Category: Order of the Maunche

Adrienne d’Evreus is a marvelously science-minded artist. I was invited to create words for her induction into the Order of the Maunche. Her Laurel, Mistress Isabel Chamberlain, lives far off, in another kingdom now, and so the scroll had some transit required! The desired piece required charter text, which is most appropriate for her persona. After a fair amount of looking and tossing a lot of sources, I decided that I’d use the “The Statute of Laborers, 1351” as the base of the text. The language has a great sound to it but it’s actually a somewhat harsh document. (You can learn about the statue here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statute_of_Labourers_1351).

“The Statute of Labourers, was issued after the great plague of the Black Death, which raged in Europe from 1347 to 1349. The same fields remained to be tilled, the same manual labour to be performed; but a large proportion of the labourers had died, and the rest could command what wages they pleased. Edward III, to stop this evil, issued this rather Draconian decree.” (– Henderson, Ernest F., Select Historical Documents of the Middle Ages / London : George Bell and Sons, 1896.)

I adapted it heavily to keep the quality of the language and some of the themes, especially parts related to artists, and included my own riff on things as I listed items appropriate to her art and research projects, found on her blog. My goal was to have about 500 words. When done, it was 599 but I really liked it, so I sent Isabell it and an edited one. She chose the larger work to use in the scroll. 

 

Their Royal Majesties Brion and Anna, from whom all Eastern powers flow, direct to the assembled members of the Court greeting. Because a great part of the people, and especially the of noble servants represented by the Order of the Maunche, have so suggested and ordered the consideration of the one named Adrienne d’Evreus, We, considering it is our honor and duty to recognize those skilled in the arts, have held deliberation and treaty concerning this with the prelates and nobles and other learned people sitting by us; by whose consentient counsel we have seen fit to ordain: that said Adrienne d’Evreus, be joined into the Order of the Maunche, to be recognised as such by every man and woman of our kingdom of the East, and to those beyond our borders even into the heart of the Knowne World, of whatever condition, whether bond or free, elder or younger, servant or noble, as one who has been bound to serve that Art which has retained her service for so many years preceding.

Provided, that in thus retaining her service, that she may be given fair reign to work her alchemy for the good of the court and kingdom, to serve without hindrance or interference, and to be granted access to all natural goods that she may require, without prosecution for poaching in the Royal lands, including but not limited to, buckthorn and iris, elderberry and oyster, walnut and oak gall, and any other such provisions as the lands may provide. Further, she is given Our permit to trade without molestation or impediment such alchemical and exotic supplies as may come from the great Ports of the Knowne World, including but not limited to, lead, alum, ochre, saffron, woad, indigo, lye, bones, woods of all lands, feathers, quills, nibs, pens, and other items which she may receive. Furthermore, and no matter what odor her concoction hath wrought, she may grind and soak, wash and rinse, pluck and work, elutriate and levigate at her will and whim.

And if a reaper or mower, fencer or archer, herald or minstrel, piper or tinker, mason or troubadour, other workman or servant, of whatever standing or condition he be, who is retained in the service of any one, do depart her from her selected service, without her leave, permission, or reasonable cause, he shall undergo the penalty of imprisonment, and let no one, under the same penalty, presume to receive or retain such a one in his service.

Likewise saddlers, skinners, white-tawers, cordwainers, tailors, smiths, carpenters, masons, tilers, shipwrights, carters and all other artisans and labourers, must be set to support her, and so they may recognize her, we hereby Grant her Arms that she alone may use: Azure, a fleur-de-lys argent, a bordure gules.

And if the lords of the towns or manors presume of themselves or through their servants in any way to act contrary to this our present ordinance, then in the Counties, Baronies and Provinces suit shall be brought against them for the triple penalty which shall be to live bereft of vermillion, ochre, cochineal, lapis lazuli, vergaut, malachite, saffron, verdigris,  turmeric, gypsum, lamp black, Tyrian purple, malachite and their books of hours shall be left ever empty.

