ANST - Meetings and Volume at any Court

[Mike C. Baker]

---Burke McCrory <bmccrory at oktax.state.ok.us> wrote:
> I disagree,  Yes the ladies of Ansteorra are more than capable 
> of getting to the dais without aid.  BUT, that is a mostly a 
> 20th century perspective.
>  Ladies in most places in the middle ages would have always been
> escorted, to not be would have been scandalous.  I think, and
> will continue to encourage, that any lady called into the
> presence to be escorted as a statement of the high standing that
> we hold all ladies in.

Upon this matter of social etiquette I find myself compelled to
disagree with my old friend and learned compatriot.

The choice of the lady in question would have been paramount in
serveral of the cultures covered by the SCA time-frame, which must
be taken for this discussion as "pre-1601". Even in those cultures
where a male might be expected to accompany most woman, there were
circumstances where this was not necessarily appropriate.

A ruling noblewoman, ruling by her own right of birth or marriage
(followed by widowhood) or possibly even by conquest, might be
preceded by heralds or guardsmen or other functionaries. She might
be trailed by the same, and even have both forerunners and followers
as part of the same act of approaching a throne. BUT, given these
circumstances of *by her own right*, she would be as well within her
rights to walk alone as with a consort or (closely following but
obviously _following_ / _supporting_) other servant.

Another class of female personage who might from time to time be
expected to approach the throne unaccompanied would include the
Queen, the Queen Mother, the Mother of the Heir (not seated as Queen
for whatever reason), or other female relative of advanced years and
social status. Under formal court conditions, any of these estimable
ladies might have a specific and even prescribed function to play
which did not descend from the rights or position of any male
present at the time other than the King himself. Or Queen herself,
for that matter. (Fewer data points available for the second
condition "in period".) 

A third broad example: women whose entry into the presence of the
Crown is being commanded due to their non-noble station. In the
Irish courts before the arrival of Patrick, for example, a woman who
was also ollamh or perhaps even filidh achieved those titles and
station by her own right and was generally accorded all the same
privileges as a man entitled to the calling. Ollamh, also spelt
Ollave in our latterday English, were considered near-royal anyway,
so this may not be the strongest of examples I might choose -- but
it is one I would suggest that none forget in the presence of HG
Willow and some of our other well-known senachies and bards. (Or
Bards.)

It were the better part of true and valiant courtesie to inquire of
the lady in question should the matter arise. Best of all might be
for her to proclaim loudly her choice to go before the Crown
unescorted, if appropriate to her personna and culture. 

Although I don't immediately recall with any certainty from my
personal experience, I think that Gunnora or Mari do as they wish in
such matters because "that's Gunnora" / "you know Mari". For a lady
more recently arrived among us, some advance warning should become
part of the education process. 

And each individual's preferences should be acknowledged & accepted
insofar as consistent with the overall flow of court. There might be
certain situations where my former bardic student and fellow Bard
might *want* me to accompany her, and others where she might ask her
husband to do so, and yet others where it were meet and proper that
we both be in attendance to hear the words of the Crown more
closely. However, since we post no Honours List in the fashion of
the modern British, I expect her to choose as she feels best for
each situation, and I expect most women with "independent" personas
to do likewise.

A possible alternative, particularly for later-period personas,
might be to have an older page or perhaps a young lady-in-waiting on
hand to assist with potentially awkward costuming matters (trains /
hoops / oversize millinery and "terrain features" such as stairs or
low canopies). Could provide a specific function where some of our
'tween-age members would feel themselves a valued part of the
proceedings...

I've rambled enough on this for the evening. Have fun at Coronation,
everyone -- I'm headed home to try and heal up (icky nasty flu...)

===
Adieu -- Amra / Pax ... Kihe / TTFN -- Mike
(al-Sayyid) Amr ibn Majid al-Bakri al-Amra  /
Kihe Blackeagle (the Dreamsinger Bard) / 
Mike C. Baker: My opinions are my own -- no one else would want them!
Homepage: http://www.geocities.com/Area51/8661
Alt. e-mail: KiheBard at aol.com, MikeCBaker at aol.com

_________________________________________________________
DO YOU YAHOO!?
Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com

============================================================================
Go to http://www.ansteorra.org/lists.html to perform mailing list tasks.