[Artemisia] Respect and Court - Longish

[Mary Hodges]

LadyPDC at aol.com wrote:

> One court "tradition" I would personally like to see eliminated has cropped 
> up in recent years in all manners of courts.  It is totally unrealistic to any 
> period we recreate and often downright rude.
> 
> I am referring to the habit of some "audience" members of speaking up from 
> the audience.  Sometimes it is done directly and is a comment made on something 
> happening in court ("hey Baron, nice Nubian slave girl ya got there, where can 
> I find me one" or "Smalls are underwear!!!").  Sometimes it is done in a 
> stage whisper which is meant for all to hear ("Bout time for someone to find a 
> hook and pull that poet off the stage isn't it?").
> 
> Most often, the speaker either thinks he/she is being funny or is too 
> inebriated to care.  Other times I have seen such activity from higher level sorts 
> who seem to believe that they should make corrections because they know better 
> than the rest of us.  The reasoning doesn't matter.  What matters is that the 
> behavior is rude and in direct conflict with what we are supposed to be 
> recreating.  Any populace member behaving in such a way at a period court would 
> swiftly find him or herself removed.  

I often wonder where the baron's/baroness', king's/queen's guards are 
when this happens.  They wouldn't have to hustle too many people out of 
court for the rest of us to get the idea that it's a bad idea to be rude 
to his/her majesty or excellency.  It would be great theatre!  It would 
be period!  I long for the day when a ruler's champion roars "What did 
you say?  Guards, remove this baseborn villain!"  We could make it into 
a fundraiser.  If you or your friend gets hauled out of court, you must 
either ransom yourself or get your friends to ransom you.   :)

Well said, Constance.

Jehane