Two AoAs from Mudthaw

I did favors for two scribes by putting together the words for AoAs that went out yesterday.  The first is based on a 1232 letter from Joan of Flanders and Ferdinand of Portugal.  It had been docketed for Birka, but rescheduled for Mudthaw.  The one for Kara is based on an 8th cen. Anglo-Saxon charter, with some SCAdian flamboyance added to suit the recipient.

And, contrary to popular perception, they are both quite brief.  :-)



Edward, King of the East, and Thyra, Queen of the East, to all who will view these present letters, greetings.  May all know that, by our royal will and by these our present letters, Tathiel Aidanswife, our faithful, has well and legitimately served the Realm these many years.  In witness of the said Tathiel's good works, we do now award her arms to be held by her in perpetuity.  In testimony of this deed we have caused the present letters to be strengthened by our seals upon 24 January, A.S. 49, in our Barony of Stonemarche.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We, Edward, King of the East, and Thyra the Queen, taking thought for the defense of our Realm, do hereby decree and ordain that the worthy battle-maiden Kára Grímsdóttir shall be and hereby is Awarded Arms to be borne upon the field of battle that her enemies may know her name and tremble before her.  We further decree and ordain that those things that have rightly been granted by us should not be disturbed, but shall be guarded in perpetuity, just as has now been above stated. As the crowning point of this steadfastness of purpose, We have imprinted our signs with our own hand. Executed on the 28th day of March, in year 49 of the Society, in the place that is called Settmour Swamp.

Draft Article: Names from 11th Century Carcassonne

March 2015

The data in this article were extracted from five Latin-language charters and letters written by Rangardis, Countess of Carcassonne.  These documents are published on Epistolæ (http://epistolae.ccnmtl.columbia.edu/), a website maintained by Columbia University collecting writings to and from women in the Middle Ages. The letters are transcribed in the original Latin with translations into modern English by Professor Joan Ferrante of Columbia University.

Naming Patterns

1.      For Men

For a very small data set, it shows a wide variety of naming patterns for men, with multiple forms of patronymic bynames and locative bynames.  These most common patterns are:

[given name] + de + [place name]

[given name] + [adjective form of a place name, using the suffix –ensis]

[given name] + filius + [father’s name in the genitive case]

[given name] + [unmarked father’s name in the genitive case]

Many men, particularly those in religious offices, are known solely by their title, such as Petrus presbyter and Frotardo abbati.

There is one example of the adjectival form of the place name coming before the given name: Narbonensis Guilfredi.  There is also one instance of what may be an unmarked surname or an occupational byname: Raymundus Batallia.  The data contains one instance of what may be a matronymic byname in the form [given name] + filia + [mother’s name in the genitive form]. 

By far the most interesting pattern found in the data is the existence of what appear to be compound bynames.  Multiple men are identified two names which are clearly two given names by context.  The transcriptions join these compound names with a hyphen, but the hyphen may not exist in the original documents.

2.      For Women

This data set contains a fairly large number of female names for the time period.  Most women have no byname at all or are known by their titles, such as Rangardis comitissa. However, there are also instances of matronymic bynames in the form [given name] + filia + [mother’s name in the genitive form].

Given Names

Not all spellings found in the text are registerable name spellings for SCA purposes.  Latin spelling varies depending on whether the given name appears as the subject or object of the original sentence.  Only the nominative forms can be used to create given names.  Nominative forms usually end in –us.  Forms ending in –i generally are genitive forms and can be used to create patronymic surnames using the pattern [given name] + filius or filia + [genitive father’s name].

The bolded header forms are the most common nominative forms of the given names.  The forms under the heading are those actually found in the texts.  Where the nominative form is not found in any of the texts, I have extrapolated the likely nominative form based on other period examples.  In instances where I was not entirely sure about the nominative form, I have so indicated with a question mark.  The numbers in the parenthesis are the dates of documents in which the name is found.

