AoA Ellen of Shrewsbury

AoA scroll with Anglo Saxon
AoA for Ellen of Shrewsbury; Illumination Agatha Wanderer; Calligraphy Gwillim Kyinth; Words Aneleda Falconbridge; Text Polishing Aldreda de Tamwurthe

ANGLO SAXON

Wæs midsumor ða se casere sendede, be al his þeode læred and lawed on his kynerice wæron, æfter Ellen on Scrobbesbyrig þet heo æuestlice scolde to him cumon, heo swa dyde.

Ða cwæð se casere to hire: ‘Leof Ellen, ic haue geseond æfter þe for mine saule þurfe, ic hit wile þe wæl secgon forhwi.”

Ða cwæð se casere heo wæs god wifmann and sigewif. For twentig gearum, heo com fram begeondan beorge and heo geaf wæter to norðfrecan. Ealle folc lufede hire, for heo ahealp þam wearigum byrnwigum, þam unlytel and ungetel eorlwerode.

Þa stod se casere up toforen ealle his ðægna cwæd luddor stefne: “ic wille þet ge ealle getiðe mine worde.”

Ðas is se gife: To libbanne on þas landes, þas wateres, meres, fennes, weres, ealle þa landes þa þærabuton liggeð ða of mine kynerice sindon freolice Hlaefdigan Ellen.

Se casere cwæþ þa wærð he swiðe glæd; heot seonden geond al his þeode æfter alle his þægne, æfter ærcebiscop, æfter biscopes, æfter his eorles, æfter alle þa þone East luuedon, þet he sette þa dæi hwonne man scolde Ellen gehalegon. Ða man halgode heo, þa wæs se casere Brennan and his casern Caoilfhionn.

Þat was þone twelfta dæg of Liða, anno sociatis xlix æt þeode beadulace norðeaste on Malagentia.

Ðas sindon þa witnes þe þær wæron, þa þet gewriten mid here fingre, ietten mid here tunge.

BRENNAN IMPERATOR
IMPERATRIX CAILFHIONN

__________________________________________

 

MODERN ENGLISH

In midsummer sent the emperor, by the counsel of all his people learned and lewd in his kingdom, after Ellen of Shrewsbury, that she should immediately come to him. And she so did.

Then said the emperor to her: “Beloved Ellen, I have sent after thee for the good of my soul; and I will plainly tell thee for why.”

Then said the emperor that she was a good woman, and a wise woman.   For twenty years she had come from beyond the mountain and given water to northern heroes. All loved her for she assisted the weary soldiers clad in armor, the large and innumerable warrior band.

Then stood up the emperor before all his thanes, and said with a loud voice: “I will that you all confirm my words.

This is the gift: To live on these lands, and these waters, and meres, and fens, and weirs, and all the lands that thereabout lye, that are of my kingdom, freely, as Lady Ellen.”

When the king said that, he was very glad; and bade men send through all the nation, after all his thanes; after the archbishop, and after bishops: and after his earls; and after all those that loved the East, and he fixed the day when men should hallow Lady Ellen. And when they were hallowing her, there was the emperor Brennan, and his empress Caoilfhionn.

That was the 12th of July, Anno Societatis XLIX in the Great Northeastern War in Malagentia.

These are the witnesses that were there, and that subscribed it with their fingers and confirmed it with their tongues.

BRENNAN EMPEROR
EMPRESS CAOILFHIONN

______________________________________

Notes:

To do this scroll I read an online version of the Anglo Saxon Chronicles (http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/657/pg657.html) and an English translation of them (http://asc.jebbo.co.uk/e/e-L.html).

I had to look up sections which said what I wanted, and then sometimes search for a word that the original didn’t contain. I also looked for appropriate place names in the proper period for Shrewsbury, for example, as it would have been noted in the Chronicles.

When I was done, I sent the translation (What I Meant To Say) and the Anglo Saxon text to Lady Dreda who proofread it and then made changes to square up gender and some word orders, as well as polish it.

Duke Kenric of Essex read it in court in Anglo Saxon English as well as in Modern English at the Great Northeastern War.

These are my rough notes and facing page mess: ANGLO SAXON TEXT V2.pdf.

AoA Laird Sweyn Mac Awliffe

SCA scroll for Swayne Mac Awliffe
AoA for Laird Sweyn Mac Awliffe Words: Aneleda Falconridge Calligraphy & Illumination:Robert of Stonemarche
AoA for Laird Sweyn Mac Awliffe
Words: Aneleda Falconridge
Calligraphy & Illumination:Robert of Stonemarche

All hail and harken to our words,
lad who the northern reaches know,
as the swarthy one who wears the kilt
in weather fair or as winds blow.

