Fox for Alexander of Long Riston

This was a combat scribal assignment done on a blank by Lady Haesel of Berneslai.

The text was written by Ari Mala and reads:

Lett it bee known bi theis our roial presents that we Robert and Delia princes insular knawing nat onnle by common repert but or one sarteyn knowlich of the fersomenis of Alexander of Long Riston upon the feild of battil bothe in myghte and musik with hertis ful gladd do hereby him rais to fellishippe of or right nobil and puisant order of þe fox. Dat. vij august a.s. liij.

Mala also did the lining, at which point I then offered to do the calligraphy. I probably would've lined it smaller, because -- as the calligraphy clearly shows -- I don't upscale well. The other alternative, which I only considered after it was too late, was that I should've swapped the lines for writing and the lines for spaces. I think that would've made it look better.

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© 2018, Sara L. Uckelman.

Fox for Alana Utterich

The exemplar is Codex Michaelburanus perg. 1, f.195r, my first time painting on gold. Whoo, is it fun! It took one day to sketch out the initial, paint the blue, and do the gilding. The next day I cleaned up the gilding, did the red, and the calligraphy.

The text reads:

Incipit verbis Pauli et Caterine. The fox is famed for his cunning and wit, and as such is an example for all those who defend our lands, and it is for this reason that in days past our honorable ancestors in recognition of this created the Order of the Fox to admit as companions all those whose skills with weapons are set apart from the rest so that they may be advertised and recognized throughout our lands. One such person is Lady Alana Utterich, who has won great renown with the bow, whereby we the abovenamed princes of Insulae Draconis do induct the said Alana in to the aforenamed Order. Datum apud Glen Rathlin xviii feb a.s. li.

Here's some progress pictures:

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© 2017, Sara L. Uckelman.

Fox for Guy de Dinan

Scroll

Exemplar

The exemplar is BL MS Stowe 17, fol. 244. The text reads:

Oh the wily fox he is a clever fellow, he tricks his enemies into thinking he is helpless and then springs his pointed claws upon them. Like the sly fox the archer fools his enemies into complacency before his pointed arrows fall upon them. The fox is a cunning fellow, dissembling and distracting and misdirecting so that no one knows his skills. Like the fox is our beloved archer Guy de Dinan, who with such craft has risen to the rank of yeoman archer. We, Pol and Caitriona, prince and princess of Insulae Draconis, however, are more clever than the fox and his guile does not escape our notice. By the power and authority invested in us by ancient law and custom, we call the said Guy before us to be name a true fox and a member of the Order of the Fox, with all rights and responsibilities appertaining thereto. This we do at Michaelmas Feast in the Shire of Thamesreach xxiv.ix.li.

And two close-ups:

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© 2016, Sara L. Uckelman.

Fox for Aodhan dha Cheist

Scroll

Exemplar

The original is from Koninklijke Bibliotheek, KB, KA 16, Folio 72v. I chose and sketched it, painted the base coat and the black on Aug. 24. I did the whitework, blackwork, and laid down the size on Aug. 25, after which I composed the text and calligraphed it (getting a really bad case of calligrapher's hand along the way...)

The text reads:

Pól and Caitriona, by right of arms prince and princess of Insulae Draconis. For as much as you, Aodhan dha Cheist, have demonstrated not only skill but also great joy and exuberance on the archery field, rising to the rank of master archer, you have also distinguished yourself with the rapier, and thus do we the abovenamed princes do by this charter create the said Aodhan a member of the Order of the Fox. Datum apud Lough Devnaree iii septembris a.s. li.

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© 2016, Sara L. Uckelman.

