I was given about a week's notice that Magdalena von Kirschberg was getting a Silver Brooch (AoA-level arts award). Thanks to Myrun Leifsdottir for having a handy blank that fit the award and the person. However, the text needed to be SHORT SHORT SHORT to fit in the blank. The brevity also fit with the style that German charters tended to take. The Germans were not the believers in multiple forms of the same words that the English were. :-)
By Wilhelm the King. By Vienna the Queen. By our will, Magdalena von Kirschberg is hereby gifted and endowed with the Order of the Silver Brooch, to have and hold the same hereafter by perpetual right, freely, immunely, and honorably. That this gift may be held firm and remain untroubled, we have strengthened the present document with our ensigns manual upon 8 December in the fifty-third year of the Society.
Monday, December 10, 2018
Lupold's Writ for the Order of Defense
Sometimes these things write themselves. Both in the SCA and in period practice, writs of summons are fairly short documents. However, as I was doing research for this one, I found a summons to Parliament issued Henry VI to one of his contentious cousins who had been involved in a rebellion. Henry wanted his cousin to show up in the court and answer with plainness and frankness from his own mouth about his loyalty and swear fealty. Since "plainness and frankness" is a thing for which Lupold is well known, the match between text and recipient was perfect.
By the King. By the Queen. Unto Lupold Haas, right trusty and well-beloved we greet you well. We have conceived a great desire to speak with you and to hear from your mouth whether you will accept elevation to the Order of Defence; and for that purpose we have addressed these letters unto you, by which we command you as our true and faithful subject, for so We do repute you, with all possible diligence, to attend upon Our Own Persons, at our Court in the Barony of Dragonship Haven upon the 13th day of February in the fifty-third year of the Society, there to give honest answer to the question put before you. We trust that, upon your access to Our Presence, you will use such plainness and frankness in all things that We shall demand of you, and that We may have cause to reward your fidelity towards us and the Realm. Given under our signet at our manor of Quintavia, the 8th day of December in the fifty-third year of the Society.
By the King. By the Queen. Unto Lupold Haas, right trusty and well-beloved we greet you well. We have conceived a great desire to speak with you and to hear from your mouth whether you will accept elevation to the Order of Defence; and for that purpose we have addressed these letters unto you, by which we command you as our true and faithful subject, for so We do repute you, with all possible diligence, to attend upon Our Own Persons, at our Court in the Barony of Dragonship Haven upon the 13th day of February in the fifty-third year of the Society, there to give honest answer to the question put before you. We trust that, upon your access to Our Presence, you will use such plainness and frankness in all things that We shall demand of you, and that We may have cause to reward your fidelity towards us and the Realm. Given under our signet at our manor of Quintavia, the 8th day of December in the fifty-third year of the Society.
Colin's Pelican
Another fine old friend was finally inducted into the Order of the Pelican on Saturday, after we spent a year smacking all the people who were sure he already had one. I really wished I could have done this in mid 16th century spellings, but I'm told that makes it hard for people who aren't me to read the scroll and that I should share more.
A comment on the length of the text, since people never get tired of complaining about the lengths of my texts: In this case, the scribe was trying to emulate a specific period example of an illuminated Grant of Arms. The scribe asked me to produce as long a text as I could to make his product look like the period exemplar. Also, the scribe wanted to start with a big illuminated A, which limited my options for text styles.
All and singular the below-written was done in the 53rd year of the Society, in the Shire of Quintavia, upon 8 December; and their gracious and most excellent Majesties, Wilhelm and Vienna, King and Queen of the East, have approved, ratified and confirmed for themselves and their heirs the said gift and endowment in all of its points, and in witness thereof they have set their ensigns manual below.
Upon the petition of the Order of the Pelican, the barons and other nobles, and the community of the Realm of the East, the good King Wilhelm and Vienna his lawful wife and Queen summoned into the court their faithful and ever-obedient subject Colin Ursell; whereupon their most excellent Majesties took testimony from honored persons of good repute concerning the said Colin, his great and infinite labours for the good weal of the Realm, his benign countenance and faultless, virtueful heart; and most especially they heard words of the said Colin’s diligence, industry and devotion to the practice of archery, the which exertions have been of great advantage to the realm; and upon hearing the same testimony, Their most excellent Majesties commanded, instructed and ordained that the said Colin be invested and endowed with the Order of the Pelican, the said honor to be held and had by the same Colin freely, peacefully, fully, integrally and honourably, with all manner of liberties, profits, easements or lawful pertinents such as many member of the aforesaid Order possesses. And further, on that same day and date, before the assembled court, the said Colin was gifted and endowed with Arms in the form following: Azure, a barrel fesswise Or and on a chief triangular argent a bear's head couped sable. And so that the aforestated gift and grant remain forever lawful, stable and certain, their Majesties caused these present letters patents to be created, signed and read aloud to the body of their court upon the same day and date, and for a copy of the same to be remitted to the custody of the said Colin Ursell.
A comment on the length of the text, since people never get tired of complaining about the lengths of my texts: In this case, the scribe was trying to emulate a specific period example of an illuminated Grant of Arms. The scribe asked me to produce as long a text as I could to make his product look like the period exemplar. Also, the scribe wanted to start with a big illuminated A, which limited my options for text styles.
