Geoffrey Le Thressher - Silver Rapier

Even as one cannot make some composition of beautiful writings without employing the letters of the alphabet, so does it occur that this, the art of fencing: without its principle steps, one would have no foundation.  Geoffrey uses the footwork of practice, of study, and of the experience that earns, without which, one cannot move and advance.

Today We Majesties Matthew and Fiamuin, stand in the public hall of Rusted Woodlands, Our Royal Shire, with representatives of all the other places of Our ample dominion, The East Kingdom in this Year of Our Society, Fifty Nine.

And thus Geoffrey Thressher stands in possession of the Silver Rapier:

Argent, a chevron gules and in base a penguin affronty proper, on a chief gules three crosses crosslet fitchy argent

That which clearly represents how necessary, how useful, how honorable Geoffrey is using said disciplines, and how it was earned by him, by good habits and maximally in valor, in execution of his art.

Word Count 160

Calligraphy and illumination by Fiona O Maille

Photo by Fiona O Maille

Naturally, you must expect me to BLOG with Capo Ferro.

-Inigo Montoya

This began with a great conversation with the scribe, where they mentioned using the actual manuscript by Capo Ferro as the source. Which made my BLOG title a no brainer.
I got my hands on Great Representation of the Art of and Use of Fencing by Ridolofo Capoffero Translated by Jerek Swanger and William E Wilson Translated by Jerek Swanger and William E Wilson and began scouring the text to get a handle on how the language was used. 
I made judicious use of the first section: “Dedicated To the Most Serene Signore Don Francesco Maria Feltredella Rovere, sixth Duke Urbino”
With a few from particular plates further in the portfolio.

Even as one cannot make some composition of beautiful writings without employing the letters of the alphabet, so does it occur that this, the art of fencing: without its principle steps, one would have no foundation.  

Gotta love a 36 word sentence! When working within the strict and measured meters of the past it's nice to be able to stretch out and put an effusive amount of words into a scroll.

Much of this scroll is taken straight from the translated words of Capo Ferro himself.  He wrote so loquaciously it was appropriate to quote him as verbatim as I could.

“Even as one cannot make some composition of beautiful and judicious writings without employing the letters of the alphabet, so does it occur in this, Our art of fencing, that without the following….”

Geoffrey uses the footwork of practice, of study, and of the experience that earns, without which, one cannot move and advance.

Continuing the footwork theme throughout the scroll, while also expanding the praise of the recipient.

Today We Majesties Matthew and Fiamuin, stand in the public hall of Rusted Woodlands, Our Royal Shire, with representatives of all the other places of Our ample dominion, The East Kingdom in this Year of Our Society, Fifty Nine.

You can see how I adapted this quote from the dedication:
“...that it can stand alone in the public hall of your Royal Palace, and in the other public places of your ample Dominion…”

In this sort of format the spelling out of the Arabic numerals and eschewing the Latin in favor of writing the translation  of Anno Societatis seemed more appropriate for the scroll.  

And thus Geoffrey Thressher stands in possession of the Silver Rapier:

Argent, a chevron gules and in base a penguin affronty proper, on a chief gules three crosses crosslet fitchy argent

The recipient was referred to as Lord in two entries available on the EK wiki. I found one entry in Order of Precedence of the Kingdom of AEthelmearc by Order of March and by Alphabetical Order. They have no entry in the EK OoP. Their name and Arms had passed, via the East at the beginning  of 2024. This investigation process took up almost the same amount of time as the composition process.  There is a great deal of hidden work in the creation of the scroll, and it can end up falling on any participant of the process.
With all this in mind, even though their Golden Alce is an armigerous award, the scribe and myself deemed it appropriate to include the recipient’s Arms in the scroll. That and there is a penguin in their Arms. Who doesn’t want to put a penguin on a scroll?

That which clearly represents how necessary, how useful, how honorable Geoffrey is using said disciplines, and how it was earned by him, by good habits and maximally in valor, in execution of his art.

The conclusion is generally a reiteration of what the body of the scroll. In this scroll the final sentence is the summation.  No less effective, but definitely a different structure than I normally use. When read out loud this will be emphasized as the recipient receives the scroll.

This Was my first attempt at writing a fencing scroll directly from Capa Ferro.  Like so many geeks I can recite the fight scene from the Princess Bride by heart, but it is another thing to actually study what he wrote and his style. Definitely an experience worth having.

