HWAET!
Hear hall-men of brave Brennan,
Bring him before bear-armed blade-brood.
To his Kyng, kneeled at calling.
Fearless fought, that MacFergus.
Born of sword the warrior traveled
All he met allowed great praise.
All respected regent, peasant
king, queen, kin, bard, and brothers.
Girded guardian great in actions
Family-fierce, esteem is earned
at the haudin, by the barmkin,
dirk is ready for the realm.
Boldly boast I of Brennan.
Solid stood valorous tyger
Honored for great courtesy
Keen combat keeps his kinship
Champion of strong chieftains
Weighty work bore his body,
Answered he when courage called.
From loyalty, swore his mentor,
Deft desire gave him promise,
Well-refined tenacity.
Rare treasure find in this man.
Of the hoards in the war-chest
Poets see none so golden,
Nor liege lords, nor great ladies
None rich as ring-bright Brennan.
Heed the wolves’ silver howling
In the night calling kinsmen.
Chivalry now come, gather
For your pack needs this voice.
All ages shall bear in mem’ry
Regal day of elevation.
No blood spilled yet red was shed
Bound by belt bled in whiteness
Noble gold inspired proudly,
Simple chain now marks man’s measure.
This is his arrhae splendor,
Raise the quaich drink his honor.
All within say now Slàinte.
With his hand Kenric oath-signed
Blessed it too Avelina.
Promised arms patent lettered
Sable, two wolf’s heads
couped close respectant argent,
a base checky sable, argent
augmented a sinister canton
Or a tyger passant azure.
On the day of crown contest
Fighting day to name their Heirs.
Fitting day for such acclaim.
Brothers stood for Sir Brennan.
Samhain pass’d by one sun rise
We have mark’d ending summer,
Two-years ‘till half-century
In history of Society
In long-hall Carolingian.
Remember great ones gathered
Where you were as Brennan rose
Knelt a soldier and a squire-man
Stood a son of Chivalry.
To the stones may it be told.
Swear to truth all have seen it.
Swear do we Eastern chieftains.
Kenric Kyng Avelina Cwene
________________________________________________
This is the text of the Scroll of Chivalry for Sir Brennan MacFeargus, who I am proud to call friend. When I was King’s Bard, he bore the burden of protecting me from grievous harm on the field (“You may die, but you won’t die-die,” I remember him saying.) It was he who helped tape the purple and gold banner to my spear. It was he who helped arrange all manner of things. Since then he, and his lady, have become part of my SCA family.
I read this in the morning, and after Brennan was knighted, I hugged him and said, “Brother, I am so happy that this morning I am reading your words as you are knighted, and tonight I will see you become Prince of the East.” He laughed…..then.
We all laughed later through our cheering as Sir Brennan became Prince of the East that same day and made his beautiful wife, my friend Caoilfhionn, Princess of the East.
Reading back, the scroll does have this prophetic sound to it. Weren’t bards considered magical in some Celtic cultures? (grin!)
Rock. Star. Day.
(arrhae – 13 silver coins given to the minister or priest by the groom as part of the wedding ceremony. In any situation something given to bind a bargain between parties. Haudin – home, house, holding. Quaich ~ ancient drinking cup with two handles and used with both hands. Slàinte ~ (slawn-cha), health, salvation; barmkin ~ a Medieval defensive enclosure found around smaller castles, tower houses, pele towers, and bastle houses in Scotland. As well as the residence, outbuildings were also included, plus a place to protect livestock during cattle raids. From the Roman barbican, meaning an outer fortification of a city or castle. Kirkhope and Smailholm are castles on the Scotttish borders that had a barmekin. )