Elenore de Cherbourg, Award of Arms, 2016

So We, Siegfried and Xritstina, keepers of Ealdormerean land in its princely rule, address Ourselves to Elenore de Cherbourg. My dear child, listen of how your father and mother birthed you and raised you in good instruction and into the desire to serve those of Our lands. For you work in Our halls, and cook in Our kitchens, and serve at Our feasts, and work with embroidery and thread. Our people’s blessing upon you, we hold you in favour and seeing your good deeds which are righteous and whose fruits add to the abundance of plenty in our kingdom do We bestow upon you an Award of Arms.

This is given certificate at Queen’s Prize Tourney, in Petrea Thule, the month of November, the 66 day of autumn 51. Signature in this certificate of Siegfried, Velikii Knyaz, and Xristina, Velikii Knyagina.

Wording by TH Laird Colyne Stewar, based on the Mstislavov gramota (c. 1130), the Domostroi, section 25 and postscript (16^th century) and a pledge record of the prince of Kholm to Ivan III (March 1474).

Rhiannon Elandris of Glyndyfyrdwy, Court Barony, 2016

Due commendations and greetings from Thomas Byron and Ariella, King and Queen of Sylvan AEthelmearc by right of Arms, to Our right trusty and well beloved Rhiannon Elandris of Glyndyfyrdwy. Whereas by the advice of those men and women with whom we have utmost trust, and in recognition of the decades of service which you have done for Shire, Barony, Canton, Principality and Kingdom, while upon horse or upon foot, we are minded to surround Ourselves with such barons as shall give us council in certain arduous and urgent and serious affairs concerning Us and the defense of Our Kingdom, that We command that you, waiving all excuses, place personally yourself before Us that we may make you a Baron of Our Court in recognition of the Service which you have done for more than a generation of souls within Our society. This act We do with joy in Our hearts on the 9th day of August, two score and eleven years after wise elders met at Mistland's Tourney, from which all days are numbered.

Wording by Baron Caleb Reynolds, inspired by Summons of a Baron to Parliament (1295).

Rhoswyn Gwynedd, Award of the Maiden’s Heart, 2016

Strong sacrifice is the strength (not in oppressor’s battle

But in ethereal miracles),

Highly-praised renowned gathering place, pure its essence,

Is the domain built by Rhoswyn Gwynedd.

Since I am song’s steward I will make a declamation of praise

To the works of this glorious lady,

Where the words collected rival the pleasures of Annwn,

Sparkling like spray from Owain’s fountain.

Nigel the King, Adrielle the Queen, brought to Rhoswyn renown,

It is made of a heart of the maiden,

A sign that none shall be o’erlooked in their kingdom

Fine is the golden wise pillar of the Wolf.

As our poet has related, so do we Nigel and Adrielle, King and Queen of Ealdormere, bestow upon Rhoswyn Gwynedd our Award of the Maiden’s Heart for her work as webminister and exchequer. Done while sitting Our thrones in Our canton of Ardchreag at the War of the Trillium on the feast day of Euddogwy in the fifty-first year of the Society.

Wording by THLaird Colyne Stewart, based on the Welsh poem I’r Grog o Gaer (To the Rood at Carmarthen) by Dafydd ap Gwilym.

Annwn was the Underworld, a place of delights, a paradise.

Owain’s fountain is a reference to “Owain, of the Lady of the Fountain”.

Jocelyn de Cranewell, Order of Defense, 2016

Be it known unto all by this present writings wheresoever it shall come to be read, heard or understood and especially to all manner of officers under Our dominions do We, Nigel III and Adrielle III, monarchs of the lands of the north, to all Justices, Mayors, Shieriffs, Bailiffs, Constables, Headboroughs, and to their deputies, and to all others to whom this decree comes, greetings.

Every parent, in order that their children should acquire reputation, procures for them some place in some royal court, and of some protection, to provide for them the best that they can. So did a notary of the court of Florence, place with Us his only daughter, who has, under the guise of learning to dance, become adept with the sword, and dagger, and cloak. She has traveled far across the Known World, both learning from those who are masters of the art, while freely giving of her knowledge to those in need. She has flourished upon the field, and has Our trust.

Thus do We, your sovereign King and Queen majesties with Our most honourable counsel, look with favour upon Jocelyn de Cranewell as an exemplar of the arts of the sword, and because she is dear to Us and shown of herself the magnanimity, the cunning, the valour, and the innumerable other virtues, and also the greatness of her ancestors, being descended as she is from a Lion of Ansteorra, who was begat by Hans Durmast, who was begat by the Moondragon who introduced the art of defense to the Society, do We admit with authority and by special commission under Our broad seal the said Jocelyn de Cranewell into the Order of Defense, forever more to be known as a Maestra and a Peer of the realm. And therefore we state by Our royal majesty and most honourable cousel, desire all our true subjects to aid the said Jocelyn de Cranewall against all strangers and such as teach without authority, and such foresworn men against Our royal majesties, which of long time have deceived our true subjects. We desire all our true subjects and officers as they love our sovereign crown to suffer none to keep any school of Defense whatsoever they be except having authority to show in like case as this Maestra Jocelyn de Cranewall hath unless it otherwise be also recognized by the Crown. In so doing you shall show your selves true and full faith officers and subjects unto our power.