Isabetta Seraphina di Petrillo - Silver Wheel

 We the Monarchs East, have but one desire

In Rusted Woodlands, We’re now set to appear

Looking for one whose savvy we shall endear

Who could this person be We would enquire

Isabetta Seraphina di Petrillo

Her passion to lead, burns bright as a fire

Volunteers needed, and then she does appear

Artistry and combat, also in her tier Serving the kingdom as well as her shire

Matthew and Fiamuin, Rulers in accord

Praise those with capacity to guide.  Therefore

Now gift the Silver Wheel, as is so adorned

On Our Isabetta amidst much uproar

Of the populace as they cheer this award! 

As done this day At the Hundred Minutes War

AS LIX 

Word Count 114

Illumination and Calligraphy by  Magdalena Landtfarerin

Photo by  Magdalena Landtfarerin

KEY Sonnet: Italian or Petriarch

ABBA ABBA CDCDCD

11 syllables long 

Heraldic Language or SPACE

A We the Monarchs East, have but one desire 

B In Rusted Woodlands, We’re now set to appear 

B Looking for one whose savvy we shall endear 

A Who could this person be We would enquire 

 

Isabetta Seraphina di Petrillo

A Her passion to lead, burns bright as a fire 

B Volunteers needed, and then she does appear 

B Artistry and combat, also in her tier

A Serving the kingdom as well as her shire 

 

C Matthew and Fiamuin, Rulers in accord 

D Praise those with capacity to guide.  Therefore 

C Now gift the Silver Wheel, as is so adorned 

D On Our Isabetta amidst much uproar 

C Of the populace as they cheer this award! 

D As done this day At the Hundred Minutes War 

AS LIX 

This is not a BLOG
It might be a pipe though

Blog Under Construction

Dimitri Alekhin of Buckland Cross - Tyger's Cub

Youth: We, the Youth of the East, do entreat you, Great Majesties East: Matthew and Fiamuin, to speak of Dimitri Alekhin of Buckland Cross. For we fear the people of the East are unlearned about them.
Majesties: What do you wish to talk about?
Youth:  We want to hear of why they do not have the Tyger’s Cub?
Majesties: Let Us ask you then; what do you say? What have they pursued?
Youth: They have arrived early to events, and left late; aiding as they can. 
They have attended to the needs in the kitchens. 
They have attended to the needs of Your Majesties. 
They have sewn and crafted, for clothing and gifts.  
They have drawn and gamed, for their joy and others.
Majesties:  Well, Youth of the East: We have heard you.  
We will now do what you have entreated Us so, for your words bear truth.
Today at 100 Minutes War, AS 59, in the Shire of Rusted Woodlands,  let it be so stated that Dimitri Alekhin now stands amongst you as a member of the Order of the Tyger’s Cub!

Wordcount 183

Calligraphy and Illumination by Veritas

Photo by Veritas

I am immortal, I have inside me BLOG of kings, 

I have no rival, no one can be my equal

Take me to the future of you all!

-Queen

I started this Tyger’s Cub pondering about what was actually written FOR children in the middle ages. A google search rendered Childhood in Medieval England, c.500-1500. Medievalists.net  is, frankly, a poor source.  The article appeared to be merely a summation of the academic article it quoted.  I opted to follow their source and found a pdf of Childhood in Medieval England, c.500-1500 by Nicholas Orme, University of Exeter.

Which while informative was not what I was looking for.  I followed its bibliography to Medieval Literature for Children 1st Edition by Daniel T. Kline (Editor) 

“This volume will be a critical anthology of primary texts whose main audience was children and/or adolescents in the medieval period. Texts will include theoretical and interpretative introductions and commentary.”  

Which seemed perfect, but with an Amazon listing at 200$, not feasible for me without knowing more about what was inside the book.

Going further I found Ælfric's Colloquy Book by, Ælfric of Eynsham cited… somewhere.  I thought it was in one of the bibliographies that I had looked at previously. I couldn't find any link to how I found it.   I was being so careful to track my rambling searches too! ARGH 

Then found the translated Elfrics Cpllquay by Stephan J Harris , Old English Ælfric's  Colloquy on the Occupations, Aelfric’s Colloquy and Ælfric Bata’s Colloquia: Reassessing an Eleventh-Century Latin Textbook 

I initially prepared for it to be in Old English and I had dug out my standard key in preparation for composition:

Old English

Alliteration

Compound Words
Kennings
Kenning Meaning

Heraldic Language

Then promptly threw the Old English Key Out the Window.  The uniqueness of Aelfric’s Colloquy, a Latin piece created for teaching, suggested that (possibly a different) scholar had added the Old English between the lines. 

