#15th c. Italy

[jeannepompadour]

Collection of drawings accompanied by texts, known as Recueil Robertet, 1490-1520 France;

The Duchess of Bar

Women from Lombardy and Venice

Women from Naples and Florence

Women from Germany and France

Green and Yellow; White and Blue

[cityoftheangelllls]

Thought I’d do a little art throwback with my own historically accurate (well mostly) takes on Disney princesses and heroines, which I did from 2021 to 2022! Included in this series are:

Snow White - early 16th century Germany (then part of the Holy Roman Empire)

Cinderella - late 1860s-early 1870s France

Aurora - mid 15th century France

Eilonwy - 8th-10th century (present day) Wales

Ariel - 1830s Mediterranean Europe (maybe Italy)

Belle - 1760s-1770s France

Jasmine - 16th century Arabian Peninsula during the Ottoman Empire

Pocahontas - 1607 Virginia, (present day) United States of America

Esmeralda - 1480s France (Romani garb)

Megara - Classical period of Ancient Greece (c. 5th-4th centuries BCE)

Mulan - Wei Dynasty China (386-535 AD)

Jane - 1900s England

Tiana - late 1920s New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Rapunzel - 1790s-1800s Germany

Merida - 10th-11th century (present day) Scotland

Elsa - late 1830s-early 1840s Norway

Anna - same period as Elsa (duh)

Moana - ancient Polynesian Islands (c. 1st century BCE)

I had so much fun drawing these, as well as doing the research for each one! I actually drew most of the outfits each one wears (in their first movies) but they're waaaaay down further in my blog.

I'm planning to do a digital redo of these someday, as well as do my own historical spins on other characters I haven't done yet.

Which one is your favorite?

Commissions info

[hometoursandotherstuff]

If you are in need of a larger home, this villa, that from the 15th to the 19th century, was added onto by the Acciaioli family, has 58 bedrooms, and 87 baths! Now, that can accommodate the whole gang, and then some. It's in Cerbaia, Florence, Tuscany Italy. The price is available upon application to buy. And, it has some great murals.

You get gorgeous Baroque sculpture and a painting just like the Sistine Chapel.

What a lovely, sunny room that opens to a terrace.

Didn't I tell you that it had great murals? Look at the gaiety of this one with minstrels, clowns, etc.

Beautiful dining room. This place isn't creepy, it gets lots of natural light.

Every day dining room steps up to a nice family room.

It has 5 reception rooms. I like this casual one with the fireplace and loft.

This is a more formal one. It's big, light and bright with a beautifully painted ceiling.

Like how the rooms have different looks. This is a more rustic Tuscany style.

With 58 bedrooms it needs a dining space to accommodate a crowd. Wish they showed a photo of the fireplace- it looks fabulous.

Look at the mural in this bedroom, plus the ceiling over the bed. Gorgeous sitting area with a sleep alcove.

The bedrooms are very large. They do use a lot of beige in here, though.

Which to choose? Different styles of bedrooms.

Of course it has its own chapel.

Has some cool courtyards and balconies and things.

Got to have a tower, too.

I wonder if they have cell phone service b/c no one would ever find you in this home.

And, a beautiful pool.

Amazing grounds.

Anybody handy with a hedge trimmer?

No matter where you look, there's a beautiful view of Tuscany.

This is gorgeous.

View of some of the rooftops.

And, one of several terraces. There's 27.18 acres of property.

[herejusttosufferalong]

Part 3: re: New Speculation that L&N have been together since Toronto

Pattern of L’s and N’s circle of friends

“9) N and N friend group posts including JD – I will post this analysis separately of a pattern that I’m seeing. Pattern is the posts from her side coincided with posts on his side (as in they happen in a specific cluster of days). Almost as if N knows something from his side will be posted and she a) has to distract herself b) distract the fans so that whatever L posts don’t get that much of a backlash c) has to send a secret message to L that she’s doing fine and she’s still 💯 in”

I think part of her secret code to L is as long as she’s wearing her claddagh ring, she’s still in. I don’t know what L’s secret code is - I think it’s as long as he’s on lifeguard duty, he’s still in 😂

I’m sure there are loads that I missed. I kept the IG posts from N to Bridgerton unless it’s really newsworthy or quite anticipated by fans. These are just from the pap walk onwards.  I also included some posts from outside sources because of speculations that they might be coming from their team to further the goal that they are working on. Which makes me think (and this is going to be an unpopular opinion) that N may have a hand on DM posts of her and JD (me: hides behind a door).

I might really be reaching here -- deep in my delulu seeing patterns when they don’t exist – but listed out like this almost seems like there is a back and forth between their groups and what gets out publicly.

Aug 8th

L – Bridgerton press tour bloopers

N – Choose Love, political posts

A – Soho with friends

Aug 2nd 

T posts Italy recap video

Aug 1st

N – Tatcha, skin care routine (self care)

A/R/S/T/C – various photos, stories, videos from Italy trip

July 31st

BG – Italy SM posts

Jul 30th

A/R/S/T/C – various photos, stories, videos from Italy trip

PM – Italy article

Jul 29th

A/R/S/T/C – various photos, stories, videos from Italy trip

“Pap” Maria – videos of lifeguard Luke

DM – Italy story

N and friends – JR birthday

Jul 26th             

N – Dr. Who, CAA announcement

A – TT dance (Chris Brown)

DM – N/JD and L/A posts

L – unliking HBS IG posts

Jul 24th

N/LH/SMcS – IG stories of nightout; N’s new polaroid

DM – N/JD speculations; belated L/A spotted in Brighton Soho

Jul 23rd

A Fan account – posts of 20 somethings that L followed during HBS 2023

A – story, rehearsal for Lettuce dance

Jul 22nd

R/S/T/C – Brighton Soho for T’s birthday (not confirmed if L and A were there)

Jul 20th

A – Latergram LA photos

DM – 2nd pub shot with N/JD featured in DM

Jul 17th

A – story with Theo; TT dance (Apple)

Jul 16th

N – Polin team, NC last day of filming, Top 6 post

Jul 15th

A - Latergram LA photos

Jul 14th

JD/JR/LF – Football match (speculations N was there)

Other Sources - L/R/JV Football match (can’t confirm if A was there)

Jul 13th

N with Mum – Wimbledon with launch of new polaroid (L’s groomer did her hair)

L – Carla’s wedding (can’t confirm if A was there)

A – IG story of her made up face (looked like she’s going out, maybe implying she’s going to the wedding)

Jul 12th

DM – 1st pub shot with N/JD featured in DM

Jul 11th

A – Football story (with JV and R, can’t confirm if L was there)

A – TT late LA post (Good luck Babe)

Jul 9th

N – NC last day of filming, Top 8 post

Jul 6th

L – GQ Heroes dump

JD – story in N’s apartment

Jul 4th

N – BTS, entering Top 10; Independence Day Binge

A – TT late LA post (Million Dollar Baby)

Jul 3rd to 5th

R/S/Other Sources – photos and videos from GQ Heroes

Jul 1st

L – La La Land

From other sources – PR birthday, pool pics, 1st lifeguard duty

JD – People Places Things play date

Jun 28th

L – Laterals BTS

N – Shoes…more shoes release

A – TT GRWM post (Birds of a Feather)

Jun 27th

Other Sources – Galway video and photos (I don’t recall L or N reposting these in their own SM accounts)

Jun 25th

JD – hanging out in the park; N’s bag featured

Jun 24th – 30th (approx.)

