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The Oracle News from the Nest

VOLUME 1, ISSUE 5, DECEMBER 2007

Or even gain a crown, Meridian Grand Tourney Increase his martial knowledge, Display his skill at arms, At MGT, Red Sword Company was WELCOME TO THE To earn the praise of poets, recognized for their service during ORACLE the event. You couldn’t go anywhere To win a lady’s charms. Lady Ailire inghean without seeing a black and red- But when the warrior takes his Aodha—Chronicler tabard person sweeping, picking up place trash, or cleaning something that Greetings everyone! This is wasn’t moving. Upon a battlefield, The Oracle, the newsletter for the Following his sovereign, Shire of Owl’s Nest. This is an Bearing sword and shield, online, quarterly publication that is Castle Wars He fights then, for his kingdom, posted to the Shire’s Web site. Not personal reward, At this year’s Castle Wars, Lord The greater glory and the good, This issue is available at — Cillian and Lady Sirona were lauded Which now command his sword. www.asbrand.com/owlsnest/files/ for their work with new comers to Oracle_2007_12.pdf the Shire and to fencing. As such, His fellow warriors, left and right, they were both awarded the Argent Stand guard upon his flanks. Comet. And he, in turn, stands guard on Also, Lady Elisenda de Luna was EVENTS, AWARDS, AND welcomed into the Argent Rose IN THIS ISSUE... Sable Company by the Order of the RECOGNITIONS Rose. Welcome to The Oracle ...... 1 Lady Ailire inghean Aodha— Events, Awards, and Recognitions . . . 1 Chronicler From the Bard of Owl’s Nest...... 1 Arts & Sciences ...... 2 Oh, the places they’ll go... Meridian Grand Tourney ...... 2 FROM THE BARD OF Hanukkah and Latkes ...... 3 Once again members of Owl’s Nest Where in the Words? ...... 5 traveled far and wide this quarter. OWL’S NEST... Samhain ...... 5 Several were called up in various Lord Raymond the Scot ...... 7 courts to received awards and Yuletide Carols of Yore ...... 7 ...... 9 recognitions. Shield Wall Gyngerbrede ...... 10 How to Submit Articles ...... 12 A warrior fights for himself To win himself renown, A victory at tournament, them, In November, milady Ailan the True brothers in the ranks. Uncommitted taught a class on United in their purpose, Chinese brush painting. They stand on holy ground. MERIDIAN GRAND And he would rather give his life December’s class was taught by TOURNEY Than let his brothers down. THL Charles. His class was on Lady Ailire inghean Aodha— device heraldry. Chronicler Weapons at the ready, Their shields become a wall, If you haven’t attended an A&S Meridian Grand Tourney this season A veritable fortress class, you should make every effort proved to be a veritable feast for Protecting one and all. to do so. These classes are the eyes. Everyone in attendance A warrior seeking glory, informative and help you to explore turned out in their finery and did Who steps out from his place the different creative areas that are their best to support the theme of Ensures his kingdom’s downfall, available to you to enhance your the event. There were many colorful And only earns disgrace. experience within the Society. pavilions set around the field.

No victory is certain, However plans are laid. But greater is the surety When orders are obeyed. Honor comes to him who waits Upon his lord’s command, The honor of the shield wall: The integrity of the man. www.owlsnestbard.blogspot.com.

ARTS & SCIENCES Lady Ailire inghean Aodha—Chronicler

September’s class was an introduction to forging. THL Beldthora has been teaching a series of classes that will result in participants producing a completed project. Some of the participants have already completed their first Grand Champion scroll for Meridian Grand Tourney item and are now ready to start Calligraphy and illumination by Mistress Constance of Purneos their second. Photograph courtesy of Lady Alisoun Brewster