While a magnificent piece for the translation of the two languages, it was not an example of the poetic structure of Old English. Aelfric’s Colloquy is designed to teach Latin through an extensive list of questions and answers.  Similar in style to The Confessions of Saint Augustine from the 5th century, and The Owl and the Nightingale from the 10th century. A style of writing that was used for centuries.
In regards to the scroll, I opted to follow the translations of Aelfric's Colloquy as a guide with this scroll instead of the poetic form seen in pieces like Beowulf.

Youth: We, the Youth of the East, do entreat you, Great Majesties East: Matthew and Fiamuin, to speak of Dimitri Alekhin of Buckland Cross. For we fear the people of the East are unlearned about them.

The original , and first line of the Colloquy was:

“Scholar: We boys beg you, Master, to teach us to speak Latin correctly, for we are ignorant, and we speak badly.”

Right off, I changed the role of the scholar to that of the youth.  I went through several iterations using different terms we use, Urchins,Kids, Children, Cubs, Young Tygers, etc.  I wanted the word to encompass all the children of the East, so a particular reference to the youth award seemed awkward.  Urchins and kids, while period terms for children, I deemed too informal for the piece. Children could possibly be interpreted to exclude teenagers and so I settled on youth as the best word to use.

I had initially changed beg to bid, to entreat as the petitioners are asking the respondent (TRM) to do something.  While bid is certainly an acceptable word, its modern connotation seemed too demanding whereas in this context it ended up being entreat.
The rest of the first question was also used to include three of the required pieces of information for the scroll.

Majesties: What do you wish to talk about?

This is taken verbatim from the translation and was the inspiration for using these words. What I liked about this technique is that the Respondent, the Scholar in the original and Their Majesties in the scroll,are having the Petitioners, the Youth extol the virtues of the award recipient and why they are in need of the Tyger’s Cub.  Like any good teacher, the petitioner figures out the answer.

Youth:  We want to hear of why they do not have the Tyger’s Cub?

The naming of the order. 

Majesties: Let Us ask you then; what do you say? What have they pursued?
Once again the respondent leads the petitioners to answer the problem themselves.

Youth: They have arrived early to events, and left late; aiding as they can. 

They have attended to the needs in the kitchens. 

They have attended to the needs of Your Majesties. 

They have sewn and crafted, for clothing and gifts.  

They have drawn and gamed, for their joy and others.

I specifically wanted the petitioners to list the attributes of the recipient. 

Here I borrowed from The Instructions of King Cormac, written in the 9th century.  Translated by Kuno Meyer. In the repetition of the answers that they give. The inspiration poem of Aelfric's Colloquy, written in the late 900s rarely goes over two lines of answer before moving to the next question.  Given what the scroll needed at this moment, the description of the recipient, I deemed it a fair compromise in styles, though they were separated in time as well as location.

Majesties:  Well, Youth of the East: We have heard you.  

We will now do what you have entreated Us so, for your words bear truth.

Today at 100 Minutes War, AS 59, in the Shire of Rusted Woodlands,  let it be so stated that Dimitri Alekhin now stands amongst you as a member of the Order of the Tyger’s Cub!

At last the conclusion answer. I would have liked to include phrasing from the conclusion in the original piece: 

“Master: O good boys, and pleasant scholars, your instructor exhorts you to be obedient to the rules of divine discipline, and to behave yourselves decorously, wherever you may be. Walk with steadiness when you hear the bells of the church, enter into the house of prayer, and bend reverently before the holy altars. Stand in good order, and sing together, ask forgiveness for your faults, and go out again, without playing the fool, into the cloister or the schoolroom.”

However the language in the original did not fit well with the concluding information that the scroll needed to say. Instead, Their Majesties answer the Youth’s entreaty and announce the recipient a member of the Tyger’s Cub, with the last of the required information tucked in as well.

This ended up being a very high word count for a Tyger’s Cub.  That’s something that happens when working with translations of the original piece, rather than composing something original using the syntax. The scribe loved it!  And I can’t wait to see it go out in court.

