Category: Award of Arms

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AoA – Eoin An Doire

When shall a good man find his rest?  When boars fly over oaken tree.
When shall he work at our behest?  As long as blossoms love the bee.

In the Eastern realm there is a land where women and men are strong as tides. Among this people lives a man – as Eoin an Dore he is known.

Dependable in every way, good Eoin sets to tasks diverse. He gladly does repair the keep and build the tavern for our sport. He goes as called, on field and off, to battle mighty foes or tournament scores. He maketh cider sweet, but not so sweet as his own disposition.  Unassumingle he dons the armor bright and stands the field in tabard gold, sword in hand, to defend his king, his land, his lady.

Steadily he lands the blow, then can heal the wound. His words calm with knowledge of physic’s humors true. Tending with care to all in need, his steady hand eschews the leech, applies the salve, the poultice, the linen. These selfsame hands hold a steady bow, and strike the target right. To defend, or hunt, or sport does Eoin play, but never boasts, for he is a shining example of what a man ought be.

And so it is right and good, to bring him to the court this day at King and Queen’s Bardic Championship in Endewearde’s frozen lands, on the fifth of February, anno sociatatis XLV. By the hand of good King Gryffith most sincere, and lovely Queen Aikaterine, we welcome now Eion an Dore, and call him Lord.

 

* * * * * *

Now, this was not what was read at court, so I don’t know if the signet had other text, or if something was put together, but this is what I sent.  I think the scroll got tied up in storm weather, so, I’m including it here, so at least this way our newest Lord of the East will know what I thought of him, regardless of what is on the actual scroll.  ;-p

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AoA – Lucie Lovegood

If fortune has been kind than you have met
This lady from the lovely English sea
Whose graces must serve as perfect key
As none have failed to love this sweet soubrette.

When she is near all worldly things forget.
She seems to solve all ills so gracefully
Perhaps it is how she attends to thee,
Her virtues maketh people not to fret.

Her pleasant smile at gate thou may have seen.
Perhaps you heard her laugh behind a shield,
Or on the path of errands she has run.
O what to do with worker so serene,
Who set on any task will just not yield?

Ah, here is notion for this vibrant one!
From this day forth shall Lady be her name!
Thought bold King Gregor and Queen Kiena bright,
And swift decided, unto our delight,
One Lady Lucie Lovegood we would claim!

In AS forty-six thusly ordained,
At Tournament for Eastern Crown, this rite,
Beneath the fifth day’s cold November light,
In Bergental, her ladyship attains.

 

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AoA – Alessandra da Montereggioni

A Canzone written for Alessandra da Montereggioni by Aneleda Falconbridge

Qual donna attende a gloriosa fama
di senno, di valor, di cortesia? *

Gather and hear, noble people of the Mighty East, of a Lady so kind that Petrach himself would have searched for words, one of such bliss as is seldom seen walking these low and mortal paths.

To those who love service, and too, chivalry,
we speak of a lady, and give our rationale

Of a spirit generous, of great morale
held in high esteem by all who are her friend.

We see this golden creature all around us
extending gentle hand with most noble grace
toward any task requested in this dear place
to see it through no matter how far its end.

She brings the new and kindly helps them to blend
in the crowd of brewers, dancers, sewers, cooks,
and shares the wondrous knowledge gained from her books
Her encouragement lights the paths many wend.

With golden threads she has sewn us up with love,
It is with sad joy we set free this sweet dove.

Thus it is the will of ever-right and kind King Gryffith and our resplendent and gentle Queen Aikaterine that Alessandra da Montereggioni becomes a Lady of our Court this day, the fifth day of the month of love, Anno Societatis forty-five, at the King and Queen’s Bardic Champions in the fair Shire of Endewearde.

(Italian translation) *Doth any maiden seek the glorious fame Of chastity, of strength, of courtesy? – Petrarch


Notes about the piece:

This canzone is written with 11 syllables per line, based on a style used by Dante, who wrote of Montereggioni.  Seemed like a good idea at the time…

The scheme is as follows:
ab
bc
deec
cffc
gg

I found these suggestions online:

First two lines: Define your subject and how you will speak with the reader
Second two lines: Convey the central theme, question, or conflict.
Third set of lines (broken into a quatrain): Convey your mood, sentiment, and stance

“Derived from the Provençal canso, the very lyrical and original Italian canzone consists of 5 to 7 stanzas typically set to music, each stanza resounding the first in rhyme scheme and in number of lines (7 to 20 lines). The canzone is typically hendecasyllabic (11 syllables). The congedo or commiato also forms the pattern of the Provençal tornado, known as the French envoi, addressing the poem itself or directing it to the mission of a character, originally a personage. Originally delivered at the Sicilian court of Emperor Frederick II during the 13th century of the Middle Ages, the lyrical form was later commanded by Dante, Petrarch, Boccaccio, and leading Renaissance writers such as Spenser (the marriage hymn in his Epithalamion).”  (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canzone)