The Oracle – 2 Once the fighters saw the winner’s Sometimes referred to as the scroll, everyone knew that there Festival of Lights, Hanukkah would be fierce competition to be commemorates the miracle that the one who took it home to display. HANUKKAH AND LATKES occurred in 165 BC after the Lady Alisoun Brewster—Historian upheaval of Syrian King Antiochus Lady Essyllt could be seen moving IV by the Jews, who were led by among the visitors ensuring that Hanukkah is a minor Jewish holiday Judah Maccabeus and his brothers. everyone was having a lovely time. in that there is no obligation to When the Jews reclaimed the (On several occasions, she was refrain from certain activities as Temple, they cleaned it and built a heard to worry out loud because there is on the Sabbath or major new altar, but there was only things were going “too smoothly.”) festivals, such as Passover and enough purified oil to last for one Yom Kippur. It has only been in the day in the Temple’s menorah. Various members of the Shire stood last 50 years or so that its However, as the story in the Talmud fly patrol around the serving tables, importance has grown, primarily goes, the oil burned for eight days, while others made trips to town to due to its proximity to allowing plenty of time to make a secure extra provisions and and other winter festivals. Over the new supply. Thus, a great miracle supplies. years, Hanukkah has become both happened there. a secular holiday and a heavily All in all, the grand event was a commercialized one. There are numerous Hanukkah success. Whew! traditions. There is the ritual of lighting candles or oil lamps and reciting blessings over them for eight nights. There is the singing of songs, such as Ma’oz Tzur (Rock of Ages), a 13th century poem of which the modern tune is believed to have been adapted from a 15th century German folk song.

Throughout the ages, Jewish students have played the game of dreidel to make it look like they were gambling instead of studying the Torah. The game is played by spinning a four-sided top and putting in or taking away markers— often coins, nuts, etc.—depending on the side that has landed face up.

And, finally, there is the eating of foods that have been cooked in oil, such as sufganiyot (doughnuts filled with jelly or custard) and latkes—a Yiddish word deriving from Ukrainian and Old Russian meaning “pancake” or “fritter.”

It is known that the potato did not make its first appearance in Europe until the late 15th century. The Pageantry and the Tourney Field at Meridian Grand Tourney potato latkes which are frequently Image courtesy of Lady Ailsoun Brewster served today, did not make an

The Oracle – 3 appearance on the Hanukkah table (Recipe Source: Hieatt, Constance Strauss Collection, Rothschild until at least the middle of the 19th B. & Hosington, Brenda & Butler, donation—on long-term loan from the century. The first latkes eaten Sharon. Pleyn Delit: Medieval Musée national du Moyen Âge, Paris Cookery for Modern Cooks. during Hanukkah were most likely Second Edition.) pieces of cheese fried in oil. http://www.mahj.org/gb/01_visitez/ Provided below, is a 14th century 3_parcours/oeuvres/02_1.htm recipe and redaction for cheese Article References: Hanukkah Lamp—Germany fritters. • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ 14th-15th Century Hanukkah (Please note that the author of this • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ article has not tried the following Ma%27oz_Tzur recipe.) • http://www.balashon.com/2006/12/ latke.html 125. Frytour of Mylke. Take cruddes and presse out þe whey3e • http://www.forward.com/articles/ 4651/ clene; do þerto sum white of ayren. Fry hem as to fore, & lay on sugur, • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potato and messe forth. FC 155 [The Forme of Cury] Hanukkah Lamps A variant in another manuscript Hanukkah lamp—France 14th Two dragons support the central calls for flour, which is really almost Century pillar of this lamp. Dragons and indispensable: the batter is very mythical beasts appear in Jewish difficult to handle without it unless manuscripts from medieval Europe you beat the egg whites stiff, and it and it is not uncommon to find their is unlikely that a medieval cook forms incorporated into decoration could have done that. of contemporary secular and religious vessels. Cheese Fritters (redaction by Sharon Butler) Hanukkah Lamp—Italy 16th Century • 2 cups fresh curd cheese or ricotta, or 2 1/2 cups large-curd cottage cheese • 4–5 egg whites •1/3 cup flour •1/2 teaspoon salt Discovered in the 19th century in • oil for frying the old Jewish quarter of Lyon, this • 1/2 cup sugar lamp dates back to pre-1394, the year of the last expulsion of the If you are using cottage cheese, Jews from France. It is one of the drain it and press out the whey. oldest known objects of worship in Beat cheese, egg whites, flour, and The stylized acanthus leaf and the home from the Medieval period. salt together, using enough flour to scroll work design on the backplate Designed to be suspended from the make a thick batter. Drop the of this Hanukkah lamp are wall, this lamp takes its inspiration mixture by spoonfuls into the hot oil reminiscent of late Renaissance from Gothic architecture, and its or fat and cook long enough to and Baroque decorative motifs. The triangular shape is characteristic of brown slightly. Drain on paper; font for the shamash (servant light) the period. sprinkle with sugar before serving. is missing on the original lamp.