All and singular the below-written was done in the 53rd year of the Society, in the Shire of Quintavia, upon 8 December; and their gracious and most excellent Majesties, Wilhelm and Vienna, King and Queen of the East, have approved, ratified and confirmed for themselves and their heirs the said gift and endowment in all of its points, and in witness thereof they have set their ensigns manual below.
Upon the petition of the Order of the Pelican, the barons and other nobles, and the community of the Realm of the East, the good King Wilhelm and Vienna his lawful wife and Queen summoned into the court their faithful and ever-obedient subject Colin Ursell; whereupon their most excellent Majesties took testimony from honored persons of good repute concerning the said Colin, his great and infinite labours for the good weal of the Realm, his benign countenance and faultless, virtueful heart; and most especially they heard words of the said Colin’s diligence, industry and devotion to the practice of archery, the which exertions have been of great advantage to the realm; and upon hearing the same testimony, Their most excellent Majesties commanded, instructed and ordained that the said Colin be invested and endowed with the Order of the Pelican, the said honor to be held and had by the same Colin freely, peacefully, fully, integrally and honourably, with all manner of liberties, profits, easements or lawful pertinents such as many member of the aforesaid Order possesses. And further, on that same day and date, before the assembled court, the said Colin was gifted and endowed with Arms in the form following: Azure, a barrel fesswise Or and on a chief triangular argent a bear's head couped sable. And so that the aforestated gift and grant remain forever lawful, stable and certain, their Majesties caused these present letters patents to be created, signed and read aloud to the body of their court upon the same day and date, and for a copy of the same to be remitted to the custody of the said Colin Ursell.
Mercedes' Master of Defense
I had the chance to do some scroll text work again. This one is for Mercedes Vera de Califia's Master of Defense. I left the Spanish terms that had no English equivalent in Spanish. I would have liked to have gotten the whole thing in medieval Spanish but time and availability of my 16th century Spanish expert did not work out.
On the other hand, Mercedes' persona is explicitly a Spanish woman living in England, so the mixed English and Spanish works out just fine.
Wilhelm, by right of arms, King of the East, and Vienna, by agency of the same right the Queen, to all prelates, dukes, duchesses, counts, countesses, ricos homes, priors of the Orders, Knight-commanders, alcades of castles and fortified as well as unfortified places, adelantados, merinos[1], lieutenants of all cities, towns and places, presidents and Auditors of our Council and our tribunals and our chanceries, town councilors, and the jurados, officers and omes buenos of the cities, towns and other places of our Kingdom, and all other vassals and subjects of whatever estate, condition and dignity you may be, and every one of you, health and greetings. Considering our veneration for the greatness, the excellence, the nobility and the eminent virtues of our servant Mercedes Vera de Califia, and having taken testimony from persons of good repute and witnessed with our own eyes the excellence of the said Mercedes in all matters of the rapier, and considering also the great benefit and advantage that our Realm has received from the labors of the said Mercedes in the government of rapier combat among our people, it is our great pleasure to direct and ordain that the said Mercedes be gifted, invested, and endowed with the Order of Defence, with all privileges, benefits, usages, liberties, profits, easements and rightful pertinents in and by all ways pertaining thereunto, to have and hold the same perpetually and as freely and quietly, fully and honourably as any other member of the Order aforenamed. In witness whereof we have ordered this instrument to be drawn up, marked with our ensigns manual, and countersigned by the Brigantia Herald, whom we have commanded to cause the said instrument to be read aloud in our Court. Given in the city of Quintavia upon the 8th of December in the fifty-third year of the Society, being the first year of our reign.
[1] No, not the sheep. You're clearly thinking of someone else's scroll.
On the other hand, Mercedes' persona is explicitly a Spanish woman living in England, so the mixed English and Spanish works out just fine.
Wilhelm, by right of arms, King of the East, and Vienna, by agency of the same right the Queen, to all prelates, dukes, duchesses, counts, countesses, ricos homes, priors of the Orders, Knight-commanders, alcades of castles and fortified as well as unfortified places, adelantados, merinos[1], lieutenants of all cities, towns and places, presidents and Auditors of our Council and our tribunals and our chanceries, town councilors, and the jurados, officers and omes buenos of the cities, towns and other places of our Kingdom, and all other vassals and subjects of whatever estate, condition and dignity you may be, and every one of you, health and greetings. Considering our veneration for the greatness, the excellence, the nobility and the eminent virtues of our servant Mercedes Vera de Califia, and having taken testimony from persons of good repute and witnessed with our own eyes the excellence of the said Mercedes in all matters of the rapier, and considering also the great benefit and advantage that our Realm has received from the labors of the said Mercedes in the government of rapier combat among our people, it is our great pleasure to direct and ordain that the said Mercedes be gifted, invested, and endowed with the Order of Defence, with all privileges, benefits, usages, liberties, profits, easements and rightful pertinents in and by all ways pertaining thereunto, to have and hold the same perpetually and as freely and quietly, fully and honourably as any other member of the Order aforenamed. In witness whereof we have ordered this instrument to be drawn up, marked with our ensigns manual, and countersigned by the Brigantia Herald, whom we have commanded to cause the said instrument to be read aloud in our Court. Given in the city of Quintavia upon the 8th of December in the fifty-third year of the Society, being the first year of our reign.
