Mark Twain’s 1601

I’ve read a lot of Mark Twain, but until recently hadn’t come across the book 1601, or Conversation As It Was at the Social Fireside in the Time of the Tudors. It was written in 1871, published anonymously in 1880, and finally claimed by Mark Twain in 1906.  According to librovox.org, “1601,” wrote Mark Twain, “is a supposititious conversation which takes place in Queen Elizabeth’s closet in that year, between the Queen, Ben Jonson, Beaumont, Sir Walter Raleigh, the Duchess of Bilgewater, and one or two others … If there is a decent word findable in it, it is because I overlooked it.” 1601 depicts a highfalutin and earthy discussion between the Queen and her court about farting and a variety of sexual peccadillos, narrated disapprovingly and sanctimoniously by the Queen’s Cup-Bearer, an eyewitness at “the Social Fireside.”

 (It’s a short book, maybe about 40 pages, and is available free to download in written or audio form.) I’m sure it was absolutely scandalous in the late 1800’s.  No wonder Mark Twain didn’t claim it for so long!  Looking at my Elizabeth, I’m pretty sure she would never be part of such a conversation.

I’m continuing to work here and there and not follow the order of the directions. I finished the blackwork sleeves, worked on the second layer of the wings – putting in the stem stitch on top of the tent stitches, and outlined the veil.

The wing on her left has only the tent stitch.  The one on her right has the stem stitch on top of the tent stitch.