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From:
LIFE IN THE 1500s - >>
> 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 the1500s: >>
>>
>> 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 an d 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 and fall 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 & amp;g t;> 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 the 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 much meat. 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. >>
>> Bre ad was divided according to status. Workers got the >> burnt bottom of the loaf, the family got the middle, and >> guests got the top, or the 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 days 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 w ould take the bones to a bone-house, and reuse >> the grave. When reopening these coffins, 1 out of 25 coffins >> were found to have scratc h 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 the bell or was considered a >> ..dead ringer.. >>
>> And that's the truth...Now, whoever said History was >> boring ! ! ! >>
>> Educate someone. Share these facts with a friend.