Charles I

[Randy Shipp]

On Thu, 27 Jun 1996 Endel at tarleton.edu wrote:

> Charles I was executed in 1649.  

Thanks for the date...I was wondering about that.

> Ansteorrans do not usually seem perturbed by
> Cavalier-type garb as long as firearms are generally avoided.  

Gee, aren't firearms (handgonnes, mortar-type siege engines) period?

> I personally
> feel that by allowing a little leeway the SCA attracts more people and is less
> likely to have splinter groups.  The SCA has not gained many members in Great
> Britain; I think this is because Great Britain has a large number of narrowly
> focused groups.  On the internet I have seen groups in Great Britain that
> were limited to the Celts, to the Vikings, to the Norman Conquest, to
> Elizabethan and Jacobean periods, etc.  I think there is strength in numbers,
> and this helps sustain the SCA.

I'd be interested, however, to compare the quality and uniformity (and 
educational value, since we claim that's what we do for tax benefit) of 
their recreation to ours.  With the emergence of specialized households 
and tournament societies and other subsets of the SCA, it seems there are 
already a few people out there who think that operating on a smaller 
scale, and with stricter, self-imposed guidelines results in better 
recreation.  I think that being all-inclusive is risky, as it tends more 
towards "know nothing about everything."  On the other hand, too narrow a 
focus and you "know everything about nothing."  I know there's a happy 
medium, but when you're talking about setting guidelines, I don't think 
you can do too much less than saying "Europe's Middle Ages and 
Renaissance."  Anything broader might not even be a subset of "recreation 
groups".  I just think there have to be limits somewhere.  Shrug.  

I doubt there's ever going to be a consensus on this issue.

In Service,

Antoine D'Aubernoun
mka Randy Shipp
rshipp at flash.net