L and A in LA (ugh)

A – LA hotel story

From other sources – PR birthday, pool pics

Jun 23rd

Other sources – more Loewe photos and videos, L supporting JB cause

L – Loewe IG stories

JVN – IG grid post, 6th slide “I hope you let them” – I think this is JVN message to N

Jun 22nd

N – wedding transformation

L – Loewe story teaser

Jun 21st

N/JVN – Taylor Swift with M and CW

Jun 20th

N – Wedding Dance

L – Fallon guest spot, photos and video

Jun 18th

N – wedding BTS

Jun 17th

L&N - really early in the morning GMT time, Washington Posts IG stories and posts

N – SKIMS campaign

L – L and Corey in Milan

A – Milan IG stories

Jun 16th

N – London Premiere photos; SATC TT; “Bridgertons” story

From other sources – more Milan videos and photos including at least 3 occasions with A in them

Jun 15th

L – Milan/D&G photos

N – Boob cake story (with JD, CW, and others); Tatcha post end of promo (self-care)

Jun 14th

N – TFMT table read; pre-premiere pics

Jun 13th

DM/PM pap walk photos

N – the furniture they broke

L – feel like celebrating, Men’s Health, London Premiere BV photos

holy shit anon

[whencyclopedia]

Grossmunster

Grossmünster (“large cathedral” in German) is a Romanesque ex-cathedral situated in the heart of Zürich, Switzerland, which was built over the course of the 11th and 13th centuries CE. According to legend, the Holy Roman Emperor Charlemagne founded Grossmünster around c. 810 CE to house the bones and relics of the early Christian martyrs St. Felix, St. Regula, and St. Exuperantius who were believed to have fled to Zürich and died in city during the 3rd century CE. Grossmünster is Zürich's most recognizable and famous landmark by virtue of its iconic twin towers, and it retains a place of prominence in Protestant Christianity due to its role in the Protestant Swiss Reformation, which began at the direction of Ulrich Zwingli in 1519-1520 CE. Along with Fraumunster, Predigerkirche, and St. Peterskirche, Grossmünster is one of the oldest and largest churches in Zürich. Its triple-aisled crypt is also the largest in Switzerland.

Legends & Medieval History

Legend has it that the patron saints of Zürich - Felix, Regula, and their servant Exuperantius - were once members of the Christian Thebaic Legion, which had its base in what is now the Swiss canton of Valais. Due to the intense persecution of Christians by Roman authorities in the region, Felix, Regula, and Exuperantius fled to Zürich at some point in the late 3rd century CE. When Roman authorities in Zürich discovered their Christian beliefs, the Roman governor of Turicum - Roman Zürich - forced the three Christians to be boiled in oil and drink molten lead. Soon thereafter, he ordered the three Christians beheaded. Folklore has it that after their executions, Felix, Regula, and Exuperantius calmly picked up their severed heads and walked 40 paces - or about 27 m (30 yards) - to the place where they wished to find eternal rest and ascend to heaven. About 500 years later, Charlemagne (r. 800-814 CE) came to Zürich in pursuit of a large stag that he had seen while out hunting around Aachen, Germany. Upon arrival in Zürich, Charlemagne's horse stumbled over the graves of the three saints, and it was there that Charlemagne ordered the construction of a new church along the Limmat River: the Grossmünster Cathedral.

The basilica of Grossmünster was constructed in six stages from c. 1090-1230 CE and was erected over a 9th-century CE Carolingian building of similar dimensions. Architects made periodic renovations and structural alterations to Grossmünster in later centuries; most notably, increasing the cathedral's southern tower to match the height of the northern tower in the late 15th century CE. Grossmünster's organization and activities were overseen by the bishopric of Konstanz, Germany until the advent of the Reformation in the 16th century CE, and Grossmünster was both part of a secular canon's monastery and a parish church until that time too.

During the Middle Ages, Grossmünster's fortunes were intricately connected to those of Fraumünster, which was the nearby Benedictine convent located only 180 m (551 ft) across the Limmat River. These two churches stood facing from one another, dominating Zürich's skyline as the two largest structures in the city and as pillars of the influence and power of the Catholic Church in northern Switzerland. The two churches were, however, in perpetual rivalry with one another for control over the relics of St. Felix, St. Regula, and St. Exuperantius. The two churches shared and publically showcased these relics in an elaborate urban procession held annually on September 11th. (That day is the feast day of the three saints; this day is still celebrated as a holiday in the city of Zürich.) Zürich emerged as an important pilgrimage center by the late Middle Ages as the faithful visited the relics of the three saints while en route to other pilgrimage centers like Santiago de Compostela in Spain, the Vatican in Rome, Italy, and the Benedictine Abbey in Einsiedeln, Switzerland, which lies only 40 km (25 miles) to Zürich's southeast.

Continue reading...

[lukolabrainrot]

Part 3: re: New Speculation that L&N have been together since Toronto

Pattern of L’s and N’s circle of friends

“9) N and N friend group posts including JD – I will post this analysis separately of a pattern that I’m seeing. Pattern is the posts from her side coincided with posts on his side (as in they happen in a specific cluster of days). Almost as if N knows something from his side will be posted and she a) has to distract herself b) distract the fans so that whatever L posts don’t get that much of a backlash c) has to send a secret message to L that she’s doing fine and she’s still 💯 in”

I think part of her secret code to L is as long as she’s wearing her claddagh ring, she’s still in. Even if she bought the ring herself to celebrate S3 success, I doubt that she will wear it all the time if it gives her bittersweet memories – I think she wears it to hold on to loving memories from Ireland. I don’t know what L’s secret code is - I think it’s as long as he’s on lifeguard duty, he’s still in 😂

I’m sure there are loads that I missed. I kept the IG posts from N to Bridgerton unless it’s really newsworthy or quite anticipated by fans. These are just from the pap walk onwards.  I also included some posts from outside sources because of speculations that they might be coming from their team to further the goal that they are working on. Which makes me think (and this is going to be an unpopular opinion) that N may have a hand on DM posts of her and JD (me: hides behind a door).

I might really be reaching here -- deep in my delulu seeing patterns when they don’t exist – but listed out like this almost seems like there is a back and forth between their groups and what gets out publicly.

