From the Chronicler
Greetings and Salutations
Firstly I would like to thank everyone who joined us at our "Freaking the Mundanes" night. It was on the most part an enjoyable outint. I hope that everyone who joined us went home feeling that they made a good impression of the S.C.A. as that was the point of the outing. Apperantly the outing was a success with the establishment as a rapier demo has been discussed. More to follow later, hopefully.
There has only been one new officer changed this time. I would like to welcome Kallyn as our new Chirurgeon.
There us a new submission this tijme from our talented members. I would like to take the time to thank all of you who made the effort to help me fill this newsletter and making my job just a little easier. Once again I remind all of you that I will take any submissions that you wish to send me. This newsletter is only put together by me it is not written by me. It is a compellation of information and the talented effort of the members of the Shire.
I want to thank everyone for being so patient with me while a babbled on.
YIS
Lady Rowena (Dragon's Bane) Skerlenger
From the Waterbearer
Greetings unto all. I have always felt privileged to abide in a shire where the populace knows the meaning of the words chivalry and courtesy. It is, alas, a lesson which we must constantly remind ourselves if we are all to keep that special feeling alive. Try to keep mundane matter in Mundania. Please remember that the object of this games is to bring out the best and most noble in us all.
Thank you for listening patiently to my ranting.
HL Sigrid Arden
From the outgoing Chrirurgeon
It's been an honour serving the shire as Chirurgeon.
Kallyn - all the best in your new office.
HL Robert Arden
PS - Wanna muffin???
Eskya's Corner
Eight hundred years ago, an English knight name Sir Hugh de Tabrdie went to fight in the Crusades. Soon after arriving in the Holy Land, he fought his first battle. The Crusaders were defeated, Sir Hugh was thrown from his horse and captured. The Muslim soldiers led their prisoners before the sultan, Salah-ad-din.
Salah-ad-din talked with each one and set their ransoms according to their rank and fighting ability. Ordinary soldiers had to pay a ransom of one hundred bezants. Squires had to pay a ransom of five hundred bezants. And knights like Sir Hugh had to pay a ransom of one thousand or more.
When Sir Hugh's turn can, Salah-ad-din said to him, "You have fought well. Your ransom is eight thousand bezants. We will hold you prisoner until it is paid."Br>
"Noble Salah-ad-din," Sir Hugh replied, "I do not have eight thousand bezants. Were I to sell my horse, my castle, and all my lands, I could not hope to raise more than half that sum."
Then you will remain a prisoner forever--unless you know another way"
"There is one," Sir Hugh answered boldly. "Allow me to return to the Crusader camp. I will ask my friends to help me. I promise to return in thirty days with the ransom."
"And if you fail to raise the money?"
"I will return nonetheless, and you may do with me as you wish."
The Muslin soldiers laughed long and hard at Sir Hugh's suggestion. What an idea--that Salah-ad-din would allow a captured knight to go free just by giving his word!
But Salah-ad-din did not laugh, "Very well, Sir Hugh," he said. "I will release you, if you will give me your word of honour that you will bring me your ransom in thiry days."
"I promise," Sir Hugh said.
Salah-ad-din continued, "However if you return without the ransom, I will put you to death."
Si hugh did not flinch, "I will return in thirty days," he said, "even if it costs me my life."
Sir Hugh rode back to the Crusader camp. His companions were astonished to see him.
"How did you persuade Salah-ad-din to release you?" they asked him.
Sir Hugh explained, "He did not release me. He granted me thirty days to raise my ransom. After that time, I must return to his camp, whether I have the money or not."
"Then you are free," Sir Hugh's companions told him. "Salah-ad-din is our enemy. You do not have tp keep your promise to him."
Sir Hugh hung his head, "my friends, you shame me with such talk. I gave Salah-ad-din my word. My word is my honour, and I will keep it, even at the cost of my life."
Some of Sir Hugh's friends contributed for his ransom, but most refused. It made no sense for a man who was already free to pay a ransom. Besides, they agreed, promises with the enemy did not have to be kept.
Thirty day passed. At the end of that time, Sir Hugh de Tabardie had raised only four hundren dezants. With sadness, he mounted his horse and rode back to the Muslim camp. Salah-ad-din's soldiers were astonished to see him, for they never expected a Crusader knight to honour a promise made to an enemy. They took Sir Hugh to the sultan at once.
"Sir Hugh, I am pleased to see you have kept your word. Have you brought the ransom?" Salah-ad-din asked.Br>
"I have collected only four hundred bezants, "Sir Hugh replied. "I could raise no more."
"And yet you returned, knowing that were going to your death?"
"I gave my word," Sir Hugh answered.
