Another sort of Inke

A few weeks ago, my apprentice Lady Bres decided to cook up some ink for an upcoming Art/Sci project. It was quite a fun day for all involved. Below, the recipe and some pictures of our lovely experience. Note the delightful color of the wooden spoon as the ink progresses.

This type of project is easy to do in an afternoon and as it involves wine it just makes sense to buy some extra a while away the cooking time with a glass of vine in your hand. I must recommend leaving open a window or two though, as it is somewhat stinky.

Take a quart of strong wine, put it into a new pot, and set it on a soft fire till it be hote, but let it not seeth, then put into it foure ounces of gauls, two ounces and a halfe of gum Arabike,and two ounces of victriall, al beaten into smal pouder, and sifted through a sive, stirre it with a wooden sticke, and it will be good inke.

Find more period ink recipes here: Ink Corrosion A great big thanks to Bres for getting this project going and hosting the ink making at her home.

The Hague Manuscript Collection online !

Medieval manuscripts in the Netherlands on the web

www.mmdc.nl

The Hague, September 21 - Today all medieval manuscripts in the
Netherlands are available on the website Medieval Manuscripts in
Dutch Collections (MMDC), www.mmdc.nl. The website provides a portal
to a database with short, uniform descriptions and photographs of all
medieval manuscripts in the Netherlands, about 6000 items in all. Jos
Biemans, Special Professor of Medieval Manuscript Studies launched
the website today in the Koninklijke Bibliotheek, by making the first
click on the homepage.

Medieval snapshot
Medieval manuscripts provide a fascinating snapshot of the cultural
and intellectual life of this period. Until now, information about
these manuscripts and the related knowledge and expertise was
dispersed, but MMDC brings all of this material together. MMDC has
been set up by the Koninklijke Bibliotheek, the university libraries
of Leiden, Amsterdam, Utrecht and Groningen, and the
Atheneumbibliotheek Deventer and it is partly financed by the
Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO).

One website for all manuscripts MMDC is focussed on creating
possibilities for progressive research based on medieval manuscripts,
by building a database with uniform descriptions, digital images and
links to facsimile editions and subject-specific websites. This way,
all the disseminated information about medieval manuscripts in the
Netherlands has been brought together and made available through one
database. To benefit international use, all information is published
in English.

Virtual platform
The website also contains more information on medieval books in the
Netherlands. This website will function as a virtual platform for
researchers and students in palaeography, art history, philology and
other fields. Visitors will find an overview of all Dutch
institutions with medieval books, along with information on the
history of the collections, contact information and procedures of
requesting manuscripts. The website also contains digital versions of
several key out-of-print books about medieval manuscripts and an
illustrated overview of medieval script.

Latest work

The first time I set eyes on the "Mira Calligraphiae Monumenta" I fell in love, not only with the illumination but also with the beautifully flourished calligraphy. It is just splendid and made me squeal with delight :o)


Last week, after a quick email for help from Baroness BarbHaRah I decided to give this style a first try, and here're the results. Sorry for the quality of the pictures. These are digital photographs, and I guess after my marathon scribal session my hands weren't all that steady anymore :o)



Ingredients are Bristol Board paper, WN gold ink, black sumi ink and WN Gouache
.
Cheers
-Maeva

Update from the Signet

Dear Scribes !

I've had the chance of updating the folio and its list of contents and
here's the new "Wanted - dead or alive but without ink smudges" list of
scrolls. Our current Crown - may Their reign be prosperous and blessed - has
not requested any specific style so you are free and welcome to paint and
calligraph to your heart's delight in whatever way fancy strikes you *S*

* I ask you to please not add the following
o Year AS
o rex/regina, etc. in the signature line
o your name on the front of the scroll
o [Please sign your name on the back so it can be read during court and we
know who created the beautiful artwork for our kingdom. If you prefer to
use a "Maker's Mark" - a little symbol to represent you - you may place
it on the front if it's small and unobtrusive. If you don't sign your
name and I know your work I will do it for you because I'm a firm
believer in "credit where credit is due" *S*]

* Honors [very simple small illumination like an illuminated capital]
o Trimarian Lancer
o Lion D'Or

* Non-armigerous awards [slightly more complex than honors: a simple one-sided
border, a more complex illuminated capital]
o Arent EstoileArgent Estoile
o Argent MorningstarArgent Morningstar
o Argent Trefoil Argent Trefoil
o Silver SaddleSilver Saddle

* Armigerous awards [more complex than non-armigerous awards: 2-sided border and illuminated capital or small miniature, or 4-sided border]
o Trade Winds Trimaris Trade Winds Trimaris
o Silver ShieldSilver Shield
o Argent Scales Argent Scales
o AoAs

* Grant-level awards [very complex illumination, 4-sided border with miniature]
o GoAs
o Arc d'Or Arc D'or
o Triskele Trimaris
o Argent Sword Argent Sword

