Welcome to the series of Posts from Your Archives, where bloggers put their trust in me. In this series, I dive into a blogger’s archives and select four posts to share here to my audience.
If you would like to know how it works here is the original post: https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/04/28/smorgasbord-posts-from-your-archives-newseries-pot-luck-and-do-you-trust-me/
This is the final post from the archives of a regular contributor to the series and wonderful supporter of us all, apart from challenging us each week with photo and Haiku prompts Sue Vincent wanders the land..in search of the ancient and modern to share with us. Sue always welcomes guest writers with open arms and here is one from 2018 from another popular blogger and author, Robbie Cheadle.
Sue Vincent hosts Robbie Cheadle 2018 – Living Lore: A nursery rhyme with an interesting history
Are you familiar with this nursery rhyme?
Now he sings of Jackey Horner
Sitting in the Chimney-Corner
Eating of a Christmas pye,
Putting in his thumb, Oh fie!
Putting in, Oh fie, his Thumb,
Pulling out, Oh strange! A Plum.
Perhaps you know a more modern version that goes like this:
Little Jack Horner
Sat in the corner,
Eating his (a) Christmas pie;
He put in his thumb,
And pulled out a plum,
And said, “What a good boy am I!
I was fascinated to discover recently that the original version of this nursery rhyme is thought to be about a man named Thomas Horner. Thomas was the steward to Richard Whiting, the last Abbot of Glastonbury. Legend has it that prior to the destruction of the Abbey in September 1539, Richard Whiting sent Thomas Horner to London with an enormous Christmas pie. The pie, a gift for the King, contained the deeds to a number of manor houses and were a last ditch attempt by the Abbot to prevent the nationalisation of Glastonbury by the Crown. Horner is said to have opened the pie and extracted the deed to the manor of Mells in Summerset which he kept for himself. Horner’s descendants have refuted this myth and there are records to support their claim that Horner bought and paid for the manor.
Richard Whiting was arrested on the orders of Thomas Cromwell on 19 September 1539. The Abbey was stripped of its valuables and Richard Whiting was hanged, drawn and quartered as a traitor on 15 November 1939.
The Abbey is now a ruin but it is still visited by 100 000 pilgrims a year. The Abbot’s Kitchen which served the Abbey survived the destruction and is considered to be one of the best preserved medieval kitchen in Europe.
About Robbie Cheadle
Robbie, short for Roberta, is an author with five published children’s picture books in the Sir Chocolate books series for children aged 2 to 9 years old (co-authored with her son, Michael Cheadle), one published middle grade book in the Silly Willy series and one published preteen/young adult fictionalised biography about her mother’s life as a young girl growing up in an English town in Suffolk during World War II called While the Bombs Fell (co-authored with her mother, Elsie Hancy Eaton). All of Robbie’s children’s book are written under Robbie Cheadle and are published by TSL Publications. Robbie has recently branched into adult horror and supernatural writing and, in order to clearly differential her children’s books from her adult writing, these will be published under Roberta Eaton Cheadle. Robbie has two short stories in the horror/supernatural genre included in Dark Visions, a collection of 34 short stories by 27 different authors and edited by award winning author, Dan Alatorre. These short stories are published under Robbie Cheadle.
I have been drawn to the horror and supernatural genres of books all my life. At the age of ten years old I embarked on reading Stephen King’s books including The Shining and Salem’s Lot. These books scared me so much I had to put them aside by 6P.M. in the evening in order to get a good night’s sleep but they also fascinated me. I subsequently worked my way through all of Stephen King’s earlier books as well as those of Dean R. Koontz.
I have read a large number of classics, in particular, I enjoy Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, Charles Dickens and the works of the Bronte sisters.
I am hugely interested in the history of the United Kingdom as well as the mythology and tales of the paranormal that are abundant on this intriguing European island.
ael with filming and editing their YouTube videos and editing their books.
