Pellican Scroll for Mistress Neathery de Safita

Text by Master Mathurin Kerbusso, Calligraphy and Illumination by THL Violetta Yolent Saint-Clairen von Stuttgart

 

 

Sing, my tongue, a most glorious elegy

For dearest noble lady, born of the City

And risen amongst the gentle Calontiri

Foretold by omen comet and by crosses red

 

With brush feeds anima, spiritum with her pen

Gladdens hearts with drawn silver, jewels and pearls

With her vielle she calls the dancers to the dance

And with kind heart and gentle voice bids scribes to draw

 

Laudable seamstress, and domina of scholars

Servant and guide to regia Calontiri

Phoeban with bow who brings to ruin Calon foes

Unending is the record of her advantage!

 

With Cross and Hammer stamped, and bearing Lily blooms,

Upon her brow a diadem of gold and pearls.

Now to this add cloak and cap of a Pelican

Heeding now the populus cries of “Ave! Ave!”

 

The gens and nobilium gather now together

As Rex and Regina at the end of vigil

In grant of boon, and in the shade of Aventine

Raise her up a Peer and take her pledge and oath

 

Neathery de Safita

Invited into the Order of the Pelican

On VI Idus Aprilis, Anno Societas LI

From the hands of Ashir, Rex Calontirii and Ashland, Regina Calontirii

 

Words in italics are Latin.

The verse is based on elegiac verse, maintaining the hexameter form but substituting iambic feet for the dactylic feet that would have been Period appropriate. It borrows themes from some works of Venantius Honorius Clementianus Fortunatus (c. 530 – c. 600/609 AD), specifically Pange Lingua Gloriosi Proelium Certaminis (“Sing, O tongue, of the glorious struggle”) and examples from the book Poems to Friends