[Artemisia] Court (Long, again, aaugh!)

[Kay Moore]

Well, hmmmmm - allow me to put in a nickel's worth now.

>Kay Moore wrote:
><snip of earlier paragraphs>
>>Yup - long courts suck - for many reasons.   If those reasons are not 
>>addressed, people begin to have negative feelings about Court, and, as we 
>>have begun to see, don't attend.  ....


>Sitting in state might help this.  I know there are royal peers on this 
>list, are any willing to discuss sitting in state?

Well, since you asked...  Sitting in State - exactly how and when would that 
work in your opinion?  The Crown would have to arrange and re-arrange Their 
schedules to include this 'new' activity - and whomsoever (Populace-wise) 
wanted to attend THAT may - or may not - depending on when THAT was 
scheduled, etc. etc.   Having sat a Throne 3 times, I can say with some 
experience that ONE Court is quite enough, thankyouverymuch.   I would wake 
up the next morning to find my Herald's dagger (and probably a few 
Ladies-in-Waiting's daggers as well!) imbedded somewhere in my person were I 
to suggest THREE Courts in one day.......I twould be an incredible 
responsibility and difficult job to set up something like that (sigh) -  
location, time, chairs, decorations, 'who's going to sit in', (Baron(esses), 
visitng royalty, etc.).   Seems to me that well-organized Royalty can 
accomplish what They need without subjecting the Populace to yet more 
sitting.

>
>I haven't seen much the private discussion at the front kind of thing that 
>you describe; I have seen much more time abuse by people who wanted to make 
>sure that their activity got as much attention as their competitors.

Announcements by a few people regarding their upcoming events (IMHO) is a 
necessary "Public Service Announcement".  I think I can safely say that a 
great many of us have seen Court situations  where someone comes into Court 
for the sole purpose of personal glitz, if for nothing else to simply be 
seen in Court.  These things are rarely, if EVER, the 'fault' of the Crown - 
They don't have a crystal ball, (contrary to popular belief) and have no 
idea what's coming - except for the name on the List, and that it's either 
"business", a presentation of some sort, announcement, etc.   The Crown is 
OFTEN on the spot when someone decides to ramble on about some inane thing - 
but They must handle it (and the person) with grace - and brass it out.
>
>Also, what is it, exactly, that you expect the herald to do?  Tap His/Her 
>Majesty on the shoulder and say "You don't have time for this."?  Tackle 
>the presenter on the way to the front?  Most heralds are reasonably 
>forceful personalities, but they don't get hazard pay.  :)
>
While I might somewhat appreciate your facetiousness - allow me to give you 
a bit broader picture of 'what I expect the Herald to do'.    Someone of the 
caliber (if possible) of Nicolo - one of the finest Court Heralds I've ever 
had the pleasure to witness at Court - wonderful voice, fine presentation, 
humor, (knows when to use it and has the good sense to know when something 
is to be taken more seriously) and the talent to make a 'filler comment' 
during those less vocal moments (i.e. when someone in court is moved to 
emotion and needs a moment to recover, etc.) along with numerous other 
talents I won't list here.   I would like to see the Herald edit, condense, 
and then inform the Populace in a concise manner as to, for example, 
personal gifts - "Their Majesties have just been presented with a beautiful 
pair of blah blahs from the fine people of the Barony of Yadeeyah"    While 
the Crown is leaning in closely to the presenter and thanking them, the 
Herald lets the Populace know what it is They're thanking the person for 
-since WE can't SEE what the object was, or hear any of the details.  
Perhaps you might ask just about anyone in your area how a truly fine Vox 
can handle any situation in Court - abbreviated, informative, with grace 
and/or humor.

THAT'S what I expect.  No tackling, and no need for 'hazard pay' as you so 
interestingly put it.
> >
>
>There could be more than one kind of court, formal and informal, or high 
>and low.  High court is for important stuff, low court is for 
>announcements, prize-giving, etc.  Who decides what's important?  Their 
>majesties, excellencies etc. or their designated representative.  This is 
>not a democracy, remember?

Thank you so kindly for reminding me.  After 23 years of membership in the 
SCA, I do tend to forget things now and then - but this is not one of them.  
  As you stated "there COULD be more than one kind of court...."   Could be 
- but currently there  isn't.  Courts all over the Knowne World are often 
set up beginning with more usual recognitions first - AoAs, etc., and move 
up - finishing with a Peerage - or 2, depending on the size of the event.  
"Close with a bang" so to speak.   I am sure we are all well aware of who 
decides what, my Gentle Noble - and those things will not and should not 
change.  I never suggested anyone step in and presume to change that - or am 
I inferring incorrectly?

