Words: Margaret's OSC

Eva Woderose did the calligraphy and illumination for this piece, based on a 14th-century missal. The assignment came to me Wednesday morning for a Saturday court, but I had a few hours and was able to get it out that night.

With the 14-century English missal as the source for the art, I was going to use Chaucer at first, but decided to go for something new. The source, The Letter of Cupid by Thomas Hoccleve, 1402, has a rhyme scheme ABABBCC. The award text is mainly influenced by the first two verses of 'Cupid. I was able to keep very close to them in this case.

AWARD TEXT Margaret of Rochester OSC Our juste wyl, unto whos comaundëment The gentil kinrede of goddes on hy And mortel Estren folk been obedient, And Margaret of Rochester serve besily, Of the East, right Kinge and Quene soothly, To alle tho that heren Our decree This faire day, hertly greting sende We! In general, We wolë that ye knowe This lady of grete help and reverence For the newe compaignye y-sowe Such seed of hy prayse in our audience And Order, and noon gave she of offence That it Our eres greveth for to here That she is not a Companion by this yere. Wel Edward and Marguerite have thoughte To remedye this wronge, what shal be sene; Our Companions of the Silver Crescent oughte To knowe their honoured wyshes wroughte A rightwyse order from their kinge and quene; Forty and fyve our yere, July the tenth day, Margaret shal amongst your Order stay. This We do at Our Grete Northestren Warre In Malagentia, with Our faire court before.

SOURCE TEXT The Letter of Cupid, by Thomas Hoccleve, 1402 Cupido, unto whos comaundëment The gentil kinrede of goddes on hy And people infernal been obedient, And mortel folk al serven besily, The goddesse sonë Cithera soothly, To alle tho that to our deitee Ben sugets, hertly greting sende We! In general, We wolë that ye knowe That ladies of honour and reverence, And other gentil women, haven sowe Such seed of compleynt in our audience Of men that doon hem outrage and offence, That it Our eres greveth for to here; So pitous is th’effect of this matere.