In witness thereof on the day of the feast of Clare of Assisi, while sitting Our thrones in the Debatable Lands at the Pennsic War in this, the fifty-first year of the Society, do We sign our hand and seal.

Wording by THLaird Colyne Stewart, based in part on the introduction to Ridolfo Capo Ferro’s treatise "Great Representation of the Art and Use of Fencing" and Sloan MS 2530 page 31-2 which concerns the creation of a Master of Defense. Section in bold may have been cut for space.

Mattius of Petrea Thule, Scarlet Banner, 2016

Nigel, king, Adrielle, queen, and servants of Ealdormere, to Their beloved subject, Mattius of Petrea Thule, squire and man of good cote, greetings.

The actions of the worthy ought to meet with a corresponding fulfillment. Insomuch, as of your affection for all things martial, being always upon the lists and the fields of war, being a squire to one of our loyal knights, training to be a marshal, and the joy that is always apparent upon your person when so engaged: We, therefore, much pleased with the earnestness of your dedication, do look on you in favour, and do ordain that, by the authority of this Our present decree, you be given Our Award of the Scarlet Banner.

Given at Pikeman’s Pleasure, by the hand of Nigel and Adrielle, King and Queen of the Kingdom of Ealdormere, on the 4th day of June, in the 51^st cycle of indiction of the incarnation of our Society.

Wording by THLaird Colyne Stewart, based on the Papal Bull “Pie Postulatio Voluntatis” which established the Order of the Knights Hospitaller. 

Augusto Giuseppe da San Donato, Champion of Thrown Weapons, 2007

Call upon all and know that We, Christopher and Morgen, by Grace and Prowess Rightful King and Queen of Sylvan AEthelmearc, to all people to whom these present letters shall come, send greetings. Know ye that of Our special grace, certain skill of arms has come to Our notice. We, with Our Own eyes, have witnessed the prowess of Augusto Giuseppe da San Donato, who, with little effort, defeated, demoralized, depressed, discouraged, disheartened and did away with all competition upon the Thrown Weapons range. Furthermore, he overpowered and oppressed all who opposed him and thus, with no other thrower left standing, We are so moved to name the said Augusto as Our Champion of Thrown Weapons. Done on the 30th day of Septemebr, as41, at Harvest Raid.

Words by Baron Caleb Reynolds. Inspired by Letters Patent to Sir Humfrey Gylberte June 11, 1578.

Kolbjorn Skatkaupandi, Order of the Pelican, 2016

Quilliam, Queen-maker,

Queries his althing,

Speaks to skald-poets

Converses with carls.

Domhnail, dís[1]-born,

Daughter of dwarf-kin[2]

Muses with maðr[3]

Talks with red rekkr[4].

Who comes when called

Carries long burdens

Field and fen toiler

Works with the wain-kin[5]?

Who nears when needed

Knowing what’s lacking

Moils[6] in mead hall

Stands without sighing?

Kolbjorn, kappi[7],

Dreki-marked[8] kyrtil[9]

Tender of tree-lord

Binder of boughs[10].

Black bear[11] devoted

Born into Ramlands[12]

Frigg[13]-blessed father

Ring-rich in family.

Wise words well spoken

Well heard by high-born

Call they the Kolbjorn

Command they their carl.

Stood he in shire-land

At icy snow-battle

Added as årmann[14]

Joins band of blood-givers[15].

And so was Kolbjorn, loyal servant of Quilliam and Domhnail, inducted into Their Order of the Pelican, at Tournoi du Coeur des Glace, in Their Shire of Bastille du Lac, on the 30^th day of January, in the fiftieth year of the settlement.

Wording by THLaird Colyne Stewart, using the galdralag version of the ljoðaháttr meter (known as the “magic spell meter”).  This meter was likely used for magical or cult poetry, and since a Peerage elevation is a special event I thought it fitting.

Ljoðaháttr (“meter of chants”) consisted of a pair of line, each having two stressed syllables and being bound by alliteration, followed by a third line (the “full line” that alliterated with itself and had two or three stressed syllables. Galdralag added a fourth line that mirrored the third. Normally a stanza consisted of two sets of these three or four lines.

Sources:

Linguistics Research Centre, Old Norse Online, http://www.utexas.edu/cola/centers/lrc/eieol/norol-BF-X.html

Nordic Names, http://www.nordicnames.de/wiki/Kolbj%C3%B8rn

Viking Answer Lady, Poetry in Scandinavia and the North, http://www.vikinganswerlady.com/meters.shtml

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[1] A dis is a spirit of fate.

[2] Domhnail is a former baroness of Septentria. She followed Barony Cynred, whose short stature and long beard reminded many of a gnome.

[3] Henchmen, people.

[4] Warriors.

[5] A kenning referring to the Companions of the Order of the Wain, who have been recognized for their service.

[6] A verb meaning “to work”.

[7] Hero or champion.

[8] Referring to the dragon on Kol’s heraldry.

[9] Tunic.

[10] These two lines are saying that Kol cares for Yggdraasil, the tree that stands at the centre of the Norse universe.

[11] Kolbjorn means “black bear”.

[12] Kol is from the Barony of Ramshaven.

[13] Frigg is, among other things, the goddess of marriage.

[14] An admistrator akin to a steward or castellan.

[15] In medieval lore Pelicans were known for great sacrifice, even feeding their own blood to their young.