Words: Cellach's Court Barony

Brunissende de Broceliande did the calligraphy and illumination for this court barony scroll. I based the words on The Faerie Queene by Edmund Spenser, 1590. Not much liking the period Irish poetry I found, I used the English Spenserian stanza from The Faerie Queene, which is at least set in Munster. The scroll words were most influenced by two stanzas from Canto I.

SCROLL TEXT Cellach ingen Chernaig Court Barony, with Grant of Arms A lovely Ladie kneels us faire before, With yeres of labour done for gentle artes, Wherein the needle pricks a vele or gore And dresses it with threde ere it departs; Such ladies close we hold within our hearts Who tireless spread a craft with full support; As pretious as fine flax in laden carts, Or silke from storied Easterne farms and ports, Most deare is she, a Baronesse of our Court. Cellach ingen Chernaig is faire called she; King Konrad and Queene Brenwen full bestow Her barony with grant by this decree At Mudthaw and full pleasd the rows Where gentles from Athena’s Thimble show Their vertues in embroideries displayd; This Anno XLIV so will all know, We have full orderd writ that which we say, Done this bold March the 27th day.

SOURCE TEXT The Faerie Queene by Edmund Spenser, 1590 IV A lovely Ladie rode him faire beside, Upon a lowly Asse more white then snow, Yet she much whiter, but the same did hide Under a vele, that wimpled was full low, And over all a blacke stole she did throw, As one that inly mournd: so was she sad, And heavie sat upon her palfrey slow; Seemed in heart some hidden care she had, And by her in a line a milke white lambe she lad. V So pure and innocent, as that same lambe, She was in life and every vertuous lore, And by descent from Royall lynage came Of ancient Kings and Queenes, that had of yore Their scepters stretcht from East to Westerne shore, And all the world in their subjection held; Till that infernall feend with foule uprore Forwasted all their land, and them expeld: Whom to avenge, she had this Knight from far compeld.