Jousting – Not just a silly boy with a stick!

Posted on May 1, 2024 by Lions and Lilies

(THE RUSTY GAUNTLET – MAY EDITION)

By Cathy T

Continuing with our advent calendar theme of 2022, we decided to create a set of magazine covers in the likeness of GQ or Men’s Health that capture the medieval essence for men. If such a journal could have existed, what sort of articles would it have contained? Anything and everything to assist a knight or his squire about to set out on a military campaign, crusade or pilgrimage. So please enjoy the snippets below from the May issues of The Rusty Gauntlet.

It must also be mentioned that some articles in these blogs are written as they would have appeared directly in the ‘magazine’, whilst others, due to wanting to be as informative as possible, are written from the present-day point of view. Either way, please enjoy.

Jousting is a medieval and renaissance martial game between two combatants either on horse or on foot. The joust became an iconic characteristic of the knight in Romantic medievalism. The term is derived from Old French joster, ultimately from Latin iuxtare “to approach, to meet”. The word was loaned into Middle English around 1300, when jousting was a very popular sport among the nobility.

It originated between the 10th and 13th centuries and began as a mounted contest in north-west France in the late 11th century. The mêlée, (on foot fighting) which was part sporting contest and part training for the real challenges of medieval combat, evolved into the joust during the high medieval era. Jousting became more of an entertainment for the king and his court when guns began to be used for warfare.

The basic equipment for jousting includes:

A suite of armour
A wooden lance
A shield

Knights without a team to attach themselves to were called “bachelor” knights and in the days leading up to the tournament there would be a series of paired events so that individual knights could demonstrate their skills and talents. Knights belonging to a mesnie or household would also partake in these events, especially if they had not yet made their reputations.

The tournament field was set up and the rules of the tourney usually allowed a knight up to three lances. Essentially the knights formed teams. The first part of the tournament involved the teams of knights parading onto the field side by side. This might be followed by some of the pairs of knights jousting. Jousts were, from the 13th to 16th century CE, a popular part of the European culture where knights showed off their martial skills.

From c. 1400 CE onwards they were separated by a barrier or tilt, hence the sport’s other name of tilting. Jousting was an important opportunity for heraldic display, general pageantry, and the chance for a knight to impress aristocratic ladies who might show them favour by giving them their scarf or veil.

A herald would blow a bugle to indicate that round one of the mêlée was about to begin a cheval (on horseback). This part of the mêlée involved mounted knights with lances charging at one another. Once the lances broke or knights were unhorsed the mêlée continued a pied (on foot) with round two of the tournament on foot with swords and maces. Obviously not all knights were unhorsed at the same time so the mêlée could be somewhat chaotic.

The best tournament knights didn’t necessarily dive straight in but held back and waited until the keener elements of the event had tired themselves out and then swept in and took plenty of prisoners. This technique was developed by Philip of Flanders.

Jousting fell out of fashion by the end of the Middle Ages, but there were occasional revivals up to the 19th century CE.

Usually lances are 6 feet to 7 feet in length. Many riders nowadays have their lances custom-made to 6 feet 9 inches. The length and weight affects the speed and accuracy, however, while the length of the lance was important for performance, it was just one factor among many that influenced a knight’s success in the jousting arena.

Black armour is in – Edward of Woodstock wore it

There has been much speculation over the years as to why Edward of Woodstock, son of King Edward III, was called ‘The Black Prince,’ – was it the colour of the armour he wore or his ‘dark character that showed no mercy.’ It was said that once he trod upon French soil, a devil was released. It also needs to be said that he didn’t earn that name whilst he was alive, but only afterwards. Here, now, I will throw another suggestion into the ring. The recent popularity of a series called ‘Bridgerton’ revealed one of the show’s characters, Queen Charlotte, had African Moorish decent – a black queen. Even more astonishing is that research tells us she was not the first of England’s ‘black queens.’ It also names Queen Phillipa Hainault (Edward of Woodstock’s mother) to have had a similar heritage.

So, is it possible, Edward called ‘The Black Prince’ due to his mother’s ancestry? Food for thought but I guess we’ll never really know. We do know that he wore black armour (given to him by his father) making him distinctive on the battlefield.

LOOKING FOR THE BEST MEDIEVAL MOUNT?

In medieval times, horses were not known so much by their breeds as today, but rather for the function or physical attributes. There were four main types of horses used by medieval knights: destriers, coursers, rounceys, and palfreys.

DESTRIERS OR GREAT HORSE

The destrier was the best-known war horse. It was renowned and admired for its capabilities in war, sometimes even attacking other horses. Large and hot-blooded, great horses were bred specifically to be courageous in battle. They carried fully armoured knights as well as saddle, tack, barding and weapons. Worth seven or eight times the price of an ordinary horse, less than 5% of war horses were destriers owned by a small elite of the wealthy knights.

COURSER OR CHARGING HORSE

A courser was a swift and strong horse that was also used as a war horse, generally preferred for hard battles because they were light, fast and powerful. They were valuable horses but less expensive than the highly prized destrier. They were widely used for hunting as well.

ROUNCEY

The rouncys was an ordinary, all-purpose horse. They were used for riding but also could be used in battle. It was not unknown for them to be used as pack horses. Squires, men-at-arms, and poorer knights were common users of rounceys, and a wealthy knight would provide rounceys for his retinue.

PALFREY OR AMBLER

Elegant-looking, mild-mannered horses with a smooth gait were bred with other horses of a similar temperament to create ‘amblers’ also known as palfreys. A palfrey was a type of horse that was highly valued as a riding horse. They were very comfortable to ride on long journeys (anyone who has ever ridden a horse that ‘ambles’ knows exactly what that means!)

During the Middle Ages the palfrey was the most expensive and highly bred type of riding horse, sometimes costing as much as knight’s destrier! Consequently, it was popular with the nobles, ladies and highly-ranked knights for riding, hunting and ceremonial use, however, they were also used in battle because they could move quickly and easily even on uneven terrain. Knights would ride palfreys to battle to keep their heavier war horses from becoming fatigued before combat. The most beautiful palfreys were saved for parades and given special grooming and care.