[1] No, not the sheep. You're clearly thinking of someone else's scroll.
Sunday, November 11, 2018
Silver Crescent text for Muirenn Blue Tyger
I've been so tied up with life stuff that my writing and posting about non-work things has dropped off sharply, for which I apologize. Several weeks ago, the excellent and remarkable Muirenn ingen Dúnadaig got a Silver Crescent for, among other things, her herald work. Here's the text:
Wilhelm, king of the East by the right of arms, and Vienna, his most beloved wife, queen by agency of the same right, to all who will see this charter, we extend greetings. The dignity of our nobility and royal mercy demands that we give benign and favorable assent to the just requests of all, so that anyone may enjoy the consolation of our protection and fostering comfort, and also to increase the tranquility and governance of our realm. Petition has been laid before us by notable persons of our realm and, finding much that is good, just, right and fitting in the said petition, we do find it meet to do the following: By this our royal charter we hereby do endow Muirenn ingen Dúnadaig, presently Blue Tyger Herald, with the Order of the Silver Crescent and all rights, privileges, freedoms and liberties attendant thereupon. And we do further grant unto the said Muirenn the right to bear arms in the form following: Argent, three fox's masks and a chief indented vert. So that no one presume to infringe on this endowment and grant, we have fortified the present page with our ensigns manual and caused it to be read aloud before witnesses upon 27 October, being the feast of Saint Abban, in the fifty-third year of the Society.
Wilhelm, king of the East by the right of arms, and Vienna, his most beloved wife, queen by agency of the same right, to all who will see this charter, we extend greetings. The dignity of our nobility and royal mercy demands that we give benign and favorable assent to the just requests of all, so that anyone may enjoy the consolation of our protection and fostering comfort, and also to increase the tranquility and governance of our realm. Petition has been laid before us by notable persons of our realm and, finding much that is good, just, right and fitting in the said petition, we do find it meet to do the following: By this our royal charter we hereby do endow Muirenn ingen Dúnadaig, presently Blue Tyger Herald, with the Order of the Silver Crescent and all rights, privileges, freedoms and liberties attendant thereupon. And we do further grant unto the said Muirenn the right to bear arms in the form following: Argent, three fox's masks and a chief indented vert. So that no one presume to infringe on this endowment and grant, we have fortified the present page with our ensigns manual and caused it to be read aloud before witnesses upon 27 October, being the feast of Saint Abban, in the fifty-third year of the Society.
Sunday, July 15, 2018
Doroga's Maunche Text
Doroga's lady requested that we try to find a way to work a particular quote from Cervantes into the text. Can you figure out what that quote is?
I did not know who would be reading this, so I did not get too creating with 16th century spelling.
Brennan Rey and Caoilfhionn Reyna to our good and gentle Doroga Voronin, greetings and all good of the goods. Noble persons of exalted lineage have brought us word of your singular excellence. It is said that, if one would view in equal balance the shining Phoebus and the blood-stained Mars, look to Doroga, in whom the one and the other are not separate. In him, both pen and sword are manifest with such discretion, art and dexterity that he has made of bladework both science and art. We are by these words greatly moved and being so moved, we do now, of our especial grace, certain science, and mere motion, give and grant and by these presents for us, our heirs and successors give, grant and by the present charter confirm unto you the status, estate and renown of a companion of the Order of the Maunche, with all rights, privileges, prerogatives, commodities, jurisdictions, royalties, franchises, and preeminences attending thereupon. And we do further grant unto you the right to bear Arms in the form following: Per pale purpure and vert, on a chief argent a raven displayed sable. And we do further instruct and command you to bear upon your person hereafter and in all times coming the badge and signacle of the Order of the Maunche so that the love and esteem we bear you be made manifest to all persons of whatever estate. For the greater security and stability of the aforesaid, know that we have laid our hands upon the holy relics of our Realm and sworn to keep, observe and fulfill all of the within promises, and each part of parcel of them, really and in fact, renouncing all deception, mental reservation, and subterfuge. Witness ourselves, at Malagentia, upon 14 July, in the fifty-third year of the Society.
I did not know who would be reading this, so I did not get too creating with 16th century spelling.
Brennan Rey and Caoilfhionn Reyna to our good and gentle Doroga Voronin, greetings and all good of the goods. Noble persons of exalted lineage have brought us word of your singular excellence. It is said that, if one would view in equal balance the shining Phoebus and the blood-stained Mars, look to Doroga, in whom the one and the other are not separate. In him, both pen and sword are manifest with such discretion, art and dexterity that he has made of bladework both science and art. We are by these words greatly moved and being so moved, we do now, of our especial grace, certain science, and mere motion, give and grant and by these presents for us, our heirs and successors give, grant and by the present charter confirm unto you the status, estate and renown of a companion of the Order of the Maunche, with all rights, privileges, prerogatives, commodities, jurisdictions, royalties, franchises, and preeminences attending thereupon. And we do further grant unto you the right to bear Arms in the form following: Per pale purpure and vert, on a chief argent a raven displayed sable. And we do further instruct and command you to bear upon your person hereafter and in all times coming the badge and signacle of the Order of the Maunche so that the love and esteem we bear you be made manifest to all persons of whatever estate. For the greater security and stability of the aforesaid, know that we have laid our hands upon the holy relics of our Realm and sworn to keep, observe and fulfill all of the within promises, and each part of parcel of them, really and in fact, renouncing all deception, mental reservation, and subterfuge. Witness ourselves, at Malagentia, upon 14 July, in the fifty-third year of the Society.