Aug 8th

L – Bridgerton press tour bloopers

N – Choose Love, political posts

A – Soho with friends

Aug 2nd 

T posts Italy recap video

Aug 1st

N – Tatcha, skin care routine (self care)

A/R/S/T/C – various photos, stories, videos from Italy trip

July 31st

BG – Italy SM posts

Jul 30th

A/R/S/T/C – various photos, stories, videos from Italy trip

PM – Italy article

Jul 29th

A/R/S/T/C – various photos, stories, videos from Italy trip

“Pap” Maria – videos of lifeguard Luke

DM – Italy story

N and friends – JR birthday

Jul 26th             

N – Dr. Who, CAA announcement

A – TT dance (Chris Brown)

DM – N/JD and L/A posts

L – unliking HBS IG posts

Jul 24th

N/LH/SMcS – IG stories of nightout; N’s new polaroid

DM – N/JD speculations; belated L/A spotted in Brighton Soho

Jul 23rd

A Fan account – posts of 20 somethings that L followed during HBS 2023

A – story, rehearsal for Lettuce dance

Jul 22nd

R/S/T/C – Brighton Soho for T’s birthday (not confirmed if L and A were there)

Jul 20th

A – Latergram LA photos

DM – 2nd pub shot with N/JD featured in DM

Jul 17th

A – story with Theo; TT dance (Apple)

Jul 16th

N – Polin team, NC last day of filming, Top 6 post

Jul 15th

A - Latergram LA photos

Jul 14th

JD/JR/LF – Football match (speculations N was there)

Other Sources - L/R/JV Football match (can’t confirm if A was there)

Jul 13th

N with Mum – Wimbledon with launch of new polaroid (L’s groomer did her hair)

L – Carla’s wedding (can’t confirm if A was there)

A – IG story of her made up face (looked like she’s going out, maybe implying she’s going to the wedding)

Jul 12th

DM – 1st pub shot with N/JD featured in DM

Jul 11th

A – Football story (with JV and R, can’t confirm if L was there)

A – TT late LA post (Good luck Babe)

Jul 9th

N – NC last day of filming, Top 8 post

Jul 6th

L – GQ Heroes dump

JD – story in N’s apartment

Jul 4th

N – BTS, entering Top 10; Independence Day Binge

A – TT late LA post (Million Dollar Baby)

Jul 3rd to 5th

R/S/Other Sources – photos and videos from GQ Heroes

Jul 1st

L – La La Land

From other sources – PR birthday, pool pics, 1st lifeguard duty

JD – People Places Things play date

Jun 28th

L – Laterals BTS

N – Shoes…more shoes release

A – TT GRWM post (Birds of a Feather)

Jun 27th

Other Sources – Galway video and photos (I don’t recall L or N reposting these in their own SM accounts)

Jun 25th

JD – hanging out in the park; N’s bag featured

Jun 24th – 30th (approx.)

L and A in LA (ugh)

A – LA hotel story

From other sources – PR birthday, pool pics

Jun 23rd

Other sources – more Loewe photos and videos, L supporting JB cause

L – Loewe IG stories

JVN – IG grid post, 6th slide “I hope you let them” – I think this is JVN message to N

Jun 22nd

N – wedding transformation

L – Loewe story teaser

Jun 21st

N/JVN – Taylor Swift with M and CW

Jun 20th

N – Wedding Dance

L – Fallon guest spot, photos and video

Jun 18th

N – wedding BTS

Jun 17th

L&N - really early in the morning GMT time, Washington Posts IG stories and posts

N – SKIMS campaign

L – L and Corey in Milan

A – Milan IG stories

Jun 16th

N – London Premiere photos; SATC TT; “Bridgertons” story

From other sources – more Milan videos and photos including at least 3 occasions with A in them

Jun 15th

L – Milan/D&G photos

N – Boob cake story (with JD, CW, and others); Tatcha post end of promo (self-care)

Jun 14th

N – TFMT table read; pre-premiere pics

Jun 13th

DM/PM pap walk photos

N – the furniture they broke

L – feel like celebrating, Men’s Health, London Premiere BV photos

.

[portraitsofsaints]

Saint Bernardine of Siena

1380-1444

Feast day: May 20

Patronage: advertising, compulsive behavior, public relations, gambling addicts, chest problems, Italy, San Bernardino, California

Saint Bernardine was a 15th C. Franciscan preacher, known as the “Apostle of Italy” and of "the Holy Name of Jesus”. He devised the Greek symbol, IHS, for the name of Jesus. In his youth, he cared for the plague-stricken patients of Siena. In 1404, he was ordained a priest and 12 years later started preaching. His sermons attracted thousands to conversion. Pray for us St. Bernardine, that we may always choose to speak Jesus’ name with reverence and choose words of love over words of shame.

Prints, plaques & holy cards available for purchase here: (website)

[writeshite]

would you write more of the smart cookie fic? im just very very into it and would love a part 2 🫶🏻

Love You To The Moon & Back

Summary:

“Good morning to you, too,” you kiss his forehead, and he mumbles something else, snuggling deeper into your arms. “What happened to the early bird catches the worm, hmm?” “....not a bird…no worms please….” he mumbles. “Hmm,” you respond, rubbing circles along his back, “How about pancakes? I think I might have some blueberries or chocolate chips,” you muse; Spencer peeks up at you. “Ah, I see I’ve piqued your interest.”

Pairings:

Spencer Reid x Male Reader

Tags:

Tattooed Reader (Because I Don’t See Enough Of That) | Fluff | A Wee Bit Of Angst | Developing Relationship | I Shook Spencer & Insecurities Fell Out | Inaccurate Laws & Profiling Probably (Take What I Write With A Grain Of Salt :)

Words: 4690

Author's Note:

Yes, you may 😌. I've been thinking of doing some more stuff for the AUs I make, cause it's fun, and I think male & gender-neutral readers need more AUs. Sorry for making this long 💀.

Previous

I found the experience of falling in love or being in love was a death: a death of everything. You kind of watch yourself die in a wonderful way, and you experience for the briefest moment - if you see yourself for a moment through their eyes - everything you believed about yourself gone. In a death-and-rebirth sense.

- Hozier

Around Spencer, the kitchen felt like a world away as he took in the feeling he was experiencing; with light, frivolous laughter, he hid his face in your chest to stop himself from falling into giddy hysterics. You were equally as giddy, chuckling when Spencer met your eye, “So…what now?” he asked.

“Well, we’ve got a few more hours of work,” you respond, chuckling when his face scrunched up in mock irritation, “but after, we could go on a date,” you suggest.

“Date?”

“Hmm, you know,” you respond, “that thing people do when they want to pursue a romantic relationship.” He smiles; admittedly, he hadn’t thought past the kiss, now surprised to find you wanted to cultivate something along the lines of an actual romantic relationship with him. 

“Yeah, I know,” he responds, “what do you have in mind?”

“Well, the museum has a new Classics exhibit,” you reply, and Spencer is amazed that you’d genuinely been paying attention when he’d dumped his knowledge of 15th Century literature on you. “What do you say?”

“Yes,” he nods enthusiastically, excitedly bouncing on the balls of his feet. The hours left at work breeze through fast, and Spencer spends most of it with dancing hands, a wide smile on his face - your date is set to 9:30 AM, Saturday morning. He goes home with a prep in his step, and when the weekend comes around, his enthusiasm soars; Saturday morning sees few clouds in the sky and the promise of sun. Spencer kept to his usual attire of casualness; the streets were averagely busy, and he twists the strap of his satchel on his way there, quelling any anxieties that manage to break past the excitement. Said anxieties are set aside when he notes how well your leather jacket hugs your arms. 

“Hey, cookie,” you greet, hand reaching out to hold his.

“Hey,” he threads his fingers with yours, thumb rubbing circles on your skin as you make your way through the museum. The Classics exhibit displayed several kraters from c. 520-500 BCE, Etruscan figurines, Greek and Roman sculptures, and various other artifacts. Classics isn’t as interesting a topic it seems, as the crowd is relatively small, but Spencer is thankful for that - the overcrowded dinosaur exhibit you’d passed came to mind, and he shuddered at the thought of being caught up in that. 

“Etruscan tomb painting….” You read off one of the displays before turning to him with a knowing smile.