No matter which horse was the choice, a good horse could mean the difference between life and death on the battlefield.

Catherine A Wilson co-writes with Catherine T Wilson (no relation). Their first book, The Lily and the Lion, was based upon their true-life accidental meeting and resulting friendship. All four books in their ‘Lions and Lilies’ series have won first place prizes in the Chatelaine/Chaucer Awards in the US and in 2019, The Traitor’s Noose won the Grand Prize Chaucer Award.

The Lily and the Lion – 1st Place Chanticleer Chatelaine Award – 2014

The Order of the Lily – 1st Place Chanticleer Chatelaine Award – 2015

The Gilded Crown – 1st Place Chanticleer Chaucer Award – 2016 The Traitor’s Noose – Grand Prize WINNER Chanticleer Chaucer Award – 2017

The Rusty Gauntlet Easter Edition – or how did medieval folk survive Lent? Eggs, eggs, everywhere!

Posted on March 1, 2024 by Lions and Lilies

By Catherine T Wilson

HOW TO SURVIVE LENT – What foods are forbidden and what can you eat to keep up your strength?

Firstly, what exactly is Lent? During the medieval era, when people were governed not only by laws of the kingdom but by religion, they followed strict religious rituals and Lent was a period of observance and abstinence from worldly pleasures to remember Jesus’ fasting in the desert.

It begins with Shrovetide, also known as Carnival, which possibly originates from the medieval Latin phrase “carnem levare” (farewell to meat) or “carnelevarium”, which also means to take away or remove meat and it typically involves the following days:-

Quinquagesima (or Shrove Sunday): This day marks the beginning of Carnival and falls on the Sunday before Ash Wednesday.
Shrove Monday: The merrymaking continues on this day.
Shrove Tuesday (also known as Mardi Gras): The final day of Carnival, filled with revelry and festivities before the austere 40 days of Lent begin.

Shrove Tuesday became known as ‘pancake day,’ and provided an opportunity to use up all the eggs and milk in the household before the fasting began. Not only must one abstain from eating meat, eggs, or dairy, they couldn’t play any sports, and had to abstain from sex!

The 14th-century Shropshire cleric John Mirk wrote of Easter as the time when fires were extinguished, hearths were strewn with fresh rushes, flowers displayed and houses cleaned. Celebrations went on for many days after the Easter weekend.

Ash Wednesday (the day after Pancake Day) and Good Friday were “black fasts.” These consisted of taking only one meal per day of bread, water, and herbs, after sunset. Other days of Lent: no food until 3pm, the hour of Our Lord’s death. Water was allowed, and as was the case for the time due to sanitary concerns, watered-down beer and wine, water not always being a healthy choice in medieval times. The Sundays during Lent were days of less liturgical discipline, but the fasting rules above remained.

_{Fasting nuns at the refectory table being served by skeletons (an allegory of abstinence), from Cotton MS Tiberius A VII/1, f. 97v}

So, what could you eat during Lent in medieval times? Interestingly, medieval cooks got creative with the limited food options. They made the most of the few permitted foods, including wine, ale, bread, nuts, seasonal fruit and vegetables, sugar, and spice. There seems to be divided opinion on whether you can count seafood as on the list, or off. One source indicated ‘anything with a backbone or spine was out,’ leaving soft invertebrate fish/shellfish/jellyfish as acceptable and another states that dried sea fish like stockfish, herring, and cod were staples during Lent.

Flat pies, known as ‘Flathouns’, were evidently a popular delicacy in 14th-century England. The Harley manuscript (MS 279) shows a recipe for an almond-based pie specifically made for Lent.

Recipe for ‘Flathouns in lente’, from Harley MS 279, f. 43v

But the best source I found of what you could eat comes from a fourteenth-century poem written by Archpriest Juan Ruiz of Spain called The Book of Good Love. This epic work contains an allegorical battle between Lady Lent and Sir Carnival that must go down as the best medieval food fight ever!

To put you in the scene, Lady Lent sends a letter to Sir Carnival to let him know that as soon as Mardi Gras (Carnival) is over, she will attack him and defeat him, ridding good Christians of his bad influence. So warned, Sir Carnival, begins to gather his forces.

In his vanguard he had ranged excellent foot soldiers: Hens and Partridges, Rabbits and Capons, Ducks domestic and wild, and fat Geese were mustered near the embers. They bore their lances like front-line men, huge skewers of iron and wood. For shields they had platters: at any proper feast, they are the first course. After these shield-bearers came the bowmen: salted Geese, Mutton Loins, fresh Legs of Pork, and whole Hams. And following them came the knights: Beef-quarters, suckling Pigs and Kids, gamboling and squealing. Then came the squires: many Cream Cheeses that ride and spur dark wines…. Sir Bacon came in a full pot with many a Corned Beef, Rib and Pork Loin. They were all ready for the fierce battle.

Carnival, true to form, has a huge feast with his army, eating and being entertained by jesters, accompanied by his sergeant-at-arms: Wine. The company falls into a contented sleep, getting their beauty rest before they’re to fight.

Suddenly, at midnight, Lady Lent appears, yelling out, “God be our strength!” She has brought with her a vicious army of seafood and greens, and the battle begins.