The Oracle – 4 http://www.imj.org.il/eng/shop/ pages2.asp?currentPage=5&cat=holy day&subcat=&words=&exh=

WHERE IN THE WORDS? Lady Alisoun Brewster—Historian

It’s time once again to test your knowledge (and your

eye) to see if you can find all the words hidden in this quarter’s word puzzle. The theme for this puzzle is Holidays.

SAMHAIN From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Samhain

Samhain is the word for November in the Gaelic languages. The Scottish Gaelic spelling is Samhainn or Samhuinn (for the feast), or an t-Samhain (for the month). The Festival of Samhain is a celebration of the end of the harvest season in Gaelic culture, and is generally regarded as “The Celtic New Year.”[2][3][4]

The same word was used for a month in the ancient Celtic calendar, in particular the first three nights of this month, with the festival marking the end of the summer season and the end of the harvest. A modernized version of this festival continues today in

The Oracle – 5 some of the traditions of the It appears that the calendar was Traditionally, Samhain was time to Catholic All Souls’ Day, the secular designed to align the lunations with take stock of the herds and grain Halloween, and in folk practices of the agricultural cycle of vegetation, supplies, and decide which animals Samhain itself in the Celtic Nations and that the exact astronomical would need to be slaughtered in and the Irish and Scottish position of the Sun at that time was order for the people and livestock diasporas. It is also observed by considered less important. to survive the winter. This custom is various types of still observed by many who farm Neopagans.[2][4][5] In medieval Ireland, Samhain and raise livestock.[2][4][7] became the principal festival, celebrated with a great assembly at Bonfires played a large part in the Origins the royal court in Tara, lasting for festivities celebrated down through three days. After being ritually the last several centuries, and up The Gaulish calendar appears to started on the Hill of Tlachtga, a through the present day in some have divided the year into two bonfire was set alight on the Hill of rural areas of the Celtic nations and halves: the “dark” half, beginning Tara, which served as a beacon, the diaspora. Villagers were said to with the month Samonios (the signaling to people gathered atop have cast the bones of the October/November lunation), and hills all across Ireland to light their slaughtered cattle upon the flames. the “light” half, beginning with the ritual bonfires. The custom has In the pre-Christian Gaelic world, month Giamonios (the April/May survived to some extent, and recent cattle were the primary unit of lunation). The entire year may have years have seen a resurgence in currency and the center of been considered as beginning with participation in the festival.[6] agricultural and pastoral life. the “dark” half, so that the beginning of Samonios may be Samhain was the traditional time for considered the Celtic New Year’s Celtic folklore slaughter and for preparing stores day. The celebration of New Year of meat and grain to last through itself may have taken place during The Samhain celebrations have the coming winter. The word the “three nights of Samonios” survived in several guises as a “bonfire,” or “bonefire” is a direct (Gaulish trinux[tion] samo[nii]), the festival dedicated to the harvest translation of the Gaelic “tine beginning of and the dead. cnámh.” the lunar cycle which In Ireland and Scotland, the With the bonfire ablaze, the fell nearest to Féile na Marbh, the 'festival of villagers extinguished all other fires. the midpoint the dead' took place on Each family then solemnly lit its between the Samhain. hearth from the common flame, autumnal thus bonding the families of the equinox and The night of Samhain, in Irish, village together. Often two bonfires the winter Oíche Shamhna and Scots would be built side by side, and the solstice. Gaelic, Oidhche Shamhna, is people would walk between the one of the principal festivals of the fires as a ritual of purification. The lunations marking the middle of Celtic calendar, and falls on the Sometimes the cattle and other each half-year may also have been 31st of October. It represents the livestock would be driven between marked by specific festivals. The final harvest. the fires, as well.[2][4][7] Coligny calendar marks the mid- summer moon (see Lughnasadh), In modern Ireland and Scotland, the Divination is a common folkloric but omits the mid-winter one (see name by which Halloween is known practice that has also survived in Imbolc). The seasons are not in the Gaelic language is still Oíche/ rural areas. The most common oriented at the solar year, viz. Oidhche Shamhna. It is still the uses were to determine the identity solstice and equinox, so the mid- custom in some areas to set a of one's future spouse, the location summer festival would fall place for the dead at the Samhain of one’s future home, and how considerably later than summer feast and to tell tales of the many children a person might have. solstice, around 1 August ancestors on that night.[2][4][7] (Lughnasadh).

