Cross-Post: Midrealm Coronation (Long)
Posted: Tue May 18, 2004 11:46 pm
I posted this in Legio Draconis, but thought it might be appreciated here.
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My Lord Sir Vitus, what follows is an account of Coronation Day, as I saw it with my tweye eyen:
My lady and myself arrived after the tenth hour of the day--the lateness of our departure from these our home lands and the greate toyling and swynking upon the roads conspired to have us not witness a portion of the final court of their Majesties Alasdair and Gwynevre, but we did see the elevation of Sir Lucious to the Order of Chivalry; he bare the buffet as a man and sware to do all those things which are mete. And also there was one brought into the Order of the Laurel, one hight Maestrau Bogdan, a cook of grete repute and service, who has fed many by his hand and who is much loved--the whole telling of it is done by Mistress Iasmin elsewhere*--and Mistress Kassia for her grete labours in the Ministering to the Children of several Kings and Queens in time past and continuing to this day with their excellecies the children of Their Majesties Felix and Madeleina. God keep her.
And then His Excellency Count Alasdair and Her Excellency Countess Gwynevre sware fealty, and then all the Noble Peers, and then the Orders of Chivalry and of the Laurel, and of the Pelican, all came and sware fealty, and then all else who remained, they all sware on their knees fealty to their Majesties in the custom of the Midrealm.
And then His Majesty Felix read out all the names of those who had been invited to come and attempt a feat of arms on that, His day of Coronation, and as he read them, those whose names he read they came and took their knee before him and gave him homage. And he bade them go and prepare themselves and to be ready, and so it came to pass.
And those knights who were present to attend their Majesties contended in a courtyard which was very tight but fair, while I your squire armed himself, and I do not know what was the outcome of this, nor who proved himself the most worthy of them, for I was in my making ready for the feat which was mine to attempt. In preparation I did attempt a pass with Captain Tom Tintinnabulum, and Jocelyn Jongleur, Champion of His Majesty, and Rutgur, and they fought with grete vigor to my gladnesse.
And then His Majesty's servants called all present nigh, and He held court, and He called forth the Red Company, and Jocelyn Jongleur was made a Sergeant of the Red Company, which all hailed as a grete thing.
And at this same time, so that all may know the nobility of the children of their Majesties, their Majesties called forth their sons and made them Barons of their Court, and they placed the coronets which are proper for a Baron to wear upon their heads, and made them thus Barons of the Court, and all hailed this with pleasure and cheer.
And then His Majesty bade us who were not knights, and whom he had bade come to do a feat of arms, to come close and Sir Phillipe he read out the names of those who would serve the Queen that day with their labours and the names of those who would serve the King that day with their labours. I do not recall the names of all those who were chosen, and I beg that others who were there, recall what I cannot, for my mind was closed somewhat in thought. I know that Captain Sascha St. Martin, and His Excellency Erick der Rotnacken, and myself, did serve Her Majesty the Queen, and I know that Sergant Jocelyn Jongleur, and Kelwyn, Captain Tom Tintinnabulum, and Sulla Alterius served His Majesty the King, and of those who the King bade come if they could, a score more or less were assembled, about ten on each side. We stood across the field from one another, all full armed and ready for our names were to be called out without notice and we were to be ready incontinently.
And it came to pass that your squire was called out by Her Majesty to do a deed of arms, and the King called forth a man at arms from those who served Him, and we foughten for a time, and my shoon failed me upon the stones which made a path through the center of the field, and this courteous man at arms gave to me his hand and brought me to my feet, for he would do no such unworthy thing as strike me or take me hostage upon the ground. And Her Excellency Count Sir Ferd she bade us to continue, for she was the Marshal of the Field that day, and so we did, and by fortune I strake this courteous fellow upon the brow, as he strake me upon the leg, and he fell to the ground from it, God keep him.
And so it went, that one of their Majesties would call out a one, and the Other would call out another, and they did deeds of arms until one or the other had strake them to the ground, and before and after they went and did homage to their Majesties, and some of them said a little word before or after, and all strave wondrously. On the side of those who served the Queen, there was a man at arms who that day foughten with one arm, and Jocelyn set aside her shield, and brought in a buckler, and tied her hand behind her, to meet him equally, and I think from this was driven from the field, for certes, had she brought full shield to the combat she would have prevailed, but I think no loss was hers for certes, she foughten with great strength of limb and heart, and all had reason to love her for the kindness and courtesy she shewed him who foughten with one arm for the injury he had of the other. And all fought well.