Rink Mikkelsen - Award of Arms

We are Where the winds blow
Wending toward Hundred Minutes 
Metal Mete Mentors East  
Matthew and Fiamuin
Having heard this one, deft
High Host of Being, and
See to setting said deeds
So they might be recalled
Known for knowledge seeking,
Noted to face challenge
Sunlight Spot of Spinners  
Sets his group’s ether space
Guard of Grounds Adjutant 
Getting prepared to rise
And Other Obligations
As observed by Our Eyes
All these Accomplishments 
Add to recognition
BattleBoard Brain Baubles  
Before Rink Mikkelsen
Arms are Awarded and
Added to his acclaim
In the Shire of Rusted Woodlands
Anno Societatis LIX

Wordcount 99

Calligraphy and Illumination by Emma Makilmone

Photo by Emma Makilmone

Key - Dróttkvætt 

6 syllables long
Dróttkvætt Alliteration

(a) - (a) - A -

A - - - - -

Compound Words
Kennings
(KENNING MEANING)

Imperfect Syllable Count Notation

Heraldic Language

We are Where the winds blow

Wending toward Hundred Minutes 7 

Metal Mete Mentors East  (MAJESTIES)

Matthew and Fiamuin

Having heard this one, deft

High Host of Being, and (MANKIND, HUMAN) 

See to setting said deeds

So they might be recalled to full!

Known for knowledge keeping,

Noted to face challenge

Sunlight Spot of Spinners  (WEB MINISTER) 

Sets his group’s ether space 

Guard of Grounds Adjutant ( DEPUTY SENESCHAL)

Getting prepared to fill

Other Obligations
As observed by Our Eyes

All these Accomplishments 

Add to recognition

 

BattleBoard Brain Bauble  (AWARD OF ARMS)

Before Rink Mikkelsen

Arms are Awarded and

Added to his acclaim

In the Shire of Rusted Woodlands
Anno Societatis LIX 

 

When a cold wind blows it chills you
Chills you to the BLOG 

Every kenning in this scroll is an original creation. Though, as is seen, there are some derivatives from existing kennings. I am proud of this. It was not that long ago that the idea of creating my own kennings terrified me.

To that end the prep work for this scroll was mostly focused on the creation of the kennings and arranging  the words into the rigid structure of the Dróttkvætt Meter. 

We are Where the winds blow

Wending toward Hundred Minutes 7 *

The opening couplet would have been a proper Dróttkvætt verse, had the name of the event contained an extra syllable.  It was let to stand though because it was the name. 

As it is, I really like how this sounds and it's strong, yet lyrical. Which I credit toward using the W. 

Metal Mete Mentors East  (MAJESTIES)

Matthew and Fiamuin *

There are myriad kennings translated for kings/chieftains/Rulers. Many of them are variations of wealth distributors or gold Givers. For this scroll I played around with some keywords, until I came up with a combination that suited the scroll and alliteration the best. 

Giver of gold to men

Supplier 

Protector

Children of Men is mankind 

Men = many (in an effort to keep it gender neutral) 

Mentors to the Many

Mentors give out gold

Give out - to mete out 

Mentors mete out metal 

This is a little bit of word salad, but I hope the process my brain got to the final kenning can be seen. 

Having heard this one, deft

High Host of Being, and (MANKIND, HUMAN) 

Here I wanted to slip in a kenning to this couplet. When I saw the kenning host of men [MANKIND] My first thought was of the quote “Children of Men.” A phrase stuck in my head for ages now. Not just from kenning research, but the movie by the same name. 

My brain always says, “that's a kenning for humans!” When I hear it. 

Playing around with words, I came up with:

Host of men

Men = Human Being

Host of being - as in human being
This kenning ended up with another movie reference.. Host of Being evoked a  Ghost in a Shell reference in my head.

It is only now as the Blog is being written that I see the Christian religious influence that host could have.  When I was writing it, my inspiration was the movies above, and as I understand it, possibly a philosophy of the soul/ghost, and the definition of host as:

“a person who receives or entertains guests socially” or “a living organism on or in which a parasite lives.” 

The concept of the Heavenly Host or An army of God, (found in many religions) had simply not occurred to me until I re-read the couplet.  

I hope my initial intention is understood as it is read out into court. One can only hope.

See to setting said deeds

So they might be recalled to full *

The first fully correct Dróttkvætt! At least by my interpretation of the verse form. Albeit “so” counts as a little word and not one that would be alliterated to.  But I am still claiming victory here!

Known for knowledge keeping, 

Noted to face challenge

The last two digit word in the first line makes it not truly alliterative.  As the fifth syllable alliterative spot is a K sound, and not the N.  

This and the proceeding couplet are the first descriptive couplets in the scroll; expounding on the recipient’s attributes.

Sunlight Spot of Spinners  (WEB MINISTER) 

Sets his group’s ether space *

This was a full Dróttkvætt verse!  That makes almost three that were composed correct!

The SCAdian Kenning, Sunlight Spot of Spinners for the Webminister was created for this scroll and inspired by the heraldry of the Web Ministry, emblem.

