[Ansteorra] Ansteorra Digest, Vol 55, Issue 5

[Sean Hertzberg]

Just to throw a couple more variations as to why the cut off date is at
   1600...
   I started playing in the SCA in Cynagua back in the early 90s.  Since
then,
   I have been given 2 reasons ever that actually make sense as to why the
cut
   off date is 1600.  Neither is historical.  They were given by two people
who
   have been around the SCA either from the very first backyard party or
damn
   near close to it.  Remember, back then, we were not a historical group.
   This was a bunch of strange weirdos running around Northern California in
   the late 60s making this up as they went along.
   Reason #1)  Given to me by Fredrick of Hollander.  Who was one of the
folks
   in that backyard back in 1966.  I met him at one of my first events and
   asked him why 1600?  He laughed, pulled out a cigarette and told me that
   because the Elizabethans smoked cheroots, 1600 was a good round number
that
   was as early as they could go and still have a legitimate reason to smoke
   cigarettes at events.
   Reason #2)  Given to me by Duke Paul of Beletrix, who has now been a
knight
   for close to 40 years.  I asked him about the cut off date at a Pennsic
when
   Duncan and Larissa were on the throne.  According to him, all the guys
(who
   were the only fighters back then) all wanted the cut off date to be 1400,
   because they all wanted to do the High Middle Ages tourney stuff.  All
the
   women wanted to be able to wear the pretty Elizabethan dresses.  Guess
who
   won that argument? ~grin~
   And yes, these two reasons are the only ones I have ever heard that
actually
   make sense given the conditions under which the decision was probably
made.
   Again, remember, back then the SCA was not the gigantic "Historical"
group
   it is now.  It was a bunch of folks hanging out playing a game started by
a
   bunch of hippies in Berkeley in the mid 60s.  There were not always
"proper"
   reasons for why things ended up the way they did.
   Don Avery Shaw
   Baron, Bryn Gwlad
   --
   INCOMMODUS SENTENTIA