Your squire was driven from the field by Kelwyn, he whom you know well since he comes from our lands also, and it came to pass that we both of us traveled a grete distance for him to strike me a blow. God keep him, and so I was driven from the list, as were many in that, the second course.
Now it came to pass that in the second course, the men at arms of Her Majesty the Queen fared not so well as in the first, for it seemeth that they did well, in the first course, and then the second part who remained of the King's men at arms were more worthy, and Sascha Saint Martin was by himself alone, I perceive, in the third course, and withal he foughten time after time, and strake blows upon all who came at him so worthily that I ran and thought to serve him a cup of wine with mine own hands in worshippe to his strength, but he would have none of it, and then went back out to continue, but he was laid low, and the last of those who served the Queen in this deed of arms was felled, and the contending was done.
And then His Majesty and Her Majesty bade those who had foughten to come close and they did, and took their knees in reverence, and His Majesty with grete plaisure gave to Sascha Saint Martin, Captain in the Red Company, won the prize from their Majesties for his prowess, and I said Praise him with great praise, Captain Sascha Saint Martin, and all assembled yelled with loudnesse Hoobah! which is the custom of the people of the Midrealm to give worship, like Huzzah! or Vivat! in other lands. And all who came received tokens from their Majesties for their toil. And that was all for the deed of arms of the ecuyres and renowned men at arms that day.
And during all of the rest of the day all men at arms of whatsoever rank took pleasure in deeds of arms under the shadow of great oaks and the cathedral hard by, and foughted with broadswerd, and poll ax, and rapier also, for there was a tournament which they held after the deed of arms which I gave account of, the end of which I know naught of, for I was engaged in learning the strokes of those who contend in armour in the style to which I am accustomed. And through this I met a courteous knight from the land which is hight Trimaris, a Sir Osric, who is yet on a pilgrimage through many lands, and he saw that this day there would be a deed of arms and the celebration of the new-crowned King and Queen, and so he came and laid many a valorous stroke upon Your servant, myself. And I also met Kith, and did a deed with him which was pleasant, and paid heed to the instruction of Sascha Saint Martin and attended his advisement as I would that of any man at arms of prowess, for certes he is wise and preux, and I deem there was some profit of it. And then I had the pleasure of a pass with His Excellency Adrien de Troyes, once Baron of Jararvellir, which is now passing into the Kingdom of Northshield, who is squire of Her Excellency Count Ferd, Knight. And I contended with His Grace Duke Palymar for a short while, and he was the master of me with his poll ax, and I learned instruction gladly from him and have something to think upon for which I am grateful. And Dirk--I do not know his other name, but he is that one who is here, whose heraldry is like this: a round shield quarterly with gules, argent, and sable with a boss argent--and we foughten for a time, and we spake of deeds of arms and we were gladdened from it. And I met other dyvers people who I was very glad to meet.
And during all of this minstrels plyed their skill in the grete court within, to the merriment of all, and there were markets set up for the sale of many worthy things, and instruction in many things which I do not know of, for I was without, plying the trade of arms.
And in the evening, there was a feast which was held and during it His Excellency Adrien de Troyes, squire of Count Ferd, Knight, gave me a gift of worthiness which I will speak of here to the increase of his renown, for it touched me that he should give me, his cousin, such a thing; a medallion of gold, which is thicker than any coin of the realm, and upon its one side there is depicted Saint George contending agains the dragon, and upon the other side is a lion rampant and the words Longevity, and Happiness, and Prosperity, by which token I knew his love for me and his prayers for my increase, and I took his hand in mine and loved him for it, and begged him not to part with such a token as that, but he would hear me not and bade me take it, and for this I was humbled for I had no token to return to him, but I will make good return of it for love, but I went to his Knight, the Count Ferd, and shewed the gift which her squyre made, and said that it touched me gretely that he would give it, and she loved him for it, and said that it is in gifts such as these that friendships are forged, and they are as grete or greter than awards which come from lords or from kings. This I will carry with me alway, and I said unto him who gave it me, that in ripe season I will give it to another, and they shall know its lineage and from whence it came, and to this he was happy. God keep him and his lady the Baroness Josceline Levesque.
And those who stayed were fed, and heard song and tale, and it was remembered that night the tale of the Queen, Eislinn the Patient, who was ill unto deeth, and perysshed, but yet did still her duty as Queen at Pennsic War, God Rest Her Soul, and we all who were there paid homage to her memory.
And then I passed away from the company of those assembled, and my wife and I and our retinue we began our journey to these our homelands, where I speak these words and have them written down to send to you. If there is any omission, and word comes to you that I am in error, or have over-passed any matter grete or small, I beg your forgiveness.