Anastasia's Augmentation of Arms
The spelling is accurate for c. 1510 and the text was inspired by multiple letters of Henry VIII to Cardinal Wolsey thanking him for his service and urging him to take a vacation. And, of course, there are footnotes.
Brennan the Kyng and Caoilfhionn the Queen to Anastasia Gutane, right trustie, and righte welbelovid wee greete you well. We recommande you with all owr hart to the peple of the Easte and the Known Worlde, and thanke yow for the grette paynes and labour that yow do dayly take in the bysyness and maters of the Societee. And we commande, desyre and instruct yow to take summe pastyme and comfort from yowr labour[1], to the intent that yow may longer endure to serve us and our Reaulme. Surly yow have so substancyally orderyd maters wythyn yowr sphere that lytil or nothyng can be addyd; indede we are well contendyd with what order yow have mayde in all maters to whych yow sett yowr hands, shewinge therbie yowr great love and loyalltie towardes the Crowne and peple of the Easte, which wee accept most thanckfullie from yowr handes. And further, desyryng, wantynge and wyshyng that the valew, esteeme and tendershippe[2] in whiche yow are beholden be made both perficte and manyfest to all persouns of whateuere estate, Wee have theerfore thoughte it meete and behoveful[3] to give, graunt and bie thees presents lettirs convaye untow yow an Augmentacioun of Armes, with all circumstaunt[4] benefetes, avauntage, profits, pryvyleges and honnours, and we instruct and commaunde our heraulds to attende fourthewyth to þe circumstauncis of the sayd Augmentacioun. Given under our signet at our mannor of Malagentia the 14th daie of July in the 53rd yere of the Societee.
[1] Something we have said to Anastaia a lot :-)
[2] tendershippe = favor, regard, esteem.
[3] behoveful = requisite, necessary, pertinent, appropriate, proper
[4] circumstaunt = accompanying
Wednesday, April 11, 2018
County Text for Matilde de Cadenet
Now-Countess Matilde asked me to do her County text to fit a Russian icon-style scroll. I generally don't like to repeat sources if possible, but Matilde really liked one of my previous Russian-inspired pieces (for Khioniya Ryseva's Silver Crescent), so I broke my usual rule and re-used the intro. Sometimes you just gotta give the people what they like :-)
And yes, this is a fairly long one. Again, sometimes you just gotta give the people what they like.
Brennan and Caoilfhionn, Imperator et Imperatrix, to our servant Matilde de Cadenet, greetings. The authority of the Crown of the East had its origin in Maragorn and Adrienne, founders of Our line, and the great Cariadoc, who declared war upon himself, and the valiant great Darius and Roxanne of blessed memory, who led Eastern armies against the sons of the Dragon, then it passed to the avengers of wrongs, our ancestors, the praiseworthy great Kenric and Avelina, who obtained great victories upon the fields of AEthelmearc, and to our father the wise Emperor Ivan, until it reached us, the humble scepter-bearers of the Eastern Empire. Here follows the command of the orthodox, truly Eastern Majesties:
Forasmuch as you have shown yourself to be of singular and remarkable worth; and having taken counsel from the boyar and boyar kinsmen of our Realm and having heard abundant and multifold praise and of your deeds and your character; and having by evidence of our own eyes avouched your quality; We do now by these present Imperial and unassailable letters bestow upon you the sign and insignia of a Countess, along with all rights, privileges, immunities, honors, and endowments of that rank.
If anyone, be a neighbour or a stranger, no matter what his condition or power, though any kind of wile, should attempt to do any act of violence contrary to this our Imperial edict, let God remove him from the land of the living and wipe out his name from the book of life, let him experience in his own body the torments of future damnation, unless he come to his senses and hail you as honorably excellent and excellently honorable Countess.
Written in our great Eastern Empire, in the famous Shire of Quintavia, on the steps of our Imperial threshold, in the fifty-second year from the creation of the Society, the 7th day of April.
And yes, this is a fairly long one. Again, sometimes you just gotta give the people what they like.
