The Newsletter of the Shire of
Rokkehealden
Glyph
Notes
Year’s End
October – December
2007
Seneschal
Henry of Exeter
[email protected]
Knights Marshal
HL Austin Chadwyck of Normandy
[email protected]
Chatelaine
Philippa of Otterbourne
[email protected]
Archery Marshal
Ottokar von Erinfels
[email protected]
Minister of A&S
Fiona O Caoindealbhain
[email protected]
Vacant
Pursuivant
AElfreda aet AEthelwealda
[email protected]
Web Minister
Akiko Catherine O’Brien
[email protected]
Exchequer
Margherita Alessia (Ghita)
[email protected]
Chronicler
Isabel of Kenniston
[email protected]
Minister of Youth
Anna Rakel
[email protected]
Marshal of Fence
If you have any interest in any of the Officer positions,
please contact that officer. The Officers are always
looking for deputies to learn the position, so that they
have some familiarity with it when they are ready to
move up! All Officer positions require that the officer be
a paid member of the SCA; Marshal positions require
that the officer be a warranted marshal.
The Glyph Notes reserves the right to reprint articles and artwork; all other rights remain the sole property of
the originator and may not be reproduced without permission. Opinions expressed are not necessarily the
opinions of the Editor or the majority of the Shire, let alone the SCA. The Editor reserves the right to edit or
reject any submission. Submissions should be typed (unless you’re showing off your calligraphy), or sent
electronically, preferably by e-mail to [email protected].
Disclaimer
Glyph Notes is a publication of the Shire of Rokkehealden of the Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc. A hard
copy of the Glyph Notes is available by request from the Chronicler. Snail-Mailed subscriptions are $10/year for
5 issues. Glyph Notes is not a corporate publication of the SCA, Inc., and does not delineate SCA policies, except
the policies of the Shire of Rokkehealden as reported as Moot business. So there.
Oyez! Oyez!
Regularly Scheduled Shire Events
Social Gathering / Monthly Moots / A&S Nights
Arts and Sciences / Calligraphy & Illumination
The following dates have been reserved for the shire's social gatherings, A&S
nights, and moots - All these dates are on Thursdays except where noted:
Thursday, January 3
Thursday, January 31 (moot) (note: 5th week)
WEDNESDAY, February 13 (note: 2nd week)
Thursday, February 28 (moot)
The room at the library is available for our use from 6:30-8:45 pm. Moots are
now beginning at 7:30 pm.
The library is located on Oak Brook Road (31st Street) between York Road
and Route 83. Very easy to find!
Oak Brook Library
600 Oak Brook Road
Oak Brook, Illinois
630-990-2222
Fighter Practice
Fox Vale - Tuesdays, 6:00 - 9:00 pm, Aurora Community Center
Ayreton - Sundays, 2:00 - 5:00 pm, sponsored by Grey Gargoyles, Ida Noyes
Hall, University of Chicago Campus (near the Museum of Science & Industry).
Closed for the holidays; will reopen on January 13th.
Youth Boffer – Alternate Mondays, Hope Presbyterian Church, Wheaton. Next
dates are January 7th and 21st. Contact Anna Rakel ([email protected]) for
more information
Archery
Bedford Park - is pretty much done for the season. Should resume in Spring.
Ayreton – Wednesdays, 7:00 – 9:00 pm, at the Archery Custom Shop in
Forest Park (www.archerycustomshop.com).
Music
Baron’s Noyse – Mondays, 7:30 – 9:00 pm, Robbyan & Fern’s: (773) 764-1920
The Pippins – Thursdays, 7:45 – 10:00 pm, Chicago (Andersonville) : (312) 2596688
Needle Arts
The Silver Thimble Guild for Conspicuous Consumption – Mondays at Mistress
Juliana’s: (773) 750-2180
Needlework/Fiber Arts Night – Third Fridays, 6:00 – 10:00 pm at Gretchen’s
in Des Plaines: [email protected].