* At this point we have plenty of the following
o Order of the Greybeard
o Heraldic Display
o Crown's Order of Gratitude
o Flower of Chivalry
o Trimarian Order of Gratitude

Wordings for all of the award and their respective badges can be found here
http://www.melessee.org/Scribes/awards/awardindex.html

Order of the Bard's Laureate wording

Corrected Order of the Bard Laureate Wordings

* 1.) Blessed are We with those whose facility in the performing arts graces Our Kingdom. We the Crown Trimaris are pleased to commend _____________ to the Order of the Bard's Laureate of Trimaris for service as _______________, witnessed by Our hand on the _______ day of ______, __________ Anno Societas.


* 2.) Come forth ______________, for the fellowship of troubadours and poets who are the Bardic College do welcome you to the Order of the Bard's Laureate Trimaris, for your performance as ___________. So witnessed by Our hand upon the __________ day of _____, A.S. _______.


* 3.) Many are inspired by those who show their skills in public performance, and are worthy of recognition. The fellowship of the Bardic College acknowledges _____________ , and extends welcome to the Order of the Bard's Laureate, Trimaris for service as _______________. Thus made by Our seal upon the __________ day of _____, A.S._______.


* 4.) Unto the populace We do confirm that We the Crown Trimaris recognize the contributions to the Bardic Arts of Trimaris, and so appoint _____________ to the Order of the Bard's Laureate of Trimaris, for service as _______________, done in tribute to the Arts upon this ______ day of _____, A.S.__________.


* 5.) For as much as there are many whose facility in the performing arts graces Our lands, We the Crown Trimaris are pleased to commend _____________ to the Order of theBard's Laureate of Trimaris for service as _______________, witnessed by Our hand on the _______ day of ______, _________ Anno Societas.


* 6.) Verily all shall know that We do recognize ___________ for their contribution to the Bardic Arts of Trimaris, and appoint them to the Order of the Bards Laureate of Trimaris for service as ______________, done in tribute to the Arts upon this ______ day of ______, A.S.__________.

A scribal poem

Scribal-Talkie
A poem in honor of the scribes of the SCA.
(c) Copyright 1989 Stephen Goldschmidt. Used by permission.
Trademarks are property of their owners.
'Twas scribal, and the peerage text
was inked with nibs 'pon the Bristol.
All period were the ligatures
and the uncial, artificial.

"Beware the interlace, my son,
the inks that fade, the leaves that scratch.
Beware the fixatives the shun
the Herald's sealing wax!"

He took his cobalt blue in hand,
long time acanthus leaves he wrought,
the laid it by for the guache to dry
and limned awhile on a trefoil knot.

And as the trefoil knot he limned,
his interlace in cadmium red
came bleeding through the Bristol board
and on the peerage bled!

One-two! One-two! and through and through
Xacto blade went snicker-snack.
He made it whole and with his scroll
he went triumphant back.

"Hast thou learnt to interlace?
Show me thy work, my warranted boy!
Oh frabjous day! Callig! Callay!"
he chortled in his joy.

'Twas scribal, and the peerage text
was inked with nibs 'pon the Bristol.
All period were the ligatures
and the uncial, artificial.

Scribes at Coronation

After confirming with the autocrat here is the updated scribal information
for Coronation.

*Scribe's Point:* Scribes point will be located in the front classroom of
the lyceum in the usual spot. The point should be set up friday night and
will remain available until Monday morning pack up.

*Scribe's Tea:* The Scribe's Tea "Pirates and Princesses" will be held in
the main hall of the Lyceum starting Saturday at noon. Due to schedule
conflicts, we will need to work with the heralds to make sure they have
space for name/device consultation and a quiet place for herald testing if
necessary.

*Scribe's Contest:* The contest winner will be announced at the tea. Please
turn in all pieces to be counted before the tea begins. Please leave a tally
sheet with the pieces so to help keep this count timely. Most recent scores,
that I am aware of, are posted on the College of Scribe's webpage. The
prizes will be at the Tea and winners will be able to choose prizes in order
of rankings.

*Scribe's Library:* Will be located at Scribe's Point for the weekend along
with the copier. HL Gwenhwfyr will be happy to assist with both.

*Post Scriptum:* At the tea we will be announcing the first edition of Post
Scriptum. The hope is that Post Scriptum can be published quarterly and
address issues and information specific to scribes in Trimaris. The first
issue is in response to a whole lot of questions about entering Art/Sci and
is entitled: *Art/Sci for Scribes*. There will be a limited number of copies
on this first run to help determine interest in such publications. Post
Scriptum issues will also be converted to .pdf files and will be made
available on the College of Scribes website in the near future. We will be
looking for contributors for articles and information for upcoming issues.
Please contact me if you are interested in this project.