“Oh, the Etruscans were a civilization that flourished in Central Italy between the 8th and 3rd Century BCE, renowned in antiquity for their rich mineral resources and as a major Mediterranean trading power,” he speaks easily, basking in the fondness you directed towards his rambling. “Much of their history and culture was either destroyed or assimilated into the conquering Roman Empire. Tomb painting is considered one of the Etruscans' greatest legacies, with beautifully painted tombs in Tarquinia, Cerveteri, Chiusi, and Vulci.”

The exhibit didn’t have the actual paintings, instead displaying photographic copies with annotations and interactive maps; the sculptures are set up to mimic the inside of a temple, leading to the back where the kraters are set. The other sculptures are scattered about the room, and Spencer beams when you turn to him for information, having spoken more today than he has in a long time. He coughs in the middle of his tangent about pediments; he rubs the back of his neck and apologizes for the scratchy throat.

You chuckle, “Come on, let’s get something for that cough, eh?” The museum’s cafe is surprisingly empty, with a few people milling about here and there and the majority off at the shops. You both get iced teas and take a table away near one of the window walls. Spencer keeps hold of your hand and drums his fingers mindlessly. He is saddened when the date comes to an end. “C —can we do this again?”

You nod enthusiastically in response, and still riding on the coattails of joy, he asks, “Can I kiss you again?”

“As many times as you like, love.” 

He beams, leaning into your space to do just that, his thumb rubs across your skin, and even after you part for the day, Spencer is ecstatic - the joy persisting into tomorrow as he skips with every step. “Well, well, well, someone’s happy,” Derek remarks. “I hope this means you finally said something to loverboy.”

“Yup,” Spencer responds, “we, uh, had a date yesterday.”

Derek pats Spencer’s back with a proud smile, “You know what this means? I, Derek Morgan, was right.” Spencer shakes his head; any attempts to clarify to Derek that this wasn’t exactly an I told you so moment fell on deaf ears as the man smugly waltzed from the elevator with a cheer. Spencer follows after; when you arrive some moments later, it’s with two coffees as usual, and the day begins as the first of many days chasing an unsub through the Appalachian Mountains. 

��It’s almost like some twisted sightseeing event,” Derek mumbles. “The unsub’s earliest activities can be traced in Alabama; they kidnap two people, and from what the surviving witnesses have said, make both victims fight to the death, the winner gets to live.”

“Ties get both killed, and refusal to fight does the same,” you add. “They’re patient, willing to wait for months if need be to strike again. The murders between Kentucky and West Virginia had two years between them; if they are following the mountains, then there’s a chance they’ll cross over into Canada and most likely out of our hands.”

“Alright, then, let’s make sure that doesn’t happen,” Gideon says, “What else do we know?”

“They’re also meticulous, the locations, the methods, the choosing of victims. It’s all so careful, like some form of entertainment,” Spencer responds.

The facts are as follows:

The unsub has little regard for other people, seeing them as pawns for their own amusement.

The victims appear randomly selected, but on closer inspection, all seem to play into their disturbing amusement. Features vary, but all work in the retail industry - the unsub walks through retail stores for hours before picking. They’d do the same company for two states before switching to another, then another, and another.

Victims had a week; after that, survivors were left tied, with a sack over their heads at their place of work, and corpses were left in the same place as well.

The unsub didn’t care for publicity and seemed to want to keep it as something private. 

Pennsylvania is the next destination; the first victim is already chosen by the time of landing, which leaves one of hundreds if not thousands of other potential candidates. Spencer and Gideon stay with the local police department, you split off with Ellle, and Hotch goes off with Derek. Spencer bounces off theories and facts with Gideon; the profile becomes clearer but comes with a few more holes. The unsub seems well-red, familiar with police procedures, not intimately, more so like someone who’s read and heard extensively enough to understand.

“The space between murders suggests they must have traveling involved in their day-to-day life to be able to do so with such ease. Said life must offer them some satisfaction if they’re able to handle their urges so well.“ Gideon pointed to the mapped-out route of the unsub, “They could be in the tourism field, a flight attendant or a business consultant, something that lets them go from state to state easily enough.”

“Business consultants are sought after for their professional advice and services; they locate challenges in businesses and strategize plans to find solutions; they essentially come in and take over control, in the same way the unsub takes power over one’s life from their victims.” Spencer rambles, “but why target retails workers?”

Gideon sighs, “The higher up the chain you go, the less regard you have for your fellow man,” he states, “83% of retail workers report harassment from customers, the higher the social class, the worse the abuse can be. Our unsub’s disregard for human life may also be intrinsically linked to their social class as well as their occupation.”

“So everyone below a certain point is no better than cattle to them?” Gideon nods in response to Spencer’s question. 

“Can I help you folks out?”

The Goodwill of the first victim’s kidnapping was small, residential houses all around; the community around it wasn’t small per se, but close enough to take note when outsiders came about. The manager, Naomi Hughes, is a kind middle-aged woman of relative height, hair in a neat row of braids along her head.

You and Elle introduce yourselves and draw out your badges, “We’re here about Hayden Mullins.”

She nods, “Oh yes…uh…come with me.” She leads you to the back and into her office, “Hayden was working the closing shift when he was abducted, I told him not to work it alone, but he was determined. Home isn’t the happiest place for him,” she explains, “I’d let him sleep here when his dad was making a ruckus, get some food in him. He’s a good kid; I don’t know why anyone would go after him.”

“Did he have any hostile interactions with customers in the days before he was taken?” you ask.

“Who doesn’t? Folks get real snappy when you can’t get them what they want.” She rubs her temple, “I had a customer scream at me 'cause we didn’t carry non-salted water,” she exclaims with quotation marks, “what the hell is non-salted water?”

Elle huffs and shakes her head, “What about friendly customers? Did you notice anyone who didn’t act the way you’d expect? Anyone who stood out for a different reason?”

Naomi purses her lips, “Now that you mention it,” she opens her desk and pulls out a file, “There was this one woman; she was nice, like really nice. She said she’d just come off a four-hour road trip, so we was ready for all sorts of tantrums, but….”

“But what?” Elle asks.

“She was sweet. Smiled at me and said it was alright when we couldn’t get her what she needed,” Naomi’s face scrunched up a little, “I was a little spooked if I’m being honest; I mean, I’ve had nice customers, but she was something else.” She shuddered, passing over the file to you, “I was gonna forget all about her, but….when she looked at Hayden,” she shook her head, “I got a bad feeling.”

Inside the file was a woman’s side profile - hair clipped back into a bun, light makeup from what you can note in the black and white frame, a neatly kept suit - for all intents and purposes, a regular businesswoman. 

“Hayden was stocking the shelves, I think, and she got mad when he couldn’t man a checkout. Had to have her escorted from the premises, but she came back again —oh my god, do you think she—”

“We don’t know that yet, ma’am,” you interject, “this is still an ongoing investigation; we’re just looking into all the facts as of now.”

“Don’t blame yourself for anything that happened,” Elle tells her.

Naomi nods, “Promise me something, if…if anything happens, you’ll tell me before you tell the news, understand?” You both nod to her request and leave with the security footage and any receipts linked back to the woman.

“If this, April Walsh is our unsub,” Elle points to the picture, “it sounds like she doesn’t like to lose control, the ties, the refusal to fight, it was in the hands of the victims, it was anarchy….” 

“....she can’t let it thrive,” you finish. “The store is already out of her comfort zone and control; what if she assigns roles to the people around her, say Naomi? Managers are notorious for allowing bad behavior, but when Naomi didn’t….” You get behind the wheel and drive while throwing around more theories.

