lumineaux

Two very deserving friends were rewarded yesterday: Lorenzo Gorla received a Silver Rapier (the rapier award below the East's Golden Rapier, the way Aethelmearc's Golden Alce is below its White Scarf, for example); Alesone Gray of Cranlegh received a Maunche (the East's non-peerage arts award). I was so very pleased to work on their texts. Both are 16th cen. personae. I was able to put Lorenzo's text into 16th cen. spelling. Timing in working with the scribe prevented me from doing the same for Alesone.

Both texts are based on guild charters, which is why they have some similar thematic elements.

Lorenzo's Silver Rapier:

Brennan, Emperor of the Easterners, and Caoilfhionn, Empress, to our faithfull and welbeloued seruant Lorenzo Gorla, greetings. Forasmoche as we wish within our reaulme to have schouls and establissements for the teaching of the science of defence, a science in which we find greate merit; and forasmoche as you are known throughout our lands as a notable, worthie, honourable and trusted scholar of the saide science, the which knowledge has been affirmed by persons of repute; therefore, of our especial grace, certaine science and meere motion, we giue and graunt you by these presentes for us, our heires and successors, license and lawfull authoritie to continue your studie and instruction in matters touching upon the science of defence, and to promote the teaching of same at all places where our worde holds the colour and authoritie of law, the said license and lawfull authoritie to continue and remain in force for the terme of your lyfe. We do further, as euidence of the said license and lawfull authoritie, induct you into the Ordre of the Silver Rapier, and invest and endow you with all rights, privyleges, appurtenances attaching thereunto, and order, ordaine and commaund that you shall bear upon your person at all times pertinent the ensigns and signacles of the said Ordre, that your prouess and license in matters of defence shall be knowen to all persons. In witness whereof, we have caused these our lettres to be made and made public. Witnessed by ourselues and our Imperial Court, upon 28 June, in the fortie-ninth year of the Societie.

Alesone's Maunche:

Brennan, by right of arms Emperor of the Easterners, semper augustus, and Caoilfhionn, Empress, to all to whom these presents shall come, Greetings. Wherefore, considering how much it will be for the general

and good advantage of our Empire that the arts of the apothecary and confectioner be practiced and promoted with skill, honor and diligence; and considering the reports of good and honest persons of singular repute concerning the excellence in the said arts practiced by our well-beloved Alesone Gray of Cranlegh; and finding her to be of honest, veracious, faithful and constant character, notwithstanding rumors of incendiary tendencies; Therefore, that our aforesaid intentions may have better effect, of our more ample grace we have given and granted, and by these presents do give and grant for us and our heirs, to our well-beloved Alesone Gray of Cranlegh full authority, leave and power to practice the said arts within our realm and, as evidence of same, do hereby induct her into the Order of the Manche and invest her with all rights, privileges and emoluments appertaining thereto, according to the most ancient usages, customs and traditions of the realm, for the term of her life, and do ordain that she shall possess the same as fully, freely and wholly and in as ample manner as all previous and future members of the Order aforenamed; and we do further by these presents endow the said Alesone with lawful authority to bear henceforward upon her person the emblem of the aforenamed Order: Per pale Or and purpure, a maunch counterchanged. And that these our letters shall be firm, good, valid, sufficient, and effectual in law towards us, our heirs and successors, as well as within all our courts within the Empire of the East, we have caused them to be recorded and read in our Imperial Court at Carillion upon 28 June in the forty-ninth year of the Society and the first of our reign.