Words: Picchinina's Silver Crescent

Brunissende de Brocéliande did the calligraphy and illumination for Peach's OSC scroll. She based the illuminations on those of Giovanni Boccaccio’s Il Filostrato because of Peach's Italian persona. My goal is to base the words on the same source as the C&I, so that we're giving the recipient a likeness of a complete page out of history. In this case, I couldn't find the translated words to Il Filostrato, so I used Giovanni Boccaccio’s Sonetto instead. At least then it is the same author, place, and time period.

Syllables in the source varied, at 10+ syllables each line. The source sonnet has the customary 14 lines, with a rhyme scheme of ABBA ABBA CDCDCD. I wished to include as much information about the recipient as possible in the poetic part of the scroll. In listing her service, I broke from the rhyme scheme of the source, with the second stanza not repeating ABBA.

SCROLL WORDS
Picchinina the Incongruous
Silver Crescent

Beside the fields and beds of those in need,
If they are blessed, stands Picchinina the Incongruous;
For need, like light, draws worthy souls who must
Fulfill the golden purpose of their creed.
Event and Feast Steward of many years,
Chirurgeon, Mistress of the Lists, and Seneschal,
Almost two decades at gates We recall,
At least five reigns of favors We held dear.
All this We know she does with a kind heart
And talent for augmenting work with play;
At Our East Kingdom War Camp We impart
This notice, signed July, the 18th day,
Of Our Year XLIV, and by this art
The letter of Our law is on display.

This feast day of St. Eadburga, We, Andreas IV and Gabriella II, induct Picchinina the Incongruous into Our Order of the Silver Crescent.

SOURCE TEXT
Sonetto
Giovanni Boccaccio, 1313-1375
English Translation by Lorna de’ Lucci
http://elfinspell.com/BoccaccioPoems.html

BESIDE a fountain in a little grove
That fresh green fronds and pretty flowers did grace,
Three maidens sat and talked methinks of love.
Mid golden locks, o’ershadowing each sweet face,
For coolness was entwined a leaf-green spray,
And all the while a gentle zephyr played
Through green and golden in a tender way,
Weaving a web of sunshine and of shade.
After a while, unto the other two
One spoke, and I could hear her words: “Think you
That if our lovers were to happen by
We would all run away for very fright?”
The others answered her: “From such delight
She were a little fool who’d wish to fly!”

In Italian

INTORN’ ad una fonte, in un pratello
di verdi fronde pieno e di bei fiori,
sedean tre angiolette, i loro amori
forse narrando; et a ciascuna ’l bello
viso adombrava un verde ramicello
ch’ i capei d’ or cingea, al qual di fuori
e dentro insieme i dua vaghi colori
avvolgeva un suave venticello.
E dopo alquanto l’ una alle due disse,
com’ io udi’: “De’, se per avventura
di ciascuna l’ amante qui venisse,
fuggiremo noi quinci per paura?”
A cui le due risposer: “Chi fuggisse
poco savia saría co’ tal ventura!”