“....she got angry. April told Naomi she came off a four-hour drive; how far is the last crime scene?” She pulls out her phone, and minutes later, she cheers, “Four hours, and eighteen minutes, it’s not much, but….”

“It’s something; let’s get back to Spencer and Gideon with the info.” 

“Speaking of Spencer,” Elle chuckles, “a little birdy told me the two of you went out on a date.”

You groan and roll your eyes, “Seriously?”

“Come on, I mean, Derek’s been bragging that he got Mr. Lovebird and the Resident Genius together,” she quips, “plus, you two make a cute couple.”

You smile, “Thanks. At the very least, I know there’s another date somewhere in the future, so good things to come, I hope.”

“Oh, they’re definitely coming,” Elle remarks. You lightly smack her arm and laugh as you pull up to the local precinct. She raises her eyebrows when Spencer greets you laughing when you stick your tongue out at her.

“Hey, cookie.”

“Hey,” he responds, grinning at you, “did you bring me anything?” he quips.

“How does a potential name for our unsub sound?” You give him the file, “and also, a few more details to add to the profile?”

“I’d say it sounds good,” Gideon responds with a small smile. You and Spencer huff, amused and bashful - Elle relays the theories you’d bounced off each other in the car as Spencer pins April’s image on the board, while Gideon does the same to catch you up on what he and Spencer discussed while you were away. “We can brief the officers when Hotch and Derek get back.”

“It’s about two things,” Gideon begins, facing the  “control and entertainment. The unsub does not care for anyone but herself; at best, anyone outside of that is a form of entertainment and, at worst, an annoyance.” He points to April’s security image, “April Kennedy Walsh is a business consultant, highly sought after from what we’ve gathered, and meticulous with just about everything, from her schedule to her wardrobe.”

“Her method of murder calls back to the gladiatorial fights in the Colosseum; the emperor and the people of Rome would watch as gladiators fought with each other or animals,” Spencer adds, “she feels no remorse for her victims and rewards winners with their life. Refusing to fight for her amusement might insult her in some way, as though she were an actual Roman emperor.”

“She fits in easily with the crowd from a distance, but up close, her disregard peeks through during moments of loss of control. She’s not shown any violent behaviors during those times, but it can’t be ruled out,” Derek passes copies of April’s photos, “and judging by how she took little time to disguise herself in any way, she’s not afraid of being caught. In fact, this whole chase could be another form of entertainment for her, the same way you or I sit back and watch TV.”

“The potential want to be caught doesn’t mean she isn’t using an alias and could be a way to challenge us, so be on the lookout,” Gideon finished.

The officers split off after the debrief, and you gather back as a group, “There’s a few other Goodwills from the first and a bunch more in Pennsylvania; we can’t search them all,” Elle points out, “and even if we did, she’s patient, she could just as easily wait until the smoke blows over before coming back.”

“We don’t have much of a choice; handing out her photo to the media could cause her to abandon the hunt too, and then we’d have no easy way of finding Hayden,” you say, “there has to be some kind of pattern between the stores she chooses.”

“She chooses the same two stores for each pair of victims, always employees, never managers; after two pairs, she changes stores,” JJ reiterates, “what if she’s following the road? Picking whatever store she sees on her way?” She looks at the map, hand trailing over the red pins set on the previous stores, “The first incident was in Huntsville, Alabama, from there, and according to her schedule, she had been on a back-to-back business expose.”

You pick up blue pins and place them outside the border of the Appalachian Mountains, “In that two-year break period, she was in Lancaster, Ohio.” You put a pin there, “then Richmond, Virginia. Maybe, the two-year gap wasn’t by choice or lack of available victims.”

“Personal tragedy? But we couldn’t find anything like that,” JJ sighed, “then again, we could barely find anything about her personal life. Her parents are divorced, and when I called and asked about April, they hung up on me really quick.”

“What are you thinking?” You ask.

“Well, what if this disregard for people started early? Her mother was a judge, her father a surgeon; I’d say that’s enough money to cover up any accidents,” JJ theorizes, “both high-pressure jobs might have caused the divorce. But why not speak about their daughter?”

“One or both parents could have felt guilty, argued with the other about covering it up, then,” you shrug, “divorce?”

You dial Garcia’s number and wait as the tone rings, “Mistress of all knowledge, how may I enlighten you today?”

“Hey, gorgeous,” you greet, she scoffs on the other end, and you can imagine she’s rolling her eyes.

“Ah, my favorite work of art,” she greets back.

“We need to know if April has any juvenile records, sealed records, anything like that, and if her mother was involved in having them buried.”

“Okie dokie.” She types fast a few clicks later and, “Wow. I’ve found a couple of things, most of them cited as isolated incidents and common behavior among children, but one sticks out, November 23rd, 1999, the same year Judge Walsh resigned from her post.”

“She give any reason why?” You inquire.

“Nope.”

“Alright, thanks, Garcia.”

“Anytime.”

You relay the information, “The divorce happened the next year,” JJ mumbles, “let’s see if we can get those records open.”

November 23rd, 1999. April K. Walsh attended a camping trip near Lake Michigan; during a scavenger hunt, one of April’s buddies - Sam Goodwin - was found face down in the waters; the leading theory was Sam had gotten distracted and veered off the trail, with little experience swimming, Sam may have slipped into the water, panicked then subsequently drowned. The children had been paired into groups of three; the third child, Emma Chavez, had insisted that April had done it, and one detective had shot in the dark - months of investigation, and it looked like April would be facing time in a juvenile detention facility.

“What juvenile detention facility did she get sent to?” Gideon asks.

“None; close to the trial, the whole case fell apart; the next year, Judge Walsh resigned from her post and got a divorce.”

“Phone calls won’t cut it,” Hotch states, “we need her parents down here now.”

Joshua Walsh - now a retired surgeon- stayed close to Lake Michigan after the divorce and never remarried. Sofia Phillips - previously Sofia Walsh, post-divorce, she moved to Vermont, remarried, and had two more children before returning to work as a judge in a more minor position. Both refused to look each other in the eye; Joshua appeared more saddened, while Sofia was irritated. 

“I’m sure you have a good reason for dragging me all the way here,” Sofia grumbled.

You knew very little of Sofia Phillips, but from what you could gauge, she held herself higher than others and regarded the investigation with about as much regard as buying the wrong flavor of juice.

“Yes, ma’am, we wanted to ask about your daughter, April,” Hotch replied.

“April? Please, I don’t have a daughter called April anymore.”

Joshua scoffed, “Yes, you do, April Kennedy Walsh,” he turned to her, pulling out his wallet with shaky hands; he riffled through it before holding a picture in her face. “She had your eyes, remember?”

“Yes, I also remember her being dead to me, Joshua,” Sofia responds, glancing away. “She was always troubled. I tried to be a good mother, but sometimes you just can’t beat that attitude out of them.” She crosses one leg over the other, “I thank god I was blessed with two wonderful children after her, kind, obedient, nothing like April.”

“Hypocrite much? Where do you think she got it from, huh?”

Sofia rolls her eyes and glances at Hotch, “Are we finished now? My son has a recital in a few hours.” Hotch nods, and she leaves without a second glance; Joshua stays seated, shaking his head with a sigh.

