tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24348391.post2941250152556526665..comments2024-02-02T06:07:56.982+00:00Comments on LIVING THE HISTORY: MEDIEVAL MONDAY: William Marshal and a spot of Highway Robbery!Elizabeth Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16911841862257909703noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24348391.post-43743652582467077062011-01-20T16:07:52.560+00:002011-01-20T16:07:52.560+00:00Thanks for the reply, Elizabeth.
As a historian o...Thanks for the reply, Elizabeth.<br /><br />As a historian of the American antebellum period, I understand issues of time and perspective and the value of interpreting the past in its proper historical context. I study the era before the American Civil War and routinely come across items in the historical record that make me ill, but I realize things were different then, as were attitudes and mores, but I don't have to like it.<br /><br />Sorry, but the thought of William Marshal stealing from someone, regardless of the circumstances or historical context makes me ill and I just don't like it.<br /><br />Again, Elizabeth, many thanks for the comment.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24348391.post-20321386454000074012011-01-19T11:11:37.653+00:002011-01-19T11:11:37.653+00:00Marame, that is because you are looking through th...Marame, that is because you are looking through the eyes of a modern person. William Marshal is often made out to be some sort of epitome of chivalry by our society, but he wasn't. He was a cool, hard-headed pragmatist and a survivor. He had oceans of charm and an easy going nature. He was a man of honour by the tenets of his day. That cleric would have obtained the money himself by illegal means and was going to use it to build up usuary business. As far as 13thC mindset was concerned, the couple deserved everything they got. He was a priest who was running off with a noble lady, therefore he had desecrated his vows and the honour of the family he was serving - disgusting in 13thC eyes. His girl friend had dishonoured her family by running off with this man. The money was intended to put fellow Christians into debt. William would have had no compunction about taking that money and would be highly insulted that anyone would think badly of him for it. The Histoire de Guillaume le Mareschal was written in praise of its hero and nothing goes in it that is a detriment to his honour in 13thc eyes. You need to be looking at the culture through their lens, not ours.Elizabeth Chadwickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16911841862257909703noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24348391.post-90538747815177804532011-01-19T09:15:54.096+00:002011-01-19T09:15:54.096+00:00Well, that's leaves me a bit disappointed in W...Well, that's leaves me a bit disappointed in William. How could it ever be OK to steal from someone regardless of who they are? William and his thug friends are no better than common thieves.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24348391.post-53427951199799306062010-10-19T13:47:20.861+00:002010-10-19T13:47:20.861+00:00Wanted to write to tell you you have a new FAN! I ...Wanted to write to tell you you have a new FAN! I am in the midst of The Scarlet Lion and adoring it. Now, I must hurry to read all your other works. BRAVO for a marvelous adventure.Cerise DeLandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11964518502483682417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24348391.post-13713803665781303982010-10-04T23:44:44.993+00:002010-10-04T23:44:44.993+00:00The medieval world always seems like a giant game ...The medieval world always seems like a giant game of Coppit to me. I never do win at Coppit so it's probably just as well I wasn't around then!<br /><br />Wonder what happened to the monk and his girlfriend?Miss Moppethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05712153554458139838noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24348391.post-59082821138308231782010-10-04T21:40:06.357+00:002010-10-04T21:40:06.357+00:00The Monk, of course, stole the money in the first ...The Monk, of course, stole the money in the first place. That makes the lady and the monk both thieves. If caught, he would have benefit of clergy, but not she. <br /><br />I always liked to think he took the money so as to force her to return to her brother.M Harold Pagehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08949772130509527838noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24348391.post-69097164820357337292010-10-04T18:17:11.965+00:002010-10-04T18:17:11.965+00:00Wow, that was interesting, and as you say, sounds ...Wow, that was interesting, and as you say, sounds quite unchivalrous to the modern mind. But I can see William's way of thinking and how it would have been considered 'just' in that time. The bit I found funny though was William's sleepiness in the first place - he had a bit of a reputation for that, didn't he?Jules Frusherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08207281934232383811noreply@blogger.com