With the popularity of the movie Brave, I've received a couple of requests for the given name “Merida,” generally from female submitters under the age of 18. Regardless of how the movie uses it, it is not a Scottish name. However, it can be documented to period other ways.
Merida appears as an English given name dated to 1628, which is within our “gray period” and acceptable as documentation. It is not clear whether this name was male or female.[1]
It can also be documented as an English surname. William Merida was married in England in 1580.[2] Since there is a documented pattern of using sixteenth century English surnames as given names, this evidence also supports “Merida” as an English given name.
[1] “England Marriages, 1538–1973 “, index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NVJS-6ZW), Merida Daves and Joane Kinge, 29 Dec 1628; Batch: M05807-2
[2] “England Marriages, 1538–1973 “, index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NJQW-K3N), William Merida and Elzabeth Yvens, 12 Sep 1580; Batch: M00080-4
Thursday, March 20, 2014
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
More Names from the IGI Parish Records: Miranda
Miranda has long been one of the "lost arks" of SCA name research. While Shakespeare used it as a literary name, he did so after 1600. Literary names after 1600 aren't registerable. (Although names of real people through 1650 are usable).
Today, during a dull lunch hour, I found usable SCA documentation for Miranda:
Miranda Miguel
Gender: Female
Burial Date:
Burial Place:
Death Date: 10 Feb 1642
Death Place: Murcia, Murcia, Spain
Batch: B86284-3
The use of B- Batches from the Family Search Historical Records as documentation was approved in the January 2014 LoAR.
Today, during a dull lunch hour, I found usable SCA documentation for Miranda:
Miranda Miguel
Gender: Female
Burial Date:
Burial Place:
Death Date: 10 Feb 1642
Death Place: Murcia, Murcia, Spain
Batch: B86284-3
The use of B- Batches from the Family Search Historical Records as documentation was approved in the January 2014 LoAR.
Monday, March 17, 2014
Richer and Stranger: More Names from the Family Search Historical Records
I couldn't sleep last night and, lacking the brain power to do any of the serious heraldic projects I have in the hopper, began trolling the Family Search Historical Records for names from classical Greek and Roman history and mythology. I'd already found things like Darius, Gaius, Lucius and Marcus, and I knew anecdotally that there was a late-period fashion for classical names.
What I discovered is that 16th cen. English and German parents were crazy.
They named their children things like Mercury, Nero, Vulcan, Juno, Medea, Pandora, Penthesilea, and a dozen other classical/mythological names that I would have thought implausible or undocumentable. English and German records represented most of the hits, but that may be a function of the Family Search database rather than the scope of the actual fashion for classical/mythological names.
Having now gone down the rabbit hole, I think this is going to grow up to be a "More Names from the Family Search Historical Records" article, probably for KWHSS, if not sooner. I know I should be doing more work on the Scottish name data, but this was too funny to put down.
What I discovered is that 16th cen. English and German parents were crazy.
They named their children things like Mercury, Nero, Vulcan, Juno, Medea, Pandora, Penthesilea, and a dozen other classical/mythological names that I would have thought implausible or undocumentable. English and German records represented most of the hits, but that may be a function of the Family Search database rather than the scope of the actual fashion for classical/mythological names.
Having now gone down the rabbit hole, I think this is going to grow up to be a "More Names from the Family Search Historical Records" article, probably for KWHSS, if not sooner. I know I should be doing more work on the Scottish name data, but this was too funny to put down.
More Names from the Family Search Historical Records; Vulcan?
I think this is the biggest surprise that I've found in my hours of trolling through Family Search:
Vulcan
Durham;
Male; Christening; 04 Apr 1589; Berwick Upon Tweed, Northumberland, England;
Batch: P00022-1
Thursday, March 13, 2014
Award texts: Kiena's County Scroll
#sca
This was my first attempt at writing an award text in 16th century Scots. As I find myself working more and more in this language, I wanted to revisit my first efforts. Scots is a language closely related to English, and in fact is often considered a dialect of English, but it has a parallel and distinct line of descent from Old English.[1]
The source text was taken from Records of the Scottish Parliament to 1707, an invaluable website that has both transcriptions in the original language (generally Latin or Scots) and modern translations of the same documents. You can toggle back and forth between the modern and the period transcriptions.
For words that I could not find in the original document, I consulted other documents of the same era in the RPS database, and then turned to the Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue on line.
The finished product:
This was my first attempt at writing an award text in 16th century Scots. As I find myself working more and more in this language, I wanted to revisit my first efforts. Scots is a language closely related to English, and in fact is often considered a dialect of English, but it has a parallel and distinct line of descent from Old English.[1]
The source text was taken from Records of the Scottish Parliament to 1707, an invaluable website that has both transcriptions in the original language (generally Latin or Scots) and modern translations of the same documents. You can toggle back and forth between the modern and the period transcriptions.
For words that I could not find in the original document, I consulted other documents of the same era in the RPS database, and then turned to the Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue on line.