First to wound Sir Carnival was white-necked Leek, hurting him so badly that he spat phlegm, a fearful omen…. Salty Sardine came in to help and wounded fat Hen by throwing herself into her bill and choking her, and then she cracked Sir Carnival’s helmet. Great Dogfish charged the front line, while the Clams and the Cuttlefish guarded the flanks. The fighting was chaotic and confused, and many good heads were split open. From the coast of Valencia came the Eels, marinated and cured, in large crowds; they struck Sir Carnival in midchest, while Trout from Alberche hit him in the jaw. Tuna fought like a fierce lion; he rushed Sir Lard and hurled insults, and if it had not been for Corned Beef, who warded off the lance, Tuna would have wounded Sir Lard through the heart. From the region of Bayona came many Sharks, killing the Partridges and castrating the Capons…. Red Lobsters flocked from Santander, emptying their heavy quivers and making Sir Carnival pay heavily…. Dogfish, a tough ruffian, went about madly, brandishing a mace slung from a belt, with which he banged Pig and Suckling in mid-forehead, and then ordered them salted down in Villenchón salt. Squid showed the Peacocks no quarter, nor allowed the Pheasants to fly away; the Kids and the Deer he tried to strangle. With his many arms, he can fight many opponents.

*Pieter Bruegel d. Ä. 066 Lady Lent vs Sir Carnival*

Carnival is finally confronted with Salmon, who (Ruiz says) he might have defeated, “but giant Whale came at him, embraced him, and threw him down on the sand.”

The captured Carnival is carted away to jail, where he is guarded by Sir Fast and sentenced to penance which involves both humility and humble food (“when the lentils begin to taste good, you must stop eating them”). Lady Corned Beef and Sir Lard are not so lucky: they are hanged as “just punishment for their deeds”. Carnival languishes in jail until Palm Sunday when he escapes as he is being escorted to mass. He is soon welcomed back in the company of Sir Love in celebration of Easter, while Lady Lent slips out in the guise of a pilgrim.

*Battle between carnival and lent – Jan Miense Molenaer 1633-bfc7520*

Ruiz is obviously playing here, and he would have expected readers to enjoy the silliness of this epic battle while taking in the lesson as to which foods are acceptable during Lent, and which are not. Between the battle and Carnival’s escape, Ruiz spends a significant amount of time explaining the importance of penance and how it works. He seems to be using a classic teaching technique: grab the student’s attention with something entertaining and then redirect that attention to an important lesson.

That said, the battle between Sir Carnival and Lady Lent is epic silliness, and something that is completely in keeping with a medieval sense of humour: outrageous, slightly sacrilegious, and over-the-top.

For even more of Carnival versus Lent (and yes, there’s more!), check out The Book of Good Love by Juan Ruiz. This translation is by Rigo Mignani and Mario A. Di Cesare.

When finally Easter Sunday arrived, Lent was over and a great feasting began! Imagine all the meats and egg dishes that would have been served. It was a time for celebration and great joy.

IF AN ARMY MARCHES ON ITS STOMACH, HOW DOES IT SURVIVE FASTING BEFORE EASTER?

It seems the simple answer is … they didn’t fight during Lent! Warriors were forbidden by the church to fight on religious feast days, (of which there were many in the medieval calendar) and Lent would have been at the top of the list. Winter was another time that was avoided, if possible. The logistics for moving an army were hard enough without adding snow and blizzards into the mix, let alone fasting days, though cutting rations may have helped.

EGGS, EGGS EVERYWHERE! Since chickens don’t stop laying, what do you do with all those eggs during Lent? Plus one great recipe!

Following Shrove Tuesday where medieval cooks used up the supply of eggs, milk and butter on hand, there was the question of what to do with the eggs if the hens kept laying. Some suggest it was a cold month and therefore the hens would not be prolific but we have to assume there were some and forty days is a long time to neglect collecting the eggs!

With the possibility of a large number of eggs laid, boiling them to preserve them was the answer. The colouring of eggs is associated with various legends. An ancient story recounts Mary Magdalene being summoned by Emperor Tiberius and stating that Christ had been resurrected. The sceptical Caesar pointed to an egg and exclaimed, “Christ has not risen, no more than that egg is red”—after which the egg in question miraculously turned blood-red. One Eastern Orthodox myth presents either Mary Magdalene or Mary, the mother of Jesus, placing a basket of eggs under the cross. The blood of Christ fell on the eggs, turning them red. According to another tale, Simon of Cyrene was an egg merchant who had to leave his basket of eggs to help Jesus carry the cross. When he returned, he found that his eggs had changed colour!

Eggs played a huge part in Easter celebrations during 1276. Eleanor and Simon de Montfort bought 3700 eggs for their feast, (so somewhere chickens were still laying!) and in 1290 Edward I’s accounts show that he obtained eggs that were “boiled and stained, or covered with leaf gold, and afterwards distributed to the royal household at Easter.” (William Hone, The Every-Day Book)

When Easter Sunday arrived, any fresh eggs were used for the feast, the good boiled ones were either used in food preparation, or ones that may be ‘doubtful’ would be painted for the children to play at rolling downhill.

Recipe for Cream Custard Tart

‘Doucetes. Take Creme a gode cupfulle, & put it on a straynour, thanne take yolkes of Eyroun, and put ther-to, & a lytel mylke; then strayne it throw a straynour in-to a bolle; then take Sugre y-now, put ther-to, or ellys hony forde faute of Sugre, than coloure it with Safroun; than take thin cofyns, & put it in the ovynne letre, & tat hem ben hardyd; than take a dyssche y-fastenyd on the pelys ende, & pore thin comade in-to the dyssche, & fro the dyssche in-to the cofyns; & whan they don a-ryse wet, teke hem out, ee serue hem forth.’

–Fifteenth-Century Cookery Book, Harleian MS 279, p.50.

Serves 6

Ingredients

Pulverized dried saffron strands
Shortcrust pastry made with 225g flour, 65g butter, 40g lard, and cold water to mix (use butter instead of lard to make this vegetarian)
6 egg yolks
350ml double cream
125ml milk
65g white sugar
1/4 tsp sea salt

Method

Soak the saffron in 2 tbsp water until the water is deep gold in colour. Add the pastry to a 20cm pie plate or cake tin with a loose bottom, with a depth of 5cm. Bake ‘blind’ in a preheated oven at 200°C for 15–20 minutes, then remove the filling of dried beans and return the case to the oven at about 160°C for 6–8 minutes until dried out and firm. Remember a cake tin is deeper than a pie plate so the case in it may need longer baking than usual. Beat the egg yolks lightly in a bowl, then beat in the cream, milk, sugar, saffron water and salt. Pour the custard into the pastry case. Bake it at 160°C for about 45 minutes or until it is just set in the centre. Serve warm. Make small tarts if you prefer. The full recipe quantity of pastry will make 36 tarts, using a 7.5cm cutter. You will need two thirds of the filling for them.