“April…she’s not a bad kid…just lost. Sofia and I didn’t expect to have kids that early…I mean, we coped, but our jobs….” He looks at the photo again, “I tried as best as I could to be there, but Sofia…I wish I did better."

Joshua reluctantly recounts the event of November 23rd, 1999, alongside his divorce and any other moments before and after that point. The Appalachian Mountains had been Joshua’s dream destination, Sofia, to no surprise, had constantly been vocal about instilling the appropriate life goals in April - high grades, top careers, appropriate connections. The stores chosen all had qualities Sofia had cited as detestable, with Pennsylvania’s first Goodwill reminding her too much of her least favorite architecture - brutalist architecture. So going off that, the next Goodwill would have to be similar in style as well. This new detail leads to a few counties over.

April Walsh doesn’t fight when caught; appearing exhausted, the only other emotion she shows is a mix of relief and joy when she sees Mr. Walsh again, but it’s brief. She sits without prompting, crosses a leg over the other, and makes her only demand, “I’d like to speak to my father—”

“Give us Hayden,” Hotch counters.

“Who? Oh, the retail worker,” she scoffs, “he’s perfectly safe, tied and unconscious in room 345, Liberty Hotel. Now, can I please talk to my father?” Hotch nods, leaving for Hayden with everyone but Gideon and Reid. Hayden is unharmed, drowsy, and confused when he awakes.

You slump into your seat on the airplane, Spencer sits by you, and you lean your head against his shoulder. “No one wake me up for anything,” Derek mumbles across from you, lying across two seats to nap. 

“You look bored, cookie.” Spencer glances over at you; the others on the plane have either gone to sleep or relaxed in their seats.

“Maybe, but I’m not sure there’s much to do in an airplane.”

“We could play a game —not that kind,” you remark; he’d raised his eyebrows, and a light blush had dusted his cheeks, “we can do that at a later date, Dr. Reid. Right now, I was thinking of something like the ABC game.”

“ABC game?”

You sit up, “On long car rides, my grandma loved to play it; we choose a topic or theme and go through the alphabet. Say the theme was food, I’d say apricot; then you’d say bread; we can narrow down themes like food to fruits or vegetables.” 

“Ooh, that sounds interesting; ok, what’s the theme?” he asks, turning towards you.

“We can stick with food; it’s pretty easy and fun for a first-timer,” you reply, “We’ve got apricot and bread down, so, C, carrot cake.”

“Ok, donut.”

“Éclair.”

“French onion soup.”

You breeze through the first round, and Spencer picks the next theme - countries - which you manage through a quarter of before landing; you carry on while on the tarmac and finish just before leaving for home. It’s late afternoon in Quantico; Spencer bumps his hand against yours as you walk, smiling when you hold his hand in response. Paperwork is easy enough, and once done, you collectively sigh in relief when no other case comes up. It’s not night yet, and hearing everyone else make plans or detail what they have in mind when they leave has Spencer debating on whether to have that second date now.

“Thinking hard?” You ask, laughing when he comes out of his thoughts to find you standing close to him.

“Uh, yeah,” he says, “do you…uh…can we have that second date now? I know this great Indian restaurant, it’s a bit out of the way, but it has very good chicken tandoori.”

“Sure, lead the way.”

The restaurant is nice, getting there just half an hour after it opens at 5:00 PM; there’s plenty of space to choose from; Spencer leads you to his favorite seat by the fish tank. It’s a nice date; Spencer finds his legs close to yours after you split the bill, leaving just after seven. “Did you like it?”

“Loved it,” you respond. “You sure know how to treat a man, sweetheart.”

Spencer tugs at your arm, smiling into the kiss you give him. “Goodnight, love.”

Spencer is soft.

It’s what you repeatedly note - when he smiles, leans into your space for a kiss, or drums your fingers along your hands. When he snuffles in his sleep, a moment before waking up, “Morning….” he’d mumble before dozing off for a few odd minutes. 

“Good morning to you, too,” you kiss his forehead, and he mumbles something else, snuggling deeper into your arms. “What happened to the early bird catches the worm, hmm?”

“....not a bird…no worms please….” he mumbles.

“Hmm,” you respond, rubbing circles along his back, “How about pancakes? I think I might have some blueberries or chocolate chips,” you muse; Spencer peeks up at you. “Ah, I see I’ve piqued your interest.” You laugh as Spencer ponders between the comfort of the bed and the prospect of pancakes. You leave him to his decision-making; by the time you’ve made the batter, Spencer shuffles from the bedroom - donning one of your hoodies and rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

Spencer hugs you from the back and pecks the space between your shoulder blades, “Süss,” he says. 

You purse your lips and glance over your shoulder at him, “Süss? Come on; I thought you liked a challenge?” You switch off the stove and turn to face him, “German. Sweet.”

“I wasn’t looking for a challenge today,” he clarifies, “I was stating a fact.” He points at you as he repeats the word. “Mein süss.” 

You grin, “I’d say you’re the sweet one, cookie.” He scrunches his nose, “Mein süßer Keks.” You wink when he stares at you, “You’re not the only one with a knack for languages.” He sticks out his tongue, leaving the kitchen with the pancakes; you join him at the dining table - he sits with his back to the window, soaking in the sun like a cat.

“Fun fact, chocolate chips melt best at temperatures between 104 °F and 113 °F; the melting process starts at 90 °F when the chips’ cocoa butter starts to heat. For milk and white chocolate chips, the temperature shouldn’t exceed 115 °F; for dark chocolate, it’s 120 °F; otherwise, the chocolate will burn.”

You nod, “Which flavor’s your favorite?”

“The classic chips, made from small chunks of sweetened chocolate, I like to eat them in winter when there’s less chance for them to melt in the bag,” he answers. “What about you?”

“I don’t mind, but I suppose I prefer the classic ones too.” The pancakes were long gone by now, and coffees almost finished; Spencer had come previously to visit but never slept over before, “How’d you sleep?” You ask, placing your arm around his shoulders.

“Good,” he yawns, “you’re really comfortable.” You chuckle as Spencer snuggles closer, “Can we go back to bed?” He asks with another yawn.

“Hmm,” you stand, “you head on in; I’ll take care of the dishes.” He nods, shuffling back to the bedroom; you gather the dishes, rinse off the food, place them in the dishwasher, and leave them to clean. You find Spencer nestled comfortably under the blankets; when you slide in alongside him, he latches onto you, not fully asleep and not fully lucid. You comb your fingers through his hair, and when his breath evens out, you close your own eyes and doze off.

End Note:

This turned out a lot longer than I thought it would, and also, not that I think it needs mentioning, but this and the previous fic takes place somewhere in season one. Stay Hydrated.

[upennmanuscripts]

Today's #YearOfHours is Bryn Mawr College MS 25, a Book of Hours, Use of Rome aka "Marquand Hours". Written in Piedmont, Italy, in the late 15th c. It includes eleven full-page miniatures surrounded by full borders.