Fox for Joel Ben Stuart

The exemplar is BL MS Harley 647 f. 13. As soon as I received the assignment, I knew I wanted to do something in this style, so I set about looking for words in the same of dogs. Because what makes a fox a fox? The fact that it is colored red. I did up a complete version on Nov. 27, and at the end did what I've rarely done: Decided there were enough mistakes that I was going to scrap it and completely start over. I would have had to scrape too many words, and I realized I'd missed one altogether, and the spacing on one of the legs wasn't quite right. I could do better. The recipient deserved better. And the first version took about an hour, so I knew the second one could be done better at least as quickly. I calligraphed the second version Nov. 29, and did the painting Nov. 30. This version was much better!

The text reads:

Alexander et Eularia divina providente clementia principes Insulenses Ioelo Beno Stuarto dilecti serventi et bellatori valenti. Swift as a fox and fully as wily your renown precedes you throughout the kingdom and yet it is in our dragon isles that you provide your constant shield and support. By these words we mark you as a true fox of our lands, as brave and as bold. Done six December A.S. fifty by our hands.

The Latin opening translates: Alexandre and Eularia by divine providing clemency insular princes to Joel Ben Stuart beloved servant and valient warrior. The "divina providente clementia [title]" bit comes from a charter of Rudolf III of Burgundy dating to 1014.

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© 2015, Sara L. Uckelman.

Fox for Catlin le Mareschal

The exemplar is Codex Altenburgensis AB 13 C 4,f. 134r , and I picked it out Jul. 14. I decided the next evening I wanted to do an unusual shape, to accent the "F", and luckily had a long narrow piece of perg on hand which was just right. So on Jul. 15 I started sketching everything out, and even was able to begin painting in the initial, completing the vermillion and most of the blue lake. The evening of Jul. 16 I mixed up the pale peach and painted it in. On Jul. 22, I completed the rest of the base coats and some of the whitework. A mistake in painting the inside of the initial settled the matter as to whether I'd do gold paint or gold leaf. The night of Jul. 24, I sketched out the lines for the calligraphy, and put down the size. While waiting for the size to set, I did some of the blackwork and whitework, and even managed to put down about half of the gold before bed time. I completed the goldwork on Jul. 25; curiously, the bit where I had to put down two coats of size to make sure all the blue got covered up worked just fine, but the other bit I had problems with. I tried to put down more size and then gild again, but it didn't really work so well. So I decided not to push it. I also finished the white work.

On Ju. 29, I realized I needed to draw out more lines before I could calligraph. Grr.

I wrote the text on Jul. 14 and Jul. 29, taking full advantage of Ari Mala's help finding more words beginning with "f". It reads:

Full fleet and fast fares the fox fort wily and sly. Far fleeter and fairer is the vixen with the blade Catlin le mareschale. Fain are we, faithful princes of the isles, to fulfill our free and royal right to make fabled vixen into a true fox. Witness ourselves at Ffair Raglen and dated below:

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© 2014, Sara L. Uckelman.

Fox for Irminric æt Eoferwic

 

I picked out the exemplar on Mar. 25. It's BL MS Burney 216 f. 14, http://www.bl.uk/catalogues/illuminatedmanuscripts/ILLUMIN.ASP?Size=mid&IllID=3612, and I sketched the layout and initial on Apr. 10, and inked in the initial. Then I wrote the text, which reads:

Nasr et Eleanorae, prin cipium insulenses draconenses, haec verba sunt.

1. It is, in the laws of the is lands, that people go by rank, each according to his condi tion, Martlet, Ffraid, Fox.

2. And if there a scholar is, who through learning thrives, so that he has good education and art, then is he thence forth Martlet-right worthy.

3. And if a gentleman thrive, so that he serves the prince, then is he then ceforth Ffraid-right worthy.

4. And if there a fighter is, who through diligence thrives, so that he attains the acclaim of his fellows, then is he thenceforth Fox-right worthy.

5. And one such fighter is Irminric æt Eo forwic, and we the aforenamed princes enscribe him as a member of the order of the fox during the Oxford Roll Tournament, xxv aprilis anno societatis xlviii.

The text is based on extracts from early Anglo-Saxon laws concerning people's ranks.

