This is a cover of a legendary work in the Society for Creative Anachronism, written in the 1990s by Wyndrith Berginsdottir, modernly known as Karen LU Kahan.
I recorded it because a young girl told her dad that I am a singer who knows “all the event songs” and therefore I must have a recording of this one, which is a favorite. I indeed did not, but how could I not oblige?
If you love this song as much as I do, please consider buying a copy in support of the original artist at her Bandcamp site!
This song was written for swordfighters, particularly the duelist who challenge each other to single tournament combat with schlagers and fencing foils. It was inspired by a conversation in which the evocative words, “It’s for the love of the blade,” were uttered. I’ve been carrying that thought for weeks now, and am glad to finally give it its due. Dedicated to Duelist Devillin MacPherson.
This was written for Brennan (and Caiolfhionn) just before their first reign, a Pennsic reign, and meant that it would be all kinds of frantic craziness. That was in 2014. This was originally posted in June of that year.
It was finally recorded for Brennan’s birthday in September 2022.
Oh Rise up my King Rise up it’s the morning Rise up my King The day hath begun! There is so much to do here, There are people to meet now, And there aren’t enough hours before the setting sun.
Your steward has scheduled
the first of your meetings –
Three Barons disputing
four acres of land.
The King of our rivals
then wishes to fight you,
your armor’s been carried
at our Queen’s command.
Here is your breakfast,
Come, eat it, we’re walking,
Here is a towel,
the hot water is on
I’ll speak the agenda
as you’re in there bathing
then I’ll wait by the restroom
but don’t take too long.
Oh Rise up my King Rise up it’s the morning Rise up my King The day hath begun! There is so much to do here, There are people to meet now, And there aren’t enough hours before the setting sun.
Here come five retainers
to hold your belongings
Now put on the crown
and let’s hit the road.
Limit conversation
to under three minutes
and have some more water,
I don’t mean to goad.
Now that fight went well,
it’s time to try fencing,
I know it feels strange
to have such a light sword.
Now off to the range
to shoot with the yeomen,
then to the encampment
of the great Mongol horde.
Oh Rise up my King Rise up it’s the morning Rise up my King The day hath begun! There is so much to do here, There are people to meet now, And there aren’t enough hours before the setting sun.
Dinner tonight’s
at an important dutchy.
Their cooks are preparing
Pre-Colombian food. Poc chuc and tamales
with goat and cassava.
We’ll bring no beer
for to drink would be rude.
There goes your Queen,
with her ladies in waiting.
Not that there’s waiting
when there’s so much to do.
It would be nice to see her,
and yes she looks lovely
but she has a schedule
that mirrors yours too…
Oh Rise up my King Rise up it’s the morning Rise up my King The day hath begun! There is so much to do here, There are people to meet now, And there aren’t enough hours before the setting sun.
It’s quarter-past two
and at last you’ve arrived home.
The kids are in bed,
and your Queen is alone.
There are truffles and wine
that you were just given,
but you’re too damn tired
to give her a…
…O Rise up my King Rise up it’s the morning Rise up my King The day hath begun! There is so much to do here, There are people to meet now, And there aren’t enough hours before the setting sun.
There is so much to do here,
There are people to meet now,
But stick to the schedule and
We’ll get the job done!
Cedric of Thanet already had a coat that represented his recognitions as knight and laurel, and this cloak would also represent the pelican. I was given the opportunity to create the medallion to recognize his inclusion in the order. (It represents a true labor of love since string is not my thing and my lack of love for sewing is broadly known.)
Pelican medallion for Cedric of Thanet designed and sewn by Aneleda Falconbridge / M.Bouchard.
The materials are wool, linen, cotton and metallic thread, and the ever-helpful wonder-under. The completed size is roughly four inches across. (In the photo, my leg is a good reference for size.)
The size was dictated by the existing white belt applique and embroidery. Sylvia du Vey provided size information and the green base that would be sewn to the cloak. The roundel uses a remnant of wool from the first dress I completed by hand (and which netted me the baronial A&S championship!) The green linen cloth is a remnant of my laurel elevation dress. The yellow beak and red blood drop were scavenged linen from one of the trilliums we had to remove from the cloak before we could add this. The chain stitch uses metallic threads (which are terrible to work with!) which bind it to the green base.
Sylvia du Vey sewed the finished piece to the cloak and took this picture.
The design of the piece is inspired by English roof bosses, particularly one from Devon. I fell in love with the oak leaf motif for multiple reasons – it’s unique, our region has many oaks, and, especially, because Cedric has a leather oak leaf on his key chain — it was a site token for the first event for which I was the autocrat, I believe, an early Endewerade Hunt.
I wanted the piece to fall “outside” the roundel, and so included an extra oak and lengthened the tail of the pelican (which is longer in other roof boss examples.)
This is the inspiration work.
If one is seeking unique pelicans, looking at architectural detail provides some truly lovely examples that are not often seen in the SCA. I was delighted to find a few that I’ll consider should the need arise again for a similar project!
Because We know that you especially desire to hear and learn the state of Our respect for good works, We König Tindal und König Alberic, find it fitting to state Our opinion on the matter of Otto Gotlieb. We have surveyed Throughout the East from Endeweard’s lands and thence beyond. Having proved the customs of Service in manners of leading, of making, of mapping, and all well witnessed by many, We provide in these days past Martinstag, that Otto shall be called a companion of the Order of the Pelican and be knowne by his deeds and countenance. Worthy is he for whom service is home. The bells should ring, and crowds come gathering round. Made by Our sovereign word A.S. LV.
König Tindal König Alberic
Text inspired by
A public letter from Conrad II to the Abbot of Corvey on the Germans’ Crusade, original in Latin
The length and layout of the piece were dictated by the document upon which the scroll design was based, which has 11 lines of approximately 10 words each.
