25 Nivôse CCXII (January 14, 2004)
Willy, Willy, Harry, Steve
I get bored while running my thesis experiments. In fact, there's another random entry that may or may not get posted detailing the types of things I do to keep myself amused for two hours at a time. But this entry is about something I discovered while fiddling with my spare change during one experiment.
To put it simply, did you realise that the 2003 coins have a new portrait of the queen on them? I know this is now old news, being 2004 and all, but I didn't know that, and, to put it simply, I don't like the new portrait. Now, I'd never consider myself a monarchist (although I will admit to having a minor fascination with British history, which means the history of the royal family), but, when it came to portraits on currency, I didn't mind the one they introduced in 1992. Besides, it would have made more sense to me to replace the portrait in 2002, the year of her golden jubilee, than it did to replace it last year.
Since I have no say on what ends up on our money, so I really shouldn't complain. However, I do have one final thought: is it just me, or do the portraits seem to be getting sterner over the years? Compare the two linked above to the original portrait and the one used throughout the 70s and 80s.
Today's title is worth 1 point if you can tell me its significance, 1 point if you can complete it, and 2 points if you can point out who's missing from it.
It's the first bit of a rhyme designed to help one remember the rulers of England (My grandmother taught me this a long time ago, and I could remember the first four lines; Google helped me get the rest.) Here we go:
Willy, Willy, Harry, Steve
Henry, Dick, John, Henry three
Then three Edwards, Richard two
Henry Four, Five, Six - then who?
Edward four, five, Dick the Bad
Two more Henrys, Ned the Lad,
Bloody Mary - she came next
Then we have Good Queen Bess
From Scotland, we get James the Vain
Charlie one, two, James again
William and Mary, Anna, Gloria
Four Georges, William, Queen Victoria
Edward, George, the same again,
Now Elizabeth - and the end.
I enjoy the final line of the poem: "and the end".
It implies that the Royal Family is coming to an end, which is what I would like to see.
Actually, it's "Anne Gloria", not "Anna, Gloria".
But still, two points for MEAT. There still remain points to be grabbed if someone can tell me who's missing.
Posted by g026r at 27 Nivôse CCXII 09:49 (2004/01/16)
I suppose I should post the answer to who's missing, shouldn't I?
The answer to that one is the Lady Jane Grey, aka the 9 Days Queen, who reigned from July 10, 1553 until July 19th of the same year. (Alternatively, the thirteen days queen, as there is some argument over whether to start her reign on the 10th or the 6th.)
She was the great-granddaughter of Henry VII and cousin to Bloody Mary (who, incidentally, is responsible for fewer deaths than Good Queen Bess), she was placed on the throne as she was Protestant and Mary was Catholic, but popular opinion (mainly sympathy for Mary's mother) was with Mary who quickly claimed the throne and had Jane Grey executed the following year.
Posted by g026r at 3 Pluviôse CCXII 23:08 (2004/01/22)
i know a different vertion that my granny taught me.
willy, willy, harry, steve,
harry, dick, john, harry 3,
123 neds, richard 2
henry 456,- then who?
edward 45, dick the bad,
harry's twane, ned the lad.
mary, bessy
james the vain,
charlie,charlie,jaimes again,
william, mary, anne 'o' gloria
4 georges, william and Victoria
edward 7, george 5,
edward george and liz alive
Here's what I added when teaching this to my kids:
But this old poem won't be stopping,
Charlie then Harry are in the offing.
While i like Adbar's additional lines, he/she may care to remember that harry has an older brother...primogeniture still governs he succession.
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