By the Powers of the Crowns of the East and in the support of the Society, it is thus ordained on the Feast of Saint Odo of Beauvais at the Royal Court of King Brion and Queen Anna at the Marketplace at Birka in the Barony of Stonemarche on the 28th day of January in the Year of the Society LI.

King Brion    |    Queen Anna

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The Statute of Laborers; 1351

(“Statutes of the Realm,” vol. i. p. 307.)

Edward by the grace of God etc. to the reverend father in Christ William, by the same grace archbishop of Canterbury, Primate of all England, greeting. Because a great part of the people and especially of the, workmen and servants has now died in that pestilence, some, seeing the straights of the masters and the scarcity of servants, are not willing to serve unless they receive excessive wages, and others, rather than through labour to gain their living, prefer to beg in idleness: We, considering the grave inconveniences which might come from the lack especially of ploughmen and such labourers, have held deliberation and treaty concerning this with the prelates and nobles and other learned men sitting by us; by whose consentient counsel we have seen fit to ordain: that every man and woman of our kingdom of England, of whatever condition, whether bond or free, who is able bodied and below the age of sixty years, not living from trade nor carrying on a fixed craft, nor having of his own the means of living, or land of his own with regard to the cultivation of which he might occupy himself, and not serving another,if he, considering his station, be sought after to serve in a suitable service, he shall be bound to serve him who has seen fit so to seek after him; and he shall take only the wages liveries, meed or salary which, in the places where he sought to serve, were accustomed to be paid in the twentieth year of our reign of England, or the five or six common years next preceding. Provided, that in thus retaining their service, the lords are preferred before others of their bondsmen or their land tenants: so, nevertheless that such lords thus retain as many as shall be necessary and not more; and if any man or woman, being thus sought after in service, will not do this, the fact being proven by two faithful men before the sheriffs or the bailiffs of our lord the king, or the constables of the town where this happens to be done,-straightway through them, or some one of them, he shall be taken and sent to the next jail, and there he shall remain in strict custody until he shall find surety for serving in the aforesaid form.

And if a reaper or mower, or other workman or servant, of whatever standing or condition he be, who is retained in the service of any one, do depart from the said service before the end of the term agreed, without permission or reasonable cause, he shall undergo the penalty of imprisonment, and let no one, under the same penalty, presume to receive or retain such a one in his service. Let no one, moreover, pay or permit to be paid to any one more wages, livery, meed or salary than was customary as has been said; nor let any one in any other manner exact or receive them, under penalty of paying to him who feels himself aggrieved from this, double the sum that has thus been paid or promised, exacted or received and if such person be not willing to prosecute, then it (the sum) is to be given to any one of the people who shall prosecute in this matter; and such prosecution shall take place in the court of the lord of the place where such case shall happen. And if the lords of the towns or manors presume of themselves or through their servants in any way to act contrary to this our present ordinance, then in the Counties, Wapentakes and Trithings suit shall be brought against them in the aforesaid form for the triple penalty (of the sum) thus promised or paid by them or the servants; and if perchance, prior to the present ordinance any one shall have covenanted with any one thus to serve for more wages, he shall not be bound by reason of the said covenant to pay more than at another time was wont to be paid to such person; nay, under the aforesaid penalty he shall not presume to pay more.

Likewise saddlers, skinners, white-tawers, cordwainers, tailors, smiths, carpenters, masons, tilers, shipwrights, carters and all other artisans and labourers shall not take for their labour and handiwork more than what, in the places where they happen to labour, was customarily paid to such persons in the said twentieth year and in the other common years preceding, as has been said; and if any man take more, he shall be committed to the nearest jail in the manner aforesaid.

