2. With the ribbon, carefully tie the stems together just below the heads, leaving one end of ribbon much longer than the other, although the shorter end must still be longer than the length of the flower heads.
3. Gently bend back each stem surrounding the flower heads until they are completely enclosed, as if in a cage, keeping the longer end of the ribbon on the outside, and allowing the shorter end to hang down in the ‘cage’. Then spread the stalks so that they are evenly spaced around the flowers.
4. Taking the longer end of the ribbon, weave it under and over each stem in turn, using firm and even movements and pulling the stems fairly tight, until you run out of flowers to cover.
5. Tie a firm knot at the base of the ‘cage’ with both ends of the ribbon, and finish with a bow.
Hung in your wardrobe, this wand will make your clothes smell sweet and deter moths.
Glossary
bruisewort – a plant supposed to heal bruises, such as ox-eyed daisy or comfrey
caudle – hot spiced wine drink made with gruel, egg yolk, oatmeal, etc. sometimes used a medicine
ceruse – a white lead pigment used as makeup
chafing dish – portable brazier to hold burning coals; dishes of food could be reheated on it
coffer – a box or chest for keeping valuables
coster – someone who sells fruit or vegetables from a barrow or stall
coxcomb – a foppish fellow; a conceited dandy
equerry – an officer in the royal household
ewer – a pitcher with a wide spout and handle for pouring
flummeries – cold puddings, sweet and bland, made with oatmeal or flour
frowsy – unkept; of shabby appearance
gee-gaw – decorative trinket; a bauble
goldcups – old name for buttercup or crowfoot plant
Groat – English silver coin worth four old pence, used from the 14th century to the 17th century
harridan – a woman with a reputation for being a scold or a nag
horn book – Early primer showing alphabet, etc. consisting of a wooden board protected by a thin sheet of cattle horn
jumbales – small flat ring-shaped cakes or cookies
kirtle – the skirt part of a woman’s outfit. During this time everything (skirt, bodice, sleeves, ruff) came separately and were pinned together during dressing
litter – a man-powered form of transport, consisting of a chair or couch enclosed by curtains and carried on a frame or poles
lye – a cleansing solution traditionally made from wood ash and ‘bedchamber urine’
lying-in – the period just before and after a woman’s confinement during childbirth
medlars – fruit of deciduous tree similar to an apple, now little grown
neocromancer – sorcerer, black magician. One who tries to conjure up the dead
pipkin – small metal or earthenware vessel
porringer – a shallow dish or cup, usually with a handle, and used for eating soup, stews or porridge
posset – a drink of hot milk curdled with ale or beer, flavoured with spices; a common recipe for treating colds
pribbling – an insulting term
prinked up – to dress oneself finely; to deck out and preen oneself
puttock – an insulting term
Rhenish – a dry white wine
ribband – a ribbon
samite – a heavy silken fabric, often woven with gold or silver threads
sarcenet – fine soft silk fabric used for clothing and ribbons
scabious – field flower with round heads of pale blue flowers, thought effectual for treating coughs
scry – to see or divine, especially by crystal-gazing
simples – medicines made from herbs
tansy – yellow-flowered plant related to dandelion; used for cleaning the skin of discolouration
tinctures – medicinal extract in a solution of alcohol
trencher – wooden or pewter plate for serving or cutting food
trug – long shallow basket for carrying flowers or fruit
vittles – food; also spelled victuals
wool-carder – someone who combs the wool in order to align the fibres before weaving
Bibliography
Elizabeth the Queen, Alison Weir
Pimlico, 1999
The Life and Times of Elizabeth, Neville Williams
Book Club Associates, 1972
Elizabeth the Great, Elizabeth Jenkins
Phoenix Press, 1958
John Dee 1527–1608, Charlotte Fell Smith
Constable and Company, 1909
Barnes and Mortlake Past, Maisie Brown
Historical Publications Limited, 1997
The Gentlewoman’s Companion, Hannah Woolley (1675)
Prospect Books, 2001
Elizabeth’s London, Liza Picard
Phoenix, 2003
Our first glimpse of the frost fair came just as dusk was
falling and the air was soft and misty all around. Viewed
under these conditions any place can take on a kind of
enchantment, but to come around the bend in the river, to
hear music playing and see the fair from a distance, lit at
each side of the river by huge baskets of burning coals, was
truly a glimpse of a kind of faeryland …
Find out what the future holds for Lucy in the
follow-up to
At the House of the Magician …
BY ROYAL COMMAND
Turn the page to find out more …
BY ROYAL COMMAND
The Queen, the Spy and the Fool
in a Tale of Romance and Royal Conspiracy
Lucy has been waiting to be given an assignment which
will assist the queen – and she’s anxious, too, to see
Tomas again. When she takes Beth and Merryl to the
frost fair on the Thames, she speaks to Tomas and gets
the news she’s been waiting for: she has been requested
to go to Court and watch closely one Mistress
Madeleine Pryor, who is suspected of being in league
with Elizabeth’s great rival: Mary, Queen of Scots.
This also means, of course, that Lucy must attend
various glittering occasions, mingle with the maids
of honour and, above all, try to keep her real
identity a secret …
www.maryhooper.co.uk
Books by Mary Hooper
At the Sign of the Sugared Plum
Petals in the Ashes
The Remarkable Life and Times of Eliza Rose
At the House of the Magician
By Royal Command
The Betrayal
Text copyright © 2007 by Mary Hooper
Illustrations by Carol Lawson
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First published in Great Britain in 2007 by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
Published in the United States of America in October 2010
by Bloomsbury Books for Young Readers
Electronic edition published in October 2011
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
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eISBN: 978 1 59990 860 1 (ebook)