Scroll Texts

[lumineaux]

This one was fun to write, because I could stick to completely period concepts: the Crown is appointing ambassadors.  I took out things specific to the duties of the actual ambassadors, but left in the general grant of authority.  I wonder if the Crown actually read this?  ;-)

 

Be it known to all men that we, Gryffyth, illustrious king of the East, and Aikaterine, our Queen, very much desiring the promotion of good will between ourselves and the Crown of the Kingdom of the Outlands, with the common consent and assent of all the earls, nobles, barons and of the community of the kingdom of East, hereby make, appoint and ordain Meister Iheronimus Brückner and Mistress Caitlin FitzHenry, as the true procurators, proxies in negotiations and special ambassadors, giving to the same full and free power and special mandate to make in our names whatever agreements, obligations, sureties, promises, letters and oaths which in any way are to be made for the stability and affirmation of the foregoing. And also let them require special mandate to perform and expedite all and each other act which in the aforesaid and regarding the aforesaid shall be necessary and opportune, however great. Furthermore, for guarantee and greater security of all the foregoing, we have sworn that all and singular in whatever way which shall be negotiated, ordained, agreed, submitted, promised, reported or made concerning the foregoing, and each of the foregoing, by our abovesaid ambassadors, we will hold to be approved, pleasing and of force and we shall discharge them in all points and shall do nothing nor come against them de jure nor de facto, tacitly nor openly, but ratify and approve them from now as if from then by the present letters. In testimony of all of which our signatures are appended to the present letters at Dragonship Haven, upon Saint Eulalia's Day, in the forty-fifth year of the Society.

 Text by Mistress Alys Mackyntoich based on letters from the Parliament of Scotland appointing ambassadors for negotiating the terms of David II’ s release from captivity, 26 September 1357.

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The King's and Queen's A&S Champion scrolls presented a much more difficult task: there's no period precedent for the SCA position of "champion," much less a champion of arts.  So there was rather a lot of winging it.

To all who will view the present letters, Gryffyth, King of the East, second of that name, sends greeting and knowledge of the truth.  We desire that notice reach all the peoples of the East Kingdom through the sense of the present letters, declaring directly and publicly that _______________________________________ has, by display of surpassing skill and craft, won the position, station and renown of King’s Champion of Arts and Sciences, and the right to hold the aforesaid title for the period of one year according to ancient tradition and custom. In testimony of our declaration we have thenceforth caused the present document to be written and secured by our seal.  Granted at Dragonship Haven on the Saturday before the feast of Saint Valentine, in the 45^th year of our Society.

 Based on a charter of Margaret of Constantinople, Countess of Flanders, Oct. 15, 1256 (http://epistolae.ccnmtl.columbia.edu/letter/1096.html)


 

I, Aikaterine, Queen of the East and Princess of Tir Mara, make known to all both future and present to whom these letters will have come, that ____________________________________ has, by demonstration of skill in the arts and sciences beloved to our heart, earned such praise, lauds and honors as are within our Royal authority to provide, and that, in recognition thereof, we do now by these present letters assign and endow our aforesaid subject with the title and station of Queen’s Champion of Arts and Sciences, to bear and hold such title for the period of one year. All these things were done and drawn up in my presence and, as lady of the land, I will cause them to be observed firmly as is written above, validated by the affixing of my seal and strengthened by the recitation of the same before the witnesses of our Court upon 12 February in Dragonship Haven, in the 45^th year of the Society.

 From a charter by Joan of Constantinople, Countess of Flanders, Jan. 4, 1221 (http://epistolae.ccnmtl.columbia.edu/letter/1115.html)

Comments

[farmhouse-ghost.livejournal.com]

They did read it. It was ... well received.

Good times :)

[lumineaux.livejournal.com]

Did the Crown realize that they'd given Caitlin and Iheronimus license to run amok in their name? As I was copying it and tweaking it, I kept thinking "no Crown in their right mind would sign this . . . . "

[farmhouse-ghost.livejournal.com]

Ohhhh they did indeed. It was very amusing. And Baron Ernst read it with great inflection and paused in all the right places. It was a real treat -- especially from my vantage point (behind the Baron's throne) to see their reactions.

:)

[lumineaux.livejournal.com]

Oh do tell of the reactions!

[lanome.livejournal.com]

Well, to be fair, the Crown didn't read it - the herald did. Someone asked me what it said, and I told them that I & C could now do whatever they wanted without fear of retribution as long as it's in the name of making things friendly between the East and the Outlands. Someone suggested that they should annex the Outlands.

[lumineaux.livejournal.com]

Well, not so much without fear of retribution from the Outlands. But the East will support and enforce whatever they do.