Dear all,

Came across this gem while doing some unrelated research:

"1638

July 4	   119. Report of Attorney General Sir John Bankes and R.  
Wanderford, Attorney of the Court of Wards, to the Privy Council.   
The custody of any idiot in Virginia belongs to the King, and is in  
his disposal, according to the laws of England."

Calendar of State Papers, Colonial Series, 1574-1660, Public Record  
Office, ed. Sainsbury, Longman, Green, etc., London (1860), p.280

Not sure how many of our relatives were directly endangered by this,  
but I can guess at a few that should have been a little concerned.   
As for the King's apparent desire for the idiots of Virginia -- I'm  
fairly certain it had to do with those cases where the deranged had a  
little property that might be better off in royal hands.

Jack Fallin
Walnut Creek, CA


On May 24, 2008, at 9:00 PM, VA-ROOTS automatic digest system wrote:

> There is 1 message totalling 32 lines in this issue.
>
> Topics of the day:
>
>   1. Demimonde / Demi Monde
>
> To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the  
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> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Date:    Sat, 24 May 2008 00:15:42 -0400
> From:    Westview <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Re: Demimonde / Demi Monde
>
> As demi-mondaine was used in England in the late 18th-19th  
> centuries it =
> referred to a woman who lived in the shadow world -- not  
> acknowledged by =
> good society, but above a common trull or streetwalker.  All =
> demi-mondaines were prostitutes but not all prostitutes were =
> demi-mondaines.  A demi-mondaine might become a long term mistress,  
> but =
> the term usually referred to one who was more independent in the =
> distribution of her favors.  Many demi-mondaines maintained their  
> own =
> salons and their society was actively sought by men of the better  
> class =
> (no lady would ever acknowledge the existence of such creatures.)  =
> Harriette Wilson was the quintessential English demi-mondaine.     =20
>
> The term was never in general usage in the USA with the exception  
> of in, =
> perhaps, New Orleans.  I'm amazed that a census taker in Campbell  
> County =
> in 1900 was erudite enough to use the term.=20
>
> FYI, my French dictionary defines demi-mondaine as a "femme de  
> moeurs =
> l=E9g=E8res" -- a woman of light morals. =20
>
> Kathy
>
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> ------------------------------
>
> End of VA-ROOTS Digest - 23 May 2008 to 24 May 2008 (#2008-103)
> ***************************************************************


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