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Question #8: As a Consort, you discover that your combatant hedged the rules of a tournament slightlyto gain an advantage. What do you do?
A fighter’s reputation is based on honor, if she asks him to take responsibility for his actions, his honor will be questioned from then on. However, not disclosing it loses valuable trust between them and those that are aware of what occurred. First I would want to know from him what happened and why he did it. If he’s out there to win, I would take my favour from him and advise him that it’s more important to me that he fights honorably than win. I’d need to discuss with someone more experienced as to the best way to handle this. He should take responsibility for his actions. In admiting this and doing his best to make reparations will effect his honor, but if he learns from his experience, I believe he can earn back his reputation. --Julie Gavello
King Rene d'Anjou: 15th C. Tournament Architect (page 18)
A brief introduction to the life and times of this amazing tournament patron. During the middleof the 15th century, Rene sponsored several lavish pas d'armes and left us with two works of enduring artistic / scholarly value.
"An architect produces the templates upon which monuments are built. René d’Anjou, one of the outstanding 15th century patrons of chivalry, created templates of such brilliance and romance that their images have endured more than five centuries.
"Indeed, no modern book on tournaments is complete without a plate from René’s Traicté de la forme et devis d’ung tournoy. Dancing through the pages of this stunning illuminated how to book on holding tournaments are brightly emblazoned knights, têt à têt with sword and bâtons. The combatants form a grand parade through the town, making the event a festival. Before the tournament, the knight’s helmets are displayed for the ladies, that any who have offended might be excluded from the lists..."
Tournament Rules a la King Rene (page 28) Brian R. Price
Provides a tourney format useful for SCA combats. Attempts to provide something of the pageantryof a Rene tourney, meshing elements from his historical pas d'armes and from his tourney book.
Arms and Armour of King Rene (page 32) Brian R. Price
An examination of the equipment shown in Rene's tournament book, comparing and contrastingwith surviving examples. Includes the modern French passages describing each element of armourand an accompanying translation.
"C’est assavoir, tout première-ment, le timbre doibt estre sur une pièce de cuir boully, laquelle doibt estre bien faultrée d’ung doy d’espez, ou plus par le dedens; et doibt contenir ladite pièce de cuir tout le sommet du heaulme, et sera couverte ladite pièce du lambequin, armoyé des armes de cellui qui portera. Et sur ledit lambequin au plus hault du sommet sera assis ledit timbre, et autour d’icellui aura ung totis de couleurs que vouldera ledit tourneyeur, du gros du bras ou plus ou moins à son plaisir.
"This is to say, first of all, the crest (timbre) ought to be fastended to a piece of cuirboille (boiled leather), which should be well padded as thick as one finger (doy); or even more on the inside. And it should be content that the leather (cuir) piece should cover the top of the helm, and the same should be covered by the mantling (mod. French Lambrequin), emblazoned with the arms of he who bears it. And on the mantling at the highest summit should be this same crest (timbre), and around it twisted a torse (tortis) in the colors of the aforesaid tourneyer, more or less the thickness of an arm, at his pleasure.
"Here René talks about the decoration atop the helmet: it shall have a cuirboille cap that, according to the watercolor illustrations provided, ties to the bascinet. Surmounting this cap should be a mantle in the colors of the tourneyer, held in place in part by a torse done in the same colors. Interestingly, if we follow this attachment method, there is no way to lift the visor without removing the whole crest / cap /mantling."
Le Pas du Roi Rene III (page 50)
The Tenans of Noble Folly have held two Rene style events over the last five years. The author attented this one in September 1994, and found the excitement and splendor generate well worththe trip. The following in an interesting excerpt from the rules of the tourney:
"Let all princes, lords, barons, squires and levies of the Middle Kingdom and of the Known World who are not banished, nor enemies of the King, our Lord, know that on the 24th day of the ninth month there will be in the Barony of Nordskogen a very great festival of arms and a very noble tourney in appropriate armour with banners and coats of arms as is the ancient custom.
"Of which tourney the captain is Count Sir Valerius Paencalvus and the redoubted Tenans of Noble Folly are defendant.
"All who intend to participate in the tourney must bring with them a banner for display upon the field, on pain of having said banner provided for them.