Likewise let butchers, fishmongers, hostlers, brewers, bakers, pullers and all other vendors of any victuals, be bound to sell such victuals for a reasonable price, having regard for the price at which such victuals are sold in the adjoining places: so that such vendors may have moderate gains, not excessive, according as the distance of the places from which such victuals are carried may seem reasonably to require; and if any one sell such victuals in another manner, and be convicted of it in the aforesaid way, he shall pay the double of that which he received to the party injured, or in default of him, to another who shall be willing to prosecute in this behalf; and the mayor and bailiffs of the cities and Burroughs, merchant towns and others, and of the maritime ports and places shall have power to enquire concerning each and every one who shall in any way err against this, and to levy the aforesaid penalty for the benefit of those at whose suit such delinquents shall have been convicted; and in case that the same mayor and bailiffs shall neglect to carry out the aforesaid, and shall be convicted of this before justices to be assigned by us, then the same mayor and bailiffs shall be compelled through the same justices, to pay to such wronged person or to another prosecuting in his place, the treble of the thing thus sold, and nevertheless, on our part too, they shall be grievously punished.

And because many sound beggars do refuse to labour so long as they can live from begging alms, giving themselves up to idleness and sins, and, at times, to robbery and other crimes-let no one, under the aforesaid pain of imprisonment presume, under colour of piety or alms to give anything to such as can very well labour, or to cherish them in their sloth, so that thus they may be compelled to labour for the necessaries of life.

http://avalon.law.yale.edu/medieval/statlab.asp

Source:Henderson, Ernest F.
Select Historical Documents of the Middle Ages
London : George Bell and Sons, 1896.

 

Funi kveykisk af funa.
Swa cwæð Cyninga Kenric on mode
swa cwæð Cwene Avelina on mode
gesæt þeir sundor æt rune.
Gemon þeir selesecgas ond sincþege.

Well-famed is this woman,
brooch-crafter, glass-melter.
She turns dust jewel-bright
in the blaze-fire.
She crafts her hoard,
gives with open hand.
She studies the crafts,
consults the masters.
She shares fire
with the people.

Now spark joins fire,
now glass joins metal.
Now Alys Treeby joins
the Order of the Maunch
and is granted arms,
Argent, a tree blasted sable
issuant from a base vert
and beset by bees
sable and Or, winged sable.

This is done
at the Pennsic Court of the East,
cyningdom Aethelmarc,
day tīen of Weodmonað
in the year fīftiġ ānum
by our reckoning.

Wyrd bið ful aræd.
Swa cwæð
Cyninga Kenric and Cwene Avelina.

 

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Text with translations

Funi kveykisk af funa. (flame kindles from flame)
Swa cwæð Cyninga Kenric on mode (So spake Kenric in his mind)
Swa cwæð Cwene Avelina on mode (So spake Avelina in her mind,)
gesæt þeir sundor æt rune (where they sat apart in counsel.)
Gemon þeir selesecgas ond sincþege. (They remember hall-warriors and the giving of treasure)

Well-famed is this woman, brooch-crafter, glass-melter. She turns dust jewel-bright in the blaze-fire. She crafts her hoard and gives with open hand. She studies the crafts and consults the masters. She has shares fire with the people.

Now spark joins fire, now glass joins metal. Now Alys Treeby joins the Order of the Maunch and is granted arms, Argent, a tree blasted sable issuant from a base vert and beset by bees sable and Or, winged sable.

This is done at the Pennsic Court of the East, cyningdom Aethelmarc, on day tīen of Weodmonað in the year fīftiġ ānum by our reckoning.

Wyrd bið ful aræd. (Events always go as they must!)

Swa cwæð Cyninga Kenric and Cwene Avelina. (so said King Kenric and Queen Avelina.)

# # #

The text is influenced by portions of the Havamal and the Anglo-Saxon portions are taken from the texts of the Havamal. A facing page translation is available online here: http://www.anglo-saxons.net/hwaet/?do=get&type=text&id=Hav.

NOTES: Original: Swa cwæð snottor on mode, (So spake the wise man in his mind,)
gesæt him sundor æt rune. (where he sat apart in counsel.)
Weodmonað = August or “weed month”
Tīen = ten
fīftiġ ānum = fifty one

 

 

Ri Kenric and Bean-righ Avelina call to their people to listen. Praise is the mead of those who make impressions. Spear-tall stands Seamus shire-maker, saffron-robed, armed to raid. A man of great worth, ceithearn* and crafter of Clan Cnoc Gorm, he walks the wood-lands in soft silence.

