Uh oh .... something smells rotten here ... a bit of sex slavery just around the corner, I fear
-
Sign up or login, and you'll have full access to opportunities of forum.
Rebecca and The Bloody Codes
- Thread starter Praefectus Praetorio
- Start date
Uh oh .... something smells rotten here ... a bit of sex slavery just around the corner, I fear
Migoz2
Senator
Agreed! The clue is in the name: 'Sir Elliot Grabbe'! (Cf Dickens: Sir Mulberry Hawk, Lord Verisopht)
Praefectus Praetorio
R.I.P. Brother of the Quill
A drawing of a newer (1729) Watch-house cell in Marlebone
In the lower-class St. Giles Parish, the cells were darker and dirtier.
In the lower-class St. Giles Parish, the cells were darker and dirtier.
Praefectus Praetorio
R.I.P. Brother of the Quill
The first appearance of the 'gig economy' - streetsweepers4u.comOne way to earn money (if you already had a broom). Little boys would watch for Ladies crossing the street. They'd rush and sweep away the filth out of their path in hopes of a half farthing ($0.12 today) tip which wasn't required and often not given.
Praefectus Praetorio
R.I.P. Brother of the Quill
Chapter 7 Dinner at Grey House, St. James Street, Residence of Sir Elliott Grabbe
Sir Elliott Grabbe was a Topping Man.
He pushed his chair back from the table. What a satisfying dinner, he thought. Butter, Pigeons, Sirloin of Beef rost, Venison, Chyne of Mutton, Turkey, Snipes, and Partridge along with some Artichokes and French Beans. A twinge of pain shot from his left foot. Damn, Sir Elliott thought, is that infernal gout coming back?
Just then, the guest to his right let loose a thorough cough, causing uproarious laughter around the table. Sir Elliott turned to him and raised his goblet in salute, “Lord Hervey, as we are now to call you, we accept your interests in both ends of the sexual spectrum, but I wasn’t aware that you had talents at both ends of the alimentary spectrum!”
With this. the laughter redoubled and the said peer raised his wine goblet to toast his host.
A liveried footman approached and bowed, presenting a piece of paper on a sterling silver salver. Sir Elliott took it and read.
“Yes!” he cried, pounding his forearm on the left armrest. Turning to the servant, he said, “Give the boy who brought it a penny and have him tell his master that, if the “cargo” is the prime article, there’ll be a shilling in it for him!”
Sir Elliott turned to his expectant guests and said, “We may have a new tender piece of Lamb to enjoy soon.” Turning to the sour-looking man on his left, he said, “Sir Francis, I’m afraid that you will be needed to substitute for the Justice of the peace of St. Giles in the morning. I’ll have the Lamb brought to the Old Bailey.”
Sir Francis raised his wine goblet and winked, “Be glad to serve the cause, old boy.”
Sir Elliott Grabbe was a Topping Man.
He pushed his chair back from the table. What a satisfying dinner, he thought. Butter, Pigeons, Sirloin of Beef rost, Venison, Chyne of Mutton, Turkey, Snipes, and Partridge along with some Artichokes and French Beans. A twinge of pain shot from his left foot. Damn, Sir Elliott thought, is that infernal gout coming back?
Just then, the guest to his right let loose a thorough cough, causing uproarious laughter around the table. Sir Elliott turned to him and raised his goblet in salute, “Lord Hervey, as we are now to call you, we accept your interests in both ends of the sexual spectrum, but I wasn’t aware that you had talents at both ends of the alimentary spectrum!”
With this. the laughter redoubled and the said peer raised his wine goblet to toast his host.
A liveried footman approached and bowed, presenting a piece of paper on a sterling silver salver. Sir Elliott took it and read.
“Yes!” he cried, pounding his forearm on the left armrest. Turning to the servant, he said, “Give the boy who brought it a penny and have him tell his master that, if the “cargo” is the prime article, there’ll be a shilling in it for him!”
Sir Elliott turned to his expectant guests and said, “We may have a new tender piece of Lamb to enjoy soon.” Turning to the sour-looking man on his left, he said, “Sir Francis, I’m afraid that you will be needed to substitute for the Justice of the peace of St. Giles in the morning. I’ll have the Lamb brought to the Old Bailey.”