A selection of books by Robbie Cheadle
Find and follow Robbie
Robbie’s Inspiration Blog Goodreads Facebook YouTube
Amazon author page Twitter: @bakeandwrite
© Sue Vincent 2018
About Sue Vincent
Sue Vincent is a Yorkshire born writer, esoteric teacher and Director of The Silent Eye. She has been immersed in the Mysteries all her life. Sue maintains a popular blog and is co-author of The Mystical Hexagram with Dr G.M.Vasey. Sue lives in Buckinghamshire, having been stranded there some years ago due to an accident with a blindfold, a pin and a map. She has a lasting love-affair with the landscape of Albion, the hidden country of the heart. She is currently owned by a small dog who also writes at http://scvincent.com/
The Silent Eye School of Consciousness is a modern Mystery School that seeks to allow its students to find the inherent magic in living and being. With students around the world the School offers a fully supervised and practical correspondence course that explores the self through guided inner journeys and daily exercises. It also offers workshops that combine sacred drama, lectures and informal gatherings to bring the teachings to life in a vivid and exciting format. The Silent Eye operates on a not-for-profit basis. Full details of the School may be found on the official website, http://www.thesilenteye.co.uk.
A selection of books by Sue Vincent and Stuart France
One of the recent reviews for Sword of Destiny
An amputation of the soul
So dark, so final, yet I understand it.
I love the way you became a priest
Absolving Merlin of the sins written about him
None of which I believed
Arthurs birth is better told without the sting of rape
Robed in rainbows, like moonlight on water, FAB
I didn’t so much read this book as eat my way through it…
Read the reviews and buy the books from the following links: – UK – USA – France – Germany
And you can find more reviews and follow Sue on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/6551588.Sue_Vincent
Connect to Sue
Blog: http://scvincent.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/scvincent
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/S-C-Vincent/17967259931?ref=hl
Silent Eye Website: http://thesilenteye.co.uk/
Website (books) : http://www.franceandvincent.com/
Silent Eye Authors FB: https://www.facebook.com/silenteyeauthors?ref=hl
My thanks to Sue for permitting me to browse her archives and share some with you…Sally.
What fun to see this post pop up, Sally. This research inspired the monk in Through the Nethergate and I had quite forgotten about it.
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Glad to have shared the gem Robbie..hugsxx
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Reblogged this on Robbie's inspiration and commented:
What a treat to see this post of mine, featured on the amazing Sue Vincent’s fabulous blog, about the origins of the poem, Little Jack Horner. This poem inspired the character of the monk who features in my forthcoming novel Through the Nethergate. Thank you so much Sally for this unexpected share.
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My pleasure Robbie.. delighted to showcase two favourite people…hugsxx
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It’s interesting to read about the origins of our favorite childhood poems. Thanks, Robbie 🙂
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Thanks Jacquie.. xxx
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My pleasure, Jacquie. The origin of this poem was a surprise for me.
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That is so fascinating. I think I’d be much more enamored of nursery rhymes if I knew the histories behind them. Thanks for sharing, Sally.
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Glad you found interesting Diana.. some were based on dreadful events such as the plague and children just sang by rote… Robbie did a great job.. xx
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Thank you, Diana. I find the history behind poems interesting too and I have a book about it. I used to read nursery rhymes to my boys when they were babies.
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Fascinating, Robbie! Wonderful history lesson about “Little Jack Horner.” 🙂 Thanks for sharing, Sally.
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Thank you Bette..hugsx
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I am glad you found this interesting, Bette. So much English history is steeped in books, nursery rhymes, poems and plays.
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It sure is, Robbie! 🙂 Have a great week and a beautiful summer.
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A terrific series – great posts to share with others…bravo!
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Thanks John..keeping things moving.. some gems deserve to be showcased.. hugs
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Thanks John. Do you know this nursery rhyme? They seem to be quite country specific in some cases.
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Yes I was familiar with it, but from a while back so not sure if it is still known today…seems that lots of cultural things have fallen by the wayside in today’s “device” world…
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It is up to us to pass them on.
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Two good books. I’ve read quite a few of Robbie so can say that from personal experience.
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Thanks Jacqui.. always good to have recommendations..hugs
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Thank you, Jacqui. It is nice of you to say that here.
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A great post. I have a book about the history of nursery rhymes. Fascinating!
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Thanks Darlene.. I bet the book is fascinating…hugsxx
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That is nice to know, Darlene. I have a book like that too.
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Thank you for the history of the poem, Robbie. Yes, I learned and taught the modern version of Little Jack Horner, didn’t even think of the story behind it.
Thank you, Sally for sharing this from Robbie’s archives.
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Glad you enjoyed Miriam and Sue is great place to guest write for.. hugsxx
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I did and I agree with you, Sally! ❤
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I came across this particular history quite by accident, Miriam. This was not a poem I expected to have a link to the reformation.