The finished product:
In the
pairlament of the excellent and rycht mychty Kyng Kenric and Avelina his
queene, held and opynnit in the Baroney of Smokyng Rocks on the fourtene of
Apprill in the 46th year of our Societie:
Item, the
quhilk day Kenric the kynge and Avelina the queene, with avise of the lordis of
counsal, summound Kiena Stiward, who deservit great laudis and praissis for her
wyse and worthy regnne over the Kingdome of the Oryent; for quhy it is divisit,
statute and ordanit that lettres be direct or all partis of this realme, and
all shereffis, stewartis, bailies and thair deputis, and to the provostis,
aldermen and bailies of burrowis, and to utheris officiaris of the kingdome,
shereffs in that part, chargeing tham to pas to the mercat croces of all
burrowis within this realme and thare, be oppin proclamatioun, command and
charge all and sindry that the samyn Kiena be here-eft dottit with dignities
and privelegeis of a Contas and Layde of the Rose; and forthirmar that she beer
by lettres patent thais airmes: Argent, a horse courant and on a chief
embattled azure three triquetras argent.
Item, the
quihilk day Kenric the kynge and Avelina the queene, with avise of the lordis
of counsal, pronunce, determyns & decretis that the beforesaid be declaired
in publik placis and recordit in wrytting for perpetuitie.
Thus, on
behalf of thameselves and all thair successouris, Kenric the kynge and Avelina
the queene confermyt, ratyfeit and approved the mater precedand.
[1] Dictionary of the Scots Language, A History of Scots to 1707.
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
Award Text: Court Barony with Grant of Arms
I don't know this person particularly. I was asked to do the text as a favor to the scribes, and I did.
From the legal traditions of our ancestors of blessed memory the very well-known custom of our age was built, so that whatever can be ordered is commended to the tenacious memory of writing lest it slip from the memory of those present and future and fall into odious oblivion. Thus we, Kenric Rex and Avelina Regina, rightful inheritors of the Tyger Throne, conforming to our ancestors, will and wish that all of our acts, ordinances and orders be commended to the page for those who follow us. And further, by these present letters we will and wish that our faithful, generous and most noble servant, Cælia Blackwolf of Mistygrove, be preserved in perpetual memory as a right, good and worthy lady; and from the fullness of our royal authority we instruct, decree and ordain that her name be writ in perpetuity upon the rolls as a Baroness of our Court, and that she be invested and endowed hereafter with all appertaining rights, liberties and honors; and we further given and grant unto the said Cælia the right to bear arms of the following form and manner: Argent, a chevron inverted gules between three wolf's paw prints, two and one, overall a wolf's head, couped, ululant and sinister facing, sable. That memory of the above-stated gifts, grants and endowments may never lapse, we have approved and granted and confirmed this page with the fortification of our signs manual. In the year forty-eight from the founding of the Society, upon 1 March, being Saint Albinus’s Day, in the reign of Kenric and Avelina, King and Queen of the Easterners, second of those names.
From a charter of Melisende, Queen of Jerusalem dated 1150
From the legal traditions of our ancestors of blessed memory the very well-known custom of our age was built, so that whatever can be ordered is commended to the tenacious memory of writing lest it slip from the memory of those present and future and fall into odious oblivion. Thus we, Kenric Rex and Avelina Regina, rightful inheritors of the Tyger Throne, conforming to our ancestors, will and wish that all of our acts, ordinances and orders be commended to the page for those who follow us. And further, by these present letters we will and wish that our faithful, generous and most noble servant, Cælia Blackwolf of Mistygrove, be preserved in perpetual memory as a right, good and worthy lady; and from the fullness of our royal authority we instruct, decree and ordain that her name be writ in perpetuity upon the rolls as a Baroness of our Court, and that she be invested and endowed hereafter with all appertaining rights, liberties and honors; and we further given and grant unto the said Cælia the right to bear arms of the following form and manner: Argent, a chevron inverted gules between three wolf's paw prints, two and one, overall a wolf's head, couped, ululant and sinister facing, sable. That memory of the above-stated gifts, grants and endowments may never lapse, we have approved and granted and confirmed this page with the fortification of our signs manual. In the year forty-eight from the founding of the Society, upon 1 March, being Saint Albinus’s Day, in the reign of Kenric and Avelina, King and Queen of the Easterners, second of those names.
From a charter of Melisende, Queen of Jerusalem dated 1150
Monday, March 10, 2014
Middle English Word of the Day: Bobaunce
From the Middle English Dictionary, bobaunce is the "Display of armed might or prowess; also, pride, arrogance, insolence, or fierceness (of a knight)."
