scribes

Count and Countess Scroll for Their Excellencies Matsunaga and Elena

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Count and Countess Scroll for Their Excellencies Matsunaga and Elena

Presented by Logan kunung and Ylva drottning at Coronation July 9, AS 51 (2016)

By Aidan Cocrinn, OL  © Holly Cochran July 2016

 

One of the many highlights of Summer Coronation, held July 9, 2016 in the Barony of Coeur d’Ennui, was the investiture of Matsunaga and Elena as Count and Countess. In commemoration of their Reign, both received their County coronets from the hands of their Heirs, Logan and Ylva. In addition, scrolls with the words of the new Crown were presented. Below are the texts of those scrolls, along with photos. Truly, both awards were wonders to behold.

Aidan Cocrinn, OL

Royal Scribe for Matsunaga and Elena, with gratitude and thanks for that great honor

 

Countess Scroll for Her Excellency Elena text was crafted by Mistress Ishmala bint Yuhannah. The scroll itself was created by Baroness Neathery of Safita.

Right trusty and well-beloved we greet you well.  It hath pleased the goodness of Almighty God of his infinite mercy and grace to deliver unto this glorious kingdom this great lady called Elena Moreno del Mar.  By the prowess and might of Matsunaga Kagetora she was made his consort and brought great joy and comfort to all the good and loving subjects of the realm.  This singular rose has mighty thorns and shielded her people on campaign when the winds turned tempest, she gave wise council to all, and kept her head at all times.

It is our great pleasure and inward desire that you continue to give comfort and consolation to our people.  We therefore by this letter advise you that you are made a countess of our realm and are given lands equal to our esteem for you.  We bequeath you the Wardenry of Royal Forests near the Crystal Mines where you may build a home with no less than four chimneys and may hunt and hawk at your pleasure.

We undoubtedly desire that you continue to give laud and praise to all subjects of our heart regardless of rank, and pray for the good health, prosperity, and continual preservation of our realm.

Given under our signet in the Barony of Coeur d’Ennui this 9th day of July, in the 50th year of our Society.

 

Scroll by Baroness Neathery of Safita, text by Mistress Ishmala bint Yuhannah

Scroll by Baroness Neathery of Safita, text by Mistress Ishmala bint Yuhannah


The County scroll for Matsunaga was created by Viscount Master Christopher Reuben Montoya, formerly of Atenvelt, now residing in Grimfells. The text was crafted by Master Andrixos.

Cease Kamikaze

Blow no more, heavenly wind

Upon King, upon Kingdom

Rising Sun has brought storm’s end

In calm, all recall tempest

 

Reclaim lost pillow

Traveler’s cushion far wandered

From home of the dawn

To land entranced by sunsets

Path of pillow was king’s road

 

Brought from the Nippon

To Heartland and to Shogun

Hail, Matsunaga.

Wind-driver and wind-driven

Strong gale blew through Calontir

 

Eight corners he saw

As Falcon soaring above

Lifted by wind’s strength

Soft breeze brought he to the land

Spring’s zephyrs caused winter’s rout

 

He subdued blizzard

And sought stronger storm to test

Led samurai south

To war field well windswept

Foes all dispersed by his gust

 

Gods keep man humble

After victor’s council held

Divine bellows turned

Brought rain like forge’s fire

Fortress strong sacked by wind-flood

 

Among folk he strode

Seeing aid brought to needy

Raising homes sunk low

Sheltering people from fear

Here he did gust as a king

 

Like a willow tree

Falcon tribe withstood the storm

Plans for new fortress

Stories of maelstroms survived

Realm prepared for a new calm

 

O Matsunaga

Storm bringer in war’s fury

For kingship, well worn.

Headband bright like Rising Sun

And high honors earned granted.

 By these words did Duncan Rex and Ylva Regina recognize Matsunaga Kagetori as a Count, and endow him with such rights and obligations accompanying such elevation, including a coronet of gold embattled.  Done on the ninth day of July in the Land of the Ring of Red Boars, in the fifty first year of the Society

Scroll by Viscount Master Christopher Reuben Montoya, words by Master Andrixos Seljukroctonis

Scroll by Viscount Master Christopher Reuben Montoya, words by Master Andrixos Seljukroctonis

From the artist: It is written in the Japanese form of 10 Tankas; A 57577 syllable arrangement. The scroll itself is done with Sumi-e (black ink brush, and the painting depicts Fujin, the Japanese wind god, and Matsunaga fighting while His Excellency is protecting beloved Calontir behind him. The scroll text is in English, scribed in Japanese letter characters.  It is written in the “kanji” form (vertical columns/right to left) over Suminagashi (floating ink or marbled) paper. The Silk horizontal scroll frame is by Blue Heron Arts and mounting was done by the scribe.

 

Next from this author: H.L. Vels created an amazing addition to the Royal Scribe’s office, which was gifted to TRM and the RS Office at Coronation. Read ALL the details and see the amazing close-up photos in the next article.

 

Royal Scribe Box by HL Vels- Front Panel. Just a teaser!

Royal Scribe Box by HL Vels- Front Panel. Just a teaser!

 

CORRECTION: This post has been corrected to reflect Mistress Ishmala bint Yuhannah as the author of the scroll text for Countess Elena. Also, Viscount Master Christopher originally hails from Atenveldt. The author deeply regrets these errors.

