Genevieve's Journeys

The ceremony to welcome Lord Aodh O Siadhall gothwalk into the greater house Sylveaston went very well, with advice from nusbacher on some important details. This rounded out the ceremony in a way that I really appreciated and I would not have known of, without her help.

I was amused that when I brought the belt of obnoxious brightness over for sizing, it was a knight, Sir Jonathan, who instantly saw significance in the colours. I know that Dame Oriane still wears her green belt with yellow borders as her connection to Sir Richard Gilchrist and thus her connection to the house. Aodh will find many Sylveaston descendants to meet yet.

The tone was dignified and pleased, which is what I wanted.

Aodh's role in the house is as 'dalta', which apparently in old Irish is 'student of the bard' - someone who might, or might not, be a bard in his own right, but even if not, gets a fine education and benefits from the support of the bard. I liked this title; it seemed very apt for him, and avoided the 'protege' which is a bit loaded in Society terms.

Photos are courtesy of Lady Agnes, Aodh's lady, who got Lord Aidan to record the occasion.

We're sitting within the castle, in the fountain court, shortly after principality 'thing' (Parliament) to talk about principality business.

Me introducing the ceremony, and managing to recite the lineage from Sir Merowald (as it applies to us) correctly. (Lyonette told us later of 'Merowaldry', Sir Merowald's offer to paint up arms people wanted, no registration required. Now Robert has a name for his guerilla heraldry...)


The intenture (read by Robert), belt (continuity with the greater house) and livery (as promised n the writ) all went as I had hoped.







Having cut the signed indenture in 2, I show the 2 pieces indented to witnesses.






I wanted to incorporate some statements that originally came from Sir Menken chequey and Dame Eleanor kes_zone, about dependents being neither slaves nor servants, but nobles in their own right.

This is important to me, as Lord Aodh has his own household, with his lady Agnes, that they care about a lot, and I wanted to make clear I wasn't taking it over.

A completely unplanned and unforseen effect was me commenting, as I held Aodh's hands as a vassal, that he was paterfamilias of his house, with his own duties and obligations; that in that role, he remained responsible for his house,

...but that I was available to advise him on dependants, suitable placements for children or orphans, or places in convents for those who were unsuited to marriage.

This raised a small laugh, but apparently struck shock and terror in the Catholic hearts of the ladies of House Green - particularly single ladies, or whose other halves don't play - who all assumed I was referring to them directly.

I found this out later, as Lady Agnes passed it on, and it now has common currency that at least one lady of House Green is destined to a nunnery...

I had warned Aodh of the Belt of obnoxious brightness...I'm hoping he'll wear it fighting.




Aodh's livery: 3 ells of good cloth and 3 more of linen, to outfit himself suitably.

Aodh complains of being a mammal and having warm blood and thus not liking wool clothing, so I dug up the lightest wool blend I could find - it may even be linsey-woolsey, I'm not certain. It's for him and his tailor to sort.


I'm kicking myself because I can't find a picture of the uncut indenture. I nicked the text wholesale from a previous contract Robert wrote for Sir Vitus for one of his dependents, with only small changes.

I like the line about protecting from unjust harm - if the harm is justified, apparently you're on your own. :-)

Duchess Nerissa asked me to read through a French account of the coronation of Charles V of Spain (Charles Hapsburg) in 1517. It's an excerpt available online from the British Library, in their Renaissance Books section, and you can enlarge the text to read it for yourself page by page.

She (on behalf of a Lochac friend) was looking for any hints on making a coronation ceremony more authentic for 16th c Spain. I offered some suggestions; unfortunately, what would make it most authentic is holding coronation as a church ceremony complete with Mass, and that's a non-starter!

The reading was fascinating - a bit like reading Chaucer, where the words make more sense out loud because the spelling is unpredictable.

So I thought I'd post the text, along with my very rough translation, in case anyone else is interested. If there are other French readers, I'd welcome their feedback!

I may go back, and translate the first couple of pages as well, because it has long descriptions of what everyone is wearing (in order of precedence).

There is the caveat however, that sometimes these books were written before the event(!), to ensure broad circulation of the news, so it may or may not be an accurate representation.

(There's the whole set of observations about books printed in secretary hand, and the use of short forms...but that's a different post!)

( Suggestions, summary, and transcription )