Sir Francis raised his wine goblet and winked, “Be glad to serve the cause, old boy.”
Praefectus Praetorio
R.I.P. Brother of the Quill
Grabbe's Dinner Party
A French comment on English Dining
Slang expressions in this chapter
Topping man – self-made rich man
To thorough cough - to cough and break wind simultaneously
Prime Article - a wench or a handsome girl
A French comment on English Dining
Slang expressions in this chapter
Topping man – self-made rich man
To thorough cough - to cough and break wind simultaneously
Prime Article - a wench or a handsome girl
I always wondered how they could possibly eat all that. And then I found the answer while reading one of those “Royal Spyness” mysteries that I so enjoy. They didn’t eat it all. It was served in courses, each of which was whisked away after they sampled a few bites! Unbelievable!
twonines
LIMERICUS
Softly , softly , catchee monkey. You have used your careful research to build up our expectations and now poor Rebecca`s prospects seem likely to take a rapid downward turn. Great work.
Praefectus Praetorio
R.I.P. Brother of the Quill
I would love to write a detailed and heart-felt thank you to each expression of praise and support. However, to avoid cluttering the thread, please know that all your comments mean a very lot to me.
More like Jo, the crossing sweeper in Bleak House
Oh yes, I was mixing up the underground stations - Oxford Circus with Tottenham Court Road
Migoz2
Senator
Aha! Another fan!
Praefectus Praetorio
R.I.P. Brother of the Quill
Chapter 8 June 2nd Rebecca is Taken to Court
At 8AM, with the weather already warming the next morning, Watchman Howard Todd arrived at the St. Giles Watchhouse and greeted Mr. Fine.
“Any problem from your guest?’ he asked.
“None. And it’s good for her; I takes no trouble from my charges!” He gestured to a large belt hanging on the wall. “But your work has changed. I hear tell that Justice Wilson is ‘indisposed.’ You are to take our girl to the Kings Bench at the Old Bailey, the Honourable Sir Francis Page presiding.”
“The Hanging Judge?” Howard’s face fell. “Bad luck for our girl, I guess.”
“Bad luck for some,” Fine said thinking, Good luck for me when Sir Elliott come through with the twelver, “As I’s sees it, with Justice Page on her case, she’s sure to shake a cloth in the wind,” said the keeper with a laugh.
Todd gave him a cold look and he stopped laughing.
"If yous going all the way to Bailey, yous need to be going."
They went and rousted Rebecca in her cell. Giving her a few minutes for her morning needs, Fine handed her a clay cup of stale water. “Drink up, girl. You won’t get more for a spell.”
The two men then bolted her hands behind her back with heavy irons and added ankle bracelets and a connecting chain. Todd started them off down High Holborn. Going was slow as Rebecca could only shuffle along in her irons. Todd turned right on Drury Lane toward the Strand. Reaching the Strand, they turned left toward The City.
They reached Temple Bar, the ceremonial gate to the City in late morning. Rebecca stared in wonder at the magnificent arch built by Sir Christopher Wren in 1672. Unlike an arriving monarch, the Lord Mayor was not there to greet her. Past Temple Bar, the road became Fleet Street. On the right, Rebecca spied Mrs Salmon's Waxworks which was then 12 years in place. In the front was a black-humoured exhibit - the execution of Charles I. The girl shivered at the sight.
Rebecca struggled to keep up the pace up Ludgate Hill as Todd was becoming concerned over being late to court. He repeatedly urged her to increase the pace, though he never hit her with his staff, as he normally would have.
Finally, they turned left on Old Bailey Street, which traced the line of the old city wall (the “bailey”) and soon came to the courthouse.
The Old Bailey (the central criminal court of the King’s Bench) was a three-story Italianate brick building with a walled-in front courtyard. In front of the courthouse was the Sessions House Yard, a place where litigants, witnesses, and court personnel could gather. The area inside the wall, where prisoners awaited trial, was called the Bail Dock. Todd spoke to the guards and they were admitted into the Dock. Rebecca was astonished to see, on the front of the courthouse, that there was no wall! Columns supported the upper floors, but the courtroom itself was open to the front.