PREPARE FOR HOCKTIDE – ARE YOU READY TO RUN?

Following Easter Sunday and the lifting of restrictions meant a time of fun and frivolity again. The Monday following Easter Sunday was known as ‘Hock Monday.’ This involved the young women of the village capturing the young men. The men could then only be released once a ransom was paid – this was normally a kiss or a donation to the Church, sometimes both.

The same thing happened on ‘Hock Tuesday’, in which the young men did the same to the women. Some years they swapped the Monday chase for the Tuesday chase.

History records that Kings Edward I and II were both caught in bed on Hock Monday by their Queens’ ladies. Whatever the Church officially thought of celebrating the salvation of the world by tying people up in bed, it seems to have remained relatively discreet on the subject, or maybe the donations bought the Church’s discretion!

The modern celebration at Hungerford is begun by a watercress supper at the John o’ Gaunt Inn, John Gaunt, (brother to Edward of Woodstock, the Black Prince), being its patron and where his wonderful horn, the town’s most treasured possession, is still kept.

The supper consists of black broth, Welsh rarebit, macaroni, and salad, with bowls of punch. Next morning the town crier blows the horn, and the Hocktide court assembles. The jury is sworn, the names of freemen called, and officials elected. The tything or tutti men receive from the constable a pole on the top of which is a tutti or posy. They then go round the town collecting pennies from the men and kisses from the women. Of course there is a lot of “fun,” and women make themselves scarce. The crier, poor fellow, is only allowed to collect pennies: kisses are forbidden fruit. When this part of the celebration is over, the Constable (who is chief ruler of the town) gives a luncheon and then holds the Sandon Fee Court for regulating cattle feeding on the Marsh. After another dinner, court leet is held. “Then comes the Constable’s banquet, at which his worship sits beneath the famous John o’ Gaunt’s horn, suspended from the two tutti poles, and the principal feature of which is a toast, ‘To the memory of John o’ Gaunt.’ This is drunk in solemn silence as the clock strikes the midnight hour.” And Hocktide is over.

The John of Gaunt Horn, which is supposed to have been made to guarantee the inherited rights a charter granting generous rights and privileges to the residents of Hungerford. On one side of the horn is the word Actel (or Astel) on the other along with the crescent and star, which is now recognisable as the badge of the town. The horn dates back to the fifteenth century (John died in 1399), and what is known, is that for some two hundred years (1365 -1565), Hungerford enjoyed John of Gaunt Privileges with the profits of markets and fairs as well as the free fishery being a right.

THE CANTERBURY TALES – A MUST READ FOR EVERY KNIGHT!

The Canterbury Tales is a collection of stories as told by participants in a pilgrimage to the shrine of Thomas Becket in Canterbury, Kent.

The 30 pilgrims who undertake the journey gather at the Tabard Inn in Southwark, across the Thames from London city. They agree to engage in a storytelling contest as they travel, and Harry Bailly, host of the Tabard, serves as master of ceremonies for the contest.

Most of the pilgrims are introduced by vivid brief sketches in the “General Prologue.” Interspersed between the 24 tales are short dramatic scenes (called links) presenting lively exchanges, usually involving the host and one or more of the pilgrims. Chaucer did not complete the full plan for his book: the return journey from Canterbury is not included, and some of the pilgrims do not tell stories. The prize for the best tale was a meal at the Tabard Inn upon return.

The Canterbury Tales consists of the General Prologue, The Knight’s Tale, The Miller’s Tale, The Reeve’s Tale, The Cook’s Tale, The Man of Law’s Tale, The Wife of Bath’s Tale, The Friar’s Tale, The Summoner’s Tale, The Clerk’s Tale, The Merchant’s Tale, The Squire’s Tale, The Franklin’s Tale, The Second Nun’s Tale, The Canon’s Yeoman’s Tale, The Physician’s Tale, The Pardoner’s Tale, The Shipman’s Tale, The Prioress’s Tale, The Tale of Sir Thopas, The Tale of Melibeus (in prose), The Monk’s Tale, The Nun’s Priest’s Tale, The Manciple’s Tale, and The Parson’s Tale (in prose), and ends with “Chaucer’s Retraction.” Not all the tales are complete; several contain their own prologues or epilogues.

Five of these tales are described in our Facebook posts for the week Monday, March 4^th. You might be of the thought that, for example, The Friar’s Tale is about a friar, or ‘The Miller’s Tale’ is about a miller, but it’s not. The Miller’s Tale is about a carpenter. In fact, part of the humour Chaucer creates to have one person tell a tale on another, for example, The Friar’s Tale is about a summoner and in retaliation, the summoner tells an unflattering tale about a friar. However, in complete contrast, The Nun’s Priest’s tale is related allegorically using barnyard animals.

The moral values in Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales originate mainly from the lessons found in the stories each character tells.

(Warning – Possible spoilers if you have not read any of the tales)

Lust & Love: Many of the tales depict men who act foolishly while lusting after beautiful women. However, the moral seems to be that lust only leads to trouble. Characters are advised not to seduce other men’s wives or daughters. For instance, in the Merchant’s Tale, we learn about May, a young and beautiful woman who lusts after a man who is not her husband. Although lust doesn’t always result in punishment, it is generally looked down upon in the story.
Love Conquers All, But Life is Short: The theme of love is prevalent throughout the tales. Despite obstacles and opposition, characters like Custance and Alla in the Man of Law’s Tale find love. However, the tales also emphasize that life is fleeting, as Alla eventually dies. So, while love conquers, it doesn’t necessarily guarantee a long life.
Religion: The tales touch on religious themes, including faith, piety, and the consequences of sin. Characters grapple with their beliefs and actions, providing insights into the complexities of religious life during Chaucer’s time.
Honor & Honesty: Several stories underscore the importance of honesty, integrity, and upholding moral values. Characters who act honourably are often rewarded, while deceitful behaviour leads to negative outcomes.
Generosity & Charity: Chaucer’s tales also highlight the virtues of generosity and charity. Characters who exhibit kindness and selflessness are portrayed positively.

