The Nordic Saga The Barony of Northkeep January A.S. XXXXVII (2013)
Baron Facon dupray Jon Powell 918-361-9817 facon@cox.net Seneschal: Elizabeth de Calais Melissa Long Blevins hlecalais@sbcglobal.net Reeve: Cicily Bridges Shirley Hackworth slhack@earthlink.net 918-457-0270 Chronicler: Franziska von Locknitz Kathryn Helstrom kiamichikate@gmail.com 918-899-5476 Hospitaler: Montega Blackdragon montega@gmail.com Knights Marshal: Geoffrey de Gournay Jeffrey Gurnee Geofrey.gournay@gmail.com 918-804-5990 Missile Marshal: Samuel ap Dewi samcupps1259@yahoo.com Rapier Marshal: Position Open and Accepting Applications Arts and Sciences Minister: Mercedes de Cerdanya Stephanie Drake moas@northkeep.anstorra.org 918-809-4612 Webminister: Diarmaid O Dunn Marc Carlson webminister@northkeep. anstorra.org BARONIAL OFFICERS Minister of Children: Aderyn Gunnarsdottir Jennifer Stoops aderynluna@gmail.com 918-269-6470 Virtual Scribe: Amadeo Estevão Eric Stevens RockMeAmadeo@gmail.com 918-269-6470 Herald: Duncan Fraser Brad Frazier Montrose 1649@att.net 918-869-2152 Arts and Sciences Minister: Mercedes de Cerdanya Stephanie Drake moas@northkeep.ansteorra.org 918-809-4612 Historian/Librarian: Position open and accepting Applications Chirurgeon: Position open and accepting applications Youth Chivalric Marshal: Position open and accepting applications Youth Rapier Marshal: Position open and accepting applications Baroness Keigan of Ravensfaire Judy Loyd 918-266-6466 keigangdh@aol.com Canton of Chemin Noir Seneschal: Laiodheach The Bear Bobby Bates Laiodheach@hotmail.com 918-766-1108 Reeve: Eskel Robert Someried Preston Selby diresquire@yahoo.com 918-977-0844 A&S Minister: Igor John Shearheart Sr. 918-907-1431
BARONIAL ACTIVITIES Business Meetings Populace Meeting Last Monday of the month, 7:30 pm at the Martin Regional Library, 2601 S. Garnett. Officers Meeting Unless otherwise stated, the Monday before Populace, 6:30 p.m. at the Martin East Regional Library, 2601 S. Garnett. Chemin Noir Populace Fourth Thursday of the month. Talequah Meeting Second and Fourth Saturday of the month, 11:00 am at the Public Library, 120 S. College Ave., Talequah. Arts & Sciences, and Fighter Practice if Marshall is present. Fighters meet at Sequoyah Park, corner of Bluff and Shawnee Aves. Contact Cicily Bridges 918-457-0270 for information. Marshall Meetings Fighter Practice (Heavy & Rapier) Tuesdays 6:30 pm at the VFW at 6th and Peoria. Practice will be moved to the park across the street from the VFW if weather permits. NOTE: First Tuesday of the month is for FIGHTERS ONLY. All other Tuesdays, everyone is welcome. Thrown Weapons Practice Sundays noon until 2:30 pm at 9737 W. 61st Street. Check out the archery page for directions: http://www.blackmoonarchery.com Archery Practice Target Archery, Sundays 2:30 pm at 9737 W. 61st Street. Check out the archery page for directions: http://www.blackmoonarchery.com Chemin Noir Fighter Practice Saturday noon at Sooner Park on North Madison Blvd. Guild Meetings Arts & Sciences Night-- First Monday of the month 6:00 pm at the Martin Regional Library, 2601 S. Garnett. THE NORDIC SAGA Information Disclaimer/Copyright Statement This is the September 2011 issue of the Nordic Saga, a publication of the Barony of Northkeep of the Society of Creative Anachronism, Inc. (S.C.A.). The Nordic Saga is available from Kathryn Helstrom, 14020 W. Teel, Sapulpa OK 74066. It is not a corporate publication of the S.C.A. Inc. and does not delineate S.C.A. policies. Copyright 2008 Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc. For information on reprinting photographs, articles, or artwork from this publication, please contact the Chronicler, who will assist you in contacting the original creator of the piece. Please respect the legal rights of our contributors. Subscription Information As the Nordic Saga is available free online, there is no subscription fee. If you cannot access the newsletter online, a few hard copies will be available at populace meetings. Please let the Chronicler know so there will be enough hard copies printed. If you would like a hard copy mailed to you, you will need to pay the Reeve for only the cost of mailing ($0.63 a month or $7.56 a year) and give the receipt to the Chronicler with your name and mailing address information. The following is the mailing cost schedule: J-$7.56, F-$6.93, M-$6.30, A-$5.67, M-$5.04, J-$.4.41, J-$3.78, A-$3.15, S-$2.52, O-$1.89, N-$1.26, D-$0.63. Subject to change due to postal rates. Payment Information Make payments directly to the Reeve with your SCA name, mundane name, address and phone number. Make checks payable to SCA Inc. - Barony of Northkeep. Do not send cash. Scribal Guild Monday nights when no other activity is occurring. Contact Dervilia O Shannon for times and directions (zeurburt2003@yahoo.com) Social Gatherings Grub & Garb Last Tuesday of month at VFW (6th & Peoria) all are invited to bring a friend, bit of food, and/or entertainment to share. Although most any time is good for new people, this is the BEST time to meet the inhabitants of the Barony of Northkeep. After Populace Last Monday of month at Populace meeting, a dining location will be announced where we can break bread and visit with new and old friends.
