Folklore: Ancient British Fil-O-Faxes

Subject: RE: Folklore: Ancient British Fil-O-Faxes
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 17 May 10 - 03:39 AM

I took a fairly long look at the essay on how to get rid of corn smut; but I'm afraid I wasn't able to make much out of it. I'm not sure, though, whether it was the "old English" or just the writer's lack of a decent knife to keep his quill trimmed. I'm not sure I would trust the methods that appeared to be described as an "elimination" of the smut.

In light of recent articles on what a delicacy "corn smut" is, I was curious about whether it was recognized as a food in the writer's time. It would also be of interest to knew whether people in that era knew about the toxicity of barley smut - an altogether different thing than the ugly (but some say delicious) crud on the corn.

Similar infections of what appeared to be other "grain crops" were mentioned, but I couldn't identify what the "other crops" were.

John

Subject: RE: Folklore: Ancient British Fil-O-Faxes
From: katlaughing
Date: 16 May 10 - 04:59 PM

I saw that, too, Tootler. Wondered if I was brave enough to tackle it.:-) I do have to say, thanks to some old threads on Mudcat, I am able to read it fairly well.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Ancient British Fil-O-Faxes
From: Tootler
Date: 16 May 10 - 04:48 PM

It even comes complete with a course on reading 15th/16th Century Handwriting.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Ancient British Fil-O-Faxes
From: GUEST,zpc
Date: 16 May 10 - 12:50 PM

Oooh, thank you. *wanders over to take a look*

Subject: RE: Folklore: Ancient British Fil-O-Faxes
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 16 May 10 - 12:19 PM

Maybe if I'd titled this "Ancient British iPods more people would have been curious enough to look?

John

Subject: RE: Folklore: Ancient British Fil-O-Faxes
From: katlaughing
Date: 15 May 10 - 10:41 AM

How fantastic and interesting! A person could get lost in there and never mind.:-) Thanks, JohninKS.

Subject: Folklore: Ancient British Fil-O-Faxes
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 15 May 10 - 12:56 AM

Archive of ancient British 'filofaxes' goes online

Snippets of information were recorded during 15th to 18th centuries

By Paul Casciato
Reuters
updated 8:45 p.m. CT, Fri., May 14, 2010

A remarkable archive of antique manuscripts which opens a window on to the experiences, hopes, fears and interests of people who lived during the 15th to 18th centuries has been put online.

The University of Cambridge Scriptorium Project features thousands of pages taken from 20 different handwritten "miscellanies," some of which date back as far as the Wars of the Roses.

(University of Cambridge Scriptorium Project)

Project team leader Richard Beadle said miscellanies of this sort have not always received the treatment or attention that they deserve.
"But as Scriptorium shows, they in fact give us a fascinating view of early modern life and open up a whole new side of the period's literature and culture for people to explore," Beadle said in a statement.

Likened by some to filofaxes or personal organisers, the books were used to record snippets of information that people had read, been told, or overheard, at a time when paper was a scarce and expensive commodity.

[End quote]

Theres a fair bit of description at the linked article, of some of the "files" being posted. There doesn't seem to be a lot of "organization" but lots of trivia of many kinds.

For those interested in "olden times" it would seem like this resource might be worth a look; and it might have just the right stuff to help solve some of those unintelligible lyric puzzles.

John