The Canterbury Tales offers a rich tapestry of human experiences, showcasing both virtues and vices. Its timeless lessons continue to resonate with readers across centuries.

Chaucer’s Plaque at the site of the Tabard Inn in London today.

Nestled down an ancient side street close to London Bridge Train Station is the site of the Tabard Inn. This historic coaching inn was originally established around 1300 and was one of a series that lined the old Roman route between London Bridge, Canterbury and Dover.

The Talbot Inn thrived for the next 150 years, although the arrival of the railways in the mid-1800’s led to a dramatic decline in the amount of passing trade. As such, the Tabard Inn (now known as the Talbot) fell into disrepair and was eventually demolished in 1873.

The Lily and the Lion – 1st Place Chanticleer Chatelaine Award – 2014

The Order of the Lily – 1st Place Chanticleer Chatelaine Award – 2015

The Gilded Crown – 1st Place Chanticleer Chaucer Award – 2016

The Traitor’s Noose – Grand Prize WINNER Chanticleer Chaucer Award – 2017

The Chastity Belt celebrates Halloween!

Posted on October 1, 2023 by Lions and Lilies

BLOG – THE CHASTITY BELT OCTOBER ISSUE

By Cathy T Wilson

For our 2022 advent calendar, we decided to create a set of magazine covers in the likeness of Dolly or Cosmopolitan that capture the medieval essence. If such a journal could have existed, what sort of articles would it have contained? Anything and everything to assist the young maiden about to set out on her life’s journey as a wife and mother, and once there, all the information needed to be a good spouse and keep her husband satisfied and at home when not out soldiering.

Such were our efforts that we now find ourselves tasked with writing some of these articles! Well, why not? It might be fun… So please enjoy the snippets below from the October issues of The Chastity Belt.

Getting ready for Halloween? How to carve your turnip lamps.

*A plaster cast of a traditional Irish Jack-o’-Lantern in the Museum of Country Life, Ireland. Rutabaga or turnip were often used.*

The Celtic tradition of carving demon faces was to ward off evil spirits that had ‘crossed over’ on All Hallows Eve but where does calling them ‘Jack’o’lanterns’ come from?

It all began with a fellow called Stingy Jack who made a deal with the Devil. When Jack offered his soul in exchange for one last drink, the Devil quickly turned himself into a sixpence to pay the bartender, but Jack immediately snatched the coin and deposited it into his pocket, next to a silver cross that he was carrying.

Satan, frustrated at the fact that he had been entrapped, demanded his release. As Jack did before, he made a second demand: that the Devil would never take his soul to Hell. With no other choice, the Devil agreed and was set free, but when Jack died, he found himself barred from Heaven—and from Hell. The Devil finally took some pity on Jack, giving him an ember of coal to light his turnip lantern as he wandered between both places for eternity. He became known as ‘Jack of the Lantern.’

For protection from Stingy Jack and other apparitions, people began carving faces into turnips. They placed lit candles inside the cavities, believing that by leaving the spooky carvings outside their homes or carrying them as lanterns, it would protect them from harm.

Carving the lamps takes only a very sharp knife and a little precision with the blade! The scarier, the better. Here are some examples you can copy.

TO COCKENTRICE OR NOT TO COCKENTRICE

Okay, so for those of you who are not sure, a cockentrice is a dish consisting of a suckling pig’s upper body sewn onto the bottom half of a capon or turkey. Alternately, the front end (head and torso) of the poultry is sewn to the rump of the piglet to not waste the other half.

Our resident cook informs us that the word “cockentrice” is the most common name for the fanciful dish; other known names include “cokagrys”, “cokyntryche”, and “cotagres.”

It is a combination of the words “cock” (a capon) and “gryse”(a suckling pig). The main idea of the dish is to use parts of regular animals to create an impression of a mythical beast, which would surprise your guests both with its unusual appearance and impressive taste.

As the name suggests, the most commonly used animals are chicken and pigs, which were stitched together to form the new animal. Once sewn together, baste it with a mixture of egg yolk and saffron during the roasting. It can also be filled with a similar mixture to have a ‘gilded’ inside.

There seems little left to say except give you all the cook’s recipe. He tells us that the decision of whether to cockentrice or to not cockentrice is completely up to you!

http://The History of the Cockentrice (godecookery.com)

Recipe

Harleian MS.279 .xxviij. Cokyntryce. – Take a Capon, & skald hym, & draw hem clene, & smyte hem a-to in the waste ouerthwart; take a Pigge, & skald hym, & draw hym in the same maner, & smyte hem also in the waste; take a nedyl & a threde, & sewe the fore partye of the Capoun to the After parti of the Pigge; & the fore partye of the Pigge, to the hynder party of the Capoun, & than stuffe hem as thou stuffyst a Pigge; putte hem on a spete, and Roste hym: & whan he is y-now, dore hem with yolkys of Eyroun, & pouder Gyngere & Safroun, thenne wyth the Ius of Percely with-owte; & than serue it forth for a ryal mete.

In modern English:-

Cockentrice – take a capon, scald it, drain it clean, then cut it in half at the waist; take a pig, scald it, drain it as the capon, and also cut it in half at the at the waist; take needle and thread and sew the front part of the capon to the back part of the pig; and the front part of the pig to the back part of the capon, and then stuff it as you would stuff a pig; put it on a spit, and roast it: and when it is done, gild it on the outside with egg yolks, ginger, saffron, and parsley juice; and then serve it forth for a royal meat.

