there's measure in all things made

This has been a lazy day, catching up from yesterday. But some fabric-cutting got done, and a bit of writing, and in general I feel much better now.

Plus there was the thrill of sorting through yesterday's purchases, and picking out a few to take into work tomorrow to show around. Which is always fun.

Also caught up with yesterday's Doctor Who. Good stuff. (But then I've enjoyed all the episodes so far this season, so who am I to judge?)

Also had something of an insight about Yoruichi in Bleach. I was pondering the idea that fandom so often refers to Urahara as the moving spirit in all that goes on in that geographical corner, with Yoruichi as his cohort/subordinate/ally/assistant, but then it struck me that how else would she want it? She was, after all, the captain of Covert Operations. Their job is not to be up in the limelight as principal and important. Their job is to be behind the scenes and to be the ones who actually know what is going on. Puts a new perspective on how often she seems to be "running errands" for Urahara or working under his direction.

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King Henry VII and the Shipwrights

Harry, our King in England, from London town is gone
And comen to Hamull on the Hoke in the Countie of Suthampton.
For there lay the Mary of the Tower, his ship of war so strong,
And he would discover, certaynely, if his shipwrights did him wrong.

He told not none of his setting forth, nor yet where he would go,
(But only my Lord of Arundel) and meanly did he show,
In an old jerkin and patched hose that no man might him mark.
With his frieze hood and cloak above, he looked like any clerk.

He was at Hamull on the Hoke about the hour of the tide,
And saw the Mary haled into dock, the winter to abide,
With all her tackle and habilaments which are the King his own;
But then ran on his false shipwrights and stripped her to the bone.

They heaved the main-mast overboard, that was of a trusty tree,
And they wrote down it was spent and lost by force of weather at sea.
But they sawen it into planks and strakes as far as it might go,
To maken beds for their own wives and little children also.

There was a knave called Slingawai, he crope beneath the deck,
Crying: " Good felawes, come and see! The ship is nigh a wreck!
For the storm that took our tall main-mast, it blew so fierce and fell,
Alack! it hath taken the kettles and pans, and this brass pott as well!"

With that he set the pott on his head and hied him up the hatch,
While all the shipwrights ran below to find what they might snatch;
All except Bob Brygandyne and he was a yeoman good.
He caught Slingawai round the waist and threw him on to the mud.

"I have taken plank and rope and nail, without the King his leave,
After the custom of Portesmouth, but I will not suffer a thief.
Nay, never lift up thy hand at me – there's no clean hands in the trade.
Steal in measure," quo' Brygandyne. "There's measure in all things made!"

"Gramercy, yeoman!" said our King. "Thy council liketh me."
And he pulled a whistle out of his neck and whistled whistles three.
Then came my Lord of Arundel pricking across the down,
And behind him the Mayor and Burgesses of merry Suthampton town.

They drew the naughty shipwrights up, with the kettles in their hands,
And bound them round the forecastle to wait the King's commands.
But "Sith ye have made your beds," said the King, "ye needs must lie thereon.
For the sake of your wives and little ones – felawes, get you gone!"

When they had beaten Slingawai, out of his own lips
Our King appointed Brygandyne to be Clerk of all his ships.
"Nay, never lift up thy hands to me – there's no clean hands in the trade.
But steal in measure," said Harry our King. "There's measure in all things made!"

-- Kipling