A great series of videos. It is fascinating to hear about and a great presentation. The 16th and 17th century are often neglected time periods. It is fantastic you are keeping this history alive.
Fascinating! It is staggering to think how much money and supplies were needed, and thinking how severe a difference was in wealth & means between the lower classes and the higher tiers
So true. And I think sometimes it is difficult to truly appreciate how expensive "things" could be during this period. To understand the cost of living would certainly help us appreciate the importance for those of the lower classes to attach themselves to and in the service of those in the upper classes for their payment in food, clothing, and shelter and but a small amount of coin. What is also fascinating about the late-16th and early-17th century is just how many broke and poor gentlemen there are, and how financially successful the middling sorts -- the rural yeomanry and urban masters, merchants, and burgesses -- have become; often surpasses the economic abilities of the upper classes. It is also staggering to think that 2 pound sterling for all sorts of nails amounted to 10% of the total cost to supply, equip and ship an individual to Virginia. That the 2 pound cost of those nails was also equal to the cost of 2 sets of armour (17 shilling ea.), or 2 muskets (22 shillings ea.), or 8 swords (5 shillings ea.).
Yes. And ships biscuit were prone to the same spoilage and storage issues as well. One of the many factors that caused the Starving Time of winter 1609/10 was the loss of provisions brought by the resupply fleet that left England about June 1609. The fleet was scattered in a hurricane during their passage to Virginia. Sailors fought to keep their ships afloat, and the ship Sea Venture was wrecked on Bermuda. The result was that as the ships arrived in Virginia, they arrived with spolied and wrecked provisions.
With the nails I'm guessing people understood what would be needed so it didn't need to be specific. Its similar to the romans who had a recipe for concrete that required salt water and it wouldn't work with fresh water. For a long time it frustrated historians until it was realized and when looked at from the roman point its like " of course its from the sea, they aren't wasting valuable fresh water needed in mass volume. They had basically unlimited salt water which they couldn't drink." I'm guessing these guys had an idea of what they needed as they were already using them for the same purposes in England.
It is an Irish rug. Look for our video "Making a 17th Century Bed", part of our JYF Cribs series in which Brian puts together a rope bed and talks about the rug.
We think that is a very fair assessment. The only point we'd add is that these tools mentioned were the most basic tool sets for agricultural labor or basic wood working and lacked so many of the more specialized tools of various skilled laborers.
That really is a tremendous amount of money. For the 17th century. But I think the captain is describing the preferred miinimum and basic supplies and equipment needed for a gentleman adventurer immigrating to the new world. Having lots of nails but no hammers or saws to me implies, somebody else is going to do the work making things with them.
Early in the English experience many of the men coming to Virginia are gentry & sons of gentry with some tradesmen and unskilled labor. The leadership are veteran officers who have seen service in the Low Countries and/or Ireland. There was George Percy who was a younger son of the 8th Earl of Northumberland and therefore the little brother of the 9th Earl Henry Percy. After 1610 hundreds of veteran soldiers begin coming to Virginia from service in the Netherland. Lord de la Warr arrived in Virginia with a large retinue that included 50 of his personal soldiers. Lord de la Warr was the only nobleman that came to Virginia. He was also the great grandson of Mary Boleyn and a cousin to Queen Elizabeth. The men coming to Virginia will be gentry, trades & skilled workers, and unskilled workers. Virginia will even see among that number German, Polish, & Venetian glass makers.
This is a goldmine of a channel!!
A great series of videos. It is fascinating to hear about and a great presentation. The 16th and 17th century are often neglected time periods. It is fantastic you are keeping this history alive.
Many thanks!
Fascinating! It is staggering to think how much money and supplies were needed, and thinking how severe a difference was in wealth & means between the lower classes and the higher tiers
So true. And I think sometimes it is difficult to truly appreciate how expensive "things" could be during this period. To understand the cost of living would certainly help us appreciate the importance for those of the lower classes to attach themselves to and in the service of those in the upper classes for their payment in food, clothing, and shelter and but a small amount of coin.
What is also fascinating about the late-16th and early-17th century is just how many broke and poor gentlemen there are, and how financially successful the middling sorts -- the rural yeomanry and urban masters, merchants, and burgesses -- have become; often surpasses the economic abilities of the upper classes.
It is also staggering to think that 2 pound sterling for all sorts of nails amounted to 10% of the total cost to supply, equip and ship an individual to Virginia. That the 2 pound cost of those nails was also equal to the cost of 2 sets of armour (17 shilling ea.), or 2 muskets (22 shillings ea.), or 8 swords (5 shillings ea.).
How were they expecting to keep the grain from mold or vermin? I know they eventually had tin lined rooms, but...
Most food would rot or get bugs due to poor storage and barrel construction
That’s why had ship biscuits ( dehydrated flour)
Yes. And ships biscuit were prone to the same spoilage and storage issues as well. One of the many factors that caused the Starving Time of winter 1609/10 was the loss of provisions brought by the resupply fleet that left England about June 1609. The fleet was scattered in a hurricane during their passage to Virginia. Sailors fought to keep their ships afloat, and the ship Sea Venture was wrecked on Bermuda. The result was that as the ships arrived in Virginia, they arrived with spolied and wrecked provisions.
With the nails I'm guessing people understood what would be needed so it didn't need to be specific. Its similar to the romans who had a recipe for concrete that required salt water and it wouldn't work with fresh water. For a long time it frustrated historians until it was realized and when looked at from the roman point its like " of course its from the sea, they aren't wasting valuable fresh water needed in mass volume. They had basically unlimited salt water which they couldn't drink." I'm guessing these guys had an idea of what they needed as they were already using them for the same purposes in England.
What kind of blanket is that at 3:16
It is an Irish rug. Look for our video "Making a 17th Century Bed", part of our JYF Cribs series in which Brian puts together a rope bed and talks about the rug.
@@jamesread1607 thank you!!
Lots of assumption that the prospective colonists had all the skills to use all those tools.
We think that is a very fair assessment. The only point we'd add is that these tools mentioned were the most basic tool sets for agricultural labor or basic wood working and lacked so many of the more specialized tools of various skilled laborers.
That really is a tremendous amount of money. For the 17th century. But I think the captain is describing the preferred miinimum and basic supplies and equipment needed for a gentleman adventurer immigrating to the new world. Having lots of nails but no hammers or saws to me implies, somebody else is going to do the work making things with them.
Who were these guys?
Younger lords sons?
Early in the English experience many of the men coming to Virginia are gentry & sons of gentry with some tradesmen and unskilled labor. The leadership are veteran officers who have seen service in the Low Countries and/or Ireland. There was George Percy who was a younger son of the 8th Earl of Northumberland and therefore the little brother of the 9th Earl Henry Percy.
After 1610 hundreds of veteran soldiers begin coming to Virginia from service in the Netherland. Lord de la Warr arrived in Virginia with a large retinue that included 50 of his personal soldiers. Lord de la Warr was the only nobleman that came to Virginia. He was also the great grandson of Mary Boleyn and a cousin to Queen Elizabeth.
The men coming to Virginia will be gentry, trades & skilled workers, and unskilled workers. Virginia will even see among that number German, Polish, & Venetian glass makers.