Tiarna Seamus na Coille Aosda knows all things which a forest-man should know, to weave and sew, to cut and fletch, to dye and work wool and leather. He bends the yew and makes for it a singing string. He fletches the arrow that feeds the clan. He sets the snare and praises the prey. He strikes the stone and brings forth sparks. He heats and strikes the iron to sharpness. He knows the trees both new and ancient. He forms fine things from them. He knows the stars and their directions. He sleeps beneath them in all weather.

Rare-gift giver, Seamus steadies new birch sapling, binds and props the eldest yew. Ceithearn and crafter, shares Fintan’s wisdom with all who fish. This day sleeve-wearers seek his presence, bid him now to join their Order with arms-grant given, Argent, a trillium purpure barbed vert and seeded Or.

In the fields of Malagentia, ringed with royal forest, the Maunche calls at the Great Northeastern Creach Rígh*on July’s ninth day, A.S. LI, at the Great Northeastern Creach Rígh* and it is the will of Ri Kenric and Bean-righ Avelina that this be done. And so it was done.

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* ceithearn pronounced “Kern”

* Great Northeastern King’s Raid

** The little fire that warms is better than the big fire that burns.

Illumination by Lady Agatha Wanderer. Calligraphy by Mistress Nest verch Tangwistel. Words by Mistress Aneleda Falconbridge.

Scroll text inspired by the The Book of Anuerin, Cardiff MS 2.81.  

The great poet Samuel ha-Nagrid has written,

“Man’s wisdom is at the tip of his pen,

His intelligence is in his writing.

A pen can raise a man to the height

Of the scepter in the hand of his king.” *

We, King Kenric ap Essex and Queen Avelina Keyes, attest to the truth of this.

It is with a pen that Lord Gideon ha-Khaza has shared his knowledge of fighting laws and histories of the Jewish people with the Knowne World. We bid him approach the Eastern scepter to be named a Companion of the Order of the Maunche, so recognized at the Coronation of Their Majesties Kenric and Avelina in the Shire of Quintavia on the ninth of April, A.S. L.

 

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Illumination by Agatha Wanderer, Calligraphy by Alexandre St. Pierre, words by Aneleda Falconbridge.
*Poem, “The Power of the Pen” by Samuel ha-Nagrid, is based on translations by David Goldstein and Peter Cole.

Maunche for Christiana Crane, given at Birka AS 50. Words inspired by and adapted from “The Pearl” – a late 14th century Middle English poem by an anonymous author. Below it is in middle English and modern English.

The gilt and gall wel knawe þys hyne Abowte hyr displayed much gode work there Se more mervayle by hyr hyne bygynne Come, Maunche, to maid ful debonere Þat in alle wyyes we now myght wynne Christiana Crane, bryght and fayre, Worthé fraunchyse joye and blysse hereinne. As glysnande golde that man con schere, I sette hyr sengely in synglere. Grant heo armes, azure, a crane in vigilance argent and a tierce ermine and wel singe hyr dede once agayn. Perle, plesaunte to prynces paye Wordes clanly clos in golde so clere; Oute of oryent, I hardyly saye. Ne proved I never her precios pere. Quere-so-ever one jugged letters gaye, So smal, so smothe her hyne were, So fyne, so reken in uche araye. At Birka in the winter market chere in society’s fiftieth yere Þirty days in January it was seen, whene set þeir names in fine ink here did Brennan King and Caoilfhionn Queen.

The gold gilt and gall ink knows well this hand about her displayed much good work there see more marvels by her hand begun Come, Maunch, to this gracious maid, that in all ways we might now win Christiana Crane, bright and fair, worthy franchise will have joy and bliss herein. As glistens gold that man has wrought I set her worth as truly rare grant her arms, azure a crane in its vigilance argent and a tierce ermine and sing well of her deeds once again. Pearl, to delight a prince’s day, Words flawlessly set in gold so fair In all the East, I dare to say, I have not found one to compare. Wherever one judged letters gay So small, so smooth her hands were, So fine, so radiant in array. At Birka in the winter market cheer in society’s fiftieth year thirty days in January it was seen, whene set their names in fine ink here did Brennan King and Caoilfhionn Queen.