While at the Scriptorium Nordmarkensis over the weekend, I was able to complete the painting of the initial, on Apr. 12. I also took "before white-work" and "after white-work" pictures, because it's always good to be reminded of just how awful the before versions are, and how much improved the after ones are:

 

I'm not entirely satisfied with it, but I cannot articulate why, which is part of why I am unsatisfied with it! I did the calligraphy the evening of Apr. 14, and overall, I'm actually rather pleased with the result, even given the misspelling and the misplacement of the "iv", and my reservations about the initial.

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© 2014, Sara L. Uckelman.

Fox for Katherine of Great Chesterford

The illumination was done by Agatha of Norwich. When Ari gave me the assignment, she asked for something special, since the martial orders are not offered to women as frequently as they might. So I knew exactly which illumination to go with. The text reads:

By the Prince and Princess right noble and well-beloved.

In times past it was ordained that a company of fighters skilled in sword, lance, and bow be formed so that these isles be prevented from harm and protected from ill and that suitable new members be made of this company by special commission signed by their Highnesses, and this company is known as the Order of the Fox. And whereas the Prince and Princess, being credibly informed by speeches and attestations that diverse and many are the skills at arms shown by Lady Katherine of Great Chesterford, both in tournament and war, do make unto her our especial seal of approval by confirming, ratifying, and announcing that the Lady abovenamed is from this day henceforth a member of the said Order. Dated at Flintheath, the first day of December during the first year of the reign of Paul and Aryanhwy the first by those names in Drachenwald.

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© 2012, Sara L. Uckelman.

Fox for Alexander of Derlington

The scroll was done on a blank that I started back at ID's first coronet and worked on sporadically since. It is based on BL MS Burney 199, f.1. The blank wasn't in fact complete but the ID signet needed some scrolls ASAP so I pulled this out and did the calligraphy day of.

The text reads:

All shall know by these words the will of Cernac and Susannah, celestial princes of Insula Draconis. For the advancement of honor and in witness of virtue it was created the most ancient and noble Order of the Fox, whose companions have distinguished themselves by their martial prowess, and one such is Alexnder of Derlington, gentlemen, of whose skill and chivalry we are well acquainted, and so we are pleased to make the said Alexander a member of the aforesaid Order on the xix day of August, a.s. xlvi, at Raglan Fair.

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© 2011, Sara L. Uckelman.

Fox for Cedric of the Floppy Hat

The exemplar is from the Hours of Mary of Guelders, fol. 20, reproduced on p.79 of John Harthan, Books of Hours and Their Owners. The MS is dated to 1415.

The text reads:

One and all know that we, William and Æringunnr, Prince and Princess of Insula Draconis, have granted and by this our present charter confirmed to our subject Cedric of the Floppy Hat membership in our Order of the Fox and all the liberties and responsibilities which by law and custom belong to membership in the said order. Wherefore we wish and firmly command that he shall have and maintain all those good customs and rights, freely, quietly, and fully; and we prohibit any one from bringing any obstacle, or impediment, or diminution upon him in these matters on pain of forfeiture to us.

William
Æringunnr

at Klakavirki
iij julii xlv

It is based on the first charter of King Stephen, dated to 1135 and previously available online here.

• 16 June: picked design, drew layout, started drawing upper border, wrote text, calligraphed.
• 18 June: drew out rest of design except for leaves, inked everything except for initial
• 19 June: everything else.

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© 2010, Sara L. Uckelman.

Company of Merit for Martial Prowess for Vitus Polonius

This was calligraphed the day of the event. The illumination is by Trinite Ducalon. The text reads:

Greetings unto all gentles from Dafydd and Chiara viceroy and vicereine of Insulae Draconis. With the blessings of Marcus and Cecilia king and queen of Drachenwald we invite Vitus Polonius into the company of merit for prowess in the arts martial. XXX May a.s. XLIV.

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© 2009, Sara L. Uckelman.