The Oracle – 6 Seasonal foods such as apples and Eve—which is nuts were often employed in these now celebrated rituals. Apples were peeled, the as Halloween. peel tossed over the shoulder, and TWELFTH NIGHT its shape examined to see if it From Wikipedia, the free The Lord of formed the first letter of the future encyclopedia Misrule spouse's name. Nuts were roasted http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ symbolizes the on the hearth and their movements Twelfth_Night_(holiday) world turning interpreted—if the nuts stayed upside down. On this day, the king together, so would the couple. Twelfth Night is a holiday in some and all those who were high would branches of Christianity marking become the peasants and vice Egg whites were dropped in a glass the coming of the , versa. of water, and the shapes foretold concluding the Twelve Days of the number of future children. Christmas, and is defined by the At the beginning of the twelfth night Children would also chase crows Oxford English Dictionary as “the festival, twelfth cake, which and divine some of these things evening of the fifth of January, contained a bean, was eaten. The from how many birds appeared or preceding Twelfth Day, the eve of person who found the bean became the direction the birds the Epiphany, formerly the last day king of the bean and would run the flew.[2][4][7][8] of the Christmas festivities and feast. Midnight signaled the end of observed as a time of his rule and the world would return References: merrymaking.”[1] to normal. The common theme was that the normal order of things was 1. OED In some traditions it is taken to reversed. 2. Danaher, Kevin (1972) The Year in mean the evening of the Twelfth Day Ireland: Irish Calendar Customs Dublin, Mercier. ISBN 1-85635-093- itself, the sixth of January. This This tradition can be 2 pp.190-232 apparent difference has arisen traced back to pre-Christian 3. Chadwick, Nora (1970) The Celts probably due to the old custom of European festivals such as the London, Penguin. ISBN 0-14- treating sunset as the beginning of Celtic festival of Samhain and the 021211-6 p. 181 the following day. Therefore, Ancient Roman festival of 4. McNeill, F. Marian (1961, 1990) The according to confluent ancient Silver Bough, Vol. 3. William Saturnalia. The Winter Solstice MacLellan, Glasgow ISBN 0- traditions of the tides of time, (December 21st) marks the 1st day 948474-04-1 pp.11-46 Twelfth Night would have been of many Pagan Winter Festivals. 5. Hutton, Ronald. The Pagan Religions celebrated as occurring on the The 12 nights following and of the Ancient British Isles: Their twelfth day as different to the including the solstice represent the Nature and Legacy. Oxford, present custom of celebrating the Blackwell, 327-341. ISBN 0-631- 12 zodiac signs of the year—and 18946-7. day prior. the 12th Night (New Years Day) is a 6. Samhain 2007 photos and account culmination and celebration of the of Samhain ritual on the Hill of Tara The celebration of Epiphany, the Winter Festivals. (and worldwide), Oct. 31, 2007 , is marked in 7. O'Driscoll, Robert (ed.) (1981) The some cultures by the exchange of Celtic Consciousness New York, gifts, and Twelfth Night, as the eve Braziller ISBN 0-8076-1136-0 pp.197-216: Ross, Anne “Material or vigil of Epiphany, takes on a Culture, Myth and Folk Memory” (on similar significance to Christmas YULETIDE CAROLS OF modern survivals); pp.217-242: Eve. Danaher, Kevin “Irish Folk Tradition YORE and the Celtic Calendar” (on specific customs and rituals) THL Temair Carr 8. Campbell, John Gregorson (1900, Origins and History 1902, 2005) The Gaelic Otherworld. There are many places to find Edited by Ronald Black. Edinburgh, In Tudor England, the Twelfth Night history. One of my favorites is Birlinn Ltd. ISBN 1-84158-207-7 marked the end of an autumn/ pp.559-62 popular songs. Just think what winter festival that started on All future historians will make of Rock Hallows (also known as All Souls) and Rap.

