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:

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© 2016, Sara L. Uckelman.

AoA for Haesel Berneslai

I received the assignment 08 Sep., and started thinking about designs. I like starting texts with the names of the granting nobles, which in this case would be either "D" or "E", and in my list of D's to use I found this one: Egerton 3271 f. 144v, which certainly has WOW factor. Being not entirely sure that I could do the inner border, I decided to omit it but retain the outer border. I sketched the layout and started painting the border on 13 Sep., and the since I had my paints out to do Beroharti's AoA, I painted some more on 18 Sep. The text reads:

Duncanus et Evelina, principes Insulenses, ad Hasela de Bernes lai, salutatem et gratiam. Inas much as by the ordination of the right of arms we have as cended the thrones of prince ly might, it is right that in our works we altogether rew ard those by whose gifts and deeds we are exalted. There fore we, desiring that ancient custom as well as solemn laws to remain in vigour, and endeavouring to recognise and elevate such persons as have contributed richly to our realm, as archer, as chan cellor of the exchequer, do wish to preserve to all persons what ever their rights, and do by our princely authority proclaim and affirm that the aforenamed Haesel is to be recognised as a lady, with all the rights, responsibilities, and privileges atten dant thereto, this act to be observed throughout all parts of our principality without let or hindrance from anyone, and for the recognition of which we charge the said lady Haesel to consult with our heralds and to devise suitable and unique arms. Datum apud Castellum de Caerphili, v Octoberis anno societatis xlviij.

The text was written 29 Sept., and based loosely on the opening paragraph of the Peace of the Land Established by Frederick Barbarossa Between 1152 and 1157 A.D. 30 Sept., I began by drawing out the lines (always my least favorite), and then did the calligraphy, liberally adding phrases as I went in order to get the text sufficiently long. I then got out the paints and did a bunch more of the red detailing. 1 Oct., after supper Joel played with Gwen (thank you, Joel!) allowing me to get started on the last of the painting right away. Took about 3.5 hours to complete -- only to find out at the very end that my planned method of conveyance of the scroll to the event won't work, because Thursday is a holiday here. Grrr! I ended up finding someone in England I could mail it to, at exorbitant cost. And then the recipient wasn't at the event and it wasn't given out until four months later. :(

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© 2013, Sara L. Uckelman.