He’s nae a man of many words,
there’s oft a stir when he goes past
for in his wake there usually is
some deed he’s done sae fleet and fast.

Who is he working all the day?
Who is this man who hauls the hay?
Who takes a chore so one can play?
The one called Sweyn Mac Awliffe!

He cuts a figure on the range
where he will help, and he will show
and teach the wielder of the axe
or the knife how best tae throw.

He is a kind and gentle man
Providing for the others’ needs –
From cool clear water o’ the spring
To tarts beloved of those he feeds.

Who in deeds e’er does his part?
Who unloads the burdened cart?
Who is this man so good of heart?
The one called Sweyn Mac Awliffe!

So we give him title now of Laird
And make him one of Eastern Court
And he shall bear himself the arms
that he alone shall wear and sport

(These are not yet registered but this verse is what will be used when they are. =)***
On Gyronny of gules and ermine,
a brown bear proper rampant
and on a chief argent a dagger
fesswise gules – none may recant! ****

Who makes the rounds with bonny care?
Who does a thistle and a dagger wear?
Who’s ever just, and always fair?
The Laird called Sweyn Mac Awliffe!

The Emperor Brennan did declare,
Empress Caoilfhionn also swore
this to be signed as solemn truth
at Malagentia’s Great Northeastern War

Therefore on the twelfth day of July
in the 49th year of the Society,
this deed is done now in full
with great and noble piety.

Breannan August Caoilfhionn Augusta

Jesca de Hunteleghe – AoA

Fair East, heed this throne and hear Our sonorous will, as we, Gregor Rex and Kiena Regina, pray you attend she who kneeleth here, Jesca de Hunteleghe,, who hath for many years now served with ever-pleasant countenance. Surpassing are her many gifts, given oft and generously with willing hand and open heart. A beacon of sweet hospitality at home in Huntly’s highland hills or in travels caring for kin and kith, she ever-bears a basket of delights to refresh the soul. Long did this maid dream o’er the thistle, moor, and cliff of oliphants and orange trees and far off lands fine ladies see. These dreams were heard by Our own ears, now she shall herself a Lady be.

As befits a Lady of Our Court, we do award unto her arms to bear from this day ever forth, vert, an elephant passant contourny and on a chief nebuly argent three orange trees couped fructed proper.

Done by Our hands and given on Our behalf by Our Heirs at the War of the Roses in the Barony of Concordia of the Snows on the 25th Day of May, anno societis XLVIII.

___________________________________

I had the pleasure of meeting Jesca at the EK Bardic Champions event where she charmed me with her kind smile and homemade truffles. Later on when she and her husband hosted me and three members of my household as we traveled to an event far from our home, I was so pleased to get to know her better.

When I had the opportunity to write words for her AoA scroll, I jumped at the chance. Knowing her in person gave me the ability to write about her persona (Scottish) and also some of her traits beyond the write-up. Her arms are evocative and exotic, and add an interesting flair to the AoA, since many AoAs do not have any arms when they become a Lord or Lady of the Court. I also had the joy to see her get this award, since weather pretty much destroyed the event it originally was going to be delivered at. The actual scroll may have a different event listed. (I am not sure…)

Lady Anna Serena – AoA

AoA Scroll by Christiana Crane; Words by Aneleda Falconbridge
AoA Scroll by Christiana Crane; Words by Aneleda Falconbridge
AoA Scroll by Christiana Crane; Words by Aneleda Falconbridge

All harken to the Eastern throne as we, King Gregor the Good and Queen Kiena the Kind bid you heed our loyal subject Anna Serena of fair Malagentia. She hath inspired us with her great service to the realm, by her bearing the weight of water, and more, yet ever with light heart.

As Eastern sun doth rise upon the sea
Spreading its brilliance all across the shores
Same brightness in this maiden-smile all see
As like the sun she harkens and restores
All who would wilt upon the noble field
Without her ministration so supreme.
From the parching war-winds she does shield,
Cool waters pour forth from her hands serene.
All find her of good cheer and kindest word
Admiring her grace, her poise, her joys
As swiftly she alights, a summer bird,
Her good nature on all that she employs.
Observe her well, this Anna, in Our view,
A Lady of the noblest kind, and true.

Thus do we Eastern Monarchs award her arms, to be borne by her alone throughout the Known World and make her a Lady of Our venerable Eastern Court.

In witness whereof we have set Our hand on this, the thirteenth of July, in the forty-seventh year of the Society, in Our Province of Malagentia at the Great Northeastern War.

AoA – Hew of Albion