 

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Dragon Scale Book

Custom Books for Count Matsunaga and Countess Elena

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Custom Books for Count Matsunaga and Countess Elena

Gifted Upon the Occasion of the Coronation of Their Heirs

Crafted by Lord SeanAngus Macduinnchinn

Article by Aidan Cocrinn OL  mka Holly Cochran © July 2016

 

Summer Coronation 2016, celebrating the crowning of Krununger Logan and Drotting Ylva was held in the Barony of Coeur d’Ennui on July 9. 2016. The event drew a spectacular crowd from across the Kingdom, and even visitors from outside the Falcon Borders.

Before Coronation Court, I had the distinct honor of presenting TRM Matsunaga and Elena with a gift from Their Scribes and Text Writers, hand-made by Lord SeanAngus Macduinnchinn (mka Christopher Brown) from the Barony of V’Tavia. He had driven all Friday evening and Saturday in the pre-dawn hours to deliver these treasures to me before opening Court.

Each preprint scroll included in the books had the name of the text writer, the calligrapher and the illuminator noted on the scroll. The inside covers are pieces of the Royal Pavilion which gave its life at Gulf Wars. His Grace Ostwald provided the fabric to me in secret some months prior to his passing, not knowing the ultimate purpose – only that it was to go for a stepping-down gift for Matsu and Elena.

 

Inside Cover Elena's Book

Inside cover of each book is crafted from a piece of the Royal Pavilion, which gave its life at Gulf Wars, 2016

 

 

Dragon Scale Book

Matsunaga’s “Dragon Scale” style book, unrolled, displaying the preprints of the Reign.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These books, then, contain not only the gifts of the Scribes and the Text Writers, as well as the gifts of the very talented Ld. SeanAngus, but a piece of the very heart of Calontir’s Living room and a memory of Duke Sir Ostwald, as well. We hope Their Excellencies will smile when they glance through the memories of Their Reign.

In Service-

Royal Scribe to Matsunaga and Elena

Aidan Cocrinn, OL

Lord SeanAngus provided the following information regarding the books, his process and the documentation he used to produce them. He also provided the photos included in this article. These are the words of Ld. SeanAngus Macduinnchinn:

HRM Matsunaga received a scroll of pre-printed scrolls, which when unfurled and hung from a dowel, which appears as the scales of an Asian dragon. The name of the scroll format is “Dragon Scale” scroll. This binding is sometimes called xuanfeng zhuang (“fluttering in the wind” or whirlwind binding). While it is not the traditional, single scroll Kakejiku, we see the lineage in its transferal from the Buddhist monks of the mainland to Japan, as was the codex bindings of the teachings of Buddha.

From these roots in China came the transition of the scroll to the codex, the “Dragon scale scroll” as fleeting in history as the cherry blossoms in spring. Few Extant examples exist in China. Examples from the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) and sometimes the rare dragon bound book, can be found in the National Palace Museum.

(Ref: “Dragon Scale Binding: The Rebirth of an Ancient Bookbinding Technique” http://paper.udn.com/udnpaper/POH0056/271212/web/)
(Ref: “International Dunhuang Project” http://idp.bl.uk/)

 

Rolled Book

Matsunaga’s Dragon Scale Book – Rolled

 

 

example

Example of Dragon Scale Book – Semi-unfurled

 

HRM Elena received a Coptic binding of single sheets of pre-printed scrolls. This binding is found throughout the Mediterranean area including mainland Spain, largely due to the Arabic influence there from around 700-1500. The Coptic binding is particularly suited to single sheet bindings, having been used in the earliest known “true” codices, for both legal and religious preservation of writing.

cover

Cover of Countess Elena’s Book depicting Her Heraldic Device Elements

 

spine

Spine of Her Excellency’s Book, showing the Coptic style of bookbinding

(Ref: “The Archaeology of Medieval Bookbinding by J.A. Szirmai “)

Each binding contains a piece of the Purple Pavilion destroyed in the 2016 Gulf War storms.

These bindings were produced as a keepsake of Their Reign, and may serve as a reminder of the inspiration each member of the SCA provides to one another.

SeanAngus Macduinnchinn (c) July 2016

 

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Scroll Text Competition at Cattle Raids

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This year there will be another preprint-text-writing competition, upgraded to a -cum-roundtable at Cattle Raids, on August 23, southeast of Mag Mor. Unless an entrant requests otherwise, judging will be interactive among all the participants, a couple judges, and anybody who wanders near enough to get sucked in, so that we can nerd together–erm, benefit from sharing ideas.

If you wish to enter the competition portion, bring three scroll texts written for an imaginary Crown on three of Calontir’s AoA’s. Pick a unifying place, time, theme, or source, so the imaginary Crown would be willing to use them together. If it sounds interesting but you have no idea how to start, email me.

If you don’t want to compete, come anyway for the roundtable. If you have a favorite book you like to use as a source, come share it with us. If you want to talk about the really cool text you wrote (pre-print or not,) bring it along. If you’re considering maybe someday trying to write a text, come tell us what you’re thinking, why you’re interested, and if you have any ideas how we can help you.

-HL Ingeborg bildsbriotr Ulfsdottir