 

Below are sections of “The Pearl” which inspired and guided the above text.

a b a b a b a b b c b c	Perle, plesaunte to prynces paye To clanly clos in golde so clere; Oute of oryent, I hardyly saye. Ne proved I never her precios pere. So rounde, so reken in uche araye, So smal, so smothe her sydes were, Quere-so-ever I jugged gemmes gaye, I sette hyr sengely in synglere. Allas! I leste hyr in on erbere; Thurgh gresse to ground hit fro me yot, I dewyne, fordolked of luf-daungere Of that pryvy perle wythouten spot.	Perle, plesaunte to prynces paye Wordes clanly clos in golde so clere; Oute of oryent, I hardyly saye. Ne proved I never her precios pere. So fine, so reken in uche araye, So smal, so smothe her letters were, I sette hyr sengely in synglere.	Pearl, to delight a prince’s day, Flawlessly set in gold so fair In all the East, I dare to say, I have not found one to compare. So round, so radiant in array, So small, so smooth her contours were, Wherever I judged jewels gay I set her worth as truly rare. I lost her in a garden where Through grass she fell to earthen plot; Wounded by love beyond repair I mourn that pearl without a spot.
a b a b a b a b b c b c a b a b a b a b b c b c	The gilt and gall wel knawe thys hyne Abowte hyr displayed much gode work there Se more mervayle by hyr hyne bygynne Come, Maunche, to maid ful debonere Than in alle wyyes we now myght wynne Christiana Crane, bryght and fayre, Oure fraunchyse joye and blysse hereinne. As glysnande golde that man con schere, I sette hyr sengely in synglere. Grant heo armes, azure, a crane in vigilance argent and a tierce ermine and wel singe hyr dede once agayn. Perle, plesaunte to prynces paye Wordes clanly clos in golde so clere; Oute of oryent, I hardyly saye. Ne proved I never her precios pere. So fine, so reken in uche araye, So smal, so smothe her hyne were, Quere-so-ever one jugged letters gaye. At Birka in the winter market chere in society’s fiftieth yere thirty days in January it was seen, whene set their names in fine ink here did Brennan King and Caoilfhionn Queen. More haf I of joye and blysse hereinne, Than alle the wyyes in the worlde myght wynne Whether welnygh now I con bygynne- Fyrst of my hyre swete Maunche con mynne: First off, the Maunche that evening welcomed me ‘Deme3 þou me’, quod I, ‘my swete, To dol agayn, þenne I dowyne. Now haf I fonte þat I forlete, Schal I efte forgo hit er euer I fyne? Why schal I hit boþe mysse and mete? My precios perle dot3 me gret pyne. What serue3 tresor, bot gare3 men grete When he hit schal efte wyth tene3 tyne? Now rech I neuer for to declyne, Ne how fer of folde þat man me fleme. When I am partle3 of perle myne, “Þat date of 3ere wel knawe þys hyne. Þe lorde ful erly vp he ros To hyre werkmen to hys vyne, And fynde3 þer summe to hys porpos. Into acorde þay con declyne For a pené on a day, and forth þay got3, Wryþen and worchen and don gret pyne, Keruen and caggen and man hit clos. Aboute vnder þe lorde to marked tot3, And ydel men stande he fynde3 þerate. ‘Why stande 3e ydel?’ he sayde to þos. ‘Ne knawe 3e of þis day no date?’	Pearl, to delight a prince’s day, Words flawlessly set in gold so fair In all the East, I dare to say, I have not found one to compare. So fine, so radiant in array, So small, so smooth her contours were, Wherever I judged jewels gay Like gold that craftsmen work upon I set her worth as truly rare. The gilt and gall know well this hand Like gold that craftsmen work upon More courtly maiden there was none. Than all the world could e’er profess so sing well of her deed and thought again.
	The gilt and gall wel knawe thys hyne. The lady  ful erly up he ros To hyre werkmen to hys vyne, And fyndes ther summe to hys porpos	The gilt and gall know well this hand To pen	‘The hands knew that the day was near; That lord full early up arose To hire men, and commandeer Their labour; and he hires those