With examples:
c1325 Flem.Insur.(Hrl 2253) 29: For al huere bobaunce..tuenti score ant fyue haden þer meschaunce. a1375 WPal.(KC 13) 1071: Þe dou3ti duk of saxoyne..Wiþ bobaunce & wiþ bost brent fele tounes. a1375 WPal.(KC 13) 1129: & swiþe for bobaunce & bost burnes he sent. c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33) 383: Y..am y-come wyþ þe to fi3t, for al þy grete bobbaunce. c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33) 3188: Terry hys fader þat is wel fier, a man of gret bobaunce..He haþ y-beo many a man ys bane & a-strongled hem with ys teþ. c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33) 4180: Þan mi3t þou..come a3eyn in-to þys cost, with nobleye & bobaunce. c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10) 9: Romulus..With gret bobbaunce þat bur3e he biges. c1460(a1449) Lydg. MRose (Hrl 2255) 92: Wher been..The worthy nyne with al ther hih bobbaunce? a1450(c1410) Lovel. Grail (Corp-C 80) 38.229: Neuer the prowdere weren they..Ne the More bobaunce hadden In herte, but to God 3oven preysenges. a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner) 4522: Sere Archade took a gret launse, And come prykande wiþ bobaunce. c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44) 4252: Þi tent is all..In bost & in bobans, in bataills & stryuys. c1450(c1400) Sultan Bab.(Gar 140) 211: xv thousande came oute there..Ayen the Romaynes for to were, With bobaunce, booste, and grete pride. (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C) 1081/8: Yet for all hys pryde and bobbaunce, there ye proved youreselff better man than he.
Oh yeah, this *has* to go in someone's award text.
With examples:
c1325 Flem.Insur.(Hrl 2253) 29: For al huere bobaunce..tuenti score ant fyue haden þer meschaunce. a1375 WPal.(KC 13) 1071: Þe dou3ti duk of saxoyne..Wiþ bobaunce & wiþ bost brent fele tounes. a1375 WPal.(KC 13) 1129: & swiþe for bobaunce & bost burnes he sent. c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33) 383: Y..am y-come wyþ þe to fi3t, for al þy grete bobbaunce. c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33) 3188: Terry hys fader þat is wel fier, a man of gret bobaunce..He haþ y-beo many a man ys bane & a-strongled hem with ys teþ. c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33) 4180: Þan mi3t þou..come a3eyn in-to þys cost, with nobleye & bobaunce. c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10) 9: Romulus..With gret bobbaunce þat bur3e he biges. c1460(a1449) Lydg. MRose (Hrl 2255) 92: Wher been..The worthy nyne with al ther hih bobbaunce? a1450(c1410) Lovel. Grail (Corp-C 80) 38.229: Neuer the prowdere weren they..Ne the More bobaunce hadden In herte, but to God 3oven preysenges. a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner) 4522: Sere Archade took a gret launse, And come prykande wiþ bobaunce. c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44) 4252: Þi tent is all..In bost & in bobans, in bataills & stryuys. c1450(c1400) Sultan Bab.(Gar 140) 211: xv thousande came oute there..Ayen the Romaynes for to were, With bobaunce, booste, and grete pride. (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C) 1081/8: Yet for all hys pryde and bobbaunce, there ye proved youreselff better man than he.
Oh yeah, this *has* to go in someone's award text.
Friday, March 7, 2014
Revisiting past texts: Iron Bog Baronial Investiture
+Mathilde Poussin asked today what people's favorite award texts (whether as author or recipient) were. I have a lot of texts that I love. But my hands down favorites have to be these, given out in January 2012 to my dear friends +Lynda Brooks and +Collin Monro upon their ascension to the Baronial seats of Iron Bog.
Collin's and Marion's Investiture texts were created out of the same document, a charter of James III of Scotland confirming lands held by the Bishop of Glasgow, 15 July 1476. The source document was extremely long, so I cut the pertinent parts in half, effectively granting to Collin and Marion each a portion of the rights given to the Bishop. I’d say about 90% of each of these texts is from the original source. The SCA-specific parts are, of course, created by me. In particular, the long list of properties and technical legal terms found in Marion’s text is exactly what the King of Scotland granted to the Bishop as his landed vassal.
For Collin:
Gregor, King of the East, third of that name, and Kiena our Queen, to all good men of all our land, clergy and laymen, greeting. Whereas in times past, several of our predecessors the kings of the East freely gave and granted diverse liberties and privileges to the Barons of Iron Bog, in mere, pure and free regality; and whereas Collin Monro of Tadcaster has been chosen by the people of Iron Bog to assume the seat of Baron; and whereas the choice of the aforesaid Collin is pleasing in our sight; therefore we, for us and our successors, have approved, ratified and confirmed, and by these presents approve, ratify and confirm unto the aforesaid Collin, all and sundry gifts, grants and foundations formerly made by us or our predecessors the kings and queens of the East to the Barons of Iron Bog, and further endow the aforesaid Collin with whatsoever lands, revenues, possessions, rights of patronage, and whatsoever profits, liberties and privileges, to be held, possessed and had by the Barons of Iron Bog, as freely and quietly, in all things and by all things, as the charters and evidences thereupon made to them purport and witness, and as freely as any Baron within our realm is given, granted, or possessed, or can be given, granted, or possessed howsoever in the future. And we do further by Royal authority and with deliberation and consent of our said parliament, give, grant and by this our present charter confirm to the aforesaid Collin the right to make arrestments and execute the mandates and precepts of the Crown of the East within the lands of the Barony of Iron Bog, and with the power of executing and administering justice in the name of the Crown, and with the right to appoint, make and have officers, bailiffs, serjeants or attendants, and with all and sundry liberties, profits and easements and just pertinents whatsoever, whether not named or named, belonging, or in future, in whatsoever manner, coming justly to belong, to the aforenamed Barony of Iron Bog. And furthermore, in acknowledgement of his status as aforesaid, we do Grant Arms to Collin Monro of Tadcaster as follows: Argent, a pithon erect and on a chief sable three Maltese crosses argent. Done 21 January, A.S. 46, sitting on our thrones in the Barony of Iron Bog.
