erastes

10 Things I have learned/discovered whilst researching novels.

1. Prince Rupert invented lithography
2. Men's pants (knickers) were called "strossers" in the 17th Century. Not very attractive.
3. Gay Love-Letters from Lord Hervey to Stephen Fox
4. Rictor Norton! What a boon he is!
5. That in the 19th century, whilst sodomy was a hanging offence, proof of ejaculation had to be given to the court - and this, of course, was difficult to prove, so participants were sentenced to a lesser offence, that of assault with sodomitical intent.
6. The Shakespearian insult scroller
7. Cromwell was a university drop-out and yet still managed to be an MP. Nothing much changes.
8. Matthew Hopkins (perhaps the most notorious name in the history of English witchcraft, more commonly known as "The Witch-Finder General") who in 2 years, was responsible for the condemnations and executions of some 230 alleged witches was a lawyer. I'm not particularly surprised. Nowadays of course he would probably condone such behaviour. (evil grin)
9. There were only 7 prisoners in the Bastille when it was "Stormed." The Maquis de Sade was one of them.
10. I hate research.