They waited about thirty minutes as various prisoners and litigants shuffled in and out of the court. Then a bailiff stood on the front steps and cried, “Oyez, Oyez! Defendant Becky Goodwin is called to appear before the Kings Bench!” The watchman gently prodded Rebecca into the courtroom.
At 8AM, with the weather already warming the next morning, Watchman Howard Todd arrived at the St. Giles Watchhouse and greeted Mr. Fine.
“Any problem from your guest?’ he asked.
“None. And it’s good for her; I takes no trouble from my charges!” He gestured to a large belt hanging on the wall. “But your work has changed. I hear tell that Justice Wilson is ‘indisposed.’ You are to take our girl to the Kings Bench at the Old Bailey, the Honourable Sir Francis Page presiding.”
“The Hanging Judge?” Howard’s face fell. “Bad luck for our girl, I guess.”
“Bad luck for some,” Fine said thinking, Good luck for me when Sir Elliott come through with the twelver, “As I’s sees it, with Justice Page on her case, she’s sure to shake a cloth in the wind,” said the keeper with a laugh.
Todd gave him a cold look and he stopped laughing.
"If yous going all the way to Bailey, yous need to be going."
They went and rousted Rebecca in her cell. Giving her a few minutes for her morning needs, Fine handed her a clay cup of stale water. “Drink up, girl. You won’t get more for a spell.”
The two men then bolted her hands behind her back with heavy irons and added ankle bracelets and a connecting chain. Todd started them off down High Holborn. Going was slow as Rebecca could only shuffle along in her irons. Todd turned right on Drury Lane toward the Strand. Reaching the Strand, they turned left toward The City.
They reached Temple Bar, the ceremonial gate to the City in late morning. Rebecca stared in wonder at the magnificent arch built by Sir Christopher Wren in 1672. Unlike an arriving monarch, the Lord Mayor was not there to greet her. Past Temple Bar, the road became Fleet Street. On the right, Rebecca spied Mrs Salmon's Waxworks which was then 12 years in place. In the front was a black-humoured exhibit - the execution of Charles I. The girl shivered at the sight.
Rebecca struggled to keep up the pace up Ludgate Hill as Todd was becoming concerned over being late to court. He repeatedly urged her to increase the pace, though he never hit her with his staff, as he normally would have.
Finally, they turned left on Old Bailey Street, which traced the line of the old city wall (the “bailey”) and soon came to the courthouse.
The Old Bailey (the central criminal court of the King’s Bench) was a three-story Italianate brick building with a walled-in front courtyard. In front of the courthouse was the Sessions House Yard, a place where litigants, witnesses, and court personnel could gather. The area inside the wall, where prisoners awaited trial, was called the Bail Dock. Todd spoke to the guards and they were admitted into the Dock. Rebecca was astonished to see, on the front of the courthouse, that there was no wall! Columns supported the upper floors, but the courtroom itself was open to the front.
They waited about thirty minutes as various prisoners and litigants shuffled in and out of the court. Then a bailiff stood on the front steps and cried, “Oyez, Oyez! Defendant Becky Goodwin is called to appear before the Kings Bench!” The watchman gently prodded Rebecca into the courtroom.
Praefectus Praetorio
R.I.P. Brother of the Quill
Temple Bar
Mrs Salmon's Waxworks
The Old Bailey in 1720
A Twelver was slang for a shilling.
Shake a cloth in the wind – be hanged
Open Courthouse – when the court was rebuilt in 1673, after the previous building was destroyed in the Great Fire of 1666, a wall had been left out in order to increase the supply of fresh air to reduce the risk that prisoners suffering from gaol fever (typhus) would infect others in court.
Mrs Salmon's Waxworks
The Old Bailey in 1720
A Twelver was slang for a shilling.
Shake a cloth in the wind – be hanged
Open Courthouse – when the court was rebuilt in 1673, after the previous building was destroyed in the Great Fire of 1666, a wall had been left out in order to increase the supply of fresh air to reduce the risk that prisoners suffering from gaol fever (typhus) would infect others in court.
Love all the fascinating historical and geographical detailing! Oh yes, and the story too
.
Praefectus Praetorio
R.I.P. Brother of the Quill
I intend it as a slow seduction of my readers.
Migoz2
Senator
