Re: Bagpipe Commonality

[John Strauss <jstrauss@gmu.edu>]

Poster: John Strauss <jstrauss@gmu.edu>

> In "The Lion In Winter" there's a scene where Eleanor of Aquitain
> is watching her three sons argue about succession.  Prince Richard
> (Uncle Tony) pulls a knife on Prince John, who shouts out, "He's
> got a knife!"
>   The Queen says something like, "Of course he's got a knife!
> I have a knife, you have knife; we all have knives, because this
> is 1178 and we're barbarians!"

I love that scene.

> 
> My point is, if one could establish that _knives_ were commonly
> carried by civilians in the Period, would that exempt them from
> any prohibitions on weapons of war in the royal presence?
> 
> -- Alfredo
>  

I'm not really sure where this whole thing about not wearing weapons near 
the royal presence came from. I ignore it, personally. 

My reasoning is this:

	1) I am a loyal subject of Atlantia.

	2) If I am armed in the vicinity of the Crown, the Crown is 
_safer_ (by some miniscule fraction. I'm a lousy fighter...) because I 
would move to defend the Crown were they threatened.

	3) Therefore, disarming before entering court is not only 
pointless but actually insulting. Possible interpretations include 

		a) If the Crown were threatened, I wouldn't protect them. 
		My sword is not theirs to command. 

		b) I wish to imply that the Crown does not trust me and 
		rely on me.

I am generally unarmed. But, if I were to be called into court and I was 
armed at the time, I would not disarm.


When _SHOULD_ we disarm? Well, how about when acting as embassadors to 
foreign crowns? I know that if the Atlantian crown sent me with a message 
to a Trimaris court just before Sea Wars, for instance, I would make a 
point of disarming and handing my weapon to the guards before entering 
the presence. That would make it clear to the audience that I am a 
representative of the Hated Enemy, increasing everyone's appreciation of 
the show. 



-Henry Best


      John Strauss             |    if mail bounces, try       
      jstrauss@gmu.edu         |    jstrauss@poboxes.com       
---------------------------------------------------------------
 Unemployed intellectual. Will act like a pompous ass for food. 

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