Online:

[u-mspcoll]

Upcoming Exhibit and Lecture: Illustrating the Renaissance Book: From Illumination to Woodcut

Valerius Maximus (1st c. AD). Factorum ac dictorum memorabilium libri IX. Italy. 15th c. Parchment,126 fols. Fol. 5r

Full-page illumination from Carta Executoria de hidalguia de sangre a pedimento de Don Juan de Mansilla como curador de Doña Francisca de Mansilla, hija de Baltasar de Mansilla, vecinos de la villa de Aranda de Duero. Valladolid, 1636 Parchment, 93 fols. Fol. 2r

Full-page woodcut depicting the procession of Priapus, the Greek god of animal and vegetable fertility. Hypnerotomachie, ou Discours du songe de Poliphile Ed: Jean Martin Paris: Jean le Blanc for Jacques Kerver, 1561 Fol. 69r. Loan courtesy of William P. Heidrich

Come explore a selection of manuscripts and early printed books from the 15th to the 17th centuries that were illustrated with illuminations and woodcuts! The display will be up in the Hatcher Gallery Exhibit Room from 6 September to 14 December.

And join us on Wednesday 13 September at 4p in the Hatcher Gallery event space or on zoom a for lecture based on the exhibit.

We hope to see you there!

[starlingschool]

𝐓𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐭 𝟏𝟎𝟏: 𝐌𝐚𝐣𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐨𝐫 𝐀𝐫𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐚 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐜 𝐀𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐲

Welcome to Tarot 101 with Astrid! This is part 1 of my series. To keep each post as short as possible these will be bite sized. This part will explain the basic anatomy of the Tarot Deck and a brief explanation of its origin.

c o n t e n t s

Anatomy of a Deck

Why so many Cards?

Major vs Minor

A n a t o m y o f a D e c k

Let’s start with breaking down a tarot deck.

A tarot deck has 78 cards. It’s split into two big groups, the Major Arcana and the Minor Arcana.

➸ Although some styles of tarot decks may have additional cards that act as oracle cards, the following 78 cards are what are known as the complete Tarot deck.

The Major Arcana has 22 cards. Starting from 0: The Fool and ending with 21: The World.

The Minor Arcana has 56 cards, but it’s split into four smaller sections. These smaller sections are called “Suits”

The Suits are The Pentacles, The Wands, The Cups and The Swords. Each Suit has 14 cards. Starting with the Ace going to Ten, then we have a Page, Knight, Queen and King.

➸ If you’re familiar with Playing cards for poker or solitaire, the Minor Arcana in a Tarot deck is numbered just like the Playing cards, just that the “Suits” are different. In playing cards, there are clubs, spades, diamonds, and hearts. Now back to Tarot.

Below is a graphic of the cards of a Tarot deck split into the Major and Minor Arcana and Suits.

W h y s o m a n y c a r d s ?

The reason for the number of cards in a Tarot deck has to do with its history. Tarot is historically believed to have first been created as a secular Card Game in the 15th Century in Italy.

At the time card games had 52 cards. 4 Suits of 13 cards.

It’s thought that during the 1440’s, Tarot was created when the Duke of Milan asked an Artist to make a variation of the common card game. He asked to add cards to it and the artist Bonafacio Bembo added the 22 cards that make up today’s Major Arcana and added the Queens to the court cards of the Suits. Making each suit filled with 14 cards.

In conclusion, the 78 cards we have in today’s modern Tarot were made as a cure for boredom.

It’s important to note this because knowing the history of Tarot will help you in your journey when you decide how you will use Tarot in your practice.

I know some practitioners who think of Tarot as a sacred tool and they don’t like to leave any cards out while they shuffle and read cards.

I want to include this because I believe Tarot like any form of magic shouldn’t have fear of change attached to it. You should choose how to practice based on what resonates with you.

Some practitioners like to omit the major arcana or forgo the Minor Arcana in favor of using only 22 cards from the Major Arcana. Either way you practice is fine, just remember that the way you practice should bring you peace, not fear.

However you choose to practice Tarot, know that it is valid 🩷

Personally, I like to read with all 78 cards unless I’m using a Tarot Spread that calls for just one Arcana or Suit. I'll explain this more in depth in a later post!

M a j o r v s M i n o r

So if you don’t have to read with all 78 cards in a Tarot Deck, why do they exist and why do some Readers use them all? What’s the difference?

Well, Tarot is a divination tool so it’s here to make it easier to hear your intuition or view a situation from a different perspective. Knowing this, each card has a unique meaning behind it. A definition assigned to it both historically, or over time as Tarot entered the occult.

Although the Major and Minor Arcana’s have different meanings there are similarities between some cards.

The 22 cards in the Major Arcana tell a big picture story of a protagonist— The Fool— who goes through life’s joys and complications. However, the 56 cards in the Minor Arcana tell the same story but on a much more detailed view.

I like to think of it as the Major Arcana is the bird’s eye view of a situation and the Minor Arcana is the situation under a microscope.

For example, let’s say you ask Where you need to focus your mental energy on at this time? Let’s say in two different readings you get two different cards. One from the Major Arcana and one from the Minor. From the Minor, You get the 8 of wands. This could be interpreted a lot of different ways but for the sake of this post we’ll say this means you should focus on the finishing touches needed in order for you to propel forward in your passionate adventure. Whether this is starting a business or asking out your crush. Now, in a separate reading, you ask the same question, you get The Chariot from the Major Arcana. This could translate into you need to take the reins of your life and just go for it, with less thought to the tiny things “We’ll figure out the details when we get there!” Both readings say the same thing but their advice is different.

One tells you to look at the big picture, this needs to get done the sooner the better, take the reins and have fun with it, we can worry about the details later. While the other warns you to think things through, work out the kinks in your plan but do it quickly so you don’t lose momentum.

This is why both Arcana’s are useful and this is why some readers read with all 78 cards. However, there are advantages to using just one Arcana or just one suit.

But how do you know when to do that? We’ll look into that in our next part 🩷 since this post is getting long.

If you have any questions or want me to elaborate on something in this post please reach out, either with my “Witch’s Desk”, comments or DMs.

𐐪𐑂 My Etsy Divination Shop | My Ko-Fi Divination Shop

𐐪𐑂 Follow my Shop’s Tumblr @stardustedreams222

𐐪𐑂 Follow my Personal Tumblr @withloveastrid

𐐪𐑂 Support me on Ko-Fi for $3 a month to get exclusive readings ✨

With Love, Astrid 🩷✨

[jeannepompadour]

Three standing figures by Stefano da Verona 1435-38

[arthistoryanimalia]

For #WorldBeeDay 🐝 + #BearAwarenessWeek 🐻 (AND #MedievalMonday + #ManuscriptMonday!): a medieval Winnie the Pooh?

from Flore de virtu e de costumi (Flowers of Virtue & of Custom) N. Italy, 2nd quarter 15th c. British Library Harley 3448 f. 10v

[realcatalina]

This is interesting info about languages Elizabeth of York spoke

This is excerpt from Most pleasant song of lady Bessy, and it is the part where Bessy(Elizabeth of York) manages to convince Lord Stanley to betray Richard and to contact Henry Tudor.

But he is scared, he thinks he cannot trust any scribe to write essentially treason. But Elizabeth turns around and says-oh I can write the letter. My father had me and my sister Cecily taught by a man from London. I can write well, in both English and French, and SPANISH!

(It is bit strange that the poem doesnt mention Latin, though correspondence from late 1490s strongly suggest Elizabeth knew Latin grammar too. But, we cannot rule out she learnt later than 1484/5. Or maybe she wasnt very good yet in that time and later gained confidence. )

However Bessy knowing Old Spanish/Castilian would make sense if she was intended to wed to Iberian peninsula. But we only ever hear about Richard III intending to wed her to Portuguese royal family. His reign is too short time for her to learn the languaeg.