Calligraphy & Illumination
Rokkehealden Scriptorium - (see above)
Tree-Girt-Sea Scribal Night – First, Third and Fifth Wednesdays, 7:30 –
10:00 pm, at THL Jocelyn’s (847) 824-3814
Heraldry
Heralds at Home – Last Sunday of the month at Phoebe & Kevin’s, (773) 2865952
If you are interested in keeping up with the activities in the Ayreton
area, we recommend you subscribe to the email announcements of the
Ayreton Towne Cryer, at [email protected]
Moot Minutes: October 25th (St. Crispin’s Day)
as submitted by Henry of Exeter
What’s she that wishes so, my cousin of Kenniston?
No my fair cousin, if she is marked to leave, then it is enough
To do our moot loss, and if she be there, the fewer the officers
The greater the share of duty.
The King’s will! I pray thee, wish not one person more.
By the Exchequer, I am not covetous for gold,
Nor am I providing food for the moot;
I shall not loan out my garb;
Such outward things dwell not in my desires,
But if it be a sin to schmooze and be known by all,
Than I be the most offending soul alive
No, faith, my cousin, wish not a person more for the moot.
God's peace! I would not lose so great a responsibility
As one person more methinks would share from me
For the power I have. O, do not wish one more!
Rather proclaim it, Kenniston, through my shire,
That he which hath no stomach to this moot,
Let them depart; his passport shall be made,
And cookies for convoy put into their bag;
We would not meet in that person's company
That fears his fellowship to meet with us.
This day is call'd the feast of Crispian.
He that meets this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a tip-toe when this day is nam'd,
And rouse him at the name of Crispian.
He that shall meet this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his shire mates,
And say 'To-morrow is Saint Crispian.'
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scrolls,
And say 'These awards I had on Crispian's day.'
Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot,
But he'll remember, with advantages,
What awards he did receive that day. Then shall our names,
Familiar in his mouth as household words Harry the Seneschal, Chadwyck and Kenniston, Otterbourne
and Lubelska, Ottokar and Machiavelli Be in their flowing cups freshly rememb’red.
This story shall the Chatelaine teach the newcomer;
And Crispin Crispian shall ne’er go by,
from this day to the ending of the world,
but this moot shall be remembered We few, we happy few, we members of Rokkehealden,
For he to-day that attends moot with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so French,
This day shall gentle his condition;
And Peers in the Midrealm now-a-bed
Shall think themselves accurs'd they were not here,
And hold their peerage cheap whiles any speaks
That met with us upon Saint Crispin's day.
I know it’s here
twice. I just really
like this picture.
Moot Minutes, November 29, 2007.
Thanks to Philippa for taking these notes as I was feeling entirely too lazy that day.
Called to order at 7:35 PM.
OLD BUSINESS: Akiko reminded everyone that she is stepping down as Lincoln Signet and that they are still accepting
applications from interested parties. The replacement is chosen by the Dragon Herald.
NEW BUSINESS: Henry announced that Sunday, Dec. 2nd is the last Ayreton fighter practice of the year since Ida Noyes
Hall will be shut down for the holiday break. Sir William of Fairhaven will be coming to the practice and teaching some
classes. Afterwards people will be going out to dinner and everyone is welcome to join in.
Fiona and Johannes will be hosting the shire Holiday Party at their house on Sat. Dec. 29th starting at 3:30 PM.
Everyone is asked to bring a side dish, snack, or desert according to the email posted on the Yahoo group. Ambr will call
Cedric to advise him of the date and place.
Mikhail moved that the moot scheduled for December 27th at the library be made a 2nd A&S night for the month and
that the moot be moved to the Holiday Party on Dec. 29th in accordance with tradition. Isabel seconded the motion. A vote
was taken and the motion carried. Dec. 27th will be an A&S night. Moot will be held at the Holiday Party on Dec. 29th.
OFFICER REPORTS:
Seneschal: Henry reported on the status of the Baronial formation. There was a meeting of the seneschals from
Tree-Girt-Sea, Rokkehealden, Grey Gargoyles, and Vanished Wood. These are the groups who (along with Foxvale whose
seneschal Fiona was unable to attend) are interested in forming an “Ayreton” barony. The process for forming a Barony
was discussed and deadlines were set. The first step is submitting a letter of intent to Kingdom. The deadline set for
sending the letter is the end of the year. They hope to have a name and device for voting on by April 1st. In order to
become a barony you must have a name and device passed. The other big thing that will be needed is a charter but that
would come after approval of the barony.
