The Evil Eye, Thanatology, and Other EssaysPark, Roswell
Religion
The Evil Eye, Thanatology, and Other Essays
Park, Roswell
Bruno, Giordano, 1548-1600; Evil eye; Knights of Malta; Medicine; Mythology; Religion; Students
Along with these hardships consider the amusements of this period,
which were for the greater part conspicuous by their absence. Statutes
concerning amusements were often more stringent than those concerning
crime or vice. These were essentially military times, and tournaments,
hunting, and hawking, which were enjoyed by the upper social classes,
were considered too expensive and distracting for university students,
and were consequently forbidden. "Mortification of the flesh" was
the cry of those days, as even now among some religious fanatics.
Even playing with a ball or bat was at times forbidden, along with
other "insolent games." A statute of the sixteenth century speaks of
tennis and fives as among "indecent games" whose introduction would
create scandal in and against the college. Games of chance and playing
for money were also forbidden; nevertheless, they were more or less
practised. Even chess enjoyed a bad reputation among the mediæval
moralists, and was characterized by a certain bishop of Winchester
as a "noxious, inordinate, and unhonest game." Dancing was rather
a favorite amusement, but was repressed as far as possible, since
the celebrated William of Wykeham found it necessary to prohibit
dancing and jumping in the chapel. Apparently, then, in those days a
good student amused himself little, if at all, and had to find his
relaxation in the frequent interruptions caused by church holidays. At
St. Andrew's, in Scotland, however, two days' holiday was allowed at
carnival time expressly for cock-fighting. On the evenings of festival
days entertainments were occasionally provided by strolling players,
jesters, or mountebanks, who were largely patronized by students.
Altogether, it is not strange that students in those days fell into
dissolute habits, many having to be expelled or punished. We can even
understand how some of them actually turned highwaymen and waylaid
their more peaceful brothers as they approached the universities
with money for the ensuing season. In the archives of the University
of Leipzig there are standard forms of proclamation against even
such boyish follies as pea-shooting, destruction of trees and crops,
throwing water out of the window upon passers-by, shouting at night,
wearing of disguises, interfering with a hangman in the execution of
his duty, or attending exhibitions of wrestling, boxing, and the like.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account