Today, my protogee +Wendy Marques became a member of the Order of the Laurel after much hard work and dedication. She wanted her elevation ceremony to resemble as much as possible the creation of a Master Grocer in the Worshipful Company of Grocers in 16th cen. London.
So, her scroll text is based on the Grocers charter, with spelling appropriate to the 1570s. I would have liked to have gone a little longer, listing some of the specific privileges of 16th cen. London guildmasters, but the C&I person had never worked with me before and had never done a Peerage scroll before, and was way too nervous for me to get too lengthy.
Unto our good and honoured servaunt Alesone Gray of Cranlegh, greetings and every good thynge. On discoursing with divers worshipfull persons concerning the syngular excellense achieved by you in the garbelling[1] of spices, the workynges of sugar, and the other notabell practises of the companie of Grocers, and havyng ourselues observed your excellense in the sayde mattres, We, Brennan and Caoilfhionn, Kynge and Queene, herebye declare and ordeyn that you shall be knowen her-after as a Master Grocer and shall hence-foreward beare in the Societie the stacioun, ryghts, privyleges and honors of a Master of the Lawrell.[2] And for the love we beare you, you shall further bear hence-foreward and in perpetuitie Armes by Lettres Patentes in the form following: Quarterly gules and sable, on a bend sinister argent three fleurs-de-lys gules. As confirmacioun whereoff, we have caused this publick instrument to be madde and sygned by us upon 16 Januarie in the fiftieth year of the Society.
[1] To pick, cleanse and sort into different qualities. Multiple period books refer to the garbelling of spices as the business of grocers.
[2] Based on Alesone's research, there were female Master Grocers in the 16th century. They were referred to as "Masters." Therefore, Alesone has chosen to style herself as a Master of the Laurel.
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