Posted by Terry on June 09, 1999 at 08:21:21:
In Reply to: Re: Willem, and JV Web Central posted by Martin Read on June 09, 1999 at 01:09:58:
Records of the Third Crusade (Richard I etc.) speak of the astonishment of the non-English contingents at the volume of alcohol consumed by the English - accompanied by trumpet fanfares and toasts - the wassail tradition was obviously going strong at that time.
A bucker-upper before the battle and one afterward in the field hospital as anasthetic for that nasty sword cut. Plus some afterwards as analgesic against for the healing wound.
Just finished PG Wodehouse's _The Mating Season_ and a fine read it is. PG has been mentioned before for Vance fans as possible addtional accpetable reading material. Well, the British upper class certainly knew how to drink in those days - one supposes 1930's England - and for several and multiple occasions.
Poor Bertie Wooster (he of Jeeves and Wooster) gets sozzled early in the story and 4 resident aunts of a heroine take an extremely dim view of Bertie after that.
The 4 aunts certainly reminded me of some of the ferocious female creatures in Vance, but of course they get their come uppance in the end as all is made well.