Henry also reminded everyone that Nov. 30th is the living window demo at the bookstore in Forest Park. Some
members of the shire are planning on participating and the Pippins will sing.
Chatelaine: In preparation for the demo Philippa had some recruitment flyers and bookmarks made up to hand out.
They both contain a brief synopsis on what the SCA is, where we meet, and how to contact her or find more information.
Philippa mentioned that posting the flyers in local libraries, Paneras, grocery stores, and other places with community
bulletin boards it would potentially aid in recruiting new members. If anyone is willing to approach a few places and
request they post a flyer, please let her know, she has plenty.
Philippa said she would be updating the Chatelaine and Demo websites over the next month or so.
Chronicler: Isabel requested art work, cover art, and articles for Glyph Notes. She has a few articles but not that
many and she needs art work. The next Glyph Notes is scheduled for posting Dec. 15.
Minister of Youth: Anna reported that Youth Boffer is continuing and going well. Many of our younger members
attended the recent Youth Fighter Symposium in Indiana and they all did well and learned a lot.
Pursuivant: AElfreada reported that Ambr’s badge (the Silken Petals household badge) is in the proofreading stage.
That means a decision has been made on the badge but the results have not yet been published. The results should be
announced soon. Isabel’s device submission is still in the commentary stage. Laurel has lowered the prices for submissions
from $8 down to $7. This reduction is due to the fact that more of the process is done electronically these days.
AElfreada also mentioned that the Dragon Herald is stepping down and Nov. 30th is the last day to apply for the
position if anyone is interested. AElfreada also announced that since Sibeal has moved away, she is seeking a new deputy
and/or replacement. AElfreada also suggested that the organizers for the barony process email name and/or device
suggestions to the Herald’s email group for open discussion.
A&S: Fiona announced that she has submitted the quarterly A&S report. The next one is due January 1st so you will
soon be seeing a request to get in your A&S reports for this quarter. The scribal/cooking event Pots & Pens will be in
Bloomington, IL Dec. 1st. Fiona mentioned that she forwarded on a 50 Challenge email. The SCA is turning 50 in 2015
and participants are encouraged to create 50 things between now and then.
Knights Marshal: Austin stated that the Ayreton Combined fighter practice hath occureth. No fighting practice hath
occurred within the shire boundaries. The marshal report is due soon. Austin announced that a new marshal would be
needed in 3 months as he is resigning.
Web Ministers: Akiko reported that no updates to the website have been done this month.
The moot adjourned at 8:00 PM
The Province of Tree-Girt-Sea Invites You To Join
This January 26th, 2008, Our
TWELFTH NIGHT CELEBRATION
-THE SEVEN DEADLY SINSLocation: Irish American Heritage Center (Renovation Complete!) about seven miles North of downtown Chicago at 4626 North
Knox Avenue, Chicago, IL 60630. Site opens at 9:30 a.m. and closes at 10:30 p.m. Site is dry; bar will open in the afternoon. No
pets, assistance animals only.
Planned Activities
Feast
Lunch
Bardic Tourney
Youth Combat
Medieval Hogwarts
7 Deadly Sins Classes
Basket Fundraiser
Performances
Fun!
Site Fee: Adults $8 before 1/1/8, $10 day of, Children 6-12 $5, Children under 6 free, family cap $26 pre-reg, $30 day of (site
only). Adults Feast $10, reservations limited. $3 non-member surcharge. Please make checks payable to SCA, Inc./Province of
Tree-Girt-Sea. Pre-Reg: Mail checks to Julia Needlman, 1027 Marshfield, Chicago, IL 60622 –or– on-line by debit/credit card
from our event website.
Merchants: Space Limited – for information and reservations, contact
Lady Nadezda ZeZastrizl mka Merril Miller at 857-902-2961 or
[email protected].
Stewards:
Lady Phebe Bonadeci
(PJ Reaney)
[email protected]
And
Sir Kilian Fendrich
(Mike Pastrick)
More information, details, and updates are available at: www.treegirtsea.com/12thnight.html
Interesting facts about calendar dates and Roman numerals used in England prior to 1600
January 1st wasn't considered the "new year" until 1725. Much like the SCA, which uses May 1st as the date to change the calendar year, in
medieval England the year was changed on March 25th.