CAN’T PLAY DICE? WE SHOW YOU ALL THE TIPS AND TRICKS!

Board and dice games have been a popular activity for thousands of years — in fact, they are so ancient that it’s unknown which game is the oldest or the original. Before we get into our ‘tips and tricks,’ let us introduce the most popular games you may come across.

Passe-dix (Passes Ten)

3 six-sided dice are rolled: 10 and above wins double the stake, below loses the stake; after each roll the bank passes to the next player.

Probably one of the most, if not the most, ancient dice game in history. Passe-dix was specified by Matthew’s gospel (Matthew 27:35) as the game the Roman guards played under the site of the crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth.

Passe-dix is played with three dice. There’s always a banker, and the number of players is unlimited. The first gamer rolls: every time he throws UNDER ten he (and all the other players in the game) lose the specified stake, which goes to the banker. Every time he rolls ABOVE ten (or PASSES TEN–whence the name of the game), the banker must return double the stake to all the players in the game. After three losses of the roller (no matter how many wins), the roller position is passed to another gamer in the circle. The banker changes after each roll.

Hazard

2 six-sided dice: roller specifies a number from 5 to 9 inclusive – this number is called the main – then rolls. Depending on the main, a roller nicks(wins) or outs(loses). After 3 outs, the roller changes. Multiple players/betters but only one rolls each time. *

This game literally means dice in Arabic and is one of the most played games in 13th century Europe. The apprentice in Chaucer’s ‘The Cook’s Tale’ said “This game is properly so called; for it makes a man or undoes him in the twinkling of an eye!”

Highest Points

2 six-sided dice, 2 players: each roll both dice and the highest sum wins.

This medieval gambling game of Highest Points was simple and straightforward – maybe too simple, since a game of chance should not be a game of boredom. People tend to play Highest Points less often than either Hazard or Passe-dix.

Now, as for the tips and tricks we promised, we must advise that there is another word used for the following information – simply put, it’s called cheating! And we here, at ‘The Chastity Belt,’ cannot held be accountable if you choose to use the following guide. We must warn you though, if you are called out, the consequences could be severe. You must use your discretion.

By making your own set of die, you can slightly alter the balance of a dice and thus its body shifts when rolled. Some add a small piece of lead and encase it within the timber or stone. Such an imbalance will cause it to roll in particular to one direction. On this face of the die, you place your highest number. Most cleverly, is to make an identical set of die, one loaded, one not. This way you can swap them discreetly when it’s your turn or a certain number is required in the game.

Another way is to shape the die so it is not only crooked but also slanted slightly. For example, it measures 2.1 cm (0.83 inches) high and wide in the top, but 2.2 cm (0.87 inches) in the bottom. Be careful of anyone else using it though as it can weigh noticeably heavier.

And lastly, as the numbers are set upon the die rather randomly, it can often go unnoticed if you were to omit the numbers 1 and 2 and have two sets of the numbers 5 and 6 instead. This will greatly increase your chances!

Just remember, whichever way you try, there could be consequences!

*For more detailed instruction on Hazard, see here- Medieval Gambling Games Dice and Street games | Lost Kingdom RPG

Soothsayers – can they really see into the future?

Soothsayers have been a part of society since ancient times, and most of the predictions made, even as far ‘forward’ as medieval times, became legend, told in story. During the Renaissance, even Nostradamus, the most well-known ‘soothsayer,’ did not put his later ideas on paper in a straight format, but in muddled-up quatrains using a mixture of languages. Some accounts state that he was afraid of being persecuted for heresy by the Inquisition, but neither prophecy nor astrology fell in this bracket, and interestingly, he would have only been in danger if he had practised magic to support them! Such was the distinction between witches and prophets.

So, as for answering the question of whether or not they can really see into the future, I’m afraid that must be left to each individual to decide for themselves. What I can do is to report on the more famous soothsayers in history and some of their predictions.

Cassandra – 11^th or 12^th C BC

Starting with the Greek empire, Cassandra was a Trojan princess who was cursed by Apollo because she could not return his love. He saw to it that no one would believe her prophesies, not even when they came true. Those warnings included the Trojan Horse, Agamemnon’s death and even her own death.

Pythia – 67 AD

Pythia was a priestess who manned the oracle at Delphi. She made more than 500 predictions and statements that, unlike poor Cassandra, leaders would believe. In 67 A.D. she told a visiting Nero that he was unwelcome by the Gods and “The number 73 marks the hour of your downfall.” Not liking to hear of his inevitable defeat, Nero had Pythia burned alive. He always thought he would die at the age of 73 but ended up committing suicide at the age of 30 after a revolt by his general Galba, ended his career. Galba, the Governor of Hispania Tarraconensis, (Spain today) was 73 years old at the time. Coincidence or not?

Caesar’s Soothsayer – 44 BC

The Roman calendar was arranged around three ‘marker’ days; reference points from which all other unnamed days were calculated. These marker days were the Kalends (the first day of the month), the Nones (the 7^th day in March, May, July and October) and the Ides (the 15^th day in March, May, July and October and the 13^th day in all other months).

So, when Caesar was warned by his soothsayer to ‘beware the ides of March,’ he specifically meant March 15^th. The day was almost over when Caesar ran into his seer on his way to the Theatre of Pompey. When gleefully telling his prophet that the ides were nearly over and nothing had happened, the seer replied, ‘They have come, but they are not gone.’

Caesar went on his way to the theatre where was murdered almost as soon as he arrived, stabbed 23 times!

Michael Scot (1175 – c. 1232)

Michael was a Scottish mathematician and scholar in the Middle Ages. Scot was a pioneer in the study of physiognomy. His manuscripts dealt with astrology, alchemy and the occult sciences but he also had a particular reputation for his ability to predict the future.

Scot wrote ‘Every astrologer is worthy of praise and honour, since by such a doctrine as astrology, he probably knows many secrets of God, and things which few know.’

