Award text: Yehuda's Silver Crescent

I realize I hadn't put this one up when it was given out.  Unlike many of my works, it is not a direct adaptation of a single period source.  It's almost completely original, based on my now having read a couple billion medieval legal documents:


Kenric, by right of arms King of the East, and Avelina, by agency of the same right his Queen, to all to whom the present letters shall come, greetings.  Whereas in the sixth year of the Society our revered ancestors Akbar and Khadijah, third of those names to reign over the Kingdom of the East, by charters bearing their royal seal created and constituted the Order of the Silver Crescent, the said Order to be given in recognition of those gentles who have distinguished themselves by service to the Kingdom; and whereas Yehuda ben Moshe has greatly and notably distinguished himself through his diverse labors as Elmet Herald and in the teaching of the arts of heraldry, the which labors have won renown and repute throughout the Knowne Worlde; therefore of our special grace, certain science and mere motion, and also with the advice and consent of the membership of the aforesaid Order, we do therefore by these presents give and grant unto the said Yehuda for the term of his life membership in the Order of the Silver Crescent along with all commodities, emoluments, allowances and advantages as are due and accustomed.  And in perpetual memorial of the said gift and grant we have caused the present letters to be created and affixed with our signature, and further for these letters to be read aloud in the Court of our Heirs upon 18 January, in the forty-eighth year of the Society, in Settmour Swamp.


There was a bit of a time crunch on this one, so I did not have time to play with period spellings.

This text was an instance where I took a different approach to the "by grace of god king of" problem than simply deleting it.  I opted for "by right of arms King of the East."  Why?  Because that is the source of an SCA monarch's right to rule, much as the grace of God purportedly was the source of a medieval monarch's right (YMMV based on time, place and culture).   I think the phrase has a the right rhythm to it and may use it in a few other places as well.