|
Question #11: How much armour should be regulated and how much should be up to the discretion of the combatant? Should there be more than one standard?
I concur with Sir Garick's assertion that in addition to areas where death can occur areas that may likely cause disability should also be defended, although I think the combatant should bear more of the responsibility for arming themselves than they do currently. I believe strongly in individual choice, and would like to see more pressure put on the combatants themselves to act in a manner that is safe and courteous. Rules-lawyering destroys this responsibility and is something that eats away not only at our chivalric experiment in the SCA but at our larger society as well." --Brian R. Price, Editor Chronique
On Abandoning Ignorance (page 19) Bruce Metcalf
"Editor [Brian Price]: In my early days I ran across this article, and found that it articulated much of what I felt and should strive for as an armourer and as an artist. The essay originated as a presentation at teh Society of North American Goldsmiths' conference in Flagstaff, Arizona in 1986. It has been revised and edited for publication in "Metalsmith". Metcalf's theme concerning the value of ideas as part of the metalsmith/jewelers' repertoire, expressed in his previous essays...is further explores here. Although he speaks of jewelry and metalworking, I think his points about education and art are well-stated and important."
Of Ye Eye e Ye Hammyr (page 25) Brian R. Price
An article composed for the West Kingdom Arts and Sciences publication of Spring 1993, include in this issue of Chronique as a curiosity, although it alludes to the more serious distinction of learning to calibrate and train both the hammer and the eye.
"Be thes wyrdes knowne to all gentilmen who practise ye arte of amurynge, beyne the most noble crafte by ye grace of Godde and bei ower patron St. George, y best arte in ye worlde a cause bei hys armure a knyght yis both defendyth from hys enemies and knowne to hys friends, doynge hys duty to Godde and to hys Kynge."
The Knighting of Sir Seosaidh mac Seosaidh (page 31) Joseph Latta
A good account of an actual knighting ceremony, which unforetunately missed the deadline for Chronique #5: Knighting Ceremonies but is here in Chronique #6 in the hopes of continuing the discussion on this subject.
"Then did the Bishop hand the sword to the King who held it with the point resting upon the ground. And Seosaidh did rise to stand before the King.
KING: Lady Erika, come and gird your lord with the Knight's white belt of chastity.
"And then did Seosaidh give the helm and lance to his man and did kneel before his King and place his hand upon the Blacksword, the same sword upon which was sworn the first Oath of Fealty to a King of Trimaris. And then did Seosaidh swear his Oath as the King did bid him."Sir Ropesdale and Sir Erik bring spurs that Our Knight will be swift to battle.
Sir Rieken bring Our Knight a lance that thrusts only straight forward, as does truth.
Sir Kopple bring Our Knight a helm, the Knight's Crown of Honor.
Seosaidh, will you swear fealty to our King?
SEOSAIDH: I will.
Poem of the Pell (page 36)
Michael Lacy analyzes a poem, written in the early 15th century, on the use of the pell for training.
Empeche his head, his face, have at his gorge
Beare at the brest, or sperne him on the side,
With myghte knyghtly poost ene as Seynt George
Lepe o thy foe, look if he dare abide;
Will he not flee? wounde him, make wounds wide
Hew of his honde, his legge, his theys, his armys
It is the Turk, though he be sleyn, noon harm is.
The Enlish Longbow (page 38) Jack Greene
A thorough examination by a modern bowyer of the longbows used in the Middle Ages.
"If you would give an Englishman a stout stick as long as himself, and bid him stand still and deal such a deadly blow at 200 paces as would strike fully through an armoured knight or kill his horse under him, then you would shortly have a longbow. Such a bow would commonly discharge ten arrows a minute in battle, so that a company of only a thousand archers could rain down ten thousand steel points every minute onto an enemy, who might never get within challenging distance."
The Art of the Armourer (page 41) Brian R. Price
Article on philosophical and practical elements of armouring.
"The task facing the medieval armourer was immense; to balance the defense of the knight with his mobility--his armour had to protect against the prevailing weapons of the day and at the same time to provide the highest degree of suppleness possible to enable him to engage opponents under th most difficult of military conditions. This critical balance of mobility and defense forms the basis for the functional element of armouring, the element that probably formed the basis for a harness qualifying as a successful design."
More Letters regarding an Emprise between the Arragonese Squire and the English Knight (page 46)
Engeuurand de Monstrelet
Excerpted from the Chronicles of Engeuurand de Monstrelet, translated by Thomas Jones, Esq. in 1867. The letters follow those that appear in Chronique #4, in which the Arroganian esquire Michael d'Orris challenges the English Knight John Predergast and the English knight reponds. Receiving no answer to his response from the Arroganian squire, the English knight writes a second letter to the squire and yet a third, which appear in Chronique #6.
|
|