You can see how the evolution of the kenning was created:

Webminister 

Spider

Web spinner
Webs cross spaces in the house

Path of the sun - Sky

The brave army of the famous guardian of Norway [NORWEGIAN KING = Óláfr] was far from reluctant to wound the troops of the Jótar. Óláfr under the path of the sun [SKY]

From: The Phoenix and The King of Birds or the Lady of the Phoenix
Song of the tenth or eleventh centuries
By George Stevens
Thinking of a spider crawling across its web

Paths of the sun

Steps of the sun

Sunlight Steps of Spinners

As I was referencing the arms of the Webministry I decided to change steps to spot, although that can change as needs dictate.

Sunlight Spot of Spinners

When I first create one of these SCAdian Kennings, and oftentimes afterwards, I try to define what they mean in the text of the scroll.  Unlike the appellations for Their Majesties, Which usually aren’t defined, because Their names are following the kenning.

 

Guard of Grounds Adjutant ( DEPUTY SENESCHAL)

Getting prepared to fill

The SCAdian Kenning for Seneschal, Guard of Grounds, had been created in 2023 for a Silver Crescent. From here I looked for two or three syllable words that fit deputy and came upon the word adjutant.

While this was first used in the 15th century in association with the Spanish Military, it seemed to fit here for the role of deputy.
Like all of these kennings, Adjutant may be changed at a later date to suit the needs of the scroll.  But it is nice to have a base to work on.

Other Obligations
As observed by Our Eyes 

Technically “little words” aren’t included in the alliteration and vowels are sort of treated as the same sound in the original languages. This was tried in many different directions until this final version was chosen,  Not exactly correct according to modern grammar, but not exactly incorrect by the ancient standards of the original poetry.

I am in essence, choosing when or not to abide by all of the rules of these ancient poetics. I acknowledge that, and will keep doing it as needed for the individual award document’s needs.

All these Accomplishments 

Add to recognition

This Has solid alliteration and is a good transition in the story of the scroll from the description of the recipient’s attributes to the bestoring of the award.

 

BattleBoard Brain Bauble  (AWARD OF ARMS)

Before Rink Mikkelsen *

My inspiration for the kenning was first to describe the shield shape that represents the award of Arms on paper.

I found: Battle Board SHIELD 

“let us grasp the battle-board [SHIELD] in our hands.”

While by some definitions of a kenning, this would be more of a compound word as it is not really a metaphor but a descriptor.

Stone of the shore of thought HEART 

Battle Board of the thought stone 

In organizing some of my notes, I had found a previous attempt at a kenning for the AoA:

Study stone's battle board 

Created 9/2024 before I remembered that scroll was a wheel and not an AoA So I had tucked it away to revisit later.

When I came across it I started to ponder
Study Stone

Thought stone = Brain Bauble

Bauble - bauble (n.)

early 14c., "showy trinket or ornament," from Old French baubel "child's toy, trinket," probably a reduplication of bel, from Latin bellus "pretty" (see belle). Or perhaps it is related to babe, baby. The meaning "a trifle, thing of little or no value" is from the 1630s.

Battle board of Brain’s Bauble became the kenning for the Award of Arms! And to top everything off, I had created the complex kenning in such a way that it fit the first half of the Dróttkvætt meter.

Arms are Awarded and

Added to his acclaim 

Once againI found myself defining what the proceeding kenning was in the next alliterative couplet. As before it needed a definition and I had to room available to do so,

It is not a Dróttkvætt couplet, even with three alliterated syllables in the first half! “And” is a little word and does not count technically,  plus it is on the end syllable not the penultimate syllable of the first half of the couplet.

In the Shire of Rusted Woodlands
Anno Societatis LIX  

The last line of the scroll with the final two pieces of information required of these award documents.  Not in  Dróttkvætt, nor does it contain alliteration, but the Latin used in the SCA to determine the year. Sometimes you reach a point where the composition needs to stop on a positive happy note and add the last little bits of information.

This scroll contains  four of what I have set as the rules for Dróttkvætt verse syntax.  Five if you count the one where the event name added an extra syllable.  I am proud of that.  English does not lend itself easily into the Dróttkvætt meter and when I succeed it makes me happy. That some are not completely correct is an adjustment I have mentally made for the needs of the scroll.  Therefore I deem it as an added bonus, rather than a success or failure of my attempt at this ancient poetry in a different language.  

Even better that these verses added to the overall piece of the recipient’s Award of Arms!

Photo by Brenden Crane