Silver Martlet for Alexandre d'Avignon

The text is adapted from the Letters Patent to Sir Humfrey Gylberte June 11, 1578 and reads:

Iannick and Alana by right of arms prince and princess of Insulae Draconis to all people to whom these presents shall come, greetings. Know ye that of oure especial grace and certayn science and mere motion, we have given and granted and by these presents for us and our heires do give and grant to oure trusty and well-beloved cousin Alexandre d'Avignon, viscount and thrice master, free liberty and full license to style himself henceforth and in all places and for all purposes as a member of the most honourable Order of the Silver Martlet. And the same master to have and to hold and to occupy for his enjoyment all rights, privileges, and responsibilities appertaining thereto, including the right to bear the badge of the Order without let or hindrance from anyone in accordance with both law and ancient custom.

And so that none shall contest this our solemn will we the above-named princes have signed and dated these presents below.

(It's a terrible quality image because I scanned it rather than photographed it.)

---

© 2017, Sara L. Uckelman.

Silver Martlet for Aodh O Siadhail

On the first night I chose the exemplar (BL MS Additional 40618 f. 23, drew out all the lines, and put down the gold size. The second night, I gilded. The third night was for composing the text and doing the rubrication. line height: 1/16"; line spacing: 1/8".

The text reads:

Quoniam Hugo Osheall coquit, legit, et conspicit ad celum, nos, Iannicus et Alana, principes insulenses, ordinant quod hinc dictum Hugonem esse socium ordinis avis argentee. Datum apud Glen Rathlin ii septembri lii, fit manum scriptricis Arie dicte bone. Because Aodh O Siadhail cooks, reads, and stares at the sky, we, Yannick and Alana, prince and princess of Insulae Draconis, ordain that the said Aodh be henceforth a ompanion of the Order of the Silver Martlet. This we do on the 2nd day of the 7th month of our reign, while in our shire of Glen Rathlin, and in perpetual witness hereof we have caused the present document to be drawn up by the hand of our scribe called Bona.

And here's a close-up of the initial.

---

© 2017, Sara L. Uckelman.

Silver Martlet for Constanza of Thamesreach

I received the assignment for this *mumble* years ago. I had a good two months to work on it -- and then their highnesses moved up the delivery date until the next weekend, the scroll didn't get made and became a backlog and then it...mouldered. I knew what I wanted to do for the design, I could picture the idea but I knew it was one beyond my drawing skills, so I had to find the right exemplars I could trace/adapt. And this was hard, and it got older and older and older...and then I got an assignment for a scroll for her lord. I could do his as a matcher to hers and finally get this wrapped up!

So I looked for lots and lots of exemplars, because now I needed something that involved both sheep (for this) and foxes (for his). I thought I'd picked out some good images of both, from Morgan Library MS M.8, and I sat down the night of 8 Sept. to start sketching things out. I sketched a fox on one; then a sheep on the other; then moved the sheep; then sketched some geese and chickens on the other, realized they weren't right; started looking for examples of archery bosses; found an actual fox with a crossbow; then found other sheep I liked, and a woman in the same MS; so completely changed MS and started sketching out bits for both from it. That was all I got done that night!

So the final exemplar was British Library MS Additional 42130 ff. 81v and 163v:

If you look closely, you'll see that the woman is spinning sheep into onomastic articles. Every single name in the scroll (and there are many) can be documented from an article that Constanza wrot.

The text reads:

The martlet is a restless bird, whose travels take it from one end of the world to another. Like the martlet, Lady Constanza of Thamesreach spans the spectrum of arts and science, talented in skills ovine and onomastic, practical and theoretical, tactile and mental. Also like the martlet, Constanza travels our lands and shares her knowledge, teaching and educating wherever she goes. Like the martlet she is, and as a martlet henceforth shall she be: By this present diploma we Duncan and Eibhlin, prince and princess of Insulae Draconis by our princely might and authority do in accord with law and ancient and honorable custom make the said Constanza a member of the most noble and illustrious Order of the Silver Martlet, with all rights, responsibilities, and privileges appertaining thereto, on the i day of the xi month of the xlviii year of the society and witnessed below.

More close-ups:

---

© 2016, Sara L. Uckelman.