Jehan de Pelham, your Squire
P.S.: * Elsewhere = http://www.legiodraconis.com/modules.ph ... ic=2034&13
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My Lord Sir Vitus, what follows is an account of Coronation Day, as I saw it with my tweye eyen:
My lady and myself arrived after the tenth hour of the day--the lateness of our departure from these our home lands and the greate toyling and swynking upon the roads conspired to have us not witness a portion of the final court of their Majesties Alasdair and Gwynevre, but we did see the elevation of Sir Lucious to the Order of Chivalry; he bare the buffet as a man and sware to do all those things which are mete. And also there was one brought into the Order of the Laurel, one hight Maestrau Bogdan, a cook of grete repute and service, who has fed many by his hand and who is much loved--the whole telling of it is done by Mistress Iasmin elsewhere*--and Mistress Kassia for her grete labours in the Ministering to the Children of several Kings and Queens in time past and continuing to this day with their excellecies the children of Their Majesties Felix and Madeleina. God keep her.
And then His Excellency Count Alasdair and Her Excellency Countess Gwynevre sware fealty, and then all the Noble Peers, and then the Orders of Chivalry and of the Laurel, and of the Pelican, all came and sware fealty, and then all else who remained, they all sware on their knees fealty to their Majesties in the custom of the Midrealm.
And then His Majesty Felix read out all the names of those who had been invited to come and attempt a feat of arms on that, His day of Coronation, and as he read them, those whose names he read they came and took their knee before him and gave him homage. And he bade them go and prepare themselves and to be ready, and so it came to pass.
And those knights who were present to attend their Majesties contended in a courtyard which was very tight but fair, while I your squire armed himself, and I do not know what was the outcome of this, nor who proved himself the most worthy of them, for I was in my making ready for the feat which was mine to attempt. In preparation I did attempt a pass with Captain Tom Tintinnabulum, and Jocelyn Jongleur, Champion of His Majesty, and Rutgur, and they fought with grete vigor to my gladnesse.
And then His Majesty's servants called all present nigh, and He held court, and He called forth the Red Company, and Jocelyn Jongleur was made a Sergeant of the Red Company, which all hailed as a grete thing.
And at this same time, so that all may know the nobility of the children of their Majesties, their Majesties called forth their sons and made them Barons of their Court, and they placed the coronets which are proper for a Baron to wear upon their heads, and made them thus Barons of the Court, and all hailed this with pleasure and cheer.
And then His Majesty bade us who were not knights, and whom he had bade come to do a feat of arms, to come close and Sir Phillipe he read out the names of those who would serve the Queen that day with their labours and the names of those who would serve the King that day with their labours. I do not recall the names of all those who were chosen, and I beg that others who were there, recall what I cannot, for my mind was closed somewhat in thought. I know that Captain Sascha St. Martin, and His Excellency Erick der Rotnacken, and myself, did serve Her Majesty the Queen, and I know that Sergant Jocelyn Jongleur, and Kelwyn, Captain Tom Tintinnabulum, and Sulla Alterius served His Majesty the King, and of those who the King bade come if they could, a score more or less were assembled, about ten on each side. We stood across the field from one another, all full armed and ready for our names were to be called out without notice and we were to be ready incontinently.
And it came to pass that your squire was called out by Her Majesty to do a deed of arms, and the King called forth a man at arms from those who served Him, and we foughten for a time, and my shoon failed me upon the stones which made a path through the center of the field, and this courteous man at arms gave to me his hand and brought me to my feet, for he would do no such unworthy thing as strike me or take me hostage upon the ground. And Her Excellency Count Sir Ferd she bade us to continue, for she was the Marshal of the Field that day, and so we did, and by fortune I strake this courteous fellow upon the brow, as he strake me upon the leg, and he fell to the ground from it, God keep him.
And so it went, that one of their Majesties would call out a one, and the Other would call out another, and they did deeds of arms until one or the other had strake them to the ground, and before and after they went and did homage to their Majesties, and some of them said a little word before or after, and all strave wondrously. On the side of those who served the Queen, there was a man at arms who that day foughten with one arm, and Jocelyn set aside her shield, and brought in a buckler, and tied her hand behind her, to meet him equally, and I think from this was driven from the field, for certes, had she brought full shield to the combat she would have prevailed, but I think no loss was hers for certes, she foughten with great strength of limb and heart, and all had reason to love her for the kindness and courtesy she shewed him who foughten with one arm for the injury he had of the other. And all fought well.
Your squire was driven from the field by Kelwyn, he whom you know well since he comes from our lands also, and it came to pass that we both of us traveled a grete distance for him to strike me a blow. God keep him, and so I was driven from the list, as were many in that, the second course.
