Anastasia's Maunche Text

When +Anne Washburne finally relented and let us recommend her for a Maunche, she stated that she wanted an "Alys special" scroll.  Since Anastasia was the person inspired me to start researching and writing period texts, I was more than happy to oblige.

This text is written in c. 1400 English, and the lovely scroll was done in the same style by +Thyra Eiriksdottir .  The fun new Middle English terms I learned in preparing this text are defined in the footnotes.  Definitions are taken from the Middle English Dictionary.

The character ȝ found in knyiȝt is a yogh.  In this context, it's pronounced like a long i.

Brennan, by þe ryght of armez Kyng, and Caoilfhionn, bi þe same ryght, Queene.  It is fittynge þat our power graunt iust requestes in alle þyngs and enlarge owre feythful with honoures, prevelages and allowaunces.  Þerfore let owre sugetts boþe future and present knowe hou owre Ordre of þe Maunche bisoght owre procuracioun[1] on bihalve of þat good and gracious noble lady, Anastasia Guta, axinge þat þe sayd Anastasia be pronownsed a Compaynoun of þe sayd Ordre; and affermyng þys requeste bi cause of þe said Anastasia’s memoriable[2] skil, excellence, approbacion[3] and avisinesse[4], most especially her workemanshipp in cokerie and eloquensye in alle mattres of langage, we do descide and confyrme þat þe sayd Anastasia be and here by is endouwed wyth þe Ordre of þe Maunch, to haue and halde heer after alle ryghts, prevelages, substaunce and indowments as apperteneth þerto, and do forthermar instruct and comaund þat þe sayd Anastasia schall heer after bere vppon her personage þe sygnance[5] of þe afore named Ordre, to wit: Per pale Or and purpure, a maunch counterchanged.  If any counte, viscounte, maistir, knyiȝt, prouost, esquyere or any large or smale persoun of any oþer condicion should presume to do iniurie to þys owre Roiale comaund whenne þe contentis of þys owre comaund are knowen, let hym paie a hundred coygnes of gold to owre tresorye.  And so þat þys owre presente charter will be biknowen wiþe certytude, we haue merked it with owre synes manuell vppon 30 Ianyuerie in þe fiftythe ȝere of þe Societie in Stonemarche.


[1]  The process of bringing something about on behalf of another.

[2]  Memorable, noteworthy.

[3]  Proven effectiveness, excellence.

[4]  Wisdom, judgment, consideration.

[5] A sign or signal.