Brennan and Caoilfhionn, Imperator et Imperatrix, to our servant Matilde de Cadenet, greetings. The authority of the Crown of the East had its origin in Maragorn and Adrienne, founders of Our line, and the great Cariadoc, who declared war upon himself, and the valiant great Darius and Roxanne of blessed memory, who led Eastern armies against the sons of the Dragon, then it passed to the avengers of wrongs, our ancestors, the praiseworthy great Kenric and Avelina, who obtained great victories upon the fields of AEthelmearc, and to our father the wise Emperor Ivan, until it reached us, the humble scepter-bearers of the Eastern Empire. Here follows the command of the orthodox, truly Eastern Majesties:
Forasmuch as you have shown yourself to be of singular and remarkable worth; and having taken counsel from the boyar and boyar kinsmen of our Realm and having heard abundant and multifold praise and of your deeds and your character; and having by evidence of our own eyes avouched your quality; We do now by these present Imperial and unassailable letters bestow upon you the sign and insignia of a Countess, along with all rights, privileges, immunities, honors, and endowments of that rank.
If anyone, be a neighbour or a stranger, no matter what his condition or power, though any kind of wile, should attempt to do any act of violence contrary to this our Imperial edict, let God remove him from the land of the living and wipe out his name from the book of life, let him experience in his own body the torments of future damnation, unless he come to his senses and hail you as honorably excellent and excellently honorable Countess.
Written in our great Eastern Empire, in the famous Shire of Quintavia, on the steps of our Imperial threshold, in the fifty-second year from the creation of the Society, the 7th day of April.
Maunche Text for Chatricam Meghanta
Chatricam Meghanta has been doing amazing work in medieval Indian poetry. For her Maunche (East Kingdom grant-level arts award) text, I did not want to do a Western European legal text.
I'm not a poet. Trying to replicate Tamil poetry, her speciality, seemed a dicey proposition -- so easy to do it completely wrong. I went back through Megha's own research pages to see if anything really sang to me. I read a lot of Tamil poetry as well as other medieval Islamic poetry that Megha had posted or referenced. I began to circle around pieces from the poets Hafez and Rumi, both medieval Persians rather than Indians, but both "poets of the spirit" that I know have great meaning to Megha.
In particular, this poem by Hafez kept insisting that it "belonged" to Megha.
CAST ALL YOUR VOTES FOR DANCING
I know the voice of depression still calls to you.
I know those habits that can ruin your life still send their invitations.
But you are with the Friend now and look so much stronger.
You can stay that way and even bloom!
Keep squeezing drops of the Sun from your prayers and work and music
And from your companions' beautiful laughter.
Keep squeezing drops of the Sun from the sacred hands and glance of your Beloved
And, my dear, from the most insignificant movements of your own holy body.
Learn to recognize the counterfeit coins that may buy you just a moment of pleasure,
But then drag you for days like a broken man behind a farting camel.
You are with the Friend now.
Learn what actions of yours delight Him, what actions of yours
Bring freedom and Love.
Whenever you say God's name, dear pilgrim, my ears wish my head was missing
So they could finally kiss each other and applaud all your nourishing wisdom!
O keep squeezing drops of the Sun from your prayers and work and music
And from your companions' beautiful laughter and from the most insignificant
movements of your own holy body.
Now, sweet one,
Be wise.
Cast all your votes for Dancing!
The imagery of performance as the act of "squeezing drops of the Sun" was compelling. My source was chosen.
I set out to write something with the "look and feel" of the Tamil poetry that Megha performs and using Hafez's splendid imagery. My length was limited to fit how the scribe wanted to use the text, so most of the text ended up being devoted to getting the work of the SCA award process done. But that is all to the good because I am not naturally a poet and I think more words would have revealed that weakness quite clearly.
I know that Megha likes it, so I succeeded in that most important aspect. I'm still a little disappointed that I couldn't get the "ears kissing each other in joy at her words" imagery in here, though.
O poet, keep squeezing drops of the Sun from your prayers and work and music and from your companions' beautiful laughter.
O poet, your name is spoken the halls of the wise and the King and Queen would do you honor for your golden words.
O poet, you should wear this Maunche upon your person in all the days coming.
These words were commanded by Brennan and Caoilfhionn, King and Queen, upon 7 April at Quintavia.
I'm not a poet. Trying to replicate Tamil poetry, her speciality, seemed a dicey proposition -- so easy to do it completely wrong. I went back through Megha's own research pages to see if anything really sang to me. I read a lot of Tamil poetry as well as other medieval Islamic poetry that Megha had posted or referenced. I began to circle around pieces from the poets Hafez and Rumi, both medieval Persians rather than Indians, but both "poets of the spirit" that I know have great meaning to Megha.
In particular, this poem by Hafez kept insisting that it "belonged" to Megha.
CAST ALL YOUR VOTES FOR DANCING
I know the voice of depression still calls to you.
I know those habits that can ruin your life still send their invitations.
But you are with the Friend now and look so much stronger.
You can stay that way and even bloom!
Keep squeezing drops of the Sun from your prayers and work and music
And from your companions' beautiful laughter.
Keep squeezing drops of the Sun from the sacred hands and glance of your Beloved
And, my dear, from the most insignificant movements of your own holy body.
Learn to recognize the counterfeit coins that may buy you just a moment of pleasure,
But then drag you for days like a broken man behind a farting camel.
You are with the Friend now.
Learn what actions of yours delight Him, what actions of yours
Bring freedom and Love.
Whenever you say God's name, dear pilgrim, my ears wish my head was missing
So they could finally kiss each other and applaud all your nourishing wisdom!
