Pardon me... Your Codpiece is Showing!

A codpiece is a section of fabric (or metal in the case of armor) that is sewn onto a male’s hose, to conceal his unmentionables. That’s right, the codpiece came about to solve a practical issue—yes… the medieval version of “your fly is down” except worse! The men wore hose, that were single-legged and tied about the waist, leaving quite a gaping hole. In the days of tunics, this wouldn’t have been a problem as the tunic (long shirt) would have come well to the knees or lower. But then came the doublet and all the sudden, there was a major problem. So, a tailor thought, by golly I’ve got it! And created a codpiece. In the Tudor era it was often padded and boned and grew in size so much that it could carry small weapons or jewels. Men grew creative and fashion conscious, having their codpieces decorated, etc…

So while the codpiece was create to hide a male’s parts when the doublet and hose would have exposed him… it was also used for a few other reasons:

~To emphasize the gender of its wearer

~To emphasize the wearers… masculinity

~To store things like jewels, hence the term “the family jewels” when referring to a male’s appendage

~To stress the notion of male’s organ having a “will” of its own

So tell me, what do you think—are you glad they’ve gone out of fashion and men now have zippers/buttons?

Henry VIII painted by Hans Holbein & and Henry VIII's armor

Elizabethan Spies and Scottish Mercenary Maidens by Madeline Martin

I think spy stuff is super cool. I’ve always enjoyed reading about the amazing gadgets they had in history, like the pigeon who wore a camera on its chest, or the gun hidden in an umbrella. As time went on, spy gadgets become more and more creative, and the act of spying thus becomes more exciting.

I especially love looking up the spyware even later in history, when technology couldn’t be nearly so specific and more manpower and ingenuity was required. Which led me to discovering about Queen Elizabeth and her secret spy network.

This was headed by Walsingham who had fled England during the time of Queen Mary’s rule to escape persecution for being Protestant. Cuz who likes to die, right? Once Elizabeth took the throne, he came back and quickly found himself at her side to help ensure she stayed in power. While he was traveling, he realized there was information to be had, and set up a spy network all over Europe to ensure they had eyes and ears everywhere.

Here’s the thing though – being a spy was incredibly boring. It seems like an exciting thing to be asked to essentially be part of Elizabeth’s secret service, and many took it with grandiose plans of fame and fortune. However, it was a dangerous job with little pay that required way more waiting than it did activity. Also, they didn’t have spy gadgets, which is totally a bummer.

They did however, have the original 007. John Dee was a mathematician and astrologer who was so good at what he did that when violent storms vanquished enemies or new stars sparkled in the sky, people said he was the one responsible. He actually even was consulted by Elizabeth to choose which day her coronation would be performed based off his astrology. And here’s how he was the legit first 007 – when he signed letters to Elizabeth, he signed them with two zeros to indicate eyes and a 7 looming over the top of those eyes because 7 was a number offering protection and good luck. He was kind of an odd duck who said angels talked to him and told him to have sex with his best friend’s wife. It didn’t go over well and eventually he died destitute with only his daughter looking after him. Still – the original 007!

While many threats were uncovered, through information gleaned from overheard conversations as well as many, many decoded messages (milk/juice written in disappearing ink, coded messages, etc). The greatest threat of all though came from Mary Queen of Scots. When she came onto English soil the Catholics redoubled their efforts to get her on the throne by any means necessary. Walsingham knew this and gave her the rope to hang herself.

He encouraged her jailor to get to know her and become a trusted friend she could pass messages to and from through. He did exactly that and Walsingham, of course, read every one of them before resealing them and passing them along…until the exact one finally showed. It was hidden in a beer barrel and held enough evidence where he could convince Elizabeth to allow her cousin to be executed. What’s more, after Mary’s execution, Walsingham had anything that had her blood on it be burned to prevent any relics from being created.

 

Decoded letter from Mary Queen of Scots to Babbington. Letter was decoded by Thomas Phillips.

While the life of an Elizabethan spy was not quite so exciting, their efforts were highly effective and the controversial queen who chose not to marry and had a Catholic relative with a viable throw in for the throne living near her did not succumb to any plots – she died of natural causes at a ripe old age.

My spies in the Mercenary Maidens have a little more excitement going on for them. I used many of the artifacts and stories found in history as well as putting a historical twist on more modern techniques to create a fun action-based plot with some seriously kick butt women. I hope everyone enjoys reading them as much as I enjoyed writing them. J

Kaid MacLeod couldn’t protect his clan from an unimaginable slaughter that killed his father and many of his people. He knows retaliation will only bring more death to his people, but if he does nothing, the massacres will continue. His clan is growing angry and all seems lost…until Kaid discovers his nemesis’s betrothed will be traveling through Scotland. Abducting her will give him the leverage he desperately needs to end the slaughter and bring peace to his clan.