Salah-ad-din turned to his commanders. "Behold this noble knight! He honours a promise made to an enemy, even at the cost of his own life. Surely, it would dishonour us to reward such nobility by putting him to death. Ley us showthe Crusader that we, too, understand the meaning of honour. Which of you will contribute to Sir Hugh's ransom?"
Salah-ad-din passed a brass bowl among his commanders. Each one dropped a handful of gold coins into it. The bowl returned to Salah-ad-din, filled to overflowing.
Salah-ad-din counted out the money. "There are ten thousand bezantshere. I will double it." He turned to Sir Hugh. "Your ransom has been paid many times over. You are free. Take these twenty thousand bezants. Take these twenty thousand bezants with you. They are a gift from Salah-ad-din."
"I can not accept them," Sir Hugh replied.
"Why not?"
"Noble Sultan," Sir Hugh began, "how can I accept riches for myself when I know that others still linger here in captivity? Take back these twenty thousand bezants. Accept the money as ransom for as many prisoners as you will allow, and let them go free."
Salah-ad-din embraced the kinght, "Sir Hugh," he said, "you may keep the ransom money. When you leave, take the prisoner with you. They are all free. I, myself, will pay their ransoms."
Sir Hguh de Tabardie left the newly freed prisoners back to the Crusader camp. When he returned to England years later, the story followed him there. Even when he was an old man, people would still point and say, "There hoes Sir Hugh de Tabardie, the noblest knight who ever lived."
And Sir Hugh would always reply, "Not so. The noblest knight who ever lived was once my enemy. He taught me the meaning of honour and generosity. And if I could not be Sir Hugh, I would gladly be Salah-da-din, for he is the noblest knight of all."
Lamenting with Lasilana
Salutations Gentle Folk.
First of all I would like to begin by saying HUZZAH to our new Seneschale HL Cerridwen.
I have officially take possession of the Shire Library - a list will soon bo on the shire website. If anyone is interested in taking a look or borrowing a book, just get in touch with me and PLEASE REMEMBER donation to the library and gold key are always appreciated.
We have some great events coming up this season. From Freaking the Mundanes and Spring Murder to Ringing in the Past. Now is a great time for everyone to take a more active role in our shire. Having fun at events we sometimes forget all the hard work that goes into making it a fun time for all. Help and ideas are always appreciated.
Ravensweir is a wonderful Shire we have got some active players and some really hard workers, but I think we need some new blood. As Chatelaine I a always looking for newbies interested in the S.C.A.. Bringing in people who are fun and willing to become involved helps our shire to grow and expand instead of getting stagnant and becoming fun for anyone.
Events like "Freaking the Mundanes" is a great way for us to bring the SCA out of the closet (so to speak). It is a way to field questions and gather interest, so if you have any ideas that will spark interest ad gather people please bring, help is always needed. If you know someone who might be interested bring them to an event, remember we have GOLD KEY (which need donations!) - or send them my way, show them our website or the SCA website, remember everyone, the only war we can grow is to bring in more players and beside isn't watching newbies at their first events is sooo much fun?
Instead of just coming to events to dress differently why not get more involved? Bring a friend, do an Arts and Sciences project, go to a rapier practice, work on your persona, we have to remember that being part of the SCA means more than just showing au at events.
Thanks everyone.
Lasilana Trifunova MacGowan
Shakespearian Insult Kit
To contruct a Shakespearian insult, combine one word from each of the three columns below, and preface it with "Thou"
Column 1 Column 2 Column 3
artless base-court apple-john
bawdy bat-fowling baggage
beslubbering beef-witted barnale
bootless beetle-brained bladder
churlish boil-brained boar-pig
cockered clapper-clawed bugbear
clouted clay-brained bum-bailey
craven common-kissing canker-blossom
currish crook-pated clack-dish
dankish dismal-dreaming clotpole
dissembling dizzy-eyed cox-comb
droning doghearted cod-piece
errant dread-bolted death-token
fawning earth-vexing dewberry
fobbing elf-skinned flap-dragon
forward fat-kidneyed flax-wench
frothy fen-sucked flirt-gill
gleeking flap-mouthed foot-licker
goatish fly-bitten fusilrian
gorbellied folly-fallen giglet
impertient fool-born gudeon
infectious full-gorged haggard
jarring gut-gripping harpy
loggerheaded half-faced hedge-pig
lumpish hasty-witted horn-beast
mangled hell-hated joithead
newling idle-headed lewdster
paunchy ill-breeding lout
pibbling ill-nutured maggot-pie
puking knotty-pated malt-worm
puny milk-livered mammet
qualling motley-minded measle
rank onion-eyed minnow
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