	That juel thenne in gemmes gente Vered up her vyse wyth yyen graye, Set on hyr coroun ot perle orient, And soberly after thenne con ho say: ‘Sir, ye hat your tale mysetente, To say your perle is al awaye, That is in cofer so comly elente As in this gardyn gracios gaye, Hereinne to lenge for ever and play, Ther tnys ne mornyng com never nere. Her were a forser for the, in faye, If thou were a gentyl jueler.’		That jewel then in gems arrayed Lifted to me those eyes of grey, And donned her crown, of jewels made, And gravely then I heard her say: ‘Sir, your conclusion is mislaid To say your pearl has fled away, That is in such a casket laid As in this gracious garden gay, To dwell in joy in endless day; Never can loss or grief come near. No pearl in such a casket lay, ‘Twould seem, for any jeweller
	More mervayle con my dom adaunt: I sey byyonde that myry mere A crystal clyffe ful relusaunt; Mony ryal ray con fro hit rere. At the fote therof ther sete a faunt, A mayden of menske, ful debonere; Blysnande whyt was hyr bleaunt. I knew hyr wel, I hade sen hyr ere. As glysnande golde that man con schere, So schon that schene anunder shore, On lenghe I loked to hyr there; The lenger, I knew hyr more and more.		More marvels to my sense repair I looked and saw yet more anon, A crystal cliff resplendent there With royal rays of splendour shone; And at its foot a child so fair More courtly maiden there was none. A gleaming mantle she did wear; I knew her well from times long gone, Like gold that craftsmen work upon So shone that maid upon that shore, And long my eyes did linger on That maid, and knew her more and more.
	So al was dubbet on dere asyse That fryth ther fortwne forth me feres. The derthe therof for to devyse Nis no wyy worthé that tonge beres. I welke ay forth in wely wyse; No bonk so byg that did me deres. The fyrre in the fryth, the feier con ryse The playn, the plonttes, the spyse, the peres, The rawes and randes and rych reveres – As fyldor fyn her bonkes brent. I wan to a water by schore that scheres; Lorde, der was hit adubbement !		The splendour bright of that display, The wood where fortune smiled on me, The glory thereof to portray No man could render worthily. I wandered joyful on my way; No height could do me injury. As through the woods my footsteps stray Field, shrub, and spice, and each pear-tree, Hedgerow and stream and banks I see Like gold thread shines each wooded height; I came to a streamlet running free; Lord, glorious was that splendour bright !
	The adubbement of tho downes dere Garten my goste al greffe foryete. So frech flavores of frytes were, As fode hit con me fayre refete. Fowles ther flowen in fryth in fere, Of flaumbande hwes, both smale and grete. Bot sytole-stryng and gyternere Her reken myrthe moght not retrete; Fir quen those bryddes her wynges bete, Thay songen wyth a swete asent. So gracios gle couthe no mon gete As here and se her adubbement.		The splendour of those bright hills there My spirit freed from my side fate; Refreshing was the fragrance clear Of fruits, as though of food I ate; Birds flew in all the woodland near Of myriad hue, both small and great, Cytole and cithern none could hear To match a sound so delicate; The notes their wing-beats did create Made sounds of such sweet delight Such charm no man could fabricate, As here in all their splendour bright.

 

Christiana Crane was born July 28, 1315 in York. The daughter of a successful and well respected merchant, her family was mercifully spared from desperate hardship during the Great Famine. Many years later, her family undertook a pilgrimage to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela to give thanks for their many fortunes. Sadly, her family succumbed to the various hazards of the road, leaving her to seek sanctuary with Lord and Lady Fulton. As a member of their household, Christiana has had the pleasure of meeting many new people from all points of the globe, and experiencing their exotic ways.

Grant her arms, azure, a crane in its vigilance argent and a tierce ermine.