"And the tournament shall be fought in the following way: upon sunrise, all participants shall fight, one against another, in challenges of matched weapons, counted blow, or barrier. At noontime, fighters shall present their arms and their consorts upon the field. After there shall be a great mêlée with fighters forming teams of 3-6 to meet in honor. All weapons must be rebated so that no deaths will be recorded by the scribes. All those vanquished in combat will be escorted to the safe area and ransomed prior to returning to the lists.
"And the tournament shall be judged in the following manner: There will be chosen three judges. Each will judge the valor, chivalry, prowess and virtue of all combatants. A prize will be given to the team which most pleases the judges most. To that team which gains the highest tally shall be a feast fitting the rich nature of the victory.
"And so, let each captain come with their bannerette of 3-6 fighters, to the Pas du Roi René. Let none refuse, for much good may come of it.
"And first, that all may know who are come of ancient nobility by the way they bear arms.
"And Second, those who fail to behave honorably will be chastised so that in the future they will be wary of doing that which is not worthy of honor.
"And Third, each one who takes up the sword will get good exercise of arms.
"And Fourth, by chance it may happen that some young knight or squire, in doing well, will get mercy, grace, or an increase of love from their very gentle consort.
"So we ask that, for all these reasons, you will agree to meet us in such a manner that fame and widespread rumor will go out to sustain nobility and increase honor, so that, if it pleases God, every fighter will wish from thence forward to practice the exercise of arms more often...."
On Romance (Page 61) Steen Jensen
An active debate has grown in the pages of Chronique concerning the role of romantic ideals versusstrict accuracy and re-enactment. On one side of the argument, Sten has consistently essayed forthe case of Romance, while Hugh T. Knight (AKA SCA Rhys of Harlech, Earl and Knight, CSM) has fought for the side of strict authenticity.
"A romantic ethic such as chivalry is given by poetry an enduring life, from its rough beginnings in Beowulf and the Song of Roland, through de Troyes and Eschenbach, to Maloryand Cervantes, and even on through the much-abused Victorians. Through its long life, such a poetic ideal not only guides and informs its enactors, but is shaped and changed itself through the actions of those who pursue it (like) two mirrors, face to face, reflecting back again each change that each produces in the other. But through whatever changes occur, the core of what I call the romance of chivalry loyalty, generosity, bearing, courtesy can be seen as far back as Beowulf, and survives the ninteenth century to us in the present. That is its life...."
On Virtu & Fortune (Page 65) Leon Battista Alberti, C. 1434
This piece is included to give a flavor of what some thought of as virtue during the 15th century.Alberti's essays to his son on the ways of good living have become very popular of late; we hopethat this piece sparks the interest of our readers:
"Just laws, virtuous princes, prudent and firm counsels, steadfast deeds, love of the fatherland, faith, diligence, courteous and praiseworthy relations among citizens; these will enable states even without fortune to win and seize fame..."
The Company of the Star (Page 67) Michael Spivey
In December 1993 I had the pleasure of attending the Company of the Star’s first pas d’armes, held on Sir Seosaidgh’s property in Gainesville, Florida. As a principal member of the Company of Saint George, I was able to bring greetings to our sister company; and was flattered by the degree of parallelism between our writings and philosphies. As a member of the Company, it is my hope that these smaller subgroups can indeed bring focused talents back into the SCA culture and give those with an awakening interest in the medieval a place to taste something a little different, without rejecting the premises upon which the SCA is built. This article by Benan Mactire includes a copyof the Star charter and bylaws.
"It was this seeking out of other medievalists like ourselves that gave rise to the Company of the Star. Earl Seosaidh Mac Seosaidgh had long professed the activites of the Company of Saint George and its members. He acted as their agent for the distribution of Chronique here in Trimaris, and he had interested some of us in the allure of their ways and ideas. We sat down and decided we should make a petition to enter the Company. Fortunately we were able to talk to some of the St. George members at Pennsic and had the opportunity to share philosophies and discuss the situation at hand. It turned out that logistically it would prove too difficult to participate in their pas, and it was on this revelation that we put ink to paper and set down the outline for the Company of the Star, that would be uniquely our own...."
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