[Artemisia] SCA Mission Statement and Recognition

[Bruce Padget]

Replying to Lord Padruig:

<I was under the assumption that what you describe is>
<largely what occurs in "peer circles", making such>
<unnecessary, or redundant, in "court">

You assume incorrectly, not only in the particulars, but possibly in an 
underlying assumption.  I was brought up that, in the Society, all are 
of noble birth unless they explicitly choose otherwise, or by their 
conduct prove otherwise.  Thus, virtually all in the SCA -- not just 
peers -- would be entitled to attend court in the historical sense of 
the word.  Not as a mostly-passive audience, but as participants in the 
give-and-take of court.

See, I do favor egalitarianism in the SCA.  Not an egalitarianism that 
says we're all equally low, but an egalitarianism that holds us all to 
be equally high.

<would another word for courtiers then be "fawning sycophants?">

That's the $64,000 question, no?  If you wish to see discussion of the 
issue from various viewpoints, take a read at The Book of the Courtier. 
For more cynical period point of view, check out a fun little play 
called "Il Cortigiana." The ideal courtier is a good and entertaining 
companion, a loyal servant, and an honest adviser.  (All things I'm sure 
we'd hate to re-create.)  These period works discuss whether the ideal 
courtier is possible and/or prevalent.

I like to think the ideal courtier (and his female counterpart, the 
donna di palazzo) are possible, and I try to work toward an SCA where 
they, or earlier-period counterparts of them, are prevalent. That's what 
I mean when I speak of the middle ages as they should have been.

<While I can appreciate the accuracy that may be present >
<in these examples, I do not see the need to be "Totally Accurate">
<in our recreations of period events.  I was told that we >
<re-reate the middle ages "as they should have been".   I don't>
<know that I would care to sit through despensations of judgement>
<and punishments, >

The sort of court I'm talking about is quite different from law courts 
or chancery courts, by the way.  The examples I gave include almost no 
"dispensations of justice."

<and other discussions that, while they may>
<be accurate, are, quite frankly, even less interesting than>
<watching paint dry.   I personally enjoy court the way it is>
<now.   The occasional "dispensations" of justice are interesting, >
<but I much prefer it to be occasional>

Yes...the bawdy stories in the Decameron, the duels in rhyme in 
Dangerous Beauty, the barbed jokes in The Courtier, Harry's regal answer 
to the Dauphin's jest.  Boring, boring stuff.

Regards,
Niccolo
bapadget at yahoo.com