ANST - Several questions

[Karin Höijer]

>1. How much of the customs talked about would have translated into 
>other cultures?  For example, I want to be French 1400's.  Are birth 
>beds, death beds, wakes before dying, burying dead in churches, 
>"privy by the fireplace"  common for most culturesin our time period 
>or Sweden specific?  Anyone know?

>Lady Capricia d'Aulnay
>Michelle Henry

Hi! 
I think what I translated might be rather specific for Sweden, as far 
as I know Sweden was considered a rather barbaric and cold country 
(even then!) and that the customs was rough compared to the more 
educated part of Europe. But I could very well be wrong! 

Now, I don't know any good sources for French 1400 history of this 
kind, but I do recommend to take a look at the following book: 
Ladurie, Emmanuel LeRoy. Montaillou: The Promised Land of Error,
trans. by Barbara Bray. (New York: Vintage Books, 1979). 
I read it this winter and it is VERY interesting, even though it is 
not 1400 it might be of some use to you. I got the information in 
english from the following webpage, in case you want to go look: 
http://library.sjsu.edu/english/fournier/notes.htm

Good luck!
Karin

Jacques Fournier was a man who ascended from a humble birth (c. 1280)
to appointments as Bishop of Pamiers (1317), Bishop of Mirepoix
(1326), Cardinal (1327) and finally to election as Pope Benedict XII
of Avignon (1334). He made a name for himself by his skill as
administrator and inquisitor particuarly during the years 1318-1325
when he conducted an extensive campaign against the last remaining
Cathar (Albigensian) heretics in the tiny village of Montaillou (in
the Pyrenées, in the medieval region of the Comté de Foix, modern
department of Ariège), as well as others who had lapsed from the
faith.

Fournier's Inquisition Record is one of the most remarkable and
comprehensive documents to survive from the Middle Ages. Fournier was
a man of meticulous habits and carefully supervised the keeping of his
records. As a result, the records of his inquisitions -- though
primarily concerned with matters of faith -- have served as the
foundation of one of the classics of modern social history, Emmanuel
LeRoy Ladurie's magisterial work Montaillou: The Promised Land of
Error. This work presents an entire portrait of medieval Occitan
village life based on the extensive confessions made to Fournier. Only
rarely do those who confessed to Fournier dispute with him over fine
points of theology (the Jew Baruch is one noteworthy exception);
usually those confessing give an intriguing portrait of themselves,
their families and their everyday life.
  Lovisa Skrivare
       -- at --
   House Starblade
       -- at --
Karin Höijer-Purtill
  (512) 821-3205
http://www.flash.net/~blackfox
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