dear all
jeremy goldberg, who teaches here at York, is fond of using the relevant
case in seminars to discuss the possible role of women; i can therefore
testify to the fact that the case does indeed exist. one can find
commentary in J[aqueline?] Murray "On the origins and role of 'wise
women' in causes for annulment on the grounds of male impotence" in
Journal of medieval History vol.16 n.3 (1990). I think that there is
some discussion over whether the women were respected widows, or
prostitutes. If you are all overcome with curiousity i will ask Jeremy
to supply me with the relevant details!
cheers
john arnold
centre for medieval studies, york, england
On Wed, 29 May 1996, MICHAEL WRIGHT wrote:
> On Sun, 26 May 1996, Frederik Pedersen wrote about
>
> >a fourteenth-century York impotence case. The defendant, John
> >Sanderson, is exposed to an investigation by "good and honest
> >women," who attempt to give him an erection.
>
> I'm only an ignorant literature person, but even as I realise
> the logicality of the procedure, the mind boggles. What
> tribunal was this? What is the Latin description of these 'good
> and honest women', and why such rather than professionals? Were
> they a standing body (sorry), the Examiners in Impotence, or an
> ad hoc task force?
>
> Sorry for an interest which is not entirely divorced (?
> annulled) from prurience, but the thing reads so much like a
> Monty Python script that the weirdness is genuinely
> illuminating about the otherness of the M.A.
>
> Baffled,
> Michael Wright
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> Dr M.J. Wright | [log in to unmask]
> English Department | Ph. (64 9) 373 7999 ext. 7496
> University of Auckland | Fax (64 9) 373 7429
> P.B. 92019 Auckland, New Zealand |
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