We offreth with gret reverence, And aske in open audience To Thanet set your eyes o friend, That you sall see what alle we sende Syr Cedric, who on knee doth grette, A knight, both comly and sae sweete. He picked an axe and lette it fly To see where it lande from the sky, It does not strike the goal by chaunce But strength and minde in keene balance. At every chance he did rehearse Thrown items of nature diverse. His skill brought many for to seche He undertook them alle to teache. With tone so calm and speache so blythe He showed the way to throw als swithe. Unto the ladies hihe and loude; to knyhtes that ben yonge and proude, To little childe and mighty lord, And all who came of good accord. A maister of the sharpened blade So many strikes Syr Cedric made. And building boards and making things And teaching folk and serving Kinges, The skill in each he seemed to finde With gentyl manner ever kinde. He who most worthi was of dede Receive he scholde a certein mede A Silver Mantle we now give That he may bear long as he live.
This is done by the hand of Basilissa Caoilfhionn & Basileus Brennan at their Court in the Province of Malagentia at the Great Northeastern War on July 14, anno sociatis fifty-three.
Syr Cedric is a part of my house, Thanet, and a kind friend and mentor for many years. I was thrilled to be asked to create words for his inclusion in the Order of the Silver Mantle for his prowess and teaching of thrown weapons.
It’s been a while since I have fully created a new work rather than adapting an existing one to some degree or other. For this piece I chose Middle English and the style is that of the octosyllabic English couplet which was favored by John Gower (1330 – 1408) who wrote during the time that Syr Cedric would have lived. To learn more, visit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Gower
I made a strong effort to use only end-rhymes that would have appeared in Gower’s time period.
The motto at the top “quocunque jeceris stabit” is “whithersoever you throw it, it will stand” — the motto of the Isle of Man which is at least in Britannia. I thought that it worked really well as a motto for this piece too, since it’s been very much Cedric’s ability!
Lady Keziah and I had a brief turnaround time for this piece, so it’s 231 words.
To all noble kin we now present, That all consider graciously The thought, the mind, and the intent Who loves the East most faithfully.
Her heart of service to you proffer’d With right good will full honestly, Refuse it not, since it is offer’d, But take it to you gentlely.
Far to travel, to run, to ride, She undertakes it pleasantly; Bid her to go, straight she doth glide At your commandement humbly.
Audrye Benyet now we doth entreat Companion be, not secretly Silver Crescent Order comes to greet She who has served all steadfastly.
Amid this Great Northeastern War The passing year marked fifty-three Our Grant this day shall be abject: Therefore accept it lovingly.
On June’s fourteenth day assuredly, Since this so much we do desire, Reward Our servant liberally. For all her service and her hire.
Assigned by Eastern Royalty Emperor Brennan Empress Caoilfhionn
Illumination by Mistress Agatha Wanderer, Calligraphy by Duchess Thyra Eriksdottir, words by Mistress Aneleda Falconbridge
Calligraphy by Thyra Eiriksdottir. Illumination by Agatha Wanderer. Words from Sir Thomas Wyatt’s “The Heart and Service” adapted by Aneleda Falconbridge.
BASE SELECTION “The Heart and Service” Sir Thomas Wyatt – 1503-1542
This work seemed perfect as a starting point, as even its title provides appropriate context for Audrye’s work! I wanted to stay true to the feel and form, and as the piece was requested to be relatively short, it was a good poetic style to use to accommodate that request. It is 147 words, including the signature line.
The typical form for this piece seems to be loosely based on rhyme royal with lines of varying syllables and matched rhymes. A (9 syl) B (8 syl) A (9 syl) B (8 syl)
Sir Thomas Wyatt –1503–1542
“Born in Kent, England, Sir Thomas Wyatt was an ambassador to France and Italy for King Henry VIII. Wyatt’s travels abroad exposed him to different forms of poetry, which he adapted for the English language — most notably, the sonnet. Rumored to be Anne Boleyn’s lover, he spent a month in the Tower of London until Boleyn’s execution for adultery. Many consider his poem “Whoso List to Hunt” to be about Boleyn.”
+ Ego Matilda regina Orientis consensi et subscripsi
*The Lord is my Light, with “Dominus” abbreviated. (Dreda) ** Psalm 18:11 http://vulgate.org/ot/psalms_18.htm
Isabel Chamberlain’s Completed Scroll, with words by Aneleda Falconbridge and interlinear text by Alidreda de Tamwurthe.
Main sources:
Artistic inspiration is Vespasian Psalter, believed to be the first Latin-to-English translation of the Psalms (into Anglo-Saxon) written, it is thought, in the second quarter of the eighth century. The document features an abbreviated version of Psalm 26 (27).
My goals were to have the document look like the original as much as possible.
The text has nearly the same number of lines and nearly the same number of capital letters as the original.
The top image can remain exactly as on the extant. The small letters above will turn into the date of the award.
ABOVE the Latin, as with the extant document, is the text translated to early English/Anglo-Saxon by Mistress Aildreda de Tamwurthe, who is amazing. Then Mistress Isabel Chamberlain put the whole thing together. It was a labor of love.
Dreda’s interlinear text in Anglo-Saxon, as sent to Isabel.