A legend popular in the late 13th and early 14th centuries said that Scot foresaw that a small stone would strike him in the head and kill him, so he wore an iron skullcap to avoid his death. However, he removed the cap in church, only to be struck by a stone and die.

Mother Shipton (c 1488 – 1561)

Ursula Southeil, more popularly known as Mother Shipton, was an English soothsayer and prophetess. Shipton was born during a violent thunderstorm, and was deformed and ugly, with a hunchback and bulging eyes. Sources also state that Shipton cackled instead of crying after having been born, and as she did so, the previously raging storms ceased.

Ursula’s mother, Agatha, was a desolate 15-year-old orphan, left with no means to support herself, and her failure to disclose the name of Ursula’s father, gave rise to whispers that her daughter was the spawn of the devil. Rumours persisted that Agatha was a witch and the cave where she gave birth to Ursula had a skull-shaped pool, which turned things to stone. The cave is called as Mother Shipton’s Cave.

Today, it is known that the effects of the cave’s pool are not those of true petrification. Rather, they closely resemble the process by which stalactites are formed, coating objects with layers of minerals, and hardening porous objects until they become indurate and stone-like.

As Ursula grew so did her knowledge of plants and herbs and she became an invaluable resource for the townspeople as an herbalist and eventually she married Toby Shipton, thus becoming ‘Mother Shipton,’ regularly visited by the locals. When one lady had some garments stolen, Mother Shipton told her to meet up at the market the following day. The perpetrator of the stolen clothes appeared, dancing up to Mother Shipton, announcing she was the thief. She then disrobed the robbed garments and handed them over!

Ursula began making small prophecies involving her town and the people within, and as her prophecies came true, she told prophecies of the monarchy and the future of the world.

‘Water shall come over Ouse Bridge, and a windmill shall be set upon a Tower, and an Elm tree shall lie at every man’s door.’

This prophecy meant nothing to the people of York until the town got a piped water system. The system brought water across Ouse Bridge to a windmill that drew up the water into pipes. The pipes used were made out of Elm trees and went to every man’s door delivering water throughout the town.

‘Before Ouse Bridge and Trinity Church meet, what is built in the day shall fall in the night, till the highest stone in the church be the lowest stone of the bridge.’

After Mother Shipton uttered this prophecy, a huge storm fell on York during which the steeple on the top of Trinity Church fell and a portion of the Ouse Bridge was destroyed and washed away. When they rebuilt the bridge, pieces that had previously been the steeple of the church were used as the foundation of the new section of the bridge!

Within her lifetime she made several premonitions about some of the largest historical events to take place in England – the Great Fire of London and the Spanish Armada. After passing away in 1561, aged seventy-three, (there’s that magical number again!) she remained an important phenomenon in her hometown of Knaresborough and remnants of the cave where she had lived some of her life and the Petrifying Well, can be visited today.

Michel de Nostredame – December 1503 – July 1566

Better known as Nostradamus, no list would be complete without his inclusion! He was a French astrologer, apothecary, physician, and reputed seer, who is best known for his book Les Prophéties (published in 1555), a collection of 942 poetic quatrains predicting future events.

Nostradamus didn’t see himself as a prophet and mentioned many times that he didn’t guarantee the results of his predictions. One thing he did allegedly get right was the date of his own death. On July 1, 1566, he is said to have told his secretary, ‘You will not find me alive at sunrise.’ The next morning, Nostradamus was found on the floor next to his bed, dead from oedema (accumulation of fluid in the body’s tissue, also known as fluid retention or dropsy).

Most of the quatrains he wrote deal with disasters, such as plagues, earthquakes, wars, floods, invasions, murders, droughts, and battles. Many of his supporters agree that he predicted the Great Fire of London, the French Revolution, the rise of Napoleon and Adolf Hitler, both world wars and the destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and more recently, the Apollo moon landing in 1969, the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster of 1986, the death of the Princess of Wales in 1997, and the ‘911’ attacks on the World Trade Centre in 2001.

He predicts further into the future but much only comes to light after an event occurs and some sense can be made of his words. So, I have to ask, is divination of any real use if we cannot avoid the disasters it predicts?

As for whether soothsayers can really see into the future, well, if all of the above is to be believed, you’d have to think so. I guess the only question that remains is do you really want to know?

HALLOWEEN SOUL CAKES

You could say ‘souling’ was the origin of today’s ‘trick-or-treat’ that occurs at Halloween. Traditionally soul cakes were made for ‘All Souls’ Day,’ celebrated on November 2^nd. (All Hallows Eve, the All Saints’ Day followed by All Souls’ Day.

Following the earliest traditions on All Hallows Eve of leaving out treats to tempt the souls that ‘crossed over’ for the night, and keep them distracted instead of scaring, was ‘souling.’ Children and the poor would go from door to door, singing songs and saying prayers for the home inhabitants and in return would receive a soul cake.

‘A soul! A soul! A soul-cake!

Please good Missis, a soul-cake

An apple, a pear, a plum or a cherry,

Anything good to make us all merry!

One for Peter, two for Paul,

Three for Him who made us all.

Soul Cake Recipes

3 egg yolks

6 oz butter

6 0z caster sugar

1 lb plain flour

1 teaspoon of mixed spice

3 oz currants or raisins or cherries

Splash of milk

Preheat your oven to 180^o C.

Combine the butter, sugar and egg yolks and beat until light and fluffy.

Add the flour and mixed spice. Combine to a breadcrumb consistency.

Add dried fruit and mix thoroughly.

Add the splash of milk and mix to a soft dough.

You can either pinch of small amounts and roll into balls or turn out the dough onto a floured surface and roll out to 2cm thick, then use a cookie cutter.

Mark the tops with a cross or after baking decorate with cut out ghosts.

Place onto a greased tray. Bake for 10 -15 mins.