Delilah Canterbury is not the highborn daughter of a noble, nor is she by any means wealthy, she’s merely pretending to be a Scottish laird’s betrothed as a means of bringing justice to the man rumored to seek vengeance. Beautifully dressed and ready to succeed on her first mission alone, Delilah is more than she seems…she’s a trap.

Matters get complicated as the truth behind their intentions come to light, especially when a sizzling attraction blossoms between them. With so many lives on the line, and loyalties pledged, will Kaid be able to save his people? And can their love survive the lies and ultimate betrayal? 

Praise for Highland Ruse:

“Fans of swashbuckling, high-drama adventure and romance are sure to revel in the second entry in the Mercenary Maidens series. With an empowered heroine and tormented hero, a high degree of sensuality and a fast-moving plot, readers are sure to be satisfied from beginning to end. The added mystery and contemporary theme of addiction enhance the story so it truly resonates with readers.” – RT Reviews

Buy Links:

Free Preview of Ch1: http://www.madelinemartin.com/2017/11/highland-ruse-preview-of-chapter-1/

Amazon: http://hyperurl.co/hramz

Nook: http://hyperurl.co/hrnk

iBooks: http://hyperurl.co/Hrib

Kobo: http://hyperurl.co/Hrkobo

Google Play: http://hyperurl.co/hrgp

Print: http://hyperurl.co/hrprint

BN Paperback: http://hyperurl.co/hrbnpb

Madeline Martin is a USA TODAY Bestselling author of Scottish set historical romance with tons of page-turning action and tough heroines. She lives in Jacksonville, Florida with her two daughters (AKA OldestMinion and YoungestMinion) and Mr. Awesome. 

She loves animals in sweaters, cat videos, wine and Nutella. Check out her FB page on any given Friday to see what great new book she's giving away by one of her fellow authors.

Madeline’s Links:

Author website: www.MadelineMartin.com
Author Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MadelineMartinAuthor
Author Twitter: @MadelineMMartin

Author Amazon Profile page: http://www.amazon.com/Madeline-Martin/e/B00R8OGFN2/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1 

*Email questions should be sent to: MadelineMartin@Ymail.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/12062937.Madeline_Martin

Yo Ho Ho and a Bottle of Rum - What Pirates Drank

As with any rogue worth his salt, pirates loved to drink, especially rum. Why is that? Well, besides the fact that it warms the belly, boosts courage, instills camaraderie when sharing with mates, and tastes yummy, there was a practical reason, too. Rum and other alcoholic beverages had a long shelf life, essential for long voyages at sea.

Being at sea for long stretches of time was problematic for seamen diets, both in what they ate and drank. Health problems and sometimes death were common due to improper nutrition, contaminated food, and spoiled drink.

A man needs water to survive. Freshwater, also known as sweet water, was a precious commodity because stagnant water soured in their casks. The hotter the temperature, the faster the water soured. Think slime in the ice machine. Gross! Rainwater would be collected, but it could be weeks or months before a ship saw a raincloud. So to make the water more palatable, alcohol like rum was added. The mixture was called grog and was rationed out to crewmen daily.

Other common drinks pirates had in their mugs included ale, wine, brandy, and sometimes tea, though tea, along with chocolate and coffee, was often used as a commodity to sell or trade in port.

Pirates were quite creative in their spirit concoctions.

Bumboo was an alcoholic beverage of rum, sugar, lemon and lime juices, and nutmeg. Drink this, mate, and you may stave off a bout of scurvy.

Arrack was made from fermented fruits, grain, and sugar cane.

Toke was liquor made from fermented honey. I’m not entirely convinced that these drinks were sweet to taste.

Black strap consisted of rum, lots of molasses and chowder beer, which is a fermented brew of water, molasses, and black spruce tree pitch. My stomach hurts just thinking about this drink.

Punch was anything goes. It was a medley of liquors, rum, wine, fruit juice, that was sweetened with honey or sugar and often spiced with nutmeg. I’d give it a shot.

Kill-Devil rum included booze, beer, and raw eggs. Eww!

Hangman’s Blood, a potent medley of various strong liquors, could knock even the most hardened fellow on his arse. It was probably best not to smoke while drinking this mixture for fear of igniting. Whoosh!

Pine drink was a sweet alcoholic drink of fermented pineapple juice.

A steamy escape! Get your copy HERE.

Tobacco rum had, you guessed it, rum mixed with tobacco. The tobacco gave the rum a smoky, earthy flavor. If the tobacco was stale, the rum would also be a bit bitter.