I never heard that there were any plans to marry her to Spain specifically. But maybe as with Catherine of Aragon learning French to use at English court, maybe Elizabeth of York was learning Spanish to use at Portuguese court. Because it would make things easier for her at least a bit.

If it was true it might have indicate Edward IV already intended her for Portugal.

It is bit weird that the matter(her spanish) didnt get brought up later. If Elizabeth of York was confident enough to write in Spanish, why not write to spanish royals in her own hand in Spanish? Why not converse with Catherine of Aragon in Spanish? Could it simply not get into records?

It is but strange that only spanish wikipedia mentions Elizabeth's education. As source there is book Elizabeth of York by Arlene Okerlund.

But this what it says on their wiki:

When she was bethrohed to dauphin, her father arranged her to have language tutors from France, Italy and Spain.

Although she spoke French, it was not fluently.

(-yeah, in comparison to Henry VII probably not. He was master level.)

Schollars from Oxford taught her classics and experts in calligraphy(handwritting) from Scriptoria at Westminster Abbey instructed her. In other words she had greater education than most men in 15th century(except those ment for church), let alone a woman.

She was also instructed to read and write in English, learnt math, household management, embroidery or sewing, horse-riding, music, and dancing.

You know on first glance it looks overexagerated, but it would make sense given how educated Henry VIII was and his upbringing was mostly dedided by his mother.

If she was so well-educated as woman, it would make sense her son got even better education.

I know the poem might be propaganda. Just sneaking out to meet Stanley in private, would be very difficult. Although if both were at court...maybe. Elizabeth seems to have been given greater deal of freedom by Richard at court, than you would expect. Considering the man had her mother proclaimed whore, Elizabeth and her siblings bastards, and her brothers "dissappeared" in his "care".

But still it was originally written in late 15th century, likely after 1487/8 when Cecily became lady Welles. (First surviving written versions are from c.1600, it was passed on orally it seems-it was a song.) But i dont think we can just throw it away.

But we aware that part of the poem is Elizabeth pleading is her telling Stanley her uncle was making plans to poison his own wife and son.(Which if true, would mean he was starking mad.)

-But it might be that part of the poem is true and part is propaganda.

But the poem is wonderfully written and the dialogs are so logical.

Elizabeth keeps trying to remind Stanley that his titles, lands were given to him by her father and that Richard had no right to the throne, that her brothers disappeared and were not even buried in any sacred ground, that Richard got rid of his original supporters and he might well get rid of Stanley after his usefullness expires.

And he keeps telling her no, there is no real support for anybody else and thinks overthrowing him are foolish dreams etc.

But she keeps going. And revealing more. And big part of it is her saying her uncle wants her to come to his chamber and be his love and wife. And she is extremely oposed to the idea. I mean she lists all the suffering she would rather endure...than to come to her uncle's chamber.

Towards end of her pleading, when Stanley keeps rejecting to help her and wants her to leave, she starts crying, she throws away her headwear and says they will find her body in Thames, where she will drown, her bones shall lay on sand, fishes will feed upon her and that will be her destiny.

And that is what breaks Stanley.

There is of course more-it is very long poem. But I get why currently with the Ricardians trying to restore Richards image this is not being spread around. Because this was probbaly major inspiration source behind Shakespear's Richard III.

-of course it is entirely possible this part of poem is overexagerating/lying. Perhaps other parts too.

Tell me what you think, do you think it is possible she spoke Spanish?

[aeide-thea]

beautiful & also terrible to have the sort of brain where you find yrself at 4:30 AM looking up intersections between jewishness & arthuriana. like. fucking amazing rabbit hole but. why am i not asleep. my head hurts and my eyes are sandy.

however. some cool things (that probably some of you knew abt already, but i did not!):

King Artus – "a 'Hebrew Arthurian Romance of 1279… Judaized and transformed.' […] Although the story in 'King Artus' is fairly straightforwardly Arthur’s as we know it today, there are little touches that tie it to Jewish literature. When, for example, Arthur’s mother, the Duchess, learns that her husband is dead and she has been deceived by the shape-shifting Uther Pendragon, she tries to figure out how that could be possible. 'No sooner had he gone more than a bow-shot’s distance away from the castle than the messenger came straight to my chamber.' That bow-shot’s distance comes not from Arthurian legend but from the story of Hagar, who sits a bow-shot’s distance away from her son Ishmael when Abraham casts them out and she does not want to see her son die."

Bovo-Bukh – "a chivalric romance adapted in 1507 by Elye Bokher (Elijah Baḥur *Levita) into 650 ottava rima stanzas in Yiddish from a Tuscan version (Buovo d'Antona) of the early 14th-century Anglo-Norman original, Boeuve de Haumton. This tale of the heroic adventures of the noble Bovo, exiled from his homeland by the machinations of his murderous mother, his wanderings through the world (as far as Babylon), and the love story of Bovo and Druzyana, their separation, his triumphant return home, and the final reunion with Druzyana and their two sons, proved to be one of the most beloved tales in the Yiddish literary tradition over the course of more than two centuries."

Vidvilt – "anonymous 15th–16th-century Yiddish epic. This Arthurian romance of the chivalric adventures of Sir Vidvilt (and his father Gawain), based on Wirnt von Gravenberg's 13th-century Middle High German Wigalois, proved to be one of the most enduringly popular secular narratives in Yiddish literary history, with numerous manuscript recensions, printings (the first in an extensively expanded version by Joseph b. Alexander Witzenhausen, Amsterdam 1671), and reprintings, in rhymed couplets, ottava rima (Prague 1671–79), and prose, over the course of three and a half centuries. The anonymous poet of the earliest Yiddish version composed more than 2,100 rhymed couplets (probably in northern Italy), following Wirnt's plot rather closely through the first three-quarters of the narrative (abbreviating much and generally eliminating specific Christian reference), before offering quite a different conclusion."

Sir Gabein – "from 1788-89, a tale in which the Arthurian knight Gabein does not return to Camelot but – via Russia and Sardinia – reaches China and ultimately ascends to the Chinese imperial throne as the new emperor." slow blink.

also this is getting beyond arthuriana into just epic poetry generally but. literally all of this sounds fascinating.

anyway. literary scholar manqué.e hrs as always here at k dot tumblr dot edu obviously! however. my ear is open like a greedy shark, &c.

[watchinghallmark]

New movies coming in June!

For Love & Honey - June 1st

Beekeeper Eva uncovers an ancient fresco while rescuing a hive. Austen, a visiting archeologist, thinks it is key to his research, so he persuades Eva to help him on his quest across Malta. Starring Andrew Walker and Margaret Clunie.

Savoring Paris - June 8th

Disillusioned with her life, Ella embarks on a soul-searching journey to Paris where she navigates love, self-discovery and cheese amidst the enchanting backdrop of The City of Love. Stars Bethany Joy Lenz and Stanley Weber.

A Greek Recipe for Romance - June 15th

After a recent setback, Abby heads to Greece to visit her mom and decide what's next. While there, she meets Theo and they team up to open a restaurant. But will Abby be able to stay? Stars Danielle C. Ryan, Rafael Kariotakis.

Two Scoops of Italy - June 22nd

When an American chef travels to a quant village in Italy for inspiration, she falls in love with the flavors, culture, gelato, and the Italian gentleman who helps her discover it all. Stars Hunter King, Michele Rosiello.