In England, all mute swans on the Thames belong either to the Queen or to one of two London livery companies, the Vintners’ Company and the Dyers’ Company. Originally, all swans belonged to the the monarch, but a 15th century charter gave shares to the two livery companies. In the third week of July, when…
Author: Justin Durand
Gov. John Dawson
Third Governor Was Run Out of Utah After 3 Weeks By Will Bagley, Salt Lake Tribune (Dec. 30, 2001) Nobody ever had a worse New Year’s Eve than the Utah Territory’s third governor, John W. Dawson. Dawson, an Indiana lawyer and newspaper editor, had a tough time during the three December weeks he spent in Utah in…
Order of St. Lazarus
The Hospitaller Order of St. Lazarus of Jerusalem was one of the three great military orders of knighthood in the Middle Ages. Legendary History According to legendary sources, the Military and Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus pre-dates the Crusades. Tradition says that Saint Basil the Great, Archbishop of Cæsarea, founded a leper hospital near Cæsarea…
Favorite Quotes
“Busy hands are happy hands.” — Grandma Swanstrom (1901-1979) “It is impossible for anyone to begin to learn that which he thinks he already knows.” — Epictetus (c55-c135), Discourses, ii, 17. “If you would be a good reader, read; if a writer, write.” — Epictetus (c55-c135), Discourses, ii, 18. “Never lick a gift horse in the mouth.” — Brian Reedy,…
Holy Grail
Medieval Romance During the Middle Ages, at the height of knighthood, the Search for the Holy Grail became the literary symbol of the knightly quest. This literature, known collectively as the Grail Romances, were stories about individual knights who devoted their lives to finding the Holy Grail. Foremost among these knights were Parzifal and his…