The Oracle – 7 The lyrics that follow are from 15th Servitur cum sinapio. (Serve it The bores hede is armed gay. century Twelfth Night songs. They with mustard) Lordes, knightes, and squiers, are in Middle English, but don’t Persons, prestes, and vicars— worry, it is easier to understand The bores hede, I dare well say, The bores hede is the furst mess, than some modern lyrics. (Think Anon after the twelfthe day, With hay! “Scuse me while I kiss this guy,” or He taketh his leve and goth away even “Now bring us some friggin’ Exivit tunc de patria. (He has left the (Refrain) pudding.”) Just expect strange country) spelling, and read out loud for best The bores hede, as I you say, effect. Or even better, sing out Another Boar’s Head song. Mess = He takes his leive and gothe his way loud, in the Christmas spirit(s). course. Note the simple refrain. Soon after the tweilfeth day, With These are sing-along (and drink- hay! Make we mery bothe me and lasse, along) songs: For now is the time of Cristimas (Refrain) The bores hede in hond I bring, Let no man cum into this hall, With garlond gay in portoring; Then comes in the secund cours Grome, page, nor yet marshall, I pray you all with me to singe, with mikel pride: But that sum sport he bring withall, With Hay! The cranes and the heirons, the For now is the time of Cristmas. bitteres by ther side, (Refrain) The pertriches and the plovers, the If that he say he can not sing, woodcokes and the snit, With hay! Sum oder sport then let him bring, Hey, hey, hey, hey! That it may please at this festing, (Refrain) For now is the time of Cristmas.

If he say he can nought do, Then for my love aske him no mo; But to the stokes then let him go, For now is the time of Cristmas.

Most everyone in the SCA will recognize this one. We call it the Boar's Head Carol.

The bores hed in hondes I bringe, With garlondes gay and birdes singinge! I pray you all helpe me to singe, Qui estis in convivio. (Who are at this banquet)

(Refrain)

Caput apri refer, (The boar’s head I bring) Resonens laudes Domino. (Singing praises to the Lord)

The bores hede, I understond, Bringing in the Boar's Head with Minstrelsy. Is chef service in all this londe, The Project Gutenberg eBook, Christmas: Its Origin and Associations, by Whersoever it may be fonde, William Francis Dawson; pg. 111 http://www.gutenberg.org/files/22042/22042-h/22042-h.htm#Page_32

The Oracle – 8 Larkes in hot schow, ladys for to Bring us in good ale, and bring us in One last verse. Ser Botelere = Sir pik, good ale; Butler, though bottle-er is a better Good drink therto, lucius and fin— For our Blessed Lady sake, bring us description of the job back then. Bluet of almain, romnay and win, in good ale! Fere = frère = brother, or in this With hay! case drinking bro’. Some things Bring us in no brown bred, fore that never change. (Refrain) is made of brane; Nor bring us in no whit bread, for Mende the fire, and make gud Gud bred, ale, and win, dare I well therin is no game; chere! say, But bring us in good ale. Fill the cuppe, Ser Botelere! The bores hede with musterd Let every mon drinke to his fere! armed so gay. Bring us in no befe, for ther is many Thys endes my carol, with care Furmante to pottage, with venisun bones; awaye fin, With hay! But bring us in good ale, for that Hay, ay, hay, ay, goth down at onys; Make we merie as we may. (Refrain) And bring us in good ale. Mery Cristimas! Yet another... Bring us in no bacon, for that is Brane = brawn = meat, and we love passing fat; Excerpts from Middle English Lyrics, it. There were not many vegetarians But bring us in good ale, and give ed. M. Luria and R. Hoffman, W.W in the Middle Ages. And like the first us inought of that; Norton and Co., New York, N.Y.1974. song, you shall sing or you’re gone: And bring us in good ale. ISBN 0-393-04379-7

At the beginning of the mete, Bring us in not mutton, for that is Of a bores hed ye schal ete, ofte lene; And in the mustard ye shall wete; Nor bring us in no tripes, for they be And ye shall singen or ye gon. seldom clene; YULE But bring us in good ale. (Refrain) From Wikipedia, the free Bring us in no egges, for ther are encyclopedia Po, po, po, po, many shelles; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yule Love brane and so do mo. But bring us in good ale, and give us nothing elles; Yule is a winter festival associated Wolcum be ye that ben here, And bring us in good ale. with the winter solstice celebrated And ye shall have right gud chere, in northern Europe since ancient And also a right gud fare; Bring us in no butter, for therin are times. Its Christianized form is And ye shall singen or ye gon. many heres; called Christmas, which is Nor bring us in no pigges flesche, essentially the symbolism and (Refrain) for that will make us bores; traditions of Yule with the Christian But bring us in good ale. story of the birth of of For contrast, a song that says no to Nazareth superimposed upon it. boar...and beef and bacon...well, Bring us in no podings, for therin is Modern Yule traditions include you get the idea. Capons = all gotes blood; decorating a fir or spruce tree, chickens, and there were indeed Nor bring us in no venison, for that burning a , the hanging of der = dear (expensive) in those is not for our good; and holly, giving gifts, and days. Docks = ducks which swim in But bring us in good ale. general celebration and merriment. the mer = sea/pond. And in this case, brane = bran. Hey, consistent Bring us in no capons flesch, for In pre-Christian times, Germanic spelling wasn’t invented until the that is ofte der; tribes celebrated Yule from late 17th century. Nor brings us in no dokes flesch, December to early January on a for they slobber in the mer; date determined by a lunar But bring us in good ale. calendar.[1]

