OTC for Gryffyn Dunham

Calligraphy and illumination by Master Ed
Calligraphy and illumination by Master Ed

To all trewe Eastern people these present, reading, or seeing this missive, We, Cyng Kenric & Cwene Avelina, send due recommendation & greting. Reason ordeyneth that vertuouse men of noble courage be by there merites Renounned  Rewarded. And not oonly in theire psones in this mortall liffe so breef & transitory but also in theire good name & fame to be of noble memory after theire departing out of liffe & to be in euery place of honour before other persones euermore Reuerenced & Recomendid for shewing of certaine signes  tokenes of honour & gentilnes to thentent that by theire ensample other psones may the sonner & the more enforce & applye theyme theymeself to dispend theire lyves in honourable worke & vertuous dede for to purchace & gete therby the renoun of gentilnesse euermore. Not only by common renoun but by the report & testimony of noble psones worthy of faith We are truly advertised & informed that Gryffyn Dunham has long pursued valiant feats of armes as well in this as in other matters applyed & honourably governed himself in goodly entent & disposition so that he is worthy that henceforth for ever he be in all places by his gode disposicion honourably accepted, receiued, admitted, counted, & renouned among the number & company of the Antient & Noble Order of the Tygers Combattant.  We devise, ordaine, & conferme him unto these happy few that with noble Courage excercyse vertuous manners of arms endorsed by the abillitye of wch psons foresaid. Our will shall be peasebly & without challenge or interuption for eumore. In wittenesse wherof I, Cyng Kenric, & I, Cwene Avelina, haue signed these psente with Our owne h&e at Anglespur the 4 Day of January the XLVIII yere of the Society.

Based on the charter texts of John Alfrey, 1459/60, John Picton, 1486, and Edmond Mille, 1450.  (http://verysleepy.itgo.com/grants.htm)

Modern English spelling and punctuation

To all true Eastern people these present, reading, or seeing this missive, We, King Kenric & Queen Avelina, send due recommendation & greeting. Reason ordaineth that virtuous men of noble courage be, by there merits Renowned, Rewarded.

And not only in their persons in this mortal life so brief & transitory, but also in their good name & fame to be of noble memory after their departing out of life & to be in every place of honor before other persons evermore Reverenced & Recommended for showing of certain signs, tokens of honor & gentleness to the intent that by their example other persons may the sooner & the more enforce & apply themselves to dispend their lives in honorable work & virtuous deed for to purchase & get thereby the renown of gentleness evermore.

Not only by common renown but by the report & testimony of noble persons worthy of faith We are truly advertised & informed that Gryffyn Dunham has long pursued valiant feats of arms as well in this as in other matters, applied & honorably governed himself in goodly intent & disposition so that he is worthy that henceforth forever he be in all places, by his good disposition, honorably accepted, received, admitted, counted, & renowned among the number & company of the Ancient & Noble Order of the Tygers Combatant.

We devise, ordain, & confirm him unto these happy few that with noble Courage exercise virtuous manners of arms endorsed by the ability of which persons foresaid.

Our will shall be peaceably & without challenge or interruption for evermore.

In wittiness whereof I, King Kenric, & I, Queen Avelina, have signed these present with Our own hand at Anglespur the 4 Day of January the XLVIII year of the Society.

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Gryffyn Dunham’s persona is of the Agincourt era. Because I couldn’t find extant English poetry for this era (1415) and I wanted English, and close to period language, without using Latin. Because it’s a martial award I also didn’t want it to have a delicate feeling, which poetry of the era might have. So I researched some charters as close as I could find to the date I wanted – 1450, 1460, and 1480 as a language guide. From that, I took the portions which suited my purposes best and altered them. Most charters have a very “template” feel to them (of course) which made the mixing quite easy. I changed the later language spelling to match the spelling of the era and I snuck in a small Shakespeare bit from the famed St. Crispin’s Day speech, a piece I know Gryf really likes. Ultimately I hope that it reads like a period document appropriate for his persona.

(I used many sites with charters on them, but this was an incredible resource for me: http://verysleepy.itgo.com/grants.htm )