Resources:
Latin-English Study Bible: Vulgatæ Editionis
Latin Vulgate text, English translation (CPDV), and translation commentary. Ronald L. Conte Jr., translator and editor
In the year of the Society 53, April 7 DNSILLUMINATIOMEA
All Peers, Nobles, and Gentles We hear the voice of the people. I give you at the request of the Order of the Pelican my loyal Estgaraet Hrofiscester. Straight and strong and willing to help everyone. He built roads, many, keeps the peace, serves the people. They understand the works of Estgar and the work of his hands. The man is good. More precious than gold and precious stones: and sweeter than honey and the honeycomb. Give him according to his works. Render to Estgar his reward. We acknowledge the dignity of our Estagr at our court in the Shire of Quintavia. Great is his name in many lands. He is a Pelican. + I Ivan King of the East agree and subscribe + I Matilde Queen of the East agree and subscribe
Aneleda’s Latin Text:
LIII anno societatis VII Aprilis DNSILLUMINATIOMEA
Omnibus paribusnobilibusgentilibus A voce et a populusaudi nos. Do tibi tuæque ad pelecānōrummeo fidelissimo Estgarus Hrofiscestri. Rect et fortis et patiens Adiutor omnis. Construxit itineribus multis, custodit pacem, serves populus. Quoniam intellegunt opera Estgarum et opus manuum. Ipse virbonum. Desiderabilia super aurum et lapidem pretiosum multum et dulciora super mel et favum redundantem. Redde ipsisretributionem. Da Estgarus secundumipsis opera. Dignitatemque agnoscimus nostrorum Estagrum apud aulam nostram in villa Quintavia. admirábile est nomen eius in multis eius terras Ipse vir pelecānum est. + Ego Ivanus rex Oreintalum consensi et subscripsi + Ego Matilde regina Oreintalum consensi et subscripsi
Steffan’s Edits to the Latin Text:
LIII AS VII Apr DNSILLUMINATIOMEA
Omnibus paribus nobilibus et gentilibus Vocem populi audimus Vobis damus secundum postulationem Ordinis Pelicani nostrum fidelissimum Estgar de Hroficester. Rectus et fortis est et propensus omnes juvare. Construxit multas vias, conservit pacem, servavit populum. Intellegunt opera Estgari et opera manuum. Hic vir bonus est. Desiderabilia super aurum et lapidem pretiosum multum et dulciora super mel et favum redundantem.* Damus secundum sua opera. Reddimus ad Estgarum commodum justum. Dignitatem agnoscimus nostri Estgari apud aulam nostram in Scira Quintaviae. Magnum est nomen in multis terris. Pelicanus est. + Ego Ivanus rex Orientis consensi et subscripsi + Ego Matilda regina Orientis consensi et subscripsi
TO all peers, nobles and gentles We hear the voice of the people We give to you, according to the petition of the Order of the Pelican Our most faithful Estgar of Hroficester Straight and strong he is and willing to help all. He has built many roads, conserved the peace, served and protected the people. They recognize Estgar’s works and the works of his hands. This one is a good man. More precious than gold and precious stones And sweeter than honey and the honeycomb. We give according to his works. We render to Estgar his proper reward. We acknowledge the dignity of our Estgar among our shire of Quintavia. Great is his name in many lands He is a Pelican. + I Ivan King of the East agree and subscribe + I Matilde Queen of the East agree and subscribe
We seem to have a complex relationship with the media. We appreciate the stories and attention, but we’re also frequently nervous that something will be misunderstood and that communication and expectations won’t be clear.
This is the paperwork for the class at Marketplace at Birka. This will be conducted at other events as well as online. This document is best used in concert with information from the workshop.
So I went out in the late summer and got about 1 gallon of wild, invasive aquatic snails for this Snail Water.
I happily raised them and they were doing ok. I tossed in some older greens, they’d eat, all was well.
Then I put in The Gourd.
I figured they’d all be fine, they had this gourd to eat, they seemed to like it, and there we are.
Well, the gourd molded, and the filter clogged with red weird algae mold and …the tank just didn’t recover.
So I’ve had a tank of mostly dead snails in the basement for…well, lets not discuss the exact chronology, but I’ll just say that my husband is the most patient of men. That tank smells bad. Like bog of eternal stench bad. So I did what anyone would do — ignored it totally until I coudn’t any more.
I didn’t want to admit defeat. I didn’t want to admit that — even though I successfully managed to breed mosquitoes in our house all the way through December — I had not managed to keep a gallon of snails alive, even after they had babies.
I am not good at this.
So, today, January 17, 2018, I bleached the tank after investigating it and acknowledging that there might be three living snails and there were absolutely certainly over a hundred very, very dead snails in various states of…um…gelatinousness.
Because they are invasive, I have to bleach everything that the water touches and the tank itself. It smells like a nightmare. I had to use my hand to get something I dropped. My hand smells like a nightmare. I’ve washed it. Twice.
I’m going to take a shower and see if I can rid myself of this putridness.
It’s probably the most medieval part of the experiment, actually, this smell.
Here’s a terribly miserable video for you about how I’m gunna have to start over this experiment….again.
