[Regia-NA] Re: "The Long Arm of the Law"

[yolli]

Dear Hunt,

What has been used to demonstrate Anglo Saxon style justice being meted out
is more complex than it frist seems.

The colour image of the King and his Witan dispensing justice comes from the
MS Cotton Claudius BIV f59 in the British Library. What is key here though
is that the illustration depicts Pharaoh and his advisors dispensing
justice. Whether or not this is an accurate depiction of Anglo Saxon justice
is open to debate. Pharaoh in the Bible was a spiteful man who persecuted
the Israelites when they defied him - so should the reader actually see the
King here as a poor representation of Kingship rather than as a paragon of
honour and virtue?

As with many aspects of historical research, the whole story is not
presented to us - in this case all we ever see is the colour image and not
an ajoining translated text to go with it which would clarify and place the
image in context. The pointed hats of the 'Witan' in the image have always
been a bone of contention. They are unique and have no parallel anywhere
else. The fact that they are supposed to be Egyptians may hold the answer to
the conundrum over the hats. Had the illustrator ever seen an Egyptian
advisor? Was he copying an older text that was more accurate and possibly
even from the Mediterranian.........Or is it really correct and a true
account of what the English Witan looked like? If there is political comment
here, is the visual parody realistic?

I don't personally have a translation of the text to hand, so I don't have
all the answers myself, but it shows that you can't take just the image out
of context.

There are as they say always more questions than answers, and this is just
such a case.

Cheers, Roland Williamson, Publicity Officer for Regia.


----- Original Message -----
From: <Huntjanin@aol.com>
To: <%20webmaster@regia.org>
Sent: Friday, June 14, 2002 9:49 AM
Subject: "The Long Arm of the Law"


> I'm writing a book on medieval justice and would like to get a copy of the
> illustration at the beginning of "The Long Arm of the Law" showing the
King
> and his Witan dispensing justice. Could you please tell me where this
> illustration is from, plus any bibliographic details, e.g., MS name or
> number, etc.
>
> Best,
>
> Hunt Janin