If you see a document dated any time between January and 24 March before 1752 you need to add a year to get the CE. In publications you
may see a date written something like this - January 1550/51. The first reference is to the year as it was known at the time. The second number is
the year as we know it now. This is also known as OS (Old Style) and NS (New Style).
Arabic numerals were not used in England until the 16th century. Even with the new numbering system Roman numerals did not go away. Five
centuries later, in this 21st century, their use continues. The written form of Roman numerals has varied slightly through the centuries. For example:
the medieval Roman numeral for the number "one" was not usually an i or I. If it was the only number or at the end of a series of numbers j was
used. The number for 3 would be written iij and the number for 4 was more often written iiij, not iv or IV as we commonly think of it.
As you can see from the above example of iiij = 4 , "The Rules" for writing Roman numerals, as most of us learned them in elementary school,
were not universally followed... not even by the same scribe. One manuscript from 1390, uses ix for "nine", but iiij for "four". Another document, from
1381, uses IV and IX. A third document uses both iiij and iv, and IX. Constructions such as IIX for "eight" have also been discovered. Ordinal
numbers are represented by superscript letters following them, just as we do modernly. xxiiij th = 24th Since the "nd" ending wasn't used, writing the
22nd wasn't an option. Instead it would be written xxijth which would be read "two and twentieth". Numbers were also written out. “30” could also be
shown as thirty.
You will sometimes see a date referenced to the year of the reign of a monarch. You can use this format on scrolls as well if you apply it to the
month of a reign rather than the year. "Given in the third month of the reign of (royalty) at this (event) Anno Societatis forty."
Yvianne, AEthelmearc
Reprinted by permission
Old Tale Meets New Tech
by Isabel of Kenniston
It seems sort of appropriate that the oldest extant epic in the English language should be translated to the big screen
with cutting-edge filmmaking. Beowulf, as much the bane of high-school students as of Grendel, has been
transformed into a motion-capture CGI extravaganza that will hook the most literature-resistant teen. Or grown-up
for that matter – the story, by Neil Gaiman and Roger Avary, keeps the original storyline but fleshes it out with
character development and plot twists the epic only wishes it had. This is not your high-school English teacher’s
Beowulf.
These characters are deeply flawed, for one thing. Anthony Hopkins’ Hrothgar is fat and well past his prime,
haunted by a bad mistake in his youth. His young queen Wealthow, played by Robin Wright Penn, refuses to sleep
with him because of it. Beowulf (Ray Winstone) is vain and arrogant, and unwittingly echoes Hrothgar’s error,
setting the stage for tragedy many years later. Oddly, the monster Grendel is more sympathetic. Really, really ugly,
but sympathetic. And John Malkovich’s Unferth, Beowulf’s adversary in the court of King Hrothgar, could have
been played like Brad Dourif’s Wormtongue in Lord of the Rings, as a one-note slimy bad guy. But he’s got
surprising depth here – he’s a cowardly creep, but a comprehensible and not entirely evil one.
Even the real villain in Beowulf, Grendel’s mother, isn’t entirely evil – though she comes close. Much has been
said about Angelina Jolie’s role – and costume, or lack thereof. But her performance is chilling. The revenge theme
that fuels her attack on Beowulf and his men – the discovery of her retaliation is one of the shortest but most
horrifying scenes in the movie – is understandable. After all, the man killed her child, and previous scenes between
Grendel and Mum are touching and affectionate. But as the plot unfolds, and we see just how cunning and
manipulative she really is, we begin to understand why she’s the bad guy.
