When contemplating feats before Our eyes,
Accomplishments of Our populace.
Ozurr and Hemma, Majesties wise,
Keep diligent watch so to apprise:
Katla Mjǫksiglandi’s expertise
Her creative range! Artistic size!
Intricate stitches dance through each piece.
Craftered accessories that increase
Her repertoire’s impressive array.
We've intensely observed these receipts
At Our Fall Crown Tournament today
In Malgentia as per East’s way
We grant unto her the Order Maunche
And thus We are joyous to convey
Katla’s presence in said Order Maunche
With these Arms: Vert, a bend sinister sable fimbriated overall a stag passant argent
Anno Societatis LXI
Word Count 105
Illumination and Calligraphy by Fiona the Volatile
KEY - Anna Bijns’ Refrein (Dutch mid to late 1500s)
9 Syllables lines
Rhyme Scheme:
ABABBCBCCDCDDEDE
Heraldic Language
(notes)
A What is to come? We’ve much to discuss.
B When contemplating feats before Our eyes,
A Accomplishments of Our populace. (cheat the rhyme by saying pop-u-lus)
B Ozurr and Hemma, Majesties wise,
B Keep diligent watch so to apprise:
C Katla Mjǫksiglandi’s expertise
B Her creative range! Artistic size!
C Intricate stitches dance through each piece
C Craftered accessories that increase
D Her repertoire’s impressive array.
C We've intensely observed these receipts
D At Our Fall Crown Tournament today
D In Malgentia as per East’s way
E We grant unto her the Order Maunche
D And thus We are joyous to convey
E Katla’s presence in said Order Maunche
With Arms Vert, a bend sinister sable fimbriated overall a stag passant argent
Anno Societatis LXI
what's to come...
what you are.
You haven't even begun.
-
Be back before BLOG.
In preparation for the scroll the first thing was to confirm the recipient’s arms. They had changed their name and the O&A confirmed that their previous arms carried over to the new name.
The scribe wanted to work on a later period than the recipient’s persona. Together we settled on Anna Bijns’ Refrein of the mid to late 1500s.
Before relying on the previous research for this form, I found Chapter three of:‘Please do not mind the crudeness of its weave’ Literature, Gender and the polemic authority of Anna Bijns, From: Literary Cultures and Public Opinion in the Low Countries, 1450-1650.
There was a wealth of information about Anna Bijns and her politics. Which is not amuch, all told. There is very little that has lasted the years aside from her poetry. The piece did include her introduction to a piece she wrote:
Woman or man who knows about rhetoric
List the mistakes, for if there’s anything wrong in this book
In the art, show it bravely without fear.
But he who doesn’t know about these things, who isn’t clever enough
At any time to read or to write:
Let it be. If you think it is bad, just let it be
And another tantalizing quotes:
“A great amazement has disturbed my brain
because I saw many a male heart stumble for fear”
With nothing further, I returned to my precious research and Refereinen van Anna Bijns and a pdf version from a previous scroll. I chose and copied the Refereyn IV and put the end words into Google Translate , specifically the Translate by Voice option. All in an attempt to understand the rhyming last words of each line. This was less successful than I wanted it to be.
Refereyn IV.
Doverdencken therte in vreesen haken doet, (DOOT) A
Aensiende de dagen, die nu voor oogen sijn , (SANG) B
Waerinne een mensce seer neerstich wakenmoet Ephe. v. (EFF) C
5. Om te vliene tvenijn, dat scijnt int smaken soet, (SOOT) A
Dwelc men stroyt , waer duer veel menscen bedrogen sijn En vanden wege der waerheyt (VAR-HEIGHT)
getogen sijn Duer bedriegelijcke geesten, die tvolc verleyen. (VER-LAY-EN) D?