For Marion:
Gregor, King of the East, third of that name, and Kiena our Queen, to all good men of all our land, clergy and laymen, greeting. Whereas Marion del Okes has ascended to the Baronial Seat of the Barony of Iron Bog according to ancient right and custom; and also for the singular favour, zeal and love which we bear to the aforesaid Marion for her merits and free and faithful services; therefore we do now give, grant and by this our present charter confirm to the aforesaid Marion that she have, hold and possess perpetually in all times to come, the said Barony of Iron Bog in free, pure and mere regality, with all and sundry commodities and profits appertaining to the said lands, in woods, plains, muirs, marshes, roads, paths, waters, ponds, streams, meadows, grazings and pastures, mills, multures and their sequels, hawking, hunting, fishing, peat-muirs, turbaries, coal-mines, quarries, stone and lime, smithies, maltings, heath and broomlands, with courts and their issues, heriots, blood-wits, escheats and merchets of women, with free entry and exit, with homages, with free forest and warren, with fees, forfeitures, with justice and chamberlain ayres and their issues, escheats and amercements, and with the power of executing and administering justice, and with sok, sak, toll, theame, infangthief, outfangthief, hamesucken and forethought felon, with tenants, tenandries and services of freeholders, with rights of patronage, and with all and sundry liberties, profits and easements and just pertinents whatsoever, whether not named or named, belonging, or in future, in whatsoever manner, coming justly to belong, to a regality or royalty and barony; and that as freely, tranquilly, fully, wholly, honourably, well and in peace, in and by all things, as any regality or royalty or barony is more freely, tranquilly, wholly or honourably given, granted and donated to whatsoever Barons in our realm. Moreover we have granted, and by the tenor of our present charter grant, to the said Marion that she have, hold and possess perpetually the said Barony of Iron Bog, with all liberties and profits belonging to the same; with power to create and constitute within the same Barony provosts, bailies, serjeants and other officers, as often as it shall seem to her expedient, for the rule and governance of the same Barony; and of appointing and removing any person to and from those offices as often as she pleases. In witness whereof we have ordered our great seal to be affixed to our present charter. In Iron Bog, upon 21 January, A.S. 46.
I have a particular love for these texts because I was able to hew most closely to actual period practices -- the granting of lands and associated rights. I also love these because I was able to incorporate a wide variety of Scots legal terms describing property rights that just don't fit into an SCA context otherwise.
For those curious about what the various terms mean:
Muirs
Collin's and Marion's Investiture texts were created out of the same document, a charter of James III of Scotland confirming lands held by the Bishop of Glasgow, 15 July 1476. The source document was extremely long, so I cut the pertinent parts in half, effectively granting to Collin and Marion each a portion of the rights given to the Bishop. I’d say about 90% of each of these texts is from the original source. The SCA-specific parts are, of course, created by me. In particular, the long list of properties and technical legal terms found in Marion’s text is exactly what the King of Scotland granted to the Bishop as his landed vassal.
For Collin:
Gregor, King of the East, third of that name, and Kiena our Queen, to all good men of all our land, clergy and laymen, greeting. Whereas in times past, several of our predecessors the kings of the East freely gave and granted diverse liberties and privileges to the Barons of Iron Bog, in mere, pure and free regality; and whereas Collin Monro of Tadcaster has been chosen by the people of Iron Bog to assume the seat of Baron; and whereas the choice of the aforesaid Collin is pleasing in our sight; therefore we, for us and our successors, have approved, ratified and confirmed, and by these presents approve, ratify and confirm unto the aforesaid Collin, all and sundry gifts, grants and foundations formerly made by us or our predecessors the kings and queens of the East to the Barons of Iron Bog, and further endow the aforesaid Collin with whatsoever lands, revenues, possessions, rights of patronage, and whatsoever profits, liberties and privileges, to be held, possessed and had by the Barons of Iron Bog, as freely and quietly, in all things and by all things, as the charters and evidences thereupon made to them purport and witness, and as freely as any Baron within our realm is given, granted, or possessed, or can be given, granted, or possessed howsoever in the future. And we do further by Royal authority and with deliberation and consent of our said parliament, give, grant and by this our present charter confirm to the aforesaid Collin the right to make arrestments and execute the mandates and precepts of the Crown of the East within the lands of the Barony of Iron Bog, and with the power of executing and administering justice in the name of the Crown, and with the right to appoint, make and have officers, bailiffs, serjeants or attendants, and with all and sundry liberties, profits and easements and just pertinents whatsoever, whether not named or named, belonging, or in future, in whatsoever manner, coming justly to belong, to the aforenamed Barony of Iron Bog. And furthermore, in acknowledgement of his status as aforesaid, we do Grant Arms to Collin Monro of Tadcaster as follows: Argent, a pithon erect and on a chief sable three Maltese crosses argent. Done 21 January, A.S. 46, sitting on our thrones in the Barony of Iron Bog.