Screenwriters Gaiman, best known for his Sandman graphic novels and the recent movie Stardust, and Avary, who
won an Oscar for co-writing Pulp Fiction, beautifully meld the violence – and it is very violent – with clever
dialogue to create a fast-paced and exciting story. Producer Robert Zemeckis is a veteran of complex and fun
movies like Back to the Future and Who Framed Roger Rabbit? The motion-capture technique used to make the
all-CGI Beowulf is a natural sequel to his work with Roger. This is not to say that it’s perfect. The details are there
– the grain of skin, the individual strands of hair, the flow and texture of fabric, the shadows and realistic
movements – but the eyes, unlike Gollum’s in Lord of the Rings, lack expression; the faces are just a little too
plastic. The only really jarring moments for me, however, were when the characters are on horseback – they just
didn’t get the horses’ movements quite right. Still, it’s impressive enough that you forget it’s CGI for most of the
movie.
I highly recommend seeing this in 3D – it’s also on IMAX screens in the same format, but I saw it in a regular
theatre. The effect is integrated seamlessly into the production, so it’s not so much a matter of “wow, ain’t it cool,”
as it is of ducking when a tree branch swings at you. You forget you’re watching “3D” and only see the movie.
That can pretty much sum up the whole Beowulf experience (how long until we have a ride at Disney World?) –
you forget you’re watching special effects, you forget you’re watching computer graphics and not real people, and
you forget you’re watching a tale written before the English language was the English language.
Don’t expect perfection, but do expect a pretty durn good time.
If you’re interested in reading the original, I also recommend Seamus Heaney’s 2001 translation. Heaney, a Nobel
Prize-winning Irish poet, captures the rhythms and power of the epic’s language while making the tale accessible to
modern audiences.
Note: While researching the costuming for the movie, producers discovered the SCA. A film crew spent time at
Pennsic this past summer preparing a documentary on our organization for inclusion on the DVD to be released
next year. Hmm… a guarantee of 50,000 DVD sales??
Blackwork Embroidery
During the fall, Rosaline Weaver was kind enough to introduce us
to Blackwork Embroidery, a popular needle art during the
Renaissance and Tudor periods (also called “Spanish work”).
Here is a brief review of her classes, from her email to the Yahoo
group:
In period, blackwork was done on fabrics that are woven of much
finer threads than specialty evenweave embroidery fabrics of
today. One technique that was used was to create a starched
gauze to act as a gridwork. This technique continues today using
a product known as "waste canvas". Pieces of the waste canvas
mesh are basted to a "garment fabric" and then removed when
the embroidery is completed. (Students may otherwise choose to
use a modern evenweave fabric.)
Suggested materials list is as follows:
1/4 yard piece of a light colored fabric, shirt-weight (suitable for a
chemise, for example. Remember, you will be running a needle
through it repeatedly, so don't choose something tough to sew.)
1 package of waste canvas, 14 count or 10 count skein of
embroidery floss in the dark color of your choice (blackwork
doesn't have to be black)
chenille or crewel needles (must be sharp points, not blunt, wth
larger holes for the embroidery floss)
embroidery hoop
brightly colored sewing thread (contrast color - for basting only)
In the first class in October, we cut and basted waste canvas and
started stitching our border designs. We also created the cartoon
for our spot motif designs.
Homework for the November class was to finish stitching the
border design(Optionally stitch the border design for the other
side of the bag, if making the bag), and to cut and baste the
waste canvas for the spot motif design.
In the November class, we stitched the spot motif using
backstitch, and learned to do the overcast stitch to finish the
motif. We also created the cartoon for our patterned filled
designs, and looked at examples of filling stitches to select
patterns with different shading and effects.
Homework for the December class is to cut and baste the waste
canvas for the patterned filled designs, stitch the cartoon (outline)
of the design, and be prepared to select filling stitches in class
and begin to fill areas of the design!
Credits:
Cover Art – Mikhail of Lubelska
Knight and Dragon and Saintly Scribe – the
Hunterial Psalter
Thanks to Henry and Philippa for Moot Minutes,
and to Yvianne of Aethelmearc for permission to
reprint her article on dating. Er, dating in the
Gregorian sense, not the boy-girl sense.
In the December class, we will stitch pattered filling stitches in our
cartoon outlines.
In the January class we will try to finish up the embroidery and
work on construction of the bags.
Of course, people are welcome to work at their own pace, and
help will be available at all classes. The classes are informal, and
embroidery time is balanced with discussion time.
And much fun was had by all!!
I need artwork, people!!
Thank you Rosaline!!