News blog problems

Apologies to anyone who has tried to reach the news blog (tudorhistory.org/blog) today and got a database connection error. I've been trying all the troubleshooting things I can think of on my end and nothing has worked, so I'm guessing it is a problem with the webserver (yet again). If it is still down after I get back from running errands tomorrow, I'll see if I can actually get ahold of my host's tech support!

Update Dec 18 - I think I fixed it! I tried one additional thing that popped in my head while I was trying to fall asleep last night and it seemed to work. I'll do some additional testing later today, but it looks like stuff is running okay for now. Yay! (This is not exactly what I was planning to do with my first few days of winter break....)

Question from Julia - Rolled vs folded letters

Hi,

Here's another correspondence question: does anyone know whether a letter would be more likely to be rolled up like a scroll or folded? I am assuming it would be sealed with wax, to help to preserve its privacy, and I was imagining a roll tied up with ribbon or bands of some kind. But I suddenly wondered if it might have been folded up into some sort of envelope. Does anyone know?

Thanks,

Julia

Question from Julia - Containers for messages during transport

Was there any special vessel or container for carrying a message from the household of one nobleman to another? When a messenger was on horseback, did he carry the letter in a bag / a tube / was it attached to him or in some kind of saddlebag on a horse?

Thank you for any help!