Queen & King’s Archery Champion Scrolls, AS46

Both scrolls are based on the Byzantine Chant to St. Cyril (feast day June 19th) & St. Athanasios (feast day May 2). They were chanted/sung at the Court of King Lucan VIII at Vinland Raids in the Barony of Smoking Rock, AS46.

You may hear the scrolls sung (sadly, at desk not at court) here…

Queen’s Archery Champion Scroll

You became radiant
by your magnificent deeds,
meeting every mark
and becoming conquering champion.
Your skill has enriched all
and the East became greatly glorified.
You are found most worthy by our Queen
who this day now calls you Champion.

Master Krakken Gnashbone, thus it is the will of resplendent Jana Regina that you are named Queen’s Champion of Archery, this 18th day of June, AS XLVI in the Barony of Smoking Rocks.

King’s Archery Champion Scroll

As swift flies the arrow
you are now surely known
by your noble flights,
thus catching the attention of our King.
With your gifts set for the East
you bring great honor and glory to her.
You have worthily met every task
and are now this day called Champion.

Lord Kusunoki Yoshimoto, thus it is the will of ever-bold Lucan Rex that you are named King’s Champion of Archery, this 18th day of June, AS XLVI in the Barony of Smoking Rocks.

 

Original Text

You became radiant
by your orthodox deeds
quelling all heresy
and becoming conquering champions.
Your piety enriched all
and the church became greatly beautified
You have worthily found Christ our God
who by your prayers grants all great mercy.

I used the following site: http://chant.hchc.edu/ to learn the chants. The tunes and lyric are based on the women’s version in English of the chants for the feast day of Saints Athanasius and Cyril, whose feast day was closest to the event.

Scroll for EK Queen’s Rapier Champion AS 45

Sir Edward Grey of Lochleven
wreathed with greatest honor is revealed,
and with the most esteem, picked from the field.

Forbearance and Honor noted our queen,
Beloved lady of bliss, Aikaterine.
The rapier swift has its song to sing
And dances as swallows dance in spring
Through the field’s rite,
Bright glinting light
This blade did supply
You being near
We shall not fear,
Though Death stand by.

With you the swords take edge, the heart grows bold;
From you in fee their lives your liegemen hold.
Our lady Queen smiles on this one’s goodwill
Thus now the Champion’s role thou must fulfill.
Bless then the hour
That gives the power
In which you may,
At bed and board,
Embrace your sword
Both night and day.

From Bergental through all the East ring true
Thus mark we January twenty-two
Anno Societis forty-five
When the Queen’s Rapier Champion did arrive
Bless then the one
Whose duty done
With skill and grace,
and courtesy
we honor thee,
Signed in this place…

Honor, great honor, from our noble queen,
Beloved lady of bliss, Aikaterine.

 

Notes on the piece:

This poem is based on The Forest’s Queen by Philip Massinger, <span>originally published in The Guardian in 1633.  Below is the original, from which the central part of the poem is hugely based (because it was sooooo perfect!)  The scan works better on paper than out loud in parts because our lovely Queen of Love and Beauty is sounds the “e” at the end of </span>Aikaterine (Aikaterine-ah.)  I didn’t want to mar the beautiful look of the piece’s symmetry with the original by mucking about too much, so I decided to live with it even though it’s an extra syllable here and there.  Consider it a bonus!

THE ORIGINAL WORK: THE FOREST’S QUEEN by: Philip Massinger

Welcome, thrice welcome to this shady green,

Our long-wished Cynthia, the forest’s queen!

The trees begin to bud, the glad birds sing

In winter, changed by her into the spring.

We know no night,

Perpetual light

Dawns from your eye:

You being near,

We cannot fear,

Though death stood by.

From you our swords take edge, our hearts grow bold;

From you in fee their lives your liegemen hold.

These groves your kingdom, and our laws your will;

Smile, and we spare; but if you frown, we kill.

Bless then the hour

That gives the power

In which you may,

At bed and board,

Embrace your lord

Both night and day.

 

Welcome, thrice welcome to this shady green,

Our long-wished Cynthia, the forest’s queen!

Scroll text for King’s Rapier Champion AS 45

For fame one does not hoist the mighty sword
Nor take up as his art the rapier keen,
But for our Griffyth King, our Eastern Lord,
They thrust and parry, feint and fight as seen.
Thick has the field of noble challenge been
Yet one became distinct amongst the crowd.
Now sing we all as one this joyful pean
Unto the one who makes our King thus proud.
Ring out ye wintry bells of Bergantal
This twenty second day of the new year,
Proclaim this fencer’s prowess in your halls
Defender of the Eastern Realm all hear,
What Honor, Grace, Finesse and Chivalry –
The Champion of our King this one must be.

Signed King Griffith Fitzwilliam this day

That Gryffith d’Avingon
for pleasant art amid the lists is named
King’s Rapier Champion for this fine display

In anno societis forty-five
the year this noble one is thus acclaimed.

 

Notes on this piece:

Sonnet rhyme scheme based on a verse by Sir Philip Sidney written in 1581.