Peering about, blearily.

It's things like this that make my research head all light and happy. 
Newspaper on the day of Charles I's death 30th January 1648

Self-sporkage for today:

"He fropped to his knees."  Who do you think you are? Lewis Carroll?
When a character is peeling an apple AND stroking someone's hair, this means they have three hands, you nitwit.
If you say a town is "bustling and lively" - do not, two paragraphs later, say that there are "few people about."
stop writing things like "he stood UP" and "he sat DOWN".  Just stop.

*despairs of self*


Question:  If I wrote: "He opened a press and took out his greatcoat" would you know what I meant?  Or should I make it easier and just say wardrobe even though that's anachronistic?

(no subject)

Quick Question:

Does anyone have any resources regarding Dutch accents? As in English spoken in a Dutch accent? Bearing in mind this is 17th century England. I don't want to write the dialect, obviously- but I want to incorporate speech patterns to make it clear that he's Dutch, not English.

If all else fails, I'll use Pennsylvanian Deutsch, which won't be very accurate, but I'd rather use Dutch if I can.

Anyone? ejab62?