A Medieval Story for Valentine's Day, Bonne & CharlesWritten by Barbara Nell
A Medieval STORY FOR VALENTINE’S DAY© Bonne and Charles The general word on Internet is first Valentine card was sent in 1415. It’s not accurate and it’s not true. The particular Valentine was written in mid-February of 1416; it was on vellum, not card stock; it’s not first Valentine card; and no one knows if it was sent. Charles, Duke of Orleans, who was in London, England, wrote Valentine that all of Internet declares, and that fact is true. He had a wife, Bonne, who was in Paris, France or somewhere in France. If it was sent to her, it traveled a far distance on foot and on horseback and on ship. Pagan Valentine’s Day had been celebrated in Western Europe for centuries, and romantic, oftimes coded erotic, messages, had been exchanged for about 100 years by then between educated men and women who ran in same crowd and lived in close proximity. So much for general information on Internet...More specific information was found on special websites dealing with Medieval times. Here’s what I found: It is possible that Charles was lonesome for Bonne, while he was in London. He had just been captured (on October 25, 1415 specifically) by English on French soil and was being held prisoner in London or in London countryside. Charles was one of lucky ones. Just about every other French aristocrat was killed in Battle of Agincourt during 100 Year War between English and French for land in France dowered to Eleanor of Aquitaine (former Queen of France) when she married Henry II, English King. Charles and Bonne hadn’t been married long, about 5 years by 1415. He had been soldiering a lot during those five years, so they didn't see much of each other. A 100 Year War preoccupies a lot of generations of men folk. There are three curious things, though, about these two you should know: (1) It was an arranged marriage whose purpose was to avoid further bloodshed between their families; (2) Bonne was 11 when she was engaged to Charles, who was 16; and (3) his father-in-law, Bonne’s father, had assassinated Charles’ father, Louis. Maybe they loved each other; maybe not. I don’t even know if they ever lived together as man and wife, for she was only 11 when they married, 16 at time he wrote verse. In any event, Charles penned a poem on Valentine’s Day in 1416 and it has been retained for almost 600 years. You may not know that a Duke is a Prince, and noble, highborn prisoners were prized when captured in battle. They were ‘cash cows,’ held for ransom by opposition, until their families could raise and pay money for their release. At that time, although most men folk fought for French King, France wasn’t exactly a country, then, and King didn’t assume any responsibility for ransoming his patriotic nobles or aristocrats. (No one cared much for non-nobles or non-aristocrats, except their families. But, they were never captured and held for ransom. More often than not, they were killed. They're enormous body counts in battles of old, serfs and servants.) This ransom was up to noble or aristocratic prisoner’s family, if they wanted their relative back home. (And they did want their men folk back.) His ransom in today’s money could be as much as $500,000 ($US). The actual amount in Medieval English crowns was 150,000 crowns. This sounds like an enormous sum. What with French loosing war, their King’s reoccurring madness, Joan of Arc’s triumph, then ignominy, a subsequent economic depression, Black Plague, and Charles’ family having to pay his upkeep all those years, (plus lots of other things) it took his family 25 years to get money and treaty agreement together to turn him over. Bonne died while Charles was held prisoner in England, and they had no children. (She falls from written record because she did not produce progeny, and no one knows exactly when she died or where she was when she died. Actually, no one is exactly sure where she was living and with whom while she was married to her incarcerated husband, Charles. It's probable she was transferred to Charles' family estate at time of betrothal and raised by Charles' family until wedding, remaining there until she died. There’s one more tidbit about poor Bonne, and that is this: Bonne may not have been her name. It’s really an adjective in Old French, and merely means “good girl.”) A manuscript of poem is in British Library. I don’t know if it’s original. It’s named by scribe, Harley, in archive, and scribes’ copies were often rewritten and rewritten and passed around for years and years amongst wealthy families. If it is original, it was not unusual for scribes to assist in Valentines, for they made a living writing fancy script and making pretty pictures. (Apparently, Charles’ family sent him enough money to pay scribe, so he didn’t live too badly while he was held prisoner.) How manuscript got to British Library after 600 years was by bequest, but I was unable to check out provenance. The BL was willing to describe manuscript: There’s a Cupid image and a 3-part verse. The verse is in Old French, not English. There is no version of poem on Internet.
| | Traditional Anniversary Gem Stone ListWritten by Marguerite Bonneville
The following gem stones are associated with specific anniversaries, both wedding and other less formal arrangements. This is one of several anniversary gift lists in existence, but most of them differ in just a few minor details.The gem stone gift lists originated with European jewelers' guilds, and this version dates from around 1912. Many people ignore anniversary gift lists and buy whatever they prefer for a loved one, but others enjoy fun of following traditions like these. Some of gems appear on more than one occasion, although gaps are usually fairly large. The list is a good starting point for stimulating some excellent gift ideas.
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