Baron and Baroness of Northkeep Baron Facon dupray Jon Powell 918-361-9817 facon@cox.net Baroness Keigan of Ravensfaire Judy Loyd 918-266-6466 keigangdh@aol.com The winter season has brought rejoicing, fellowship and crisp air. We hope everyone has had a wonderful and safe holiday season. winterkingdom/round Table is upon us. In but a few weeks we shall have the honor of being host to fellow Ansteorrans from across the kingdom and many from outside our kingdom. We look forward to once again watching the members of our barony sharing the hospitality and skill for which we are well known. Please be sure to let our autocrats know if you are able to offer your assistance. We know it shall be exceedingly successful. There will be a soup kitchen again this year as well as a bake sale, if you are interested in contributing to these please contact HE Mercedes (who is running the soup kitchen) or her ladyship Lavinia (who will be running the bake sale). Gulf War is on the horizon, the time has come to polish armor, sharpen our quills and refine our skills. As always spending Gulf War with our populace is a highlight of our year. If you are planning to fight chivalric on the war field please be sure to let our Dionadair Geoffrey know so he may plan accordingly. Be sure to preregister; information will follow soon regarding our land coordinator. Once you have preregistered please go to the muster sight to register there as well, as requested by Their Majesties Along that same line, we are accepting applications for a land steward for our Northkeep camp at Gulf War. If you are interested please let us know. As the weather warms we wish to continue our beautification efforts. We have several projects we would like to begin moving forward on, including painting the floors, the pavilions, and continued work on the fort. Now is definitely the time to be getting any project done for Gulf War. If you have any ideas for further beautification please contact us and we will be happy to look at it. We are still looking for someone whom would be able to pen us an up-to-date, appropriately styled map of the kingdom, please contact us if you are interested. Yours in Service, Facon and Keigan Baron and Baroness of Northkeep Lord and Lady of Chemin Noir
Minister of Arts and Sciences: Mercedes de Cerdanya Greetings, I regret to tell you all that our tree did not sell at the Philbrook s Festival of Trees. I blame myself for setting the price too high and then not checking midway through to see if it had sold. Perhaps if I had lowered the price Ah well, hindsight is 20/20. Duchess Willow will be working on a tree for 2013, please give her as much support as possible. January s A&S meeting will be January 7th. At this time I have no plans for that evening. If that changes, I will post something on the mailing list. Otherwise, bring your projects and come sit and have cookies and conversation. I think I mentioned that we might do glass etching again, but I would prefer to hold off until February for that, if no one minds. A quick reminder I will be stepping down from this position in April of 2013. We will start accepting applications in February and stop taking applications as of Officer s meeting in March. If Minister of Arts and Sciences is an office you would be interested in holding, but you have questions, please feel free to contact me at moas@northkeep.ansteorra.org In Service, Mercedes
Hospitaller: Montega Blackdragon Hello Northkeep! What a fantastic end to 2012! We have had some great demos and have more on the way. I am currently working with the Cub Scouts to have a demo at their yearly dinner. I will be sending more info on that as I get it. I just wanted to say thanks so much for all your hard work with the demos and new people. We can do great things! I look forward to the coming year; I know it's going to be great. I will be working on a Hospitaller booth for Castellan. If you have ideas and input on this let me know. This will be a place where people who are first time attendees to an event can come and learn more, get loaner garb, feast gear, etc. Happy New Year to Everyone! Montega Blackdragon