O keep squeezing drops of the Sun from your prayers and work and music
And from your companions' beautiful laughter and from the most insignificant
movements of your own holy body.
Now, sweet one,
Be wise.
Cast all your votes for Dancing!
The imagery of performance as the act of "squeezing drops of the Sun" was compelling. My source was chosen.
I set out to write something with the "look and feel" of the Tamil poetry that Megha performs and using Hafez's splendid imagery. My length was limited to fit how the scribe wanted to use the text, so most of the text ended up being devoted to getting the work of the SCA award process done. But that is all to the good because I am not naturally a poet and I think more words would have revealed that weakness quite clearly.
I know that Megha likes it, so I succeeded in that most important aspect. I'm still a little disappointed that I couldn't get the "ears kissing each other in joy at her words" imagery in here, though.
O poet, keep squeezing drops of the Sun from your prayers and work and music and from your companions' beautiful laughter.
O poet, your name is spoken the halls of the wise and the King and Queen would do you honor for your golden words.
O poet, you should wear this Maunche upon your person in all the days coming.
These words were commanded by Brennan and Caoilfhionn, King and Queen, upon 7 April at Quintavia.
Writ for the Laurel
I wanted to do something a little different than the basic bare-bones Writ for this one. I looked to a couple of late 13th century examples of summonses to Parliament that laid out the intended purposes of the Parliament before demanding the attendance of the person addressed. As East Kingdom Crowns generally have Order meetings at Pennsic, this model fit the purpose nicely. Plus, because I'm always a fan of scrolls that threaten someone, I liked the command to come prepared "with full and sufficient power" to do the necessary business.
Brennan Imperator and Caoilfhionn Imperatrix to Jean-Paul Ducasse. Since we intend to have a consultation and meeting with the principal persons of our kingdom with regard to the constitution of our Order of the Laurel, on that account, we have commanded the said Order to be with us in August at the Pennsic War to consider, ordain and do as may be necessary for the proper continuance thereof; We therefore strictly require you to attend upon us at the aforesaid place and time, to hear the counsel of the aforesaid Order and such other notable persons as shall be in attendance, the task being before you to answer the question whether you will accept elevation to the aforenamed Order. You should attend upon us on the date abovenamed prepared with full and sufficient power to answer the question so that the aforesaid business shall not remain unfinished in any way. Witness at Quintavia upon April 7 in the fifty-second year.
Brennan Imperator and Caoilfhionn Imperatrix to Jean-Paul Ducasse. Since we intend to have a consultation and meeting with the principal persons of our kingdom with regard to the constitution of our Order of the Laurel, on that account, we have commanded the said Order to be with us in August at the Pennsic War to consider, ordain and do as may be necessary for the proper continuance thereof; We therefore strictly require you to attend upon us at the aforesaid place and time, to hear the counsel of the aforesaid Order and such other notable persons as shall be in attendance, the task being before you to answer the question whether you will accept elevation to the aforenamed Order. You should attend upon us on the date abovenamed prepared with full and sufficient power to answer the question so that the aforesaid business shall not remain unfinished in any way. Witness at Quintavia upon April 7 in the fifty-second year.
Wednesday, February 14, 2018
Frankish Given Names from the Cartulary of Montier-en-Der (666 - 999 C.E.)
Introduction
The Abbey of Montier-en-Der was a monastic house in
northeastern France (modernly, it is located in the Haute-Marne department). The Cartulary
of Montier-en-Der is a collection of Latin legal documents relating to the
Abbey compiled in the early 12th century. An annotated copy of the Cartulary of Montier-en-Der, edited by Constance Brittain
Bouchard, was published by the University of Toronto Press in 2004. I am relying on this edition for my data. Bouchard did not modernize or normalize the
spellings. She also preserved some of
the scribal abbreviations.
Notes
on the Transcription
In the transcribed Cartulary,
u often stands in for v.
Whether a particular letter u
should be read as v depends on the
context. For instance, Aua is probably Ava, but the u in Bertulfus makes sense only as a u.
Where it is possible to identify when the u should be read as a v,
I have indicated that in the header.
Several of the documents found in the Cartulary are
forgeries, usually created significantly later than the date on the document
itself. Where the forgery was prepared
within period, I have dated the names in the document to the likely date of the
forgery.
Using
the Data
The
source documents are written in Latin. As
a result, 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.
The
bolded header forms are the most common nominative forms of the given
names. Where the nominative form is not
found in any of the texts, I have extrapolated the most likely nominative form
based on other period examples.
The
forms under the heading are those actually found in the texts, including
certain variant spellings. Variant
nominative forms are marked as (n.).
Genitive (possessive) forms are marked as (g). Genitive forms
are of interest because they can be used to create patronymic surnames using
the following patterns:
[male given name]
+ filius (“son”) + [genitive father’s name]
[female given name]
+ filia (“daughter”) + [genitive father’s name]
The
numbers in the second column of each entry are the dates of documents in which
the name is found.
For
submitters who do not want to use the Latin forms, in most cases, the
vernacular form can be identified by dropping the –us from the end of male names.
For example, the probable vernacular form of Amalricus is Amalric.