1.      Male Given Names

Adalbertus

Adalberti (1067)

Alexandrus

Alexandri (1067)

Beliard(us)

Beliard (1059)

Berengarius

Berengarii (1067)

Bernard(us)

Bernard (1067)

Bernardi (1067)

Bernardus-Rodgarius

Bernardo-Rodgarii (1071)

Enricus

Enrici (1067)

Frotardus

Frotardo (1062)

Frotarius

Frotarii (1062)

Gifredus

Gifredi (1067)

Guillermus

Guillermus (1067)

Guillermus-Joannus

Guillermi-Joanni (1067)

Guilfredus

Guilfredi (1067)

Oliverius

Oliverii (1067)

Oto (?)

Otone (1071)

Petrus

Petri (1067, 1071)

Petronum (1063)

Petrus (1062, 1063, 1071)

Petrus-Berengarius

Petri-Berengarii (1067)

Philippus

Philippi (1063, 1071)

Philippo (1062)

Poncius-Remundus

Poncii-Remundi (1067)

Raymundus

Raimundi (1067)

Raymundi (1071)

Raymundo (1071)

Raymundus (1059, 1062, 1063)

Remundi (1067)

Raymundus-Berengarius

Raymundo-Berengarii (1071)

Remundus-Ermengaudus

Remundi-Ermengaudi (1067)

Ricalfus

Ricalfi (1067)

Rodgarius

Rodgarii (1071)

Rodgario (1071)

Rotgerii (1062)

Rogerius

Rogerio (1063)

Rogerium (1063)

Rogerius (1063)

Scimon

Scimon (1067)

Udalgarius

Udalgarii (1067)

Willelmus

Guillelmi (1062)

Wilelmus (1062)

Willelmus (1062)

2.      Female Given Names

Adalais

Adalais (1062)

Adalez (1067)

Almodis

Almodi (1071)

Amelia

Ameliae (1071)

Ermengardis

Ermengardis (1062)

Garsindis

Garsindis (1062)

Rangardis

Raingardis (1062)

Rangard  (1059)

Rangarda (1063)

Rangardam (1059)

Rangardi (1071)

Rangardis (1067, 1071)

Rengarde (1063)

Rengardis (1059, 1063, 1067)

Trudgarda (possibly Trudgardis)

Trudgarda (1063)

Bynames

abbatus

abbati (1062)

abbatis (1062)

Batallia (1063)

Barcheonensis

Barcheonensi (1071)

Biterrensis (1062)

Carcassonensis

Carcassonensi (1071)

Caunensis

Caunensi (1062)

de Ponça (1067) (transcription notes that the cedilla appears in the source text)

[de] Proliano (1063)

de Redez (1067)

de Villemagna (1067)

Narbonensis  (1067)

Nemausensis (1062)

presbyter (1071)

Sancto Pontio Tomeriacensis monasterii (1062)

More easy period texts for scribes

Keep in mind when using these texts that period style is to use ONLY the given names of the King and Queen.  As the wise Master Thomas de Castellan puts it, "his surname is Rex; hers is Regina."


For something service-oriented, but not an Award of Arms:

_________ and ________, King and Queen of the East, to all and singular unto whom these our letters shall come, greetings.  Forasmuch as [full name]
has shown him/herself to be a good right and honorable man/lady given to hearty labors and untiring service, and forasmuch as his/her sundry works and labors have been made manifest to us by good report of our people, and forasmuch as we are charged by law and custom with bestowing honors upon those of our subjects who do such deeds, we do therefore bestow upon the said [given name only] the ______________________________________
which s/he shall enjoy from this day forward unhindered and inviolate.  Done upon [day] [month] in the [number] year of the Society, in [local group].