>The powers-that-be could announce early in the day that only items on the 
>agenda will be addressed in court, then have some one available at a 
>central place (heralds' point?, royal pavilion? baronial pavilion?) to 
>collect items people wanted on the agenda and give them to the court herald 
>with enough time to weed through and schedule, and get messages back to 
>would-be presenters.  That would mean more organization, more work for the 
>court herald, meeting at least two deadlines, and getting reliable messages 
>to people, all things that can be rather difficult. Some one is bound to be 
>miffed about having to schedule things, or about not getting to do whatever 
>it is they wanted to do in court, so there may be a social or emotional 
>cost, as well as extra labor.  Organized agendas would allow time for 
>entertainments, ceremonies would take place close to the times they are 
>scheduled, a lot of deadly boring stuff would go away, the elements of 
>"rite" and theatre that make courts special would be enhanced, and most 
>people would be happier.

Ah, yes - the ideal 'organized agenda'.   Try as they might, the Crown and 
Their retainers (be they Ladies-in-waiting, Men-at-Arms, Heralds - even the 
best ones! and other 'staffers' cannot organize people and chance at events. 
   Children, injuries, postponed or delayed activities within their 
encampments, etc., might well preclude an 'organized agenda' from ever 
happening.   Might I ask as to whether or not you have ever undertaken any 
of the above-mentioned services??

Let's see if I am capable of setting up a hypothetical here according to 
your objective and well-meant idea:    So, ideally, on Saturday morning, the 
camp criers announce that Their Majesties will be sitting in state after 
lunch - say 1 o'clock.   Anyone interested in either having business at that 
time, or wishing to attend, should contact 'the herald' say to get their 
name on the list.  Everyone else brings chairs or whatever and attends as 
Populace.   Then - during the fighting scenarios or rapier or classes or 
whatever else the *Autocrat* has scheduled, Sitting in State is accomplished 
somehow.  Maybe not very well attended because of all the other activities, 
but some folks do show.    At the end of this, the 'herald' announces there 
will be "Low" Court at, say, 6p.   Assuming everyone has scheduled their 
dinner, showers, children's needs, etc., around that, they can attend Low 
Court to see their buddy get their AoA or their Baronial recognitions.    
All we have left now is High Court at say, 8pm .....   Three times in one 
day.   Whew.
>
>Another tactic would be for all of us to ask ourselves if it is really 
>necessary to make announcements.  At an event with several hundred people, 
>if your activity involved seven people, and all of their 
>friends-and-relations were there to see them, do you really need to take 
>fifteen minutes in court and announce who won, who participated and what 
>they did?  I know people want to publicize their activities, but unlike the 
>real middle ages, most of us can read.  It is unkind to take time to do 
>this at court because you have a captive audience.
>
You're kidding, right?   Unfortunately, these are exactly the type of 
announcements MOST people DO WANT to hear - if they were involved elsewhere 
during the day, they might like to know their buddy Squire Bob won the 
tourney, or whatever some of the key activities were.   (I don't know of too 
many folks - family members or not - who are in a position to give up THEIR 
entire afternoon, morning, whatever - to go watch 1 person take part in 
THEIR particular activity  - although I'm sure we all wish we could at 
times.  I think I speak knowledgeably when I say that many wives would LOVE 
to be present on the list field sidelines to see their husband Squire/Knight 
do well in a melee' - but because of children's naps, needs, their own 
responsibilities, etc., heat, health, whatever - they can't.   And if their 
Lord wins - they're more than proud to be in Court to hear that name 
announced.


>If your activity needs more publicity, you could hire a herald to go around 
>and announce the event.

Yes you could.  It's not the activity that needs the publicity - it's the 
OUTCOME.

>If you wrote a nice note, or even just asked nicely, a peer would come and 
>give out the prizes at the end of your competition, with plenty of time to 
>talk about what happened.  That would be a nice way to recognize people at 
>your activity. Write up the results and post them at your group's web page, 
>or in the newsletter.

That's a lovely idea.  Read all about it in the next Sage.....  However - if 
HL Squire Hrothgar won the Artemisian Torchlight Auction Tourney - I 
wouldn't ask a Knight to go around and announce it to all the campsites.   
Who's going to write the note?    Which Knight exactly would you ask to do 
this??   (just for example...)
>
>Courtesy applies to taking people's time at court.  If what you have to say 
>is of interest to only a few people, say it to the people who are 
>interested.  If you must use court time, or are invited to use court time, 
>be brief, loud and concise.  If you are allotted two minutes, resist the 
>temptation to take ten minutes because Lady I'mtalkingandIcan'tstop took 
>ten minutes to report on her pet competition.
>
On this we are in total agreement.   Courtesy applies to LOTS of things.    
I'm quite sure we could have dispensed with the entire thing and in your 
final paragraph hit the nail on the head.   It will take a while for all 
options to present themselves, and then to be tried and proven.  We have a 
very dynamic Populace and Crown in Artemisia - everyone is full of ideas.   
Implementing all of them is what takes the time.   Until then, I for one 
would LOVE to know what's happened during the day, who won what, who got 
what - and NOT 'when is the next Court'...

But, that's just my 2 cents' worth.  Gee - my memory seems to be coming back 
after all....

Duchess Arrowyn
Sage Rampant

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