The Oracle – 9 When Christianity was just was sacrificed in the name of Freyr the spirits of the dead and with beginning, Christmas was set on and the feast of boar flesh began. demons that returned to the the dates of Yule. During The most commonly recognized surface of the earth... Many clerics Christianization, Yule was remnants of the sacred boar denounced these conjurations as suppressed by the Christian traditions once common at Yule has being not only a threat to public Church, with many of the traditions to be the serving of the boar’s head order but also, more serious in their being adapted to the new at later Christmas feasts.”[4] eyes, satanic and immoral. holiday.[2] Thus, the terms “Yule” Hincmar, in 858, sought in vain to and “Christmas” are often used Christianize them.”[6] interchangeably[3], especially in Christmas carols. References:

1. “The Anglo-Saxon Calendar” Ancient Yule 2. Snorri Sturluson, Heimskringla, Yule celebrations at the winter “Yule in Ancient Norway” solstice predate the conversion to 3. AskOxford.com. Retrieved on 2007- 11-20. Christianity. It was, in pre- conversion times, the name of a 4. Barnhart, Robert K. The Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology feast celebrated by sacrifice on (1995) ISBN 0062700847 mid-winter night of January 12th 5. (German) Fick, August; Falk, according to the Norwegian Hjalmar; Torp, Alf (1909). historian Olav Bø. [3] According to the medieval English Wörterbuch der Indogermanischen writer the Venerable Bede, Christian Sprachen: Dritter Teil: Wortschatz missionaries sent to proselytize der Germanischen Spracheinheit. Though there are numerous Göttingen Vandenhoek und references to Yule in the Icelandic among the Germanic peoples of Ruprecht. p. 328. northern Europe were instructed to sagas, there are few accounts of 6. Rouche, Michel (1987). “Private life how Yule was actually celebrated, superimpose Christian themes conquers state and society,” in Paul beyond the fact that it was a time upon existing pagan holidays of the Veyne: A History of Private Life, Vol. area, to ease the conversion of the I. Harvard University Press, 432. for feasting. According to Adam of ISBN 0-674-39974-9. Bremen, the Swedish kings people to Christianity by allowing them to retain their traditional sacrificed male slaves every ninth Boar’s Head image: Washington Irving, year during the Yule sacrifices at celebrations. Thus, Christmas was Old Christmas—From the Sketch Book the Temple at Uppsala. created by associating stories of of Washington Irving (London: the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, the Macmillan & Co., Fifth Edition, 1886), “Yule-Joy,” with dancing, continued central figure of Christianity, with p. xx; Illustrated by Randolph through the Middle Ages in Iceland, the existing pagan Yule Caldecott. but was frowned upon when the celebrations, similar to the Reformation arrived. The custom of formation of Halloween and All ritually slaughtering a boar on Yule Saint’s Day via Christianization of survives in the modern tradition of existing pagan traditions. the Christmas and the Boar’s GYNGERBREDE Head Carol. The confraternities of artisans of Lady Alisoun Brewster—Historian the 9th century, which developed “On Yule Eve, the best boar in the into the medieval guilds, were They fette hym first the sweete herd was brought into the hall denounced by Catholic clergy for wyn, where the assembled company laid their “conjurations” when they And mede eek in a mazelyn, their hands upon the animal and swore to support one another in And roialspicerye, made their unbreakable oaths. coming adversity and in business And gyngebreed that was ful fyn, Heard by the boar, these oaths ventures. The occasions were 165 And lycorys, and eek comyn, were thought to go straight to the annual banquets on December 26, With sugre that is so trye. ears of Freyr himself. Once the “feast day of the pagan god Jul, oaths had been sworn, the boar when it was possible to couple with “Chaucer’s Tale of Sir Thopas”

