jacobites

[Andre Buys & Nicole Slagter]

Brian McCary wrote: It occured to me that James's Town, on St. Hellena,
is used as a hook into the Jacobites. I believe that somewhere in Ch. 11, 
it is even refered to as "that Jacobite town".  

Yes, that's 108.3.

He continued: As I mentioned in the notes, the Jacobites were supporters of the 
Stuart pretenders to the throne. Is there a connection between these Jacobites 
and the Jacobean playwrites, including Warfinger in CL49? If so, funny that they
should show up in the background of two stories thirty years apart. Is Pynchon
thinking of them or using them as examples of the elect fighting between
themselves,
those who cause the machinations which grind the preterite? 

I don't think there's much of a connection. The playwrights--Jonson, Tourneur, 
Webster etc.--are called Jacobean after James I, who reigned from 1603 to 1625. 
The Jacobites are named for James II (reigned 1685-1689), with the two Charles 
Stuarts coming in between, plus the Civil Wars and Restoration. Anyway, the 
Jacobites seem to me preterite rather than elect.

Sorry to throw cold water on your theory. I had to look all this stuff up; my 
English history isn't what it should be, so I thought I might as well post it. 
Thanks for the good work on the MDMD(4)!

Nicole