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. 

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.

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.