Another odd liquor blend had nabbed my inspiration. Indulge me for a moment. In The Siren’s Song,  the 3rd full-length novel in my Romancing the Pirate series, pirate Captain Thayer Drake’s rum drinking is one battle he can’t seem to win. Perhaps Gilly, the beautiful songstress he saved from drowning, will help him kick the habit. But not after one particularly exasperating evening with her. Instead, he hits the bottle harder than usual, stirring gunpowder into his rum. Gunpowder rum? Yes, pirates did do this. Gunpowder contains saltpeter which was believed to deaden sexual desires. It was also thought to inspire courage and aggression before heading off into battle.

Oh yes, pirates loved their sauce. Perhaps it was pirate Richard Hains who said it best with this sentiment. “A life without liberty is not worth living. But a life with liberty and no beer mug ain’t much better.” Hear! Hear!

About the Author                                                

Jennifer is the award-winning author of the Romancing the Pirate series. Visit her at www.jbrayweber.com or join her mailing list for sneak peeks, excerpts, and giveaways.

Part Four: History of Medicinal Herbs

Hi, everyone! Madeline Martin and Eliza Knight here again with PART FOUR the final post of our 4-part series. We’re sorry you weren’t able to attend our History of Medicinal Herbs class at the Historical Romance Retreat in Spokane, WA this year. There was so much interest in this class that we decided to do a blog post here so everyone can enjoy. But there is so much to share, we’ve decided to break it down into four fun parts! Check back weekly! If you missed Part One, click to read it, to read Part Two, click here! To read Part Three CLICK!

Please note several things: 

1. We aren’t doctors, we aren’t even healers. Pretty much, we’re authors who make stuff up for a living and enjoy researching historical tidbits to share (especially the crazy ones). Do not try any of these herbs without consulting a doctor first.
2. Yes, there is WAY more information about all the herbs we’re going to mention, and there are WAY more herbs than we list. However, it was an hour long class, and there really are only so many appropriate memes.
3. We focused mainly on herbs we had on hand to do a fun show-and-tell with. Obviously being online you can’t see, touch, or smell these herbs. For that, we are humbly sorry (except we really feel we are owed a huge thanks on your part regarding the valerian root – just saying)

A brief intro about ourselves if you missed it in Part One...

This is the voice of Eliza Knight (yes, I totally just did that with my hands cupped around my mouth, because I’m a dork like that). I have always been fascinated by healing herbs and ways to heal the body naturally. It’s amazing how many things we did back in the day, that we still do now (and also a lot we figured out were a bad idea!) Because that is a part of my “real life,” I have added it to many of my books. Several of my heroines are able to use healing herbs to help people, and some use them as poisons. My favorite two herbal heroines are Shona from HIGHLANDER’S TOUCH and Julianna from THE HIGHLAND WARRIOR’S BRIDE. Shona is a healer, and is often called to the castle and village to help people, but she has also been nicknamed the Witch of the Wood, since people were so suspicious of women who could heal with herbs. Julianna, uses her herbal knowledge for good & bad. She’s a warrior, and uses poisons on her weapons.

So, for Madeline Martin (yeah, I totally just referred to myself in third person to keep this from getting confusing) – I decided I would write a female healer as they’ve always fascinated me. Celia (from Enchantment of a Highlander) was not only a healer, but a survivor of the North Berwick Witch Trials (it’s sad and fascinating and the history dork in me demands you look it up). In order to write a healer though, I wanted to have the full experience of what she might go through, so I decided to start doing all natural bath and body products. It opened the door to this incredible interest and now all you nice folks will be subjected to our findings. J

Last week I introduced you to some of the poisonous herbs and how they can help... or not. Let's continue the: too much of a good thing can actually kill you… And sometimes it was on purpose discussion! Oh, and I'm going to give you some information on antidotes, too!

*Please note: we’re pretty certain poisoning on any level is a felony so just keep it in your reading and writing!*

Deadly Nightshade

Also known as belladonna. The deadly nightshade plant is made up of beautiful berries that look and taste sweet. But beware!

One of the deadliest plants out there, its leaves, roots, flowers and berries are all poisonous. And the sad part is the berries are very attractive and tasty--but deadly. Many children are poisoned throughout the year by eating the juicy, delicious berries.

Used for nefarious purposes or in an accidental overdose, nightshade can be the end for any person. The poison juice from the plant was used on weapons throughout history.

If ingested, the symptoms of poisoning  present quickly and include: dilated pupils, sensitivity to light, blurred vision, accelerated heart rate, loss of balance/vertigo, headache, rash, flushing, severely dry mouth and throat, slurred speech, inability to urinate, constipation, hallucinations, delirium, and convulsions.

However, it was also used for medicine! Wait, what? Scary! Belladonna can be used to relieve pain, as a muscle relaxer, an anti-inflammatory, and also to treat menstrual problems, ulcers, and motion sickness.

Fun fact #1: Macbeth of Scotland, when he was still one of the lieutenants of King Duncan I of Scotland, used it during a truce to poison the troops of the invading King of England (Harold Harefoot), to the point that the English troops were unable to stand their ground and had to retreat to their ships.

