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Are you winning, Joe Pyrate? Looking for an address on-line.

Finshing my filing...(I don't care for this part of the job ...can you tell?)

SEND THAT MY WAY...THANK YOU!!! Over cast, some sun...55 degress...(heater running next to me at my desk).

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Darn! I've got freakishly small hands, (I take a 4)...no luck here I guess.

Here is an example of a woman's mourning (Second/Ordinary period of Mourning) dated between 1685/1688. (trimmed in white for a child or women's death). Here is Merchant Mary Diamond's example of the same cut mourning gown, but no white trim.

Master McBrian, I can see you've been very busy! Over all...a very pressive job! So, did you win anything? I splendid job Mr. Tignor, Amazing work of it and good color choices. Axe?! I see no axe, Dutch? You guys and your accessories?! Lady B, You're petticote...Goodness! What a labor of love! Great Job.

Ooops...(Insert something witty here)

Mourning Jewlery The etiquette of wearing such jewlery was just as elaborate as that of the clothes themselves. If one were to wear a shiny, faceted, black jewel whilist in deepest mourning instead of one with a matt surface - YIKES! It could be as socially disastrouse as coming out of mouring too early. Mourning jewlery served three basic functions; First it acted as a souvenir of the deceased, Secondly, it was made as a memento mori a reminder to the living of the inevitability of death. Mememto Mori jewlery was worn not only after a berreavement - but all time, as a reminder to the living to lead good lives, and the third function, it was a status symbol dressing - (always present, but subtly unstated in mourning etiquette). Again, in the First or Deepest period of Mourning - Court rules, which were widely copied outside court circles, instructed men to remove all gold shoe buckles, buttons, watch chains and swords, replacing them with substitutes with matt black finishes. During the Second/Ordinary period of Mourning - Only black and white gems were permitted. In the 17th Century aristocratic widows favored pearls. Broaches of black stone and pearls along with earrings were also in fashion. Lastly, during the third/Half-Mouring period - Major changes took place. Ladies were allowed to wear diamonds and, in gradual states, the men were permitted to change from black to silver buttons, buckles and swords.

That's a very good question, Silkie. I guess it depends on several factors: 1. Who Died? As in "The Social Status" of the person who died; and 2. Where do you stand socially? Are you a servant? The New Merchant Class? Have connections with the Court Class? Again, these are factors that fell on many such people during the late 17th Century. Especially when it came to Court and General Mournings. In some of the personal diaries and memoirs of this time, many impoverished aristocratic and rising middle-class families (17th Centuries and up ward) make constant references to the anxiety and financial problems caused by the cost of "Fashionable Mourning." Here's a good example: In 1685, when King Charles II died, a young man named Edmund Verney, who was a student at Trinity College, Oxford, wrote anxiously to his father on February 16th I cannot fully certifice as yet in this matter, but there aer two or thee fellow commoners of our house of which Mr. Palmer is one, that have bought their 'Black Cloathes", and Plain Muzeline Bands, and Cloathe Shooes, and are now in very strict mourning: and others preparing for it, so that withing this weeks I suppose the greater part, if not all of the University will be in mourning. The poor boy was in a panic about his social responsibility regarding the passing of King Charles II. It was several days later that Edmund learned that only those with direct Court Connections were obliged to wear mourning.

Periods of Mourning during the Late 17th Century The Mourning Regulations of the Time

Three Stages of Mourning Three official degrees of mourning – Full or Deep Mourning, followed by the Second and then finally by Half-Mourning. Now the penalty paid by the less well off for their ambitious desire to emulate aristocratic mourning was the heavy cost of buying all these garments, both for private and for General Court Mourning. It was considered demeaning to be seen to skimp. This showed both lack of respect for the dead and the lack of respect for the ordained social order. It was the combination of these two emotions which gave mourning regulations such a grip on society. For First, Full or Deep Mourning, the strictest rules were applied. No jewelry, no shiny surfaces and only dull black broadcloth (wool), dull silk and crape were permitted. For Second Mourning (or Ordinary) , slightly less austere dress was permitted. One could wear trims of white linen would be added and some jewelry (dull). For Half-Mourning, this offered some relief, for in additional to black, dull mauve and grey were also permitted. Subdued patterns and even silk fabrics were allowed. Now, as well as private family mourning there was, for those entitled, also Court and General Mournings. Court Mourning was worn by those with direct Court connections, but General mourning involved everyone who could afford it, from the nobility to the new middle class. The Court Heralds in Britain finally abandoned their efforts to restrict mourning rituals to the upper classes; finding their fruitless attempts to fine or imprison those who disobeyed the law of the land senseless. By the end of the 17th Century, mourning dress had slipped down the social ladder to include the “middle-sort” class who, in their turn used to as an opportunity to display their own social standing.

In the class of "What to Wear"... The fundamental rule applied to the mourning dress of both sexes was that everything must be matt and dull. Reflective surfaces were not permitted. To this end, broadcloth (a plain, heavy wool with a napped finish), and other specially woven dull fabrics, such as crape ( a transparent crimped, dull silk gauze) were necessary. Shiny shoes were replaced by black ‘cloth’ shoes, dull black gloves, black waistcoat and coat buttons, black stockings and even dull black sword covers and belts. It wasn’t until the Restoration period that the mourning sash or scarf became popular as a new mourning assessory. The item was made of a dull silk, worn draped diagonally across the left shoulder. As mourning gowns went out of fashion, chief mourners wore only the scarves over their black coats. Black scarves were worn at men’s funerals and white scarves at funerals of women and children.

Here is another good example of "First Mourning" for the Ladies. This is Katherine Eilliott, she was the Dresser and Woman-of-the-Bedchamber for the Dutches of York. She is shown here in "Widow's Weeds" with black hood, black robe, white undersleeves and white handkerchief. Painting is dated 1687/88. Lastly, Here is a painting of Eleanore, Duchess of Zell

Here is the one example of the "Funeral Procession" dress of the late 17th Century. Note the pallbearers are cloaked in the heavy cloth that is draped over a coffin (casket).

Productive... Let's see... Made a petticote, hood, apron, cap, fixed a mantua, started on a stomacher....all within 8 hours...not bad

This is a spin off of the mourning practices thread - Here is a picture of Henrietta Maria, Lady Ashburnham (1686/7-1718). The original portrait was probably painted in 1710, when Henrietta Maria became a widow at the age of twenty-three. Her first husband, John, 4th Earl of Anglesey, died after only four years of marriage. As you can see, she wears the attire of ‘First Mourning’ for our time period. She wears no jewelry. The fabric is flat and dull and her head is covered. Here is another picture - this one of Lady Fenwick

Welcome to the Pub, Glasglow Jon! Cider if you please!

Snap! and ... A man does not die of love or his liver or even of old age; he dies of being a man. Percival Arland Ussher

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The paper shredder in the back office. Boy...it really needs some maintenance on it!