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Question #11: Should a tournament combatant be allowed to compete for his own honor rather than that of a consort? Why or why not?
If there is no one who believes in him more than he belives in himself...if there is no one he wishes to honor...rather than put on a false show or feel like he is betraying himself by being forced to select a consort, a fighter should be allowed to compete for his own honor.
On the other hand, I do not hold this opinion if the competition is for a position of responsibility as in the SCA competitions for Crown or Coronet, where the responsibilities have been proven more than most individuals alone can bear. A consortless fighter should in such a case, choose to do what is best for the body politic as a whole, and not compete. This is my opinion. --Sheryl A. Knowles
The Advent and Impact of Courtly Love (page 25) Ann-Marie S. Price
An essay on the origins, development and influences of courtly love in Medieval life.
"Courtly love originated in the south of France, probably when some wandering minstrel, hoping to sing for his supper, approached a caslte. The lord of the manor was not in, and the lady was tired of hearing about deeds of arms. So instead the minstrel wrote a song praising her beauty and graces, or perhaps sang a song about the love he left behind, a love who still held his heart. This pleased the lady who rewarded the minstrel (as lady of the manor, largess was well within her prerogatives), or perhaps her lord rewarded him for delighting his lady. At any rate, it proved profitable and gained popularity quickly."
Andreas Cappellanus & De Arte Honeste Amandi (The Art of the True Lover) (page 30) Ann-Marie S. Price
"Andreas Cappellanus (Andre the Chaplain) was chaplain to the Countess Marie of Champagne. He accompanied her to Poitiers in the 1170s when she went to join the court of her mother Eleanor of Aquitaine, then Queen of England. There he aided Eleanor and Maire in setting up and running their 'courts of love.' Almost certainly at Marie's request, he wrote De Arte Honeste Amandi (The Art of the True Lover), now commonly called The Art of Courtly Love. The treatise describes what courtly love is, how the game was played, and interestingly, a rebuff on the entire instituion."
Poems of Courtly Love (page 35)
Excerpt from "Love is Soft", an English poem written in the 14th Century of unknown authorship.
Love is weal and love is woe, in gladness can maintain us;
Love is life and love is death, and love can well sustain us.
If love had strength for suffering as first it has when keen,
Then love would be the worthiest thing the world had ever see;
But this is what is sung of it, and so it's ever been:
"Love begins in mighty pain and ends in grief and spleen,
With noble lady, steady wide, with virgin or with queen."
Description of an early 15th Century Tournament (page 41) Christine de Pizan
Excerpted from Christine de Pizan's The Book of the Duke of True Lovers, written in 1405 and translated by Thelma S. Fenster in 1991, this piece demonstrates the role that love and consorts play in the life of a knight, both on and off the field.
"Then she herself seized a knife from behind her drapes and she cut the ermine and gold sleeve of one of her bodices and gace it to me, for which I thanked her heartily. Later I received from her the verdant chaplet, about which I was happy and gay. I said I would wear it on my crest and that I would joust for her love, and that she should take it all in good part, for I still had to learn how. My well-bred Lady grew silent and gave no sign of whether this pleased or displeased her, and I no longer dared to speak."
Ulrich von Lichtenstein and the Venus Fahrt (Venus Journey) (page 45) Brian R. Price
Ulrich's travels were recorded in the autobiographical Frauendienst, or the Service of Ladies. In this classic account, Ulrich begins by declaring his love for a lady, who spurns his advances, and that he decides to take up the 'Venus journey' to win her love. He intends the journey to honor all women, not only his intended..."
A selection from Ovid's Book of Loves (page 48)
I would not dare to deny my absolute adsence of morals;
I would not smother my faults under a blanket of lies.
No: I own up; I confess, if any confession can help me;
Wailing My Grevious fault, how I lash out at my sins!
Chivalry (page 50) Steen Jenson
An insightful analysis of chivalry in the modern day, written by an experienced and hightly respected knight in the Society for Creative Anachronism.
"An important thing to notice about chivalry, as can be seen from its progress through the Middle Ages, is that the particulars of its meaning evolve. Chivalry has never stood still; that is the great reason that it is so elusive, and continues to have such power. For it to have meaning for us in the Society [Editor: The S.C.A.], and not merely be a dusty historical oddity, it must adapt to our needs."
On Inspiration (page 55) Andrea Chamberlain
A study of the role of consort.
"Before you even go to the event, your behavior matters, particularly if you live with your fighter. You need to be understanding of the time he will want to spend practicing and of the time spent repairing or modifying armour (though it is perfectly acceptable for you to expect that he clean up the metal and rattan shavings from the living room carpet!). If you are in a relationship with your fighter, be aware that you share your fighter with his commitment to combat. Don't be jealous of this. When he fights, if his motivations are right, he fights for you as much as he fights for his enjoyment."
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