# Kissing in Middle Ages? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 1, 2005, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kissing-in-middle-ages/282602 "2005-01-01T23:41:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mississippienne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d2c977/32.png) [@Mississippienne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mississippienne)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2005, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kissing-in-middle-ages/282602/21 "2005-01-04T05:59:33Z")
There’s a scene in Le Morte D’Arthur wherein Lancelot is told by his lady love to meet her in a tent at dusk for some romance. He gets there and climbs inside, only to encounter another knight, who stumbled in by accident. The mistake is discovered when Lancelot realizes his kissing partner has a moustache! He then freaks out and stabs the guy to death. Oops. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2005, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kissing-in-middle-ages/282602/22 "2005-01-04T06:38:17Z")
The catholic church (and most other churches) have lots of ‘rules’ about sex today – which are regularily ignored by most of their members. I don’t expect that it was much different in the middle ages. Or in any of the other ages, before or after. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2005, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kissing-in-middle-ages/282602/23 "2005-01-04T13:08:36Z")
> [@SHAKES](#): > > May I be the first to say kissing or having sex with some one who probably hasn’t bathed (or brushed their teeth) in six or so months is well… blah!! On the other hand, Rasputin, a notorious non-bather, was considered extremely hot by Russian aristocratic women. But yeah, when you add in the risk of deadly communicable diseases (plague, typhus etc.) to really bad hygiene, it’s a wonder everybody in the Middle Ages didn’t get by on phone sex. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2005, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kissing-in-middle-ages/282602/24 "2005-01-04T14:12:55Z")
> [@goenetix](#): > > Intercourse was forbidden: > … > If you are in church Most churches still frown on this. ---
**Author:** ![AngelicGemma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/439d5e/32.png) [@AngelicGemma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelicGemma)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2005, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kissing-in-middle-ages/282602/25 "2005-01-04T16:56:45Z")
> [@InvisibleWombat](#): > > Most churches still frown on this. Damn. I wish someone had told me this sooner… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2005, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kissing-in-middle-ages/282602/26 "2005-01-04T18:02:43Z")
> [@SHAKES](#): > > May I be the first to say kissing or having sex with some one who probably hasn’t bathed (or brushed their teeth) in six or so months is well… blah!! Yeah, but since neither one of them has bathed, who’s gonna notice? ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2005, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kissing-in-middle-ages/282602/27 "2005-01-04T19:46:16Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Yeah, but since neither one of them has bathed, who’s gonna notice? Presumably they will notice the little booger balls that are formed by rubbing their filthy tummies together. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2005, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kissing-in-middle-ages/282602/28 "2005-01-04T21:53:49Z")
In addition to Chaucer, you might consider reading other tales such as the [Heptameron](http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/navarre/heptameron/heptameron.html) or the really naughty One Hundred New Tales which isn’t on line but you can get a copy of [Judith Bruskin Diner’s translation on Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0824085108/qid=/sr=/ref=cm_lm_asin/103-5083691-2987814?v=glance). I found a copy in my college library. 100 New Tales reads like letters to Penthouse, only the authors aren’t wondering if they are normal afterwards. ---
**Author:** ![RevCo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9fc348/32.png) [@RevCo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RevCo)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2005, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kissing-in-middle-ages/282602/29 "2005-01-04T22:29:15Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Also, protitution was tolerated by the church and civil authorities. The idea was that men couldn’t control themselves, so it was better to for them go to a brothel than do something rally nasty like masturbation. I know a lot of this post is in jest - but are you just making up this part or do you have anything factual on this? I think the Church’s acceptance of prostitution might also have something to do with [this.](http://www.bare-jesus.net/e2064.htm) - the first cite I found 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kissing-in-middle-ages/282602.md?page=1)