A few weeks ago - possibly some months now, considering how time flies these days - I moved my furniture around and uncovered some bookshelves that had previously been masked by the dining table. As my eye skimmed the titles one volume stood out and has since been read, a bit at a time. 'Medieval Gentlewoman' by Fiona Swabey is based on the life of a Suffolk heiress, Alice de Bryene (c.1360-1435), and I'd like to share with you a short passage from it:
“The gossip was an important figure in the later Middle Ages, from the word godsib (sibling) or godparent, denoting the spiritual affinity of the baptised and their sponsors. More significantly a gossip was a woman who attended a close friend when she was in labour and often assisted at the birth. Such women were part of the informal domestic webs of information and power, passing on their wisdom and experience with little respect for hierarchy, though at the same time they adhered to traditional and conservative concepts and their opinions must often have been prejudiced. Many of their ‘old wives’ tales’ consisted of practical advice on sex, rearing animals, horticulture, cures and the interpretation of dreams and omens. Predictably, ‘women’s tongues’ were usually conceived as being divisive, the ready butt of medieval misogyny, though it was not until the mid-sixteenth century that the gossip became a pejorative figure.”
Considering this development in the meaning and use of the word, I wasn’t surprised to find that the concordance to my on-line Bible offers no mention of 'gossip' in the King James translation. A modern version, however, lists eight occurrences. Four of these are from Proverbs, notably "The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down into the person’s innermost being." (Prov. 18:8), and there is only one from the New Testament, where St Paul gives voice to his misgivings about the infant church in Corinth maintaining their standards of behaviour in his absence (2 Cor. 12:20). The King James version uses 'whisperings' for 'gossip' here, and for its purveyor in Proverbs, 'talebearer'.
Both of these help us to distinguish between the virtuous 'godsib' of centuries past and the less worthy practices to which the word was later applied. Those of us who have reached mature years may remember being told as children that 'all whispers tell lies,' or having the spreading of malicious falsehoods about our playmates being described as 'telling tales'. We don’t have to dig very deeply to find a Biblical source for many of the wise sayings of the older generation.
Maybe the wisdom that comes to us from these later developments of what was in medieval times a totally different expression is particularly relevant as we face the possibility of Brexit becoming a reality. Firstly, I think it's important that we view all changes in society - whether in language, medicine, technology or financial and economic affairs - in a balanced way. We have to accept that change has happened, noting with approval what benefits any changes has brought, while not forgetting the good aspects of what has been replaced and seeking to maintain them or reinstate them within the changed society when this might be possible.
Secondly, when we turn ourselves to condemn tittle-tattle - and its near neighbour falsehood - from the standpoint of what we believe to be honest virtue and accuracy, it's essential that we remember standards of courtesy and civility. In his autobiography, Mahatma Gandhi wrote, "'Hate the sin and not the sinner' is a precept which, though easy enough to understand, is rarely practised, and that is why the poison of hatred spreads in the world." Many people believe that his opening phrase is from the Bible, but this is not the case. What Jesus did teach, which covers the same general problem, is to be found in Matthew's gospel. "Don't judge, so that you won't be judged. For by the standard you judge you will be judged, and the measure you use you will receive." (Matt. 7:1-2). Paul also advised against reckless condemnation of our fellows when he wrote to the Romans, "'Vengeance is mine, I will repay', says the Lord" and advised, "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for by doing this you will be heaping burning coals on his head." (Romans 12:19-20).
Secondly, when we turn ourselves to condemn tittle-tattle - and its near neighbour falsehood - from the standpoint of what we believe to be honest virtue and accuracy, it's essential that we remember standards of courtesy and civility. In his autobiography, Mahatma Gandhi wrote, "'Hate the sin and not the sinner' is a precept which, though easy enough to understand, is rarely practised, and that is why the poison of hatred spreads in the world." Many people believe that his opening phrase is from the Bible, but this is not the case. What Jesus did teach, which covers the same general problem, is to be found in Matthew's gospel. "Don't judge, so that you won't be judged. For by the standard you judge you will be judged, and the measure you use you will receive." (Matt. 7:1-2). Paul also advised against reckless condemnation of our fellows when he wrote to the Romans, "'Vengeance is mine, I will repay', says the Lord" and advised, "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for by doing this you will be heaping burning coals on his head." (Romans 12:19-20).
No comments:
Post a Comment