For Marion:
Gregor, King of the East, third of that name, and Kiena our Queen, to all good men of all our land, clergy and laymen, greeting. Whereas Marion del Okes has ascended to the Baronial Seat of the Barony of Iron Bog according to ancient right and custom; and also for the singular favour, zeal and love which we bear to the aforesaid Marion for her merits and free and faithful services; therefore we do now give, grant and by this our present charter confirm to the aforesaid Marion that she have, hold and possess perpetually in all times to come, the said Barony of Iron Bog in free, pure and mere regality, with all and sundry commodities and profits appertaining to the said lands, in woods, plains, muirs, marshes, roads, paths, waters, ponds, streams, meadows, grazings and pastures, mills, multures and their sequels, hawking, hunting, fishing, peat-muirs, turbaries, coal-mines, quarries, stone and lime, smithies, maltings, heath and broomlands, with courts and their issues, heriots, blood-wits, escheats and merchets of women, with free entry and exit, with homages, with free forest and warren, with fees, forfeitures, with justice and chamberlain ayres and their issues, escheats and amercements, and with the power of executing and administering justice, and with sok, sak, toll, theame, infangthief, outfangthief, hamesucken and forethought felon, with tenants, tenandries and services of freeholders, with rights of patronage, and with all and sundry liberties, profits and easements and just pertinents whatsoever, whether not named or named, belonging, or in future, in whatsoever manner, coming justly to belong, to a regality or royalty and barony; and that as freely, tranquilly, fully, wholly, honourably, well and in peace, in and by all things, as any regality or royalty or barony is more freely, tranquilly, wholly or honourably given, granted and donated to whatsoever Barons in our realm. Moreover we have granted, and by the tenor of our present charter grant, to the said Marion that she have, hold and possess perpetually the said Barony of Iron Bog, with all liberties and profits belonging to the same; with power to create and constitute within the same Barony provosts, bailies, serjeants and other officers, as often as it shall seem to her expedient, for the rule and governance of the same Barony; and of appointing and removing any person to and from those offices as often as she pleases. In witness whereof we have ordered our great seal to be affixed to our present charter. In Iron Bog, upon 21 January, A.S. 46.
I have a particular love for these texts because I was able to hew most closely to actual period practices -- the granting of lands and associated rights. I also love these because I was able to incorporate a wide variety of Scots legal terms describing property rights that just don't fit into an SCA context otherwise.
For those curious about what the various terms mean:
Muirs
Mure, Muir, Mor(e), Moir, n. Also: mur, mwr(e, mwure, muer, murr-; muire, muyr(e), mwir(e), mwyr; moyr, moer; mour, mowr, mowir, mowyr; moor(e). [ME. mor(e), e.m.E. moor(e), OE. mór.] 1. Barren open country, moorland, heath. b. Rough, uncultivated, heathery land considered as part of an estate. 2. A tract or expanse of heath or moorland. b. plur., = sense 1 above. 3. A tract of open uncultivated ground appropriated to a proprietor or a community; a common; a park.
Multures:
Dry multure, n. ‘A yearly sum of money, or quantity of corn paid to a mill, whether those liable in the payment grind their grain at the mill or not’ (Bell).
Heriots:
Herieth, n. [ME. heriet. See etym. note to Hereʒelde.] Heriot .
Hereʒeld(e, Heri-, Herʒeld (e, n. Also: hereʒeild, heir(e)-, heyreʒeld, heri-, heryʒeld; herreʒelde, heryheld, -ʒeld, -ield, -iell; harʒeld, -ʒeill, hairʒeld; hyreild. [Possibly f. Here n.1 (lord) and ʒelde n. (payment), but app. related in some way to ME. heriet (c 1290), later heriot , which has exactly the same sense, although regarded as representing OE. hereʒeatwa, war-gear, with a shift in usage between the 11th and 13th centuries. Earlier Latinized examples are herietum (c 1120), heriot um (c 1147), and the AN. heriet occurs in Britton. For a Sc. instance see Herieth. If hereʒelde is a re-fashioning of heriet, the substitution of -ʒelde for -ʒet may have been suggested by the variation of ld and t in such words as herald, herat. In its history and meaning the OE. hereʒeld is so remote from the Sc. use that the similarity in form can only be accidental.] 1. The best living animal or ‘best aucht’ (see Best a. 1. b), which by feudal custom the landlord claimed on the death of a husbandman tenant. Sometimes commuted for a money payment. 2. The right of taking hereyeld payments from one’s tenants. 3. Hereʒeld hors, naig, etc.: An animal taken or claimed as hereyeld.
