Good day, Mr. Townsends sent me. I have never subscribed to a channel so fast in my life! I am currently binge watching all of your videos on this fascinating subject.
Very interesting...I had never heard of this before, but it makes a deal of sense. I find the method of piercing the holes somewhat messy & inefficient surely it would have been easier to use a sharp knife struck sharply with a hammer or other weight on a block of wood or even a table/desk beforehand for speed & neatness rather than as the lock assembly progressed. I should imagine that the folds would have also been 'scored' before folding too. I cannot imagine they took so long to seal a letter... they would have got the thing down to a fairly high degree of efficiency. Even the Elizabethans had 'neat nerds'.
The paper method is far more tedious but definitely more beautiful. The flower patterns the paper makes as it goes back and forth is just so intricate.
My vote goes to the paper lock - look at how much effort goes into breaking it open and how much damage that caused. By contrast, as any leather worker will vouch, one nick on a saddle stitched seam and you can unravel and restitch through the original holes. Save the seal intact and pierce through with the new threads attached to a hot needle?
As a reenactor, my bet would be the second way with a fine ribbon. Elizabeth would have been able to identify it quickly, at a glance, including what it might concern. It would have been Faster to produce by the writer, and it would have been difficult to break into without it being noticable. But that is an opinion.
Could it be possible to do the first way with a fine ribbon? I personally think that would be the way if it could be done. Since this is a letter to Her Majesty.
One might use ribbon for both methods. Elizabeth I was an aesthetically minded lady who would appreciate a prettily wrapped letter. Obviously his letters weren't pretty enough, as Essex eventually lost his head....
I personally appreciate the silence. Although a history lesson on both the sender and recipient would be enjoyable too. Such as their relationship? how was this particular method found? Was it well documented or was a preserved specimen discovered?
Not stupid. Security. Harder to read without detection. Why would you want to use a simple fold for correspondence? It wasn't done because they had nothing better to do.
He really didn't want anybody getting into this letter before it got to her, wow!
Good day, Mr. Townsends sent me. I have never subscribed to a channel so fast in my life! I am currently binge watching all of your videos on this fascinating subject.
Very interesting...I had never heard of this before, but it makes a deal of sense. I find the method of piercing the holes somewhat messy & inefficient surely it would have been easier to use a sharp knife struck sharply with a hammer or other weight on a block of wood or even a table/desk beforehand for speed & neatness rather than as the lock assembly progressed. I should imagine that the folds would have also been 'scored' before folding too. I cannot imagine they took so long to seal a letter... they would have got the thing down to a fairly high degree of efficiency. Even the Elizabethans had 'neat nerds'.
Just found your videos. Fascinating and wonderful. Can't wait to try some of these. Thanks.
The paper method is far more tedious but definitely more beautiful. The flower patterns the paper makes as it goes back and forth is just so intricate.
Pure ASMR 😴💤
Great work, answering questions I never even asked myself. BTW, love your micro scissors clippers thingy. Wish I coulld find some...
My vote goes to the paper lock - look at how much effort goes into breaking it open and how much damage that caused.
By contrast, as any leather worker will vouch, one nick on a saddle stitched seam and you can unravel and restitch through the original holes. Save the seal intact and pierce through with the new threads attached to a hot needle?
As a reenactor, my bet would be the second way with a fine ribbon. Elizabeth would have been able to identify it quickly, at a glance, including what it might concern. It would have been Faster to produce by the writer, and it would have been difficult to break into without it being noticable. But that is an opinion.
Could it be possible to do the first way with a fine ribbon? I personally think that would be the way if it could be done. Since this is a letter to Her Majesty.
One might use ribbon for both methods. Elizabeth I was an aesthetically minded lady who would appreciate a prettily wrapped letter. Obviously his letters weren't pretty enough, as Essex eventually lost his head....
"I don't want to be here with all these stiff, boring politicians and ambassadors. I want to go home and do something fun with my letters...."
Where did you get that wonderful flat-bladed awl?
Awesome!
I wonder if it ever got hacked by the Russians
Some narration would be nice. The dead silence is kinda weird
I find it kind of soothing
I personally appreciate the silence. Although a history lesson on both the sender and recipient would be enjoyable too. Such as their relationship? how was this particular method found? Was it well documented or was a preserved specimen discovered?
In hindsight, going through all of this just to package a letter is stupid....I do like these video's though.
Not stupid. Security. Harder to read without detection. Why would you want to use a simple fold for correspondence? It wasn't done because they had nothing better to do.