KWHSS After Action Report

Taught 3 classes.  Two were very well attended.  The 9 a.m. one, not so much  ;-)

Schmoozed.  Put names to faces.

beckishadowis now a Maunche for her heraldic research.  Now we can have our own little Walburgan corner during meetings, where we make up drinking games to pass the time.  Scroll text to follow later tonight.

After more snafus than any two awards could possibly involve, Ian Raven of Tadcaster and Annys Wolfe of Wharram Percy are now Baron Ian and Baroness Annys.  Scroll texts to follow later tonight.

Based on his hearing three of my texts read in Court, I got a comission to do a scroll text for Caid's Principal Herald.  It's a backlog, so I've got a fair amount of time to play.  He wants it to be authentic for 14th cen. Scottish.  So that means Latin.  Oh lanome. . . . he needs a calligrapher too  ;-)

And then there this: 

In the heraldic community, there is this honor called being a Herald Extraordinary.  It gives one the right to bear a personal heraldic title (not just an office title, like Alys Eastern Crown or Lillia Diademe).  This honor can be given out by the Laurel Sovereign of Arms or by the Principal Herald of a Kingdom.  Usually, Heralds Extrardinary are former Laurels, Pelicans, Wreaths, etc. or former Principal Heralds or, you know, people who have done exceptional things for heraldry.  The East has not made a Herald Extraordinary in-Kingdom in 15 years.  (Istvan is a Herald Extraordinary, but that was done by Laurel).

Yesterday, the East broke its long drought and created me a Herald Extraordinary.

*blink, blink, blink, thwap*

It was something I'd aspired to over the course of my last several years of heraldic activity -- to have done enough and be good enough that one day (probably after I failed to escape Juliana's clutches and ended up as Pelican Queen of Arms) I might be a Herald Extraordinary.  I was not expecting that to happen yesterday.  Or indeed any time soon.

The words "this is amazingly fucking cool" might have been heard to come out of my mouth as I was walking out of Court.  I will neither confirm nor deny that my New Jersey self defeated my medieval self. 

The scroll is tres cool, a true replica legal document with period words by Rowen Brigantia (which I hope he will post somewhere) and calligraphy by Isabel Chamberlaine.

I have already picked out (and entered into the proto-LoI on OSCAR for July) my personal title:  An ogress is a period heraldic charge.  It's one of the terms used for a black roundel.  There is a pattern of creating heraldic titles after heraldic charges.   Given the pun on the OGR and, well, years of being the "Demon Queen," I've decided I want to be the Ogress Herald.  So in herald-speak:  Alys Ogress.

I was doing the little geek happy dance in my head all night and all morning as I drove back to NJ to go to work today.  At work now, still doing geek happy dance in my head.

Scroll for Me! My Herald Extraordinary Words

For a change, this scroll with very excellent period text is not by me, it was for me:

To all those who shall see or hear these present letters, Rowen Cloteworthy, otherwise called Brigantia Principal Herald of the East, sends greetings and all humble recommendation. It is a right and just thing that persons offering service both exemplary and lengthy be rewarded for their merits by renown and in all places with great honour. Therefore I, with the drawing of this charter, by the right of my office, and with the full knowledge and blessing of the Crown, in recognition of long-pursued efforts on behalf of the College and of heraldry, do hereby name, appoint, and endow Alys Mackyntoich with the style of Herald Extraordinaire and furthermore charge that the aforesaid consult the Laurel College of Arms with the intent to register a title suitable for this new station. In witness whereof I, Brigantia Principal Herald above named, have signed with my hand and sealed with my seal these presents, made and given the 23rd day of June, Anno Societatis XLVII, in the Court of Their Majesties Kenric and Avelina, in Their Barony of the Bridge at the Known World Heraldic and Scribal Symposium.


Words by Rowen Brigantia, in the style of a grant of Arms to John Alfrey, 1459/60

Scrolls by me

Annys's Court Barony with Grant of Arms:

Here it is declared in this document that Kenric the King and Avelina the Queen grant to Annys Wolf of Wharram Percy the style, status, renown, degree and estate of a Baroness of our Court.  And further, as a perpetual inheritance, to hold during her lifetime and in perpetuity, we do Grant her Arms: Sable, a fret between in pale two increscents, a bordure argent.  The witnesses of this are Ian Raven of Tadcaster and Lillia de Vaux and many another good man and woman within the city and outside it.  Done in the 47th year of the Society upon 23 June, being the Feast of Saint John the Baptist.

Based on an Anglo-Saxon charter dated c. 1013 from Godwine to Leofwine the Red granting a swine-pasture at Swithrædingdænne. (http://www.trin.cam.ac.uk/kemble/pelteret/Ccc/CCC%20148.htm)

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Ian's Court Barony with Grant of Arms:

Kenric, King of the East, and Avelina, our queen, to our archbishops, bishops, abbots, priors, dukes, earls, barons, justices, sheriffs, reeves, officers, and all our bailiffs and loyal subjects, greetings.  Know that by our special grace and at the petition of our well-loved subjects, we have granted and given license, on behalf of ourselves and our heirs (insofar as we may), to Ian Raven of Tadcaster to have, perpetuate and maintain a company of good men and woman practiced at arms, that the said company might provide support and defense to the Crown in time of war and against the perils of banditry and lawlessness; and so that the aforesaid Ian might more perfectly, lawfully and justly command and lead the said militia, and in recognition of the said Ian’s manifold virtues, notable diligence and his many worthy labors, of which we ourselves have personal and sure and certain knowledge over many years, we do further order, command and instruct that the said Ian be invested and endowed in perpetuity with the style, status, renown and estate of a Baron of our Court and do further grant him Arms:  Argent ermined vert, a raven contourny regardant and a bordure engrailed sable.  And having so ordered, given, granted and endowed the said Ian we do further ordain and declare that the said Ian shall bear upon his person such emblems and signs as make manifest his station and the love we bear him.  Given by our hand at the Bridge, 23 June A.S. 47.

I foolishly failed to write down my precise source, but I do recall it was a charter authorizing the creation of a militia.
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Lillia's Manche:

Kenric Rex and Avelina Regina to all who will view the present letters, greeting and all goodwill. Since the memory of men is fragile and declines with passing time, it is necessary that those things that deservedly should be commended to perpetual memory be brought to the notice of future generations by testimony of letters. Therefore, we want all to know that we wish, and through the sense of the present charter we command and order that that the name of Lillia de Vaux, lately Eastern Crown Herald and now invested with the office of Diademe Herald, be written and entered upon the lists of the Order of the Maunche, there to be maintained in perpetuity hereafter. And we do further give, grant and by the present charter confirm unto the said Lillia the right to wear the right to wear the emblem of the aforesaid Order upon her person and to exercise hereafter all of the privileges, prerogatives and advantages appertaining to the aforesaid Order, in accordance with the most ancient customs of the realm. But if anyone having seen these letters should presume to disturb in any way the aforesaid grant of rights to the said Lillia, may he know that he most certainly will incur our offense and suffer such pains and penalties as are ours alone to impose. In testimony and proof of this deed made and for fuller and perpetual strength of certainty we have caused the present document to be validated by our signatures affixed hereto. Dated at the Barony of the Bridge in the year of the Society 47, upon the Vigil of the Nativity, 23 June.

Based on a document of Aleid of Holland, February 1259 (http://epistolae.ccnmtl.columbia.edu/letter/1163.html)