Escheats and Merchets of Women
Eschete, Escheit, Escheat , n. Also: escheite, es(s)cheitt, eschiet, -eet, esheit; escaete, eschaet(e), eschait; echeat, esheat; eschet(t), echet, eshet; asschet, aschaet(e), -eitt, -eat. [e.m.E. and ME. escheat e, eschete (ME. also echete, eshete, eschet), AF. and OF. eschete, eschaete, f. OF. escheoir, to fall to one’s share.] 1. Property, possessions, or goods taken from a person by forfeiture or confiscation, esp. falling to the king in this way. 2. ‘Any forfeiture or confiscation whereby a man’s estate, heritable or movable, or any part thereof falls from him’ (Bell).
Merchet , n. Also: -ett, -ete, -eit, -eat, -iett, -i(e)te, -iatte, mershet(e), marchet, -eit, market. [North. ME. (? or AF.) merchet (12th c.) (see Acts I. Pref. 34/1), med. L. (Sc. and Eng.) marcheta, marketa, merchet -, marchetum, of obscure origin. Derived f. Welsh merch, plur. merched, -et, woman, young woman, daughter: early and medieval Welsh law had a corresponding due known as gobr merch or amobr or (in the Latin versions) merces filiarum ‘the fee paid to a lord by the person subject to that payment on the marriage of a female’.] A feudal casualty payable to the lord on the occasion of the marriage of the daughter of a tenant or vassal. For many additional examples, see Bludewite and Hereʒeld. Commonly specified as one of the rights or privileges accompanying a grant of land.
Homages
Homage , n. Also: homag, -ege, -adge; omage, ymage. [ME. homage (c 1290), omage (c 1300), umage (c 1400), OF. homage , ommage, humage.] Homage ; formal acknowledgement of allegiance by a vassal to his lord. Freq. in to make, or take, homage.
Warren
Warren , n. [ME and e.m.E. warein (1377), warenne (1429), warren (1485), OF warenne, MDu. warande.] An area of land reserved for the breeding of game or rabbits.
Amercements
Amerciat, Amerciate, p.p. Also: amerchiat. [med. L. amerciatus, p.p. of amerciare.] Subjected to, punished by, a fine; fined.
Americat(e), v. To amerce, fine.
Sok
Sok , n.1 Also: soc, sock(e). [ME and e.m.E. sok (1228), sok e (c1290), soc (c1460), OE sōcn, ON sókn, med. L. soca.] 1. A right of local jurisdiction. 2. ? The service due on land held by sok age.
Sak
Sak, n.1 Also: sac(k). [ME and e.m.E. sake (Trevisa), sacke (c1460), OE saca acc. and gen. pl. of sacu dispute, litigation, crime (cf. Sak(e n.), ON sqk.] Chiefly coupled with Sok n.1 in lists of rights in the tenendas clause of charters, originally denoting certain rights of jurisdiction but latterly appar. merely formal.
Toll
Tol(l), n. Also: toll e, tole, toil(l), toyl, towll, tell(e), tholl, thol(e), thoill. [ME and e.m.E. tol (Layamon), toll (Cursor M.), toll e (1393), towlle (1587), tole (1604), tholl (1607), OE toll , MLG, MDu. tol, ON toll r, L. telōnium.] 1. A tax or duty paid to a landowner, etc., chiefly on land held in tenancy, on exported or imported goods, for the privilege of selling goods at a market, for right of passage, etc. Also fig.
Theame
Tem(e), n. Also: team, teem, them(e), theame , thame. [ME and e.m.E. team (c1200), tem (a1250), teme (14th c.), teem (Manning), theam (Trevisa), teame (1523), OE téam.] a. Offspring. Only as Barneteme n. q.v. for examples. b. The right of a lord to jurisdiction in a suit concerning the recovery of goods alleged to be stolen in which a third party would vouch for the plaintiff’s claim to the goods. Chiefly, in collocation with toll. See Tol(l n. 2 for examples. c. Given as an alternative to or listed with toll (Tol(l) n. 1) appar. referring to a duty of some kind. d. In later use construed as the power of a lord to have servants, their families and goods as his property
Infangthief
Infang, n. Abbreviation of infangthief, chiefly used in indictments (in contrast to outfang) to denote theft committed within a manor or other estate.
Infang thift, n. Theft committed within a manor.
Outfangthief
Outfang , n. [Abbreviated f. Outfang theif(f or Outfang -thift.] Coupled with Infang, q.v. for several further examples, in indictments for theft: ? = Theft committed outside the jurisdiction. (But perh. merely as a term of style.)
Outfang theif(f), n. Also: -thief(e) and plur. -thewis. [Early ME. utefangthef (1228), outefangethef (1228), e.m.E. outfanthef (1535), outfang thiefe (1579), later var. of Outfang and-thef(e).] A franchise, which is variously explained, granted to the lord of a private jurisdiction.
