[MR] An invitation

[JBRMM266 at aol.com]

“But as for the order of chivalry, it can truly be said... that it is the most dangerous for soul and body, and the one in which it is necessary to maintain a clearer conscience than in any other order in the world.”

—Geoffroi de Charny

From:   Finnvarr de Taahe <finnvarr at ealdormere.sca.org>

This invitation has been sent to SCA Chivalry, Ealdormere, Calontir, Northshield, Middlebridge, and Outlands lists; please feel free to send it to other SCA lists.

Starting this Sunday, On Sunday, September 30, I will begin a discussion of Charny’s Questions.   It will take place on the Tournament Companies list hosted at www.topica.com.

Geoffroi de Charny composed a series of questions on the joust, the tourney, and war in about 1350 for King John of France’s Order of the Star.

The questions give us some idea of the actual conduct
of jousts and tourneys in Charny’s time.   They were
presented to knights for their commentary and
edification.   On the other hand, the questions have
no answers!

I think that a bunch of intelligent,
interested people discussing the questions, as they
were meant to be discussed, might expose some
interesting aspects of the material.   I know that in
the few discussions I’ve had to date, I’ve always come
away learning something new.

The format will be simple: I will post one or more
questions, in my translation, to the list, whoever
wants to take a crack at answering them and explaining
his/her answer will do so, and when conversation on
that topic reaches the logical point, we’ll move on to
the next question.

If you are interested in taking part, you must sign up for the
Tournament
Companies (or TourneyCompanies) list hosted at www.topica.com.
Go to that site and sign on—it’s very easy.

Finnvarr