A. Male
Given Names
Aaron
Aaron late
10th century
Abilo
Abilonis (g.) late 10th century
Adalacrus
Adalacri (g.) 843
Adalbero
Adalbero 980
Adalberonis (g.) 980
Adalbertus
Adalberto 693
Adalgarius
Adalgarius 867/875
Ademarus
Ademaro 876-77
Adremarus
Adremari (g.) 967
Adroldus
Adroldus 971, 991
Adroldi (g.) late 10th century
Adso
Adso 971, c. 980
Adsonis (g.) 967, 968
Adzo (n.) 967
Æneas
Æneas 845
Agifredus
Agifredus 867
Agilus
Agilus 867
Agristius
Agristius 971
Aimo
Aimo 991
Aimoldus
Aimoldus 971
Ainherus
Ainheri (g.) late 10th century
Airardus
Airardi (g.) 992 – c. 1000
Albricus
Albrici (g.) 967
Albuinus
Albuinus 992
– c. 1000
Aledrammus
Aledrammo 876-77
Alegrerius 991
Alledulfus
Alledulfus 768-800
Alleolfi (g.) 760
Alo
Aloni 693
Altmarus
Altmarus 845
Altmaro 845, 857
Amalricus
Amalrici (g.) 675
Andelonus
Andeloni (g.) 760, 768-800, 851
Angelramnus
Angelramni (g.) 967
Archemfridus
Archemfridi (g.) late 10th century
Archemfrido late 10th century
Archemfridus late 10th century
Archenoldus
Archenoldi (g.) 843
Archerius
Archeri (g.) 828
Arembertus
Aremberti (g.) 857, 992 – c. 1000
Arierus
Arieri (g.) 828
Arnaudus
Arnaudo 851
Arnulfus
Arnulfi (g.) 992 – c. 1000
Arnulfus 980
Artmannus
Artmanni (g.) 857
Artuisus
Artuisi (g.) 857
Atelanus
Atelani (g.) 666, 675
Baiolus
Baioli (g.) 992 – c. 1000
Basinus
Basino 693
Bercharius
Bercharii (g.) 666
Berchario 675, 693
Bercharius 666, 675. 685, 693, 857, 971
Berengerus
Berengerii (g.) 967, 992 – c. 1000
Berengerus 992 – c. 1000
Bernefridus
Bernefridus 857
Beroldus
Beroldi (g.) 971
Bertoendus
Bertoendo 693
Bertrannus
Bertranni (g.) 992 – c. 1000
Bertulfus
Bertulfi (g.) 828
Blesinus
Blesini (g.) 851
Blitharius
Blitharii (g.) 857
Boso
Boso 876, late 10th
century
Bosone 968
Bosonis (g.) 851
Bouo
Bouonis (g.) 843
Childericus
Childerici (g.) 675, 693
Childerico 666, 675
Chilpericus (n.) 685
Clodoueus (Clodoveus/Clodoveo)
Clodouei (g.) 693
Clodoueo 693
Clodoueus 693
Constantius
Constantii (g.) 980
Constantius 971
Deocadius
Deocadius 666
Deodatus
Deodati (g.) 992 – c. 1000
Dudo
Dudonis (g.) 992 – c. 1000
Durandus
Durandus 827
Ebo
Ebo 827
Eirbertus
Eirberti (g.) 768-800
Elbrant
Elbrant 828
Eldebertus
Eldebertus 971
Eldeuualt
Eldeuualt 828
Eldricus
Eldricus 991
Elisierdus
Elisierdus 991
Emo
Emonis (g.) 828
Ermenaldus
Ermenaldus 971
Ermenardus
Ermendardus 991
Ermengaudus
Ermengaudus 991
Floterus
Floteri (g.) 828
Floutgis
Floutgis 828
Fluderig
Fluderig 828
Folchricus
Folchricus 859
Fredugisus
Fredugisi (g.) 827
Fulco
Fulco 991
Fulconis (g.) late 10th century
Garnerius
Garnerius 991
Warnerius (n.) 971
Gautfin
Gautfin 828
Genulfus
Genulfi (g.) 857
Gerherus
Gerherus 857
Gibuinus
Gibuinus 980
Gilduinus
Gilduini (g.) 980
Giraudus
Giraudi (g.) 851
Giraudus 851
Girmarus
Girmari (g.). 828
Girouus
Girouum 828
Gislaudus
Gislaudus 991
Gislebertus
Gislebertus 857
Gislefridus
Gislefridi (g.) 843
Giso
Giso 971
Godelinus
Godelini (g.) 867/875
Godo
Godo 876-77
Goduinus
Goduinus 971
Golmarus
Golmarus 760
Guaderannus
Guaderannus 991
Gualo
Gualo 971
Guanuinus
Guanuinus 991
Hadricus
Hadricus 991
Harduinus
Harduini (g.) 828, 857
Harmarus
Harmari (g.) 666
Hauto
Haudo (n.) 828,
832
Hauto 815,
827
Heribertus
Heriberti (g.) 968, 980
Heriberto 968,
980
Heribertus 968,
980
Heruieus
Heruiei