Hamesucken
Hamesuk(k)in, n. Also: hame-, haymesokyn; hamesukkyn, -ing, -suckin(e, -en; hamsukkin, -suckin, -su(c)ken; haym(e)sukin, haimsuken, -suckin; hem(m)sucken; (homesukine). [ME. hom-, hamsok(e)ne, OE. hám-sócn, ON. heim-sókn.] The crime of assaulting a person in his own house or dwelling-place. Freq. in various legal tags, as be way of hamesukkin, etc. The circumstances in which an assault can, or cannot, be classed as hamesucken are fully stated in Bell’s Dictionary of the Law of Scotland s.v. b. ellipt. The right of trying cases of hamesucken .
Forethought Felon
For(e)thocht, Foirthocht, a. Also: fore-, forthoucht, forthowcht, forethought , foirthogh(t). [P.p. of ME. *forthinke (p.t. forthoght), OE. foreþencean. Cf. med. Fris. fortocht (1455) in the same sense.] Premeditated, planned. (Rare except with felony.)
1570 Sat. P. xx. 84. Hurters and wounders of persouns upon auld feede and forethought fellonie; 1629 Reg. Privy C. 2 Ser. III. 258. The crime … being of a higher nature, importing forethought fellony;
Tenandries
Tenandry , -i(e), Tennendry(e), -ie, n. Also: tenandré, -rye, tenawndry, tennandry, -i(e, tenantry, tenanrye, (tenandie), ten(n)endré, teneindri, tenend(u)ry, tenentri, -raye, tennentrie. [ME and e.m.E. tenantry (c1450), tenauntrie (c1460), tenentrie (1606).] 1. Land or other property, etc. let for rent; those parts of an estate let out to tenants (Tenand(e) (n.)) rather than retained in the owner’s or superior’s own hands; land held of a superior ? chiefly or only for rent, also fre tenandry (see Tenand(e) n. d).
Tenand(e), Ten(n)ent, n. Also: tennand(e, ten(n)ant, -end, tanand [ME and e.m.E. tenant (Manning), tenand(e (c1375), tenaunt (Piers Plowman), tenent (1607), OF tenant.] A lessee; one who enjoys the use of land, property, etc. in return for rent.
All definitions are from the Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (DOST), which contains information about Scots words in use from the twelfth to the end of the seventeenth centuries (Older Scots). DOST is available on-line in searchable form at http://www.dsl.ac.uk/index.html.
Tuesday, March 4, 2014
Trope on L'homme armé
To the tune of the 15th cen. French song L'homme armé, most easily found in modern notation here
CHORUS:
L'homme, l'homme, l'homme armé,
L'homme armé
L'homme armé doibt on doubter, doibt on doubter.
Eastern Tygers take the field
Battle bravely, never yield
Let valor stand revealed
CHORUS
Sure of hand and keen of eye
Archers let your arrows fly
Bows sing a battle cry
CHORUS
Valiant ladies, noble lords
Meet the foe with flashing swords
Defeat the Dragon’s hordes
CHORUS
Armor gleaming in the sun
Tygers fight ‘til battle’s done
And victory fairly won
CHORUS
Lament for the Golden Rapiers
The Order of the Golden Rapier (that's the East's White Scarf equivalent for those who are not Eastern) has suffered the loss of a number of members in the last few years. Most recently, this weekend, Jehan Fitzalan passed away far too soon.
King's and Queen's Bardic Championships is coming up this weekend. One of the components of the competition is to do a piece on an "SCA theme." I had originally planned to take a period musical piece and write some modern English SCA-themed lyrics. I did this, and one day it will be performed.
However, during my insomnia the other night, while searching for something else, I found "Lament for the Makers," a poem written by the Scottish poet William Dunbar c. 1505. The poem is a tribute to dead Scottish poets as well as a meditation on the transitory nature of life. It's in 16th cen. Scots. It is beautiful. You can find the original poem here: http://rpo.library.utoronto.ca/poems/lament-makers
In honor of the OGRs who have passed, I have re-worked Dunbar's poem, still in 16th cen. Scots (thank you Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (http://www.dsl.ac.uk/)), to honor my fallen brothers. I will be performing it as my "SCA-themed piece" on Saturday. It may not be as polished as what I wrote weeks ago, and I don't think I'll have it memorized, but it is from the heart. There will be documentation and footnotes for the Scots terms by Saturday.
Lest anyone think I am a better poet than I actually am, the parts actually written by me are bolded now.
LAMENT FOR THE GOLDEN RAPIERS
by Alys Mackyntoich, adapted from "Lament for the Makaris" by William Dunbar (1456 - 1513)
Our plesance heir is all vane glory,
This fals warld is bot transitory,
The flesche is brukle, the Fend is sle;
Timor mortis conturbat me.
The stait of man dois change and vary,
Now sound, now seik, now blith, now sary,
Now dansand mery, now like to dee;
Timor mortis conturbat me.
No stait in erd heir standis sickir;
As with the wynd wavis the wickir,
Wavis this warldis vanite.
Timor mortis conturbat me.