Silver Martlet for Katherine of Great Chesterford

I received the assignment 19 August, and picked out an examplar the same day. Two days later, I changed my mind, having seen a British Library blog post featuring Harley MS 7026, f. 13r with the most fantastic little dragon and dragonfly combination. I knew I had to do it!

The sketching, inking, painting, and gilding took about 15 hours over the course of the next three weeks (slightly hampered by attending a conference during one of them; I brought my paints, brushes, and the scroll along thinking I might work on the white-work, but yeah, that didn't happen. So this left me last night with all the calligraphy and all the gilding (the actual putting down of the gold; I'd put the size on the night before) to do. Two hours for the gilding, two hours for the calligraphy made for a late night, but I'm really pleased with the outcome.

The text reads:

Omnibus fidelibus ad quos presentium noticia pervenerit, Alexander et Eularia, principes Insulsenses, in domino salutem.

In ancient days of old our noble ancestors of blessed memory did establish a company of artisans and scientists skilled in all manner of kenning and craft, to which it is our royal right and prerogative to add and augment with all such of our land who have distinguished themselves in like fashion, and one such whose talents with pen and brush brings her reknown throughout the land is Katherine of Great Chesterford. For the advancement of her and the glory of our lands we the aforesaid princes by these presents to create the said Katherine a member of the Order of the Silver Martlet. Actum apud Thamesreach, anno societatis l, datum per manum Arianhwie dicte Bone, xii Septembris ad festum beate nomine. Hic testamur.

The Latin phrases read in translation: "Alexander and Eularia, Insular princes, to all the faithful whose notice may come to these presents, greetings in the lord" and "Acted at Thamesreach, in the year of the society 50, dated by the hand of Aryanhwy called Good, the 12th of September on the feast of the blessed name. Here we witness.

For the last year or so I have been working extensively with Latin charters, in which I have found it is extremely common for the scribe who wrote the charter to be named explicitly, especially in royal or papal charters. I think this is something that we should actively promote in the SCA.

The recipient ended up leaving the event before court due to illness, so the award was pushed off for a later event. I amended the date to reflect this, by adding "confirmamus ix ian", nicely abbreviated.

Here are a variety of images during the process (click for larger versions):

---

© 2015, Sara L. Uckelman.

Company of Merit for Artisans and Scholars for Ceara inghean Eoin mhic Lucais

Combat scroll done at Raglan the day Robert and Genevieve stepped up as Prince and Princess. The text reads:

Be it known by this charter that we, Robert and Genevieve, prince and princess of Insulae Draconis, mindful of the good cooking and knowledge of fine victuals displayed by our subject Ceara inghean Eoin mhic Lucais confirm the said Ceara as a member of our most noble Company of Merit for Artisans and Scholars on the 22nd day of the 1st month of our reign, a.s. xlvi.

---

© 2011, Sara L. Uckelman.

Company of Merit for Artisans and Scholars for Catherine Weaver

Combat scroll done at Raglan the day Robert and Genevieve stepped up as Prince and Princess. The text reads:

Let all these present letters reading, seeing, or hearing know the will of Robert and Genevieve dread princes of Insulae Draconis. We have, not only by the testimony of many and credible gentles, but also by our own witness been long acquainted of Catherine Weaveres skill and knowledge in all manner of textile arts. And in virtue of the said Catherines prowess we are mind to make her a member of our Company of Merit for Artisans and Scholars, on the xxi day of the viii month, a.s. xlvi.

---

© 2011, Sara L. Uckelman.

Company of Merit for Artisans and Scholars for Alaric of Bangor

The text was done by Genevieve la flechiere. I did the initial and the flourishes.

---

© 2009, Sara L. Uckelman.

Company of Merit for Artisans and Scholars for Robert of Canterbury

This was combat scribing done the day of the event. The illumination was by Trinite Ducalon. The text reads:

Let it be reported in all the lands far and wide that we, Dafydd and Chiara, viceroy and vicereine of Insula Draconis, with the blessing of Marcus and Cecilia, king and queen of Drachenwald, hereby invite Robert of Canterbury into our company of merit for the arts and sciences. Given this xxxth day of May, anno societatis xliv.

---

© 2009, Sara L. Uckelman.