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I know, now come to think of it, I wonder if other nursery rhymes have historical backgrounds to them.
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They ALL have a history. Ring around the rosy is about the Black Plague, for example. See if you can find a used edition of the Annotated Mother Goose. It’s also available new, but it’s a lot less expensive used!
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Thank you, Marilyn. I would love to have a copy of the Annotated Mother Goose! I read the history of many hymns, they give so much insight into what we sing.
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They have it on Amazon. But be careful which edition you are getting. There were a LOT of editions, so you want a “complete” one and not an abridged one. With or without shipping a used hardcover is going to around $8 to $10. It can be pretty confusing, especially since Amazon has a way of tossing many different books with the same or similar names into on big pile and you wind up trying to work your way through it.
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Thank you so much, Marilyn. I surely want to get a compete one. I like information so I’ll make sure to get what I want, not just one more book.
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Thank you, Marilyn. You are right, they do all have a history.
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What a fun post from Robbie on the origins of this nursery rhyme! 🙂 ❤
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Thanks Debby. ♥
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Glad you enjoyed this, Debby.
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🙂
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Reblogged this on Sue Vincent's Daily Echo.
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Thank you so much for sharing Robbie ‘ guest post. ..I really enjoyed this one xx
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Me too.. thanks Sue have a lovely weekend.. xxx
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Thanks, Sally xx
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Thanks for hosting me, Sue, and for sharing this post, Sally.
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Delighted Robbie..hugsx
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Always glad to have you over, Robbie.
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A lovely post about two lovely, lovely ladies 💜💜
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Thank you Willow..hugsxxx♥
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💜💜
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Thank you, Willow.
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It’s a pleasure because it’s true 💜
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Wonderful! Never before thought there could be so much history behind a nursery rhyme. Fantastic research by Robbie. I am less wondering about a best preserved medieval kitchen inside a Abbey. 😉 In the medieval age for the priests eating was more convenient than praying. Some say the same for today. Lol Michael
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Thanks Michael.. yes that vow of poverty did not apply to everyone then, nor today it would seem.. hugs
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You are right, Michael. I was brought up a Catholic and some of the information that has come out about the clergy lately makes my eyes pop. Thanks for reading and have a lovely new week.
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Oh yes Robbie! Sad to say, but the RCC is nevermore a church, better named as an NGO, with to great addiction to money. ;-( Have a nice week too. Michael
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Really interesting, Robbie!
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Thanks Jennie..hugsx
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You’re welcome, Sally. 🙂
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I’m glad you enjoyed this, Jennie.
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😀
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I used to have a booked called “The Annotated Mother Goose” which gave the history of many of these little poems we read to children. Almost all of them were originally political, put out as a little poem to the author would have his or her head chopped off! “Mary Mary Quite Contrary” is all about Mary Queen of Scots. All of these poems have really interesting histories and are lots of fun to rea about!
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Thanks for the recommendation Marilyn.. I know some of the games we played as children also had their origins in persecution or disease. Flash forward a few hundred years and children think of them as only games…
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I also have a book of nursery rhymes with some of the history of the rhymes included but it isn’t this book. I will have a look for it as this is something that interests me a great deal. Thanks for letting me know about this book, Marilyn.
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My mother requested (and received) The Annotated Mother Goose for her birthday when I was in high school. A fascinating read.
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What an interesting post to share, Sally. I wasn’t aware of the history of that rhyme.
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Thanks Norah.. most have an interesting back story and I hope Robbie will do more.. hugsx
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I agree, Sally. 🙂
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Thank you, Norah. I found the history of this particular nursery rhyme quite by accident when I was researching Glastonbury Abbey.
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Thank you for sharing it. 🙂
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I really enjoyed Robbie’s post! Of course, as I’m reading the history, I’m thinking about how the ink on the deeds could have survived being baked into a pie?
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must never let the facts get in the way of a good story!! thanks Liz
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I used to do the same thing to my dad when I was little. (Wait a minute. Why would the Tooth Fairy want to buy discarded teeth? What does she do with them?)
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Probably sells them for implants into old people.. I wish I had saved mine now rather than sell them for sixpence…lol. x
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Nope, she put them in the sky as stars!
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aahh much better response…x
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