On to the ded gois all estatis,
Princis, prelotis, and potestatis,
Baith riche and pur of al degre;
Timor mortis conturbat me.
He takis the knychtis in to feild,
Anarmit under helme and scheild;
Victour he is at all mellie;
Timor mortis conturbat me.
That strang unmercifull tyrand
Takis, on the moderis breist sowkand,
The bab full of benignite;
Timor mortis conturbat me.
He takis the campion in the stour,
The capitane closit in the tour,
The lady in bour full of bewte;
Timor mortis conturbat me.
He sparis no lord for his piscence,
Na clerk for his intelligence;
His awfull strak may no man fle;
Timor mortis conturbat me.
Death he hes my brethers tane,
Allace! they nocht with us remane,
So schort, so quyk, our lyvys be:
Timor mortis conturbat me.
Death hes done petuously devour,
The nobell Morgunn, Aethelmearc’s flour,
Of goldin ordour our prymarie;
Timor mortis conturbat me.
Gud Maister Patris du Chat Gris
In sepulture rests lamentablie,
Gret reuth it wer that so suld be;
Timor mortis conturbat me.
He hes the honoured Don Michel
Slaine with his schour of mortall ills;
A bettir fallow did no man se;
Timor mortis conturbat me.
In Endeweard Death hes done roune;
A swerds-man of great renoune,
Don Gregory enbrast hes he:
Timor mortis conturbat me.
And he hes now tane, last of aw,
Capteyne Jehan gud gentill saull,
Of quham all wichtis hes pete:
Timor mortis conturbat me.
Sen for the deid remeid is none,
Best is that we for dede dispone,
Eftir our deid that lif may we;
Timor mortis conturbat me.
King's and Queen's Bardic Championships is coming up this weekend. One of the components of the competition is to do a piece on an "SCA theme." I had originally planned to take a period musical piece and write some modern English SCA-themed lyrics. I did this, and one day it will be performed.
However, during my insomnia the other night, while searching for something else, I found "Lament for the Makers," a poem written by the Scottish poet William Dunbar c. 1505. The poem is a tribute to dead Scottish poets as well as a meditation on the transitory nature of life. It's in 16th cen. Scots. It is beautiful. You can find the original poem here: http://rpo.library.utoronto.ca/poems/lament-makers
In honor of the OGRs who have passed, I have re-worked Dunbar's poem, still in 16th cen. Scots (thank you Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (http://www.dsl.ac.uk/)), to honor my fallen brothers. I will be performing it as my "SCA-themed piece" on Saturday. It may not be as polished as what I wrote weeks ago, and I don't think I'll have it memorized, but it is from the heart. There will be documentation and footnotes for the Scots terms by Saturday.
Lest anyone think I am a better poet than I actually am, the parts actually written by me are bolded now.
LAMENT FOR THE GOLDEN RAPIERS
by Alys Mackyntoich, adapted from "Lament for the Makaris" by William Dunbar (1456 - 1513)
Our plesance heir is all vane glory,
This fals warld is bot transitory,
The flesche is brukle, the Fend is sle;
Timor mortis conturbat me.
The stait of man dois change and vary,
Now sound, now seik, now blith, now sary,
Now dansand mery, now like to dee;
Timor mortis conturbat me.
No stait in erd heir standis sickir;
As with the wynd wavis the wickir,
Wavis this warldis vanite.
Timor mortis conturbat me.
On to the ded gois all estatis,
Princis, prelotis, and potestatis,
Baith riche and pur of al degre;
Timor mortis conturbat me.
He takis the knychtis in to feild,
Anarmit under helme and scheild;
Victour he is at all mellie;
Timor mortis conturbat me.
That strang unmercifull tyrand
Takis, on the moderis breist sowkand,
The bab full of benignite;
Timor mortis conturbat me.
He takis the campion in the stour,
The capitane closit in the tour,
The lady in bour full of bewte;
Timor mortis conturbat me.
He sparis no lord for his piscence,
Na clerk for his intelligence;
His awfull strak may no man fle;
Timor mortis conturbat me.
Death he hes my brethers tane,
Allace! they nocht with us remane,
So schort, so quyk, our lyvys be:
Timor mortis conturbat me.
Death hes done petuously devour,
The nobell Morgunn, Aethelmearc’s flour,
Of goldin ordour our prymarie;
Timor mortis conturbat me.
Gud Maister Patris du Chat Gris
In sepulture rests lamentablie,
Gret reuth it wer that so suld be;
Timor mortis conturbat me.
He hes the honoured Don Michel
Slaine with his schour of mortall ills;
A bettir fallow did no man se;
Timor mortis conturbat me.
In Endeweard Death hes done roune;
A swerds-man of great renoune,
Don Gregory enbrast hes he:
Timor mortis conturbat me.
And he hes now tane, last of aw,
Capteyne Jehan gud gentill saull,
Of quham all wichtis hes pete:
Timor mortis conturbat me.
Sen for the deid remeid is none,
Best is that we for dede dispone,
Eftir our deid that lif may we;
Timor mortis conturbat me.
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