[3]
Barkham returned from Westminster by boat to St Paul’s Churchyard, where there was a pageant chariot illustrating the theme of Honour. Examplars included Jason and the golden fleece (appropriate for the drapers),[4] Hercules with the silver pilasters, all-conquering Alexander and the globe, and Julius Caesar with his gilt laurel circlet. Jason gave a speech declaring, “The barke is under sayle”.[5]
The next tableau was the triumph of the Tower of Virtue, kept secure by Integrity. The tower was garrisoned by six knights in shining gold and silver armour, who were the champions of former luminaries of the Draper’s Company and City. Fame herself made a salutation, explaining the “six warders” in armour were Clear Conscience, Providence, Watchfulness, Constancy, Zeal, and Care. The motto was Fortunae Mater Diligence or, diligence is the mother of good fortune.[6]
An actor in dishevelled clothing leaning against the Tower of Virtue threw off his robe (presumably revealing more seemly attire) and declared that King James and the five Tudors had restored his ruin.[7]
The shepherd Phoebus Apollo as the sun sat surrounded by signs of the zodiac on an artificial mountain built near St Lawrence’s lane with grazing woolly sheep. Aries explained how the sun would shine on Barkham and make gladness run.[8] Barkham was followed home by Hope with a silver anchor, Harmony with a swan, and a “whole army” of similar figures with lighted tapers.[9] Fame’s speech concluded the event.[10]
A reconstruction of the event was organised for the 400 year anniversary in October 2021.[11]
637 – Arab–Byzantine wars: Antioch surrenders to the Rashidun Caliphate after the Battle of the Iron Bridge.
The Battle of the Iron Bridge was fought between the Muslim Rashidun army and the Byzantine army in 637 AD. The battle took its name from a nearby nine-arch stone bridge (also known as Jisr al-Hadid) spanning the Orontes River which had gates trimmed with iron.[2] It was one of the last battles fought between the Byzantines and Rashidun Caliphate in the province of Syria. The aftermath of the battle marked the nearly complete annexation of the province into the Rashidun Caliphate with the fall of its capital.
Born On This Day
1463 – Alessandro Achillini, Italian physician and philosopher (d. 1512)[8]
Alessandro Achillini (Latin Alexander Achillinus; 20[1] or 29[2][3] October 1463[4] (or possibly 1461[1]) – 2 August 1512) was an Italian philosopher and physician. He is known for the anatomic studies that he was able to publish, made possible by a 13th-century edict putatively by Emperor Frederick II allowing for dissection of human cadavers, and which previously had stimulated the anatomist Mondino de Luzzi (c. 1270 – 1326) at Bologna.[5]
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39 BC – Julia the Elder, Roman daughter of Augustus (d. 14)
Julia the Elder (30 October 39 BC – AD 14), known to her contemporaries as Julia Caesaris filia or Julia Augusti filia (Classical Latin: IVLIA•CAESARIS•FILIA or IVLIA•AVGVSTI•FILIA),[1] was the daughter and only biological child of Augustus, the first Roman Emperor, and his second wife, Scribonia. Julia was also stepsister and second wife of the Emperor Tiberius; maternal grandmother of the Emperor Caligula and the Empress Agrippina the Younger; grandmother-in-law of the Emperor Claudius; and maternal great-grandmother of the Emperor Nero. Her epithet ‘the Elder’ distinguishes her from her daughter, Julia the Younger.
FYI
NASA: Astronomy Picture of the Day
The Hustle: The strange business of the Ouija board
By Susan Jasper VP, Trust and Safety Operations, Google: How we detect, remove and report child sexual abuse material
Scott Meyers: The Importance of a Writers Group
Just A Car Guy: This fall, for the first time, Williamsport High School has an introduction to trucking course, offered at as part of a nationwide push by the industry to hire young drivers who will work longer, for less wages, than experienced truckers
Just A Car Guy: I have often though that abandoned bridges would be cool places to camp overnight, roasting marshmallows and watching stars twinkle, and cook bacon, eggs, and coffee for breakfast while fishing
Just A Car Guy: Myles just let me know about the “Train On The Bridge” – Kruger Shalati, opened in 2020, above the Sabie River in South Africa’s Kruger National Park, on a bridge built in 1912
Aeon: Fascinating slow-motion footage of moths taking flight.
Ideas
By lainealison: 5-Minute Wordle Costume
Recipes
By Julia, The Yummy Bowl: 18 Surprisingly Easy Gluten Free Halloween Treats and Desserts
By Yumna Jawad, Feel Good Foodie: Loaded Breakfast Sweet Potatoes Perfect for a healthy and filling brunch.
By Marishas Couture: Harvest Vs Halloween Pumpkin Cake
Just the Recipe: Paste the URL to any recipe, click submit, and it’ll return literally JUST the recipe- no ads, no life story of the writer, no nothing EXCEPT the recipe.
DamnDelicious
RecipeTinEats
- Nutella Stuffed Cookies November 22, 2024Nutella Stuffed Cookies. Yes, they are as naughty and indulgent as they look. But so much easier to make than you think! No electric beater, just a wooden spoon. That moment when the melty Nutella floods in your mouth…. send help! Nutella Stuffed Cookies This is no ordinary cookie. This is a cookie that is... […]Nagi
- New Orleans Chicken Wings November 19, 2024Why settle for plain chicken wings when you can have bold, spicy, New Orleans sass?! Tossed in Creole seasoning and garlic butter then baked until golden, the smell alone will make you drool. Easy enough for dinner, excellent for parties. Get in my belly! New Orleans Chicken Wings Today’s recipe is inspired by New Orleans... […]Nagi
wikimedia
- Wikimedia Commons picture of the day for November 24 November 24, 2024Picture of the day The Scroll of Eighty-Seven Immortals, drawn by an unknown painter, measuring 30cm high and 292cm wide, is a line-drawing Chinese figure painting. Drawn on a long silk scroll with lines, the painting depicts 87 taoist immortals, including three supreme gods with halo, ten divine generals, seven deities and 67 celestial maidens […]
- Wikimedia Commons picture of the day for November 23 November 23, 2024Picture of the day Rainbow yarn for knitting displayed in front of a needlework shop in Graz, Austria
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Stump the Bookseller is a service offered by Loganberry Books to reconnect people to the books they love but can’t quite remember. In brief (for more detailed information see our About page), people can post their memories here, and the hivemind goes to work. After all, the collective mind of bibliophiles, readers, parents and librarians around the world is much better than just a few of us thinking. Together with these wonderful Stumper Magicians, we have a nearly 50% success rate in finding these long lost but treasured books. The more concrete the book description, the better the success rate, of course. It is a labor of love to keep it going, and there is a modest fee. Please see the How To page to find price information and details on how to submit your Book Stumper and payment.
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