Men heetse heylich , mer tscijnt gelogen sijn , (SANG) A
10. Mits datse seer scaeylije na haer vermogen sijn Der heyliger kercken, elck macht wel be- schreyen; (BES-RY-AN) D
Haer subtijl netten sij al omme spreyen , (SPRY-AN) D
Waer duer veel sielen int helsce gepijn sincken. (SINKEH) E
Onnosel scaepkens , wacht u van deser weyen, (VEY-AN) D
15. Elc sie voor hem, want sule voor wijn venijn scincken. (SVINK-KEH) E
Then I put the poem into the program to at least get an idea of what was being said. Alas the mainstay of what I use, syllable count and rhyme does not carry over into the translation.
Deep reflection fills the heart with dread
When contemplating the days now before our eyes,
In which a person must keep a most diligent watch (Eph. 5)
5. To flee the poison that tastes so sweet,
Which is scattered about, deceiving many people
And drawing them away from the path of truth
By means of deceitful spirits that lead the people astray.
They are called holy, yet this appears to be a lie,
10. For they do as much harm as lies within their power
To the holy church—a thing over which all might well weep;
They cast their subtle nets all around,
Causing many souls to sink into the torments of hell.
Innocent little sheep, beware of these pastures;
15. Let each look to himself, for they pour out poison instead of wine.
and may not all spirits easily trust now,
Because he can keep him humble now, Johan. III.
Which is internally stretched full of haughtiness. Eccle. XIX.
Marc explains who you are, man or woman again, Mat
False prophets, who now brew miracles.
Under a lamb's fleece a wolf is indeed covered.
Every bird now sings, after it has been beaked,
Scorning the commandment of the holy churches.
To speak nonsense, almost every one is provoked,
10. However pitifully their soul is covered by this,
They remain stubborn, whether laymen or clerics,
Wanting to thereby strengthen their evil sect.
Their wicked works stink before God's face;
The master will show the disciples.
15. Let each one look before him, for shall they sink poison for wine.
From this translation I turned to the previous scroll research and used the meter and rhyme I had extrapolated from that and dug into the composition of the piece.
A What is to come? We’ve much to discuss.
This is taken almost directly from the inspiration piece. It is unusual to start an award document with a question. Legal documents were statements not questions. But poetry often ponders questions. This particular source material is a denouncement of the Reformation. With this comes the challenge of putting the source material into the praise poetry of a scroll.
B When contemplating feats before Our eyes,
While the final verse hardly resembles the line from the inspiration piece it was there in the process.
“Deep reflection fills the heart with dread”
Reflection ended up being contemplated and eyes were adapted from the next sentence from the inspiration piece.
Accomplishments of Our populace.
Discuss/populace is not a true rhyme. As such included with the herald’s copy was the note: "Cheat the rhyme by saying pop-u-lus.”
These notes help the presentation in court be as accurate to the vision the artists create.
B Ozurr and Hemma, Majesties wise,
The inclusion of Their Majesties names and the first of the required information may fit the syllable count and rhyme scheme but it can take one further away from the source material. Such is the balance when creating scroll words.
B Keep diligent watch so to apprise:
One of the ways to counter the required information not sounding in context wuiith the original is to follow with quotes.
“In which a person must keep a most diligent watch”
Gets worked into the sentence, which adds to the overall feel of the scroll.
Even keeping in mind that I am working from a google translate version of the piece,
C Katla Mjǫksiglandi’s expertise
B Her creative range! Artistic size!
C Intricate stitches dance through each piece
C Craftered accessories that increase
D Her repertoire’s impressive array.
C We've intensely observed these receipts
D At Our Fall Crown Tournament today
D In Malgentia as per East’s way
E We grant unto her the Order Maunche
D And thus We are joyous to convey
E Katla’s presence in said Order Maunche
Refereyn IV, the inspiration piece, has two verses. Each verse ended with a variation of the same line:
Let each look to himself, for they pour out poison instead of wine.
Let each one look before him, for shall they sink poison for wine.
In an attempt to emulate that, but still keeping the scroll to one verse, I chose to use the repetition on the E rhyme lines at the end of the verse.
With Arms Vert, a bend sinister sable fimbriated overall a stag passant argent
Anno Societatis LXI
As always the recipient’s arms are included verbatim and outside of the poetry.