Now it came to pass that in the second course, the men at arms of Her Majesty the Queen fared not so well as in the first, for it seemeth that they did well, in the first course, and then the second part who remained of the King's men at arms were more worthy, and Sascha Saint Martin was by himself alone, I perceive, in the third course, and withal he foughten time after time, and strake blows upon all who came at him so worthily that I ran and thought to serve him a cup of wine with mine own hands in worshippe to his strength, but he would have none of it, and then went back out to continue, but he was laid low, and the last of those who served the Queen in this deed of arms was felled, and the contending was done.
And then His Majesty and Her Majesty bade those who had foughten to come close and they did, and took their knees in reverence, and His Majesty with grete plaisure gave to Sascha Saint Martin, Captain in the Red Company, won the prize from their Majesties for his prowess, and I said Praise him with great praise, Captain Sascha Saint Martin, and all assembled yelled with loudnesse Hoobah! which is the custom of the people of the Midrealm to give worship, like Huzzah! or Vivat! in other lands. And all who came received tokens from their Majesties for their toil. And that was all for the deed of arms of the ecuyres and renowned men at arms that day.
And during all of the rest of the day all men at arms of whatsoever rank took pleasure in deeds of arms under the shadow of great oaks and the cathedral hard by, and foughted with broadswerd, and poll ax, and rapier also, for there was a tournament which they held after the deed of arms which I gave account of, the end of which I know naught of, for I was engaged in learning the strokes of those who contend in armour in the style to which I am accustomed. And through this I met a courteous knight from the land which is hight Trimaris, a Sir Osric, who is yet on a pilgrimage through many lands, and he saw that this day there would be a deed of arms and the celebration of the new-crowned King and Queen, and so he came and laid many a valorous stroke upon Your servant, myself. And I also met Kith, and did a deed with him which was pleasant, and paid heed to the instruction of Sascha Saint Martin and attended his advisement as I would that of any man at arms of prowess, for certes he is wise and preux, and I deem there was some profit of it. And then I had the pleasure of a pass with His Excellency Adrien de Troyes, once Baron of Jararvellir, which is now passing into the Kingdom of Northshield, who is squire of Her Excellency Count Ferd, Knight. And I contended with His Grace Duke Palymar for a short while, and he was the master of me with his poll ax, and I learned instruction gladly from him and have something to think upon for which I am grateful. And Dirk--I do not know his other name, but he is that one who is here, whose heraldry is like this: a round shield quarterly with gules, argent, and sable with a boss argent--and we foughten for a time, and we spake of deeds of arms and we were gladdened from it. And I met other dyvers people who I was very glad to meet.
And during all of this minstrels plyed their skill in the grete court within, to the merriment of all, and there were markets set up for the sale of many worthy things, and instruction in many things which I do not know of, for I was without, plying the trade of arms.
And in the evening, there was a feast which was held and during it His Excellency Adrien de Troyes, squire of Count Ferd, Knight, gave me a gift of worthiness which I will speak of here to the increase of his renown, for it touched me that he should give me, his cousin, such a thing; a medallion of gold, which is thicker than any coin of the realm, and upon its one side there is depicted Saint George contending agains the dragon, and upon the other side is a lion rampant and the words Longevity, and Happiness, and Prosperity, by which token I knew his love for me and his prayers for my increase, and I took his hand in mine and loved him for it, and begged him not to part with such a token as that, but he would hear me not and bade me take it, and for this I was humbled for I had no token to return to him, but I will make good return of it for love, but I went to his Knight, the Count Ferd, and shewed the gift which her squyre made, and said that it touched me gretely that he would give it, and she loved him for it, and said that it is in gifts such as these that friendships are forged, and they are as grete or greter than awards which come from lords or from kings. This I will carry with me alway, and I said unto him who gave it me, that in ripe season I will give it to another, and they shall know its lineage and from whence it came, and to this he was happy. God keep him and his lady the Baroness Josceline Levesque.
And those who stayed were fed, and heard song and tale, and it was remembered that night the tale of the Queen, Eislinn the Patient, who was ill unto deeth, and perysshed, but yet did still her duty as Queen at Pennsic War, God Rest Her Soul, and we all who were there paid homage to her memory.
And then I passed away from the company of those assembled, and my wife and I and our retinue we began our journey to these our homelands, where I speak these words and have them written down to send to you. If there is any omission, and word comes to you that I am in error, or have over-passed any matter grete or small, I beg your forgiveness.
Jehan de Pelham, your Squire
P.S.: * Elsewhere = http://www.legiodraconis.com/modules.ph ... ic=2034&13