(g.) 980
Hilduinus
Hilduini
(g.) 666
Hisimbertus
Hisimbertus 832
Hostoldus
Hostoldi
(g.) 857
Hugo
Hugone 991
Hugonis
(g.) 857
Hunrogus
Hunrogi
(g.) 857
Ingelbertus
Ingelberti
(g.). c. 980
Karolus
Karoli
(g.) 845, 857, 859,
867/875, 876-77
Karolo 768-800, 851, 857, 859,
876, 968
Karolus 845, 857, 867/875, 859,
876-77, 968
Lantbertus
Lantberti
(g.) 968, c.980
Lantboldus
Lantboldi
(g.) 857
Ledesus
Ledesi
(g.) 760
Leodegarius
Leodegarii
(g.) 666, 675
Letericus
Letericus 991
Letrico 876-77
Lotharius
Lotharii
(g.) 827, 980
Lothario 967, 968
Lotharius 827, 980
Lucdouuicus
(Ludovicus)
Lucdouuici
(g.) 815, 827, 832, 845, 857, 867/875
Lucdouuico 828
Lucdouuicus 815, 827, 832
Ludouici late 10th
century
Madalgarius
Madalgario 693
Madelgarii
(g.) 851
Maddeurertus
Maddeurerti
(g.) 843
Madianus
Madiani
(g.) 857
Mainerus
Mainerus 991
Manasses
Manasses 991
Merulfus
Merulfus 857
Milo
Milo 971
Mummolenus
Mummoleni 666
Narbrannus
Narbranni
(g.) 768-800
Niuardus
(Nivardus)
Niuardi
(g.) 666, 980
Niuo
(Nivo)
Niuonis
(g.) 967, 992 – c. 1000
Odelherus
Odelheri
(g.) late 10th
century
Odo
Odo 991
Odonis
(g.) 980, 992 – c. 1000
Otgerus
Otgeri
(g.) 980
Pardulus
Pardulo
857, late 10th
century
Pardulus 857
Pipinus
Pipini
(g.) 815
Pipino 760
Pipinus 693
Ragenardus
Ragenardi
(g.) late 10th
century
Ragenarius
Ragenarii
(g.) 857, 967
Raimfridus
Raimfridi
(g.) 828
Raimhardus
Raimhardi
(g.) 828
Rainoldus
Rainoldi
(g.) 992 – c. 1000
Rainerus
Rainerus 991
Remigius
Remigii
(g.) 760, 768-800
Reolus
Reoli
(g.) 675
Ribaldus
Ribaldi
(g.) 992 – c. 1000
Richardus
Richardi
(g.) 968, 980
Riculfus
Riculfi
(g.) 828
Rigobertus
Rigoberto 693
Risus
Risi
(g.) 857
Riuuerus
Riuueri
(g.) 843
Rodulfus
Rodulfi
(g.) 968, c. 980, 992 – c.
1000
Rogerus
Rogeri
(g.) 828
Rohencus
Rohenci
(g.) 843
Romoldus
Romoldi
(g.) 967, 992 – c. 1000
Rotbertus
Robertus 971, 991
Rotfridus
Rotfridus 843
Rotgarius
Rotgarii
(g.) 851
Rotlandus
Rotlandi
late 10th
century
Rotlandus late 10th century
Ruerus
Rueri
(g.) late 10th
century
Seiardus
Seiardi
(g.) 992 – c. 1000
Sigebaldus
Sigebaldi
(g.) 768 - 800
Sigibertus
Sigiberti
(g.) 980
Somnassus
Somnassi
(g.) 760
Sunnasii
(g.) 768-800
Stephanus
Stephani
(g.) 992 – c. 1000
Stephano 693
Tebaudus
Tebaudus 991
Teodericus
Teoderici
(g.) 968
Teudalt
Teudalt 828
Teudo
Teudo 991
Vfonis
(Ufonis)
Vfonis 828
Vuaimeris/Waimeris
Vuaimeris 693
Vualbertus/Walbertus
Vualbertus late 10th century
Vualberti
(g.) late 10th century
Vualfridus/Walfridus
Vualfridus 967
Vualterus/Walterus
Vualteri
(g.) 980, 992 – c. 1000
Vualtildis/Waltildis
Vualtildis 693
Vuatso/Wazo
Vuatsonis
(g.) 980
Vuibertus/Wibertus
Vuiberti (g.) 980
Vuicardus/Wicardus
Vuicardi
(g.) 992 – c. 1000
Vuido/Wido
Vuidonis
(g.) 980
Vuilelmus/Wilelmus
Vuilelmi 980
Vuilericus/Wilericus
Vuilerici
(g.) 857
Vuilerus/Wilerus/Willerus
Vuileri
(g.) 967
Vulfaudus
Vulfaudi
(g.) 675
Vulfaudus 859
B. Female
Given Names
Aua
(Ava)
Auæ 857
Auregia
Auregiæ 857
Emma
Emma 980
Erlesenna
Erlesennæ 760
Foedagia
Foedagiam 851
Gisla
Gislæ 857
Huneriana
Huneriana 857,
late 10th century
Tetca
Tetce 857
Tidiliana
Tidiliana end of 10th century
[1] It is unclear whether this is a unique name
or a misspelling of Alegregius, a
name appearing in later documents.
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