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book. Welcome to this very special episode of Gone Medieval, where our two previously

orbiting spheres of Gone Medieval collide. This is our Doctor Who crossover episode,

because the fantastic Doctor Cat Jarman is here with me on Saturday. Thank you very much for

joining us today Cat. Fantastic to be able to do this together. I think it was really needed

for this particular one today, wasn't it? Yeah, battle of some stories of the Medieval period,

so I guess we can build this as partly a public service broadcast if you're listening on Saturday

12th February 2022 or even on Sunday the 13th. It's Valentine's Day tomorrow. You're warned.

Even if you're listening early enough on Monday, it might help not to forget.

In case you didn't know, the very first ever recorded Valentine's Day letter that survives was

written in England in 1477. It's preserved amongst the past and letters, which is a treasure trove

of documents retained by the past and family in Norfolk in the 15th century. In February 1477,

Marjorie Bruse wrote to John Pastin excitedly about the marriage that they were planning to

each other, and called John my right well beloved Valentine. Marjorie's mother wrote to John a

few days before the 14th to invite him to come and stay for the weekend to discuss the wedding

with Marjorie's father, and she asked him if he'd like to arrive on the Thursday because

up on the Friday is St Valentine's Day. Marjorie then wrote to John to explain that her mother had

been working on her father to try and get her dowry increased, signing that letter at Topcroft

...