Things People Did to Have Fun in the Middle Ages By Duchess Willow de Wisp In Medieval times Ales were held regularly throughout the year. The ale was drink and entertainment, organized, or at least supported, by the church, and held to raise money for the church. These ales were mainly held in spring or summer, and were thus often called May Games, Whitsun Ales, Summer Games, or, after a feature discussed below, King Game or Robin Hood Game. These ales were often held in the churchyard or even the church. However, throughout the 13 th and 14 th centuries, there were repeated, and eventually successful, attempts to banish the festivities from church grounds, and also to forbid the involvement of the clergy People that study folklore to get an idea of ancient customs are very interested in the games at these ales because of the choosing a King and Queen or Lord and Lady to preside over the party. Some ales would have characters playing parts such as Robin Hood. Ronald Hutton, in his book. The Pagan Religions of the Ancient British Isles, (Oxford: Blackwell, 1991) estimated that of 104 parishes for which he could find records of ales, only 17% had a King or Lord, and a further 20% a Robin Hood little over a third all together. Of those which had a King/Lord, only three mention a Queen or Lady. Ales could be held at any time, They could take place throughout the year or they could be held for fund-raising purposes. The annual Cobb Ale in Lyme Regis (Dorset) helped maintain the harbour wall which was essential to the town s economic well-being. They could even be organized to help individuals Bid-ales, or Clerk-ales (for the parish clerk) Most of our early information about church ales comes from churchmen and other church accounts, which provide little in descriptions. The writing of those opposed to the ales gave better descriptions. Poets and playwrights saw them as romanticized rural gatherings.
Ales varied from place to place, but the key elements of food, drink, and music stayed the same. The food and drink were supplied by the church, or were contributed beforehand by parishioners, The Church s equipment such as spits, kettles, and so on, belonging to the everyone in the local area, was available for their use. Spring ales in particular were noted for their use of bowers and greenery. People from neighboring parishes would come to an ale in another parish and we have records that imply there were reciprocal visits. Sometimes parishes put on joint events. Richard Carew, for example, defended ales in his Survey of Cornwall (1602: 141) on the grounds of the good fellowship they engendered, and the innocent pastime raising money for good causes, This isn t like thee description by Kethe in 1570:... the multitude call (Sunday) their revelyng day, which day is spent in bullbeatings, bearebeatings, bowlings, dicyng, cardyng, daunsynges, drunkennes and whoredome... (quoted in Hazlitt, 1905: 126). A Dictionary of English Folklore, by Jacqueline Simpson & Steve Roud, Oxford University Press 2000, ISBN 0 19 210019 X. Onlinehttp://www.scribd.com/ doc/56025250/a-dictionary-of-english-folklore
JANUARY 2013 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 2 3 4 5 6 Steppes 13 Crown Tournament 7 6:00 A&S Martin Library 8 9 14 15 16 7:00 pm Fighter Practice, VFW 7:00 pm Fighter Practice, VFW 10 11 Steppes Crown Tournament 17 18 19 Steppes 12 11:00 Talequah Meeting Crown Tournament 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 6:30 Officers Meeting 7:00 pm Fighter Practice, VFW Kings Round Table & Winter Kingdom Kings Round Table & Winter Kingdom 27 28 29 30 31 Kings Round Table & Winter Kingdom 7:00 POPULACE 7:00 pm Fighter Practice, VFW Steppes 12th Night, Dallas, TX http://steppes.ansteorra.org/12thnight Crown Tournament, College Station, TX http://shadowlands.ansteorra.org/event/index.html Kings Round Table/wInterkingdom, Broken Arrow, OK http://northkeep.ansteorra.org/wordpress/activities-andevents/events/winterkingdom/winterkingdom-24/
ARTISTIC CREDITS Cover Art: From A Medieval Book of Seasons, Walters Art Museum, Baltimore. Public Domain. Baronial Officers Page: From "Miscellany on the Life of St. Edmund" from the 12th century. Source: Pierpont Morgan Library, New York. Public Domain. Office Badges: submitted by Jerry Herring, used with permission. Baronial Arms: submitted by Mistress Dunstana Talana the Violet, used with permission B&B Page: From free Microsoft clipart. Arts and Sciences Page: From free Microsoft clipart. Things People Did: Grotesque flutist, French illuminated manuscript illustration, MS Douce 144, f.28v., Oxford, Bodleian Library. Public Domain. Monk tasting wine, from ''Li Livres dou Santé'' by Aldobrandino of Siena - France, late 13th century. http://www.imagesonline.bl.uk/britishlibrary/controller/ subjectidsearch?id=8071&&idx=1&startid=1274. Public Domain. Public Domain: When this term is used, it means the item was published in the US before 1923 and is public domain in the US.