[Artemisia] arts and sciences

[LadyPDC at aol.com]

In a message dated 2/20/2008 11:27:40 P.M. Mountain Standard Time,  
reuben_arwen at yahoo.com writes:

Is there  a difference between what we think about these issues today and 
what our  personas would have thought?  What makes you think so?

I can hear the crickets already...   Esther

Well, I am too tired to answer more than one of your excellent questions in  
one evening so I will just toss out an answer to the last one.
 
Much of what my persona would have thought about what she/I do as either an  
art or a science would have simply been viewed by her as a necessity of both  
life in the manor and a responsibility of her position.  Would she have  been 
as careful to be exact in the creation of cordials, comfits, teas,  etc.  The 
answer would have been yes and perhaps (if this is possible and  some will say 
that I go so overboard that it is not possible) she would  have been even 
more careful.  Why?  When I create something for either  re-creation itself or 
for a competition, my perfectionism is a matter of pride  in my work.  When 
Constance creates something in period, she would have  known that how she prepared 
it, stored it, etc might well make a difference in  whether she, her family, 
and her retainers survive the next illness or  injury.  When I prepare food 
from a recipe either for immediate consumption  or for storage and later 
consumption, I am doing it simply and mostly for the  fun of it with some scholarly 
adventure thrown in.  Debbie or even the  modern day Constance can get new 
flour, sugar, salt, meat, etc if she makes a  mistake and ruins a meal or even a 
portion of this year's garden harvest.   Constance in period would not have 
that luxury.  Again, she would know that  what she preserved must suffice for all 
in the manor and often serve to aid  those in the lands about who were either 
not so frugal or did not have the  resources.  She would also know that she 
would need to have some extra laid  by for any surprise visit of the overlord 
or even higher royalty.  Or she  might be called upon to provide sustenance for 
a military foray in the  area.  Such summons would not take into account 
whether later local  shortfalls would result.  As lady of the manor and of the 
area, Constance  would know that she must plan for such things.  Likewise, if 
visitors  arrived at any time, much of the area and household reputation would 
hinge on  the quality of everything from the meals to the cleanliness of the 
holding to  the linens and clothing worn by all from the lady to the lowest 
servant.   Constance would have to know all of these areas in order to instruct and 
oversee  the quality of the running of the household. Not only her 
reputation, a really  rather minor thing, but the reputation of her lord and of the hol
ding would rest  much on this and reports of a poorly run holding could result 
in the removal of  the ruling family from said holdings.  
 
In persona, Constance is not only lady of the manor but also of a family  
whose wealth also derives from merchant trains.  Because of this dual  status, 
she and her household would be viewed with some suspicion from both  classes and 
any slight failing would be blown out of proportion.  
 
So, Debbie enjoys achieving as much accuracy as possible in the modern  
times.  For Constance, such knowledge and accuracy would be an absolute  necessity 
of her life.  I think that she would also enjoy achieving a well  run holding, 
but I doubt that she would view it as even a science much less an  art.
 
 

 
Debbie

Mistress Constance de la Rose, OL
Barony of Loch  Salann
Kingdom of  Artemisia




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