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For something martial:

Whereas as the practice of the arts martial is a matter dear and close to our hearts, and whereas [name] has become renown for his/her practice of the arts of war/rapier/archery; and whereas the said [given name only] has shown him/herself to be in all ways fit and deserving of such honors as are within Our powers to bestow; Therefore We, ________________ Rex and __________________ Regina, do hereby induct the said [given name only] into the Order of  __________________________________.  Done upon [day] [month] in the [number] year of the Society, in [local group].

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Court Barony, with Grant of Arms

Let it be it known to the present age and to future generations of Our subjects, that We, _________ and _________, Rex et Regina, find [name] to be deserving of such honors and tokens as are within Our singular authority to bestow, most especially as touches upon __________________________________.   Therefore, in recognition of said deeds, and wishing always to acknowledge the said [given name only]'s worth, and for the love we bear him/her, We do by these present letters elevate the said [given name only] to the estate of a Baron/ess of our Court and do further Grant unto the said [given name only] Arms fit to reflect his/her new station, the said arms being: [blazon].  We have caused the present letters to be marked with our ensigns manual upon [day] [month] in the [number] year of the Society, in [local group].

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Malcolm's Pelican Text

I *really* wanted to do this in 16th cen. Scots since +Murray Blehart 's persona is supposed to be a 16th cen. Scot.  But that sort of necessitated my being the one to read it.  So, in order to share the opportunities, I wrote it in English from a Scots charter.  


We, Edward and Thyra, sovereign lord and sovereign lady of the Easterners, having good proof and experience of the dutiful behaviour, loyalty and affection carried towards ourselves, our ancestors and the good estate of this Realm by our subject Malcolm Bowman; and considering our princely duty which binds us in the example of our most noble progenitors to impart to our most loving subjects such honour and dignities as their merits and virtuous acts in great services and of profitable offices to the common good justly requires, to the end not only that our subjects might continue their ardour and affection for the realm, but also that through their example the noble hearts of our people may, in time coming, through hope of a worthy remuneration, be more prompt and desirous to serve us and our successors, to the advancement of the commonwealth wherein they were born and nourished; Therefore, of our special grace, with advice and consent of the three estates of this present parliament and upon weighty and good considerations moving us to the benefit of the realm, We do hereby enact and ordain and, by the tenor of this present act, give and grant to the aforenamed Malcolm the favor, grace and station of the Order of the Pelican, in full form, force, strength and effect and in all respects, conditions, clause and circumstances thereof as all previous members of the aforesaid Order; and we do further, of our special grace, endow the said Malcolm with arms by letters patent, to wit: Per saltire sable and vert, a hedgehog rampant to sinister argent.  Done in the parliament held at the castle of the Bridge, within the great hall thereof, on the 14th day of March, in the forty-ninth year of the Society.

More "Mad Libs" Texts for Scribes

More short period-style fill in the blank texts for scribes who hate writing their own words.  I have focused on AoAs, since AoAs are the first scrolls new scribes usually do.   I will try to put together some simple texts for Awards of High Merit another time.



Let it be known to the present as well as the future that We, __________, illustrious king of the East and ___________________ our queen, hereby award Arms unto our good and honorable subject _____________________ and instruct him/her to consult with our heralds forthwith.  We enforce this award by the present writing, lest any challenge might arise to it in the future.  Done upon [day] in the [number] year of the Society in [location].


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Everyone present and future should know seeing the present page that we, _______, by right of arms King of the East, and _______, by the same right the Queen, have caused Arms to be awarded unto ________________________ for his/her good and notable services to our realm; and we further instruct and ordain that the said _______________ shall bear the following Arms freely and perpetually: [blazon].   Done upon [day] in the [number] year of the Society in [location].


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


______ the King and _____ the Queen, to all whom these letters should come, greetings.  You should know that we have given and awarded in perpetuity to _____________________ the right to bear the following Arms: [blazon].  That this award, justly and legally, and freely done, may remain undisturbed in the future, we have had this charter marked with the protection of our ensigns manual for the force of perpetual authority.  Done upon [day] in the [number] year of the Society in [location].