Fun fact #2: It is suggested that in Romeo and Juliet, Juliet drank the juice of a deadly nightshade berry to fall into her deathlike sleep.

Monkshood

Also known as wolfsbane, monkshood helps reduce fever and kills viruses. So why is it listed in our poison herbs section? Because it also kills humans...

Historically, monkshood was used for fevers. It is also considered an antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral.

Symptoms of monkshood poisoning may appear almost immediately, usually not more than an hour later. Death can occur within 2-6 hours with a fatal poisoning. Large doses can produce death almost instantaneously.  The initial signs include: nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, followed by a sensation of burning in the abdomen, burning, tingling, and numbness inside the mouth and on the face. In severe cases, motor weakness occurs and sensations of tingling and numbness will spread to the limbs. The heart rate will increase and become irregular. Other symptoms may include sweating, dizziness, difficulty in breathing, headache, and confusion.

Fun fact: It is suggested that this would be the poison Romeo used to end his life in the tragic play.

Oleander

Don’t let the prettiness of the petals fool you! All parts of the plant can be deadly! Helpful tip: don’t use the sticks for your camping cookout...

Symptoms of oleander poisoning include: severe vomiting and diarrhea, sweating, coma, heart attack, and seizures.

How can something like that be helpful you ask?

Allegedly, oleander can be used as an antidote to a snakebite… A poultice of the “fruit” can produce sweating to break a fever. A salve can be used for relieve back pain…

The Babylonians and Romans used a mixture of oleander and licorice to treat hangovers. Pliny, the Elder of ancient Greece, wrote about the appearance and medicinal properties of oleander.

“But ye flower and the leaves have a power destructive of dogs & of Asses & of Mules & and of most four-footed living creatures, but a preserving one of men, being drank with wine against the bitings of venemous beasts & ye more if you mixed it with Rue, but ye more weak sort of living creature, as goats & sheep, die, if they drink ye maceration of them.” ~Dioscorides, De Materia Medica, Book IV, 82

Anitdotes

No, there is no such thing as iocane powder… So, though we all love the Dread Pirate Roberts, we can’t build up an immunity to it like he did…

But there were antidotes to poisons—sometimes. Below I list some of the most common antidotes!

  

1.     Vomiting.

2.     Prayer

3.     Commonly used antidotes for certain toxins were:

a.     mulberry leaves boiled in vinegar to combat henbane

b.     garlic for serpent's bites

c.      frankincense for hemlock.

d.     Commonly thought to cure any poison: fennel seeds boiled in wine, mugwort, mallow, meadowsweet, lovage.

e.     Oddly enough, some extremely toxic plants were considered to be effective antidotes.

4.     To avoid being poisoned royals/nobles often had taste testers. They would avoid new or unfamiliar foods. Gemstones, amulets, special cups, charms and prayers were also used.

5.     When in doubt—pee on it.

6.     If you feel you are suffering from poison—call 911.

6.     If you feel you are suffering from poison—call 911.Subscribe to our newsletters for another awesome recipe! Mid-October, we sent out the healing balm recipe (which was also posted here), and in mid-November, we will sent out a pet paw ointment recipe for the coming winter!

Madeline: http://eepurl.com/biji1j

Eliza: http://eepurl.com/CSFFD

Eliza Knight & Madeline Martin at the Historical Romance Retreat 

ABOUT MADELINE MARTIN:

Madeline Martin is a USA TODAY Bestselling author of Scottish set historical romance novels. She lives a glitter-filled life in Jacksonville, Florida with her two daughters (known collectively as the minions) and a man so wonderful he's been dubbed Mr. Awesome. All shenanigans are detailed regularly on Twitter and on Facebook.

Madeline loves animals in sweaters, cat videos, wine and Nutella. Check out her FB page on any given Friday to see what great new book she's giving away by one of her fellow authors. 

She also loves connecting with her readers, so feel free to follow her on any one of her social media platforms, or send her a message :) 

FB page: https://www.facebook.com/MadelineMartinAuthor/

Twitter: @MadelineMMartin

ABOUT ELIZA KNIGHT:

Eliza Knight is an award-winning and USA Today bestselling indie author of over fifty sizzling historical romance and erotic romance. Under the name E. Knight, she pens rip-your-heart-out historical fiction. While not reading, writing or researching for her latest book, she chases after her three children. In her spare time (if there is such a thing…) she likes daydreaming, wine-tasting, traveling, hiking, staring at the stars, watching movies, shopping and visiting with family and friends. She lives atop a small mountain with her own knight in shining armor, three princesses and two very naughty puppies. 

Website: www.elizaknight.com

Blog: www.historyundressed.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/elizaknightfiction

Twitter: @ElizaKnight

Instagram: @ElizaKnightFiction