Mojo, Will, & Me

 

Today’s Totally Random Line(s)

           

                                         So she parted,

And with the same full state paced back again

To York-place, where the feast is held.

 

-Third Gentleman

King Henry the Eighth                Act IV, Scene i, Line 110

Gents One and Two (a couple of anonymous describers of the action) are watching the procession of Anne Boleyn from her coronation. Gent number Three shows up, having been at the coronation and describes it. Today’s line is the last line of his description.

These Gentles Three are all very praising of the new queen and, given the historical context, it is no wonder. Anne Boleyn, even though she was beheaded for supposed adultery, was nonetheless the mother of Queen Elizabeth. And whilst this play was written a few years after the latter’s death, and into the reign of James I, Elizabeth was still well known and well loved by the day’s play-goers. So Will would have been careful with his treatment of Anne, the mother. And in fact, this play ends with a celebration of the birth of Elizabeth, the downfall of Anne Boleyn being left for someone else to deal with. As we know, the story of Anne Boleyn and Henry’s many attempts with many women to father a son have been well documented and discussed in the centuries since; but not by Will.

Speaking of feasts, Patrice likes to take pictures of notable meals, usually ones that we have in a restaurant. This is a Thai dinner that we had in NYC a few weeks ago. Don't ask me what that stuff is, but the meal was gooo--oood. Tep Thai was the name of the place if you're interested.