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 )