A Neverthriving of Jugglers

Pat here:

• An army of ants.
• A flock of birds.
• A flock of sheep.
• A herd of deer.
• A hive of bees.
• A litter of puppies.
• A murder of crows.
• A pack of hounds.

Ever wonder who sat around and came up with these? How about a bloat of hippos, a business of mongooses, a tower of giraffes, and  a confusion of wildebeests?  Insane? Or just one woman’s little joke from the 15th century?

Many of these collective nouns have been around longer than the 15th century and can be found in different languages. So Dame Juliana Berners, the 15th century Benedictine prioress who recorded them, was just doing what they did back then—creating an archival encyclopedia in her Book of Hawking, Hunting, and Blasing of Arms, also called The Book of St. Albans (Dame Julianna was the prioress of Sopwell Priory, a cell of St Albans Abbey) But that latter list—the bloat of hippos, etc—isn’t as easily traced. And when she added these other collective beasts: a disguising of tailors, a doctrine of doctors, a neverthriving of jugglers (I like to think of that as a commentary on the entertainment industry even then), diligence of messengers, a melody of harpers, a blast of hunters, a subtlety of sergeants (sergeants obviously had a reputation even 500 years ago!), a gaggle of women, and a superfluity of nuns, she seemed to have tongue firmly in cheek.

Very little is known about Juliana Berners. In fact, she’s an intriguing mystery. The records left by Sopwell Abbey—founded in 1140 and dissolved in 1537—contain a gap from 1435 to 1480, which is when Dame Juliana would have lived there. Did she destroy any record of her presence? Or did her enemies try to rub out the existence of one of the first English female authors?

Her Book of Hawking, Hunting, and Blasing of Arms is essentially a gentleman’s catalogue of wildlife and hunting. For a Benedictine nun to write a comprehensive guide for the anglers, one containing substantial information on fishing destinations, rod and line construction, and selection of natural baits and artificial fly dressings, was a feat of wonder in itself. Even more remarkable are the essays on the virtues of conservation, respecting the rights of streamside landowners, and angler’s etiquette. These were NOT concepts commonly accepted over 500 years ago.

The book itself admits that much of the material came from prior sources, mostly from the French from the time of Edward II, but like Sister Julianna herself, there is little available evidence of any earlier treatises, so we have no idea how much is her own opinion and how much is merely copy work. I’d like to believe she added the virtues of conservation as her contribution to the book.

Sopwell Priory in Hertfordshire, north of London, had a precedent for taking in wealthy widows as nuns or boarders. At the time, the monks may have encouraged some of Berners’ writing. It was fairly common for English monks to fly falcons and hunt after taking their vows, and men of the church were also responsible for much of the era’s hunting literature. Perhaps she read French better than they did, and they gave her the treatises to translate?

Receiving attribution in a published work was an uncommon feat for most authors of the Middle Ages. But because of Berners’ familiarity with the subject matter and the fact that she—a woman— received attribution when even men didn’t, indicates she probably came from a highly respected background, perhaps even nobility. What are the chances that an influential family would have allowed a woman to put her name on a book? There are almost no records of female authors at the time. Is this the reason she’s disappeared from the annals of history—because her family tried to wipe out the existence of such an unfeminine relation?

Anyone have a time travel machine? I’d really love to meet this lady!

How about you? Who would you like to travel back in time to meet?

Comments

[Liz V.]

I would feel much safer bringing someone from the past forward in time. Who wants to meet Elizabeth I on her turf?

I would add "a scurry of squirrels".

[Kareni]

What an enjoyable post to encounter this morning. Thank you. Patricia.

I'll add "a murmuration of starlings" and "a tuxedo of penguins."

[Denise Morris]

I would love to meet Kathryn Swineford, who became John of Gaunt’s duchess. My mom gave me Anya Seton’s book when I was 13 and it sparked a life-long love of reading English history and biographies. My favorite collective noun is “a gaggle of geese” it works so well!

[Mary Jo Putney]

What fun, Pat! And WHAT A WOMAN!

[Jana]

My favourite is a “fluffle of rabbits”, although I’ve heard it’s only used in arctic Canada. It seems very apt to me. I also like “a parliament of owls”. I’d like tea with Louisa May Alcott. She was an interesting woman with very modern ideas!

[Liz V.]

An article yesterday on the blood red pencil blog had me checking. Little Women has in fact been challenged on a number of grounds. I am glad my youth was less challenging.

[Patricia Rice]

well, there is that! I just looked and oddly, squirrels get two collective nouns--dray and scurry!

[Patricia Rice]

LOL, love it!

[Patricia Rice]

She was a fascinating woman, wasn't she? And thank heavens for moms and Anya Seton!

A lot of these nouns are kind of onomatopoeic aren't they?

[Patricia Rice]

exactly. I wish there was a lot more about her!

[Patricia Rice]

Hmm, so I had to look up rabbits because I love that too, but even though rabbits get bunches of descriptors, fluffle, disappointingly, isn't one of them:
Rabbits (General) Colony, Warren, Bury, Trace, Trip
Rabbits (Domestic) Herd
Rabbits (Hares) Down, Husk
Rabbits (Jackrabbit) Husk

[Patricia Rice]

do you have a link to the article? I'm always fascinated in Alcott

[Liz V.]

With "dray", the emphasis is on the nest. The group outside, driving my dog wild, was most definitely a scurry. Individual squirrels make faces through the window.

[Liz V.]

Hope this works: htpp://thenextbookonmylist.blogspot/2014/10/bannedbooks-little-women-by-louisa-may.htlm

[Patricia Rice]

Typepad needs a laugh icon!

[Patricia Rice]

Here's what Google led me to, which just has a slight difference in letters, I think:
http://thenextbookonmylist.blogspot.com/2014/10/banned-books-little-women-by-louisa-may.html

Thank you! One must wonder if it's men banning books about women. It's hard to imagine how Little Women could do anything other than enlighten and entertain.

[Mary M.]

Evidently baby bunnies are not the only prolific thing about rabbits ...

[Teresa Broderick]

And geese are called a skein when they're flying. Great post.

[Patricia Rice]

thank you! It was fun digging around trying to find out more about her.

[Kareni]

Here's a link to an article that mentions a fluffle ~ https://rabbit.org/basic-rabbit-facts/

[Karin]

I always wondered where those strange words for groups of animals came from! And that illustration above is fabulous! Is that Dame Julianna coaching someone on how to land the fish?

[Patricia Rice]

I think its probably some artists version of her. I cant imagine anyone putting all that fishing info into English not being celebrated in some manner!

[Patricia Rice]

Hmm, wild rabbits are a fluffle. Wonder why rabbits get so many names?

[Patricia Franzino]

She was a fascinating woman. I think she would like to meet other educated women in our time. I would never go back.

I would add a dainty of dancers, a rage of bulls, a secretion of death.

[Patricia Rice]

Oooo, you might have Dame Juliana beat!

[Sue McCormick]

I am always fascinated by the collectives. I also find Dame Juliana an interesting woman.

But what really caught my attention was the comment on banned books. I have ALWAYS found the idea of banning books to be utterly stupid. Banning is the action of narrow minds with a strong wish to keep other people ignorant. It is one of the worst examples of the "for your own good" syndrome that I have ever come across.

[Patricia Rice]

I dont think youll find a person reading this blog who doesnt agree with you. Book Banners would probably burn Fahrenheit 451

[Liz V.]

Not burned but banned and expurgated. See Wikipedia. I'd laugh did I not want to cry.