The Oracle – 10 The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey London: for The Early English Text • ground white pepper—up to 1/2 Chaucer (14th century) Society by N. Trübner & Co., 1888. tsp • pinch saffron (optional) (Please note that the contributor has not tried the following recipe.) Gode Cookery Translation • few drops red food coloring (optional) . Take a quart of honey, Bring the honey to a boil and skim & boil it, & skim it clean; take Original Recipe off any scum. Keeping the pan over saffron, pepper, & throw on; take very low heat, add the spices, iiij. Gyngerbrede. Take a quart of grated bread, and make it so thick adjusting the quantities to suit your hony, & seethe it, skeme it clene; that it can be sliced; then take taste. Add the food coloring “if thou take Safroun, pouder Pepir, & þrow cinnamon, & strew on; then make it wolt haue it Red.” Then begin to þer-on; take gratyd Brede, make it square, like you would have it slowly beat in the bread crumbs. so chargeaunt þat it wol be sliced; and when you slice it, stick in y-lechyd; þen take pouder Canelle, cloves. And if you'd like it red, color Add just enough bread to achieve a & straw þer-on y-now; þen make yt it with sandalwood. thick, stiff, well-blended mass. square, lyke as þou wolt leche it; Remove from the heat and turn the take when þou lechyst hyt, an caste mixture onto a lightly greased (cooking spray works fine) square or rectangular baking sheet or shallow pan, 1/2 to 1 inch thick.

Take a rolling pin and spread the gingerbread evenly out into the pan. Turn the pan over onto wax paper or parchment paper, & tap gently until the gingerbread falls from the pan. Turn the gingerbread over once again, then cut into small squares or diamonds shapes to serve. Garnish each piece with whole cloves.

HINT: On occasions when rushed, take the slightly cooled mixture and roll it into small balls. Also, children love to create their own designs with this play dough-like edible. For Molded, gilded, and colored gingerbread in the form of a Tudor Rose. a school or home project, they can Created by Tammy Crawford be put in charge of molding the gingerbread into a variety of objects [such as] snakes, animals, Box leves a-bouyn, y-stykyd þer-on, and even a little model airplane out on clowys. And if þou wolt haue it Modern Recipe of this recipe. And they always Red, coloure it with Saunderys •1 lb Honey enjoy eating the final product y-now. • UNSEASONED Bread Crumbs—up afterwards. Austin, Thomas. Two Fifteenth- to a pound, maybe more, maybe OPTIONAL: The period recipe calls Century Cookery-Books. [Harleian less for the gingerbread to be MS. 279] & Harl. MS. 4016, with • ginger—up to 1 Tbsp (optional) decorated with box leaves fastened extracts from Ashmole MS. 1429, • cinnamon—up to 1 Tbsp to each piece with a clove. [The Laud MS. 553, & Douce MS 55. redactor] usually uses any

The Oracle – 11 attractive, small, non-poisonous leaf or a candy imitation, and either places one in each piece or just Free clip art courtesy of garnish the platter with several of HOW TO SUBMIT about.com the leaves. If using real leaves, ARTICLES clipartspace.com artvex.com please advise the diners to remove Lady Ailire inghean Unless otherwise noted. them first! Aodha—Chronicler

BEWARE: On hot, sticky days the The Oracle is produced on a gingerbread may become soft and quarterly basis. Please have a little gooey, but it holds up very articles, poetry, recipes, artwork, well in cool weather and can be etc. submitted at least one month refrigerated for several weeks. before publication of the next newsletter edition. Deadlines are Source: Matterer, James L. A Boke of Gode posted on the Shire’s message Cookery Recipes—http:// board. www.godecookery.com/goderec/ grec42.htm and http:// Electronic submissions can be sent www.godecookery.com/ginger/ginger.htm to owlsnestchronicler at gmail dot com. If you are providing an http://www.godecookery.com/ginger/ electronic submission of an article, ginger.htm please make sure that it is a text file —not a PDF. Be sure to include a completed publication release form with your submission.

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~Ailire~ Chronicler

The Oracle

This is a quarterly publication of the Shire of Owl’s Nest, a branch of the Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc. (SCA, Inc.). The Oracle is available online on the Shire of Owl’s Nest Web site, www.asbrand.com/owlsnest/ . This is not a corporate publication of the SCA, Inc., and does not delineate SCA, Inc. policies.

For information on reprinting photographs, articles, or artwork from this publication, contact the Chronicler, who will assist you in contacting the original creator of the piece. Please respect the legal rights of our contributors.

© 2007, The Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc. Chronicler— All rights reserved. Lady Ailire inghean Aodha Deputy Chronicler— Kenneth de Kindardesfari