LIONS AND LILIES WISH YOU A VERY

The Lily and the Lion – 1st Place Chanticleer Chatelaine Award – 2014

The Order of the Lily – 1st Place Chanticleer Chatelaine Award – 2015

The Gilded Crown – 1st Place Chanticleer Chaucer Award – 2016 The Traitor’s Noose – Grand Prize WINNER Chanticleer Chaucer Award – 2017

Confessions of a Witch; Hawking, which bird to choose; St Mark’s monks need help and a free dress pattern! ‘The Chastity Belt’ in August.

Posted on August 1, 2023 by Lions and Lilies

By Catherine T Wilson For our 2022 advent calendar, we decided to create a set of magazine covers in the likeness of Dolly or Cosmopolitan that capture the medieval essence. If such a journal could have existed, what sort of … Continue reading →

The Unfunny Humours, Taming those tresses, How to embroider and the latest love poem from Chaucer – June’s issue of ‘The Chastity Belt.’

Posted on June 1, 2023 by Lions and Lilies

By Catherine T Wilson

Such were our efforts that we now find ourselves tasked with writing some of these articles! Well, why not? It might be fun… So please enjoy the snippets below from the May issues of The Chastity Belt.

ARE YOUR HUMOURS OUT OF BALANCE?

TEN TIPS TO GET BACK ON YOUR FEET

Ladies, we are all aware of the four humours of the human body, namely sanguine (blood), yellow bile (choleric), black bile (melancholic) and phlegm (phlegmatic)

and how these four substances are organised around the four elements of matter (earth, water, air and fire), the four qualities of cold, hot, moist and dry, as well as around the four seasons, and even around the planets. Even our emotions are connected to the humours.

These four bodily substances must remain in harmony to be healthy. What then, can you do, if you are feeling a little ‘out of balance?’ Well, you might try these suggestions or adjust any of the following if you feel they are not what they should be. But do remember to consult a physician or an apothecary if the condition persists!

Place yourself somewhere in which you can breathe good, fresh air.
Make sure you consume the right kind of foods
Make sure you consume the right kind of drink
Be sure to avail yourself of some daily activity, preferably outside (see tip no. 1)
Be sure to avail yourself of regular nightly repose
Refrain from having too much sleep
Refrain from having too much wakefulness
Be sure you have regular daily expulsions
Be moderate in your joy
Be especially moderate in your fear and anxieties

HOW TO TAME YOUR LOOSE LOCKS

Having trouble taming those tormenting tresses? Then we are here to help you!

Our resident researcher checked out resources written by the famous Lady Trota of Salerno, (Ladies, the volume of Trotula; three medical texts for women written by three authors is MUST HAVE!) and passages from Tacuinum Sanitatis came up with this advice:-

Of course, your health has a lot to do with the condition of your hair, so if you are ‘under the weather,’ do be sure to read the article of getting your humours back in balance!

A good tip for starting is to always use a good comb made of boxwood, bone or ivory.

WASHING THE HAIR

Use a creamy mixture of ashes, vine stalks and egg whites to clean the hair and scalp or combine your favourite herbs or plant extractions with liquorice. Another is chamomile flowers infused in lye.

Crushed herbs mixed with olive oil can be combed through the hair to promote growth and make it smooth.

CONDITIONING THE HAIR

To condition the hair crush your favourite flowers and herbs, add essences of woods and spices to make a paste or mix with rose water to comb through the hair. This will also ward off demons!

From the ‘Trotula’ specifically:-

When she combs her hair, let her have this powder.

Take some dried roses, clove, nutmeg, watercress and galangal. Let all these, powdered, be mixed with rose water.

With this water let her sprinkle her hair and comb it with a comb dipped in this same water so that [her hair] will smell better.

And let her make furrows in her hair and sprinkle on the above-mentioned powder, and it will smell marvellously.

FOR TANGLE-FREE HAIR

A conditioner of pig lard and lizard can help remove knots. It is recommended to use rosewater, cloves and nutmeg on your comb after to remove the lard odour!

FOR A DRY FLAKY SCALP OR DANDRUFF

Treat scalp by washing with a preparation of willow tree leaves or bark soaked in wine.

Use the juice of beets mixed with water and vinegar for dandruff. It can also prevent hair loss.

TO TREAT HAIR LOSS

Use a tincture of aloe vera mixed with wine or straight onion juice. Rub into scalp.

Peach tree kernels, bruised and boiled in vinegar. Cool and apply to thinning areas.

TO COLOUR THE HAIR

First pre-condition the hair (this is important!)

Do this with pomegranate peel, vinegar, oak apples, alum or ash before applying the colouring agent.

FOR BLONDE HAIR

To lighten the hair, you have a choice of methods:-

Mix boxwood with agrimony.

Mix saffron and onion skins with stale sheep’s urine.

Sit in the sun after applying a tincture of white wine and olive oil.

It is also recommended for women with blonde hair to wear opal necklaces to prevent the hair from fading.

To enhance the gold, ashes of barberry and water may be used.

FOR DARK COLOURED HAIR

Use black henbane or sage to darken the colour.

Try soaking in water from steeped walnut shells.

Bramble leaves boiled in rye.

Once you have tamed these luscious locks, read on to see how you can best style them and be sure to see the article on how best to dress your veil!

VEILS ARE BACK! HOW TO MAKE YOURS LOOK STUNNING

Your mother or maid probably scolded you at some point when you excitedly ran out of the room without your head dressed correctly, that is – wearing your veil. I know I was! On many an occasion. And as a good and obedient daughter or ward, you returned and allowed them to finish dressing your hair without question even though beneath your gown, your feet were doing a dance that would run rings around the Scottish.

Except one time, I did question it. And this is what my mother told me.

Married ladies no longer need the long, flowing locks of a maiden to attract a husband. We, matrons, have already accomplished that, but now there is a bevy of reasons as to why we cover up.

There is, of course, the religious nature of veiling to display modesty and restrict any flaunting of beauty for which our married status strictly forbids us. (No, the Church does not agree with the nature of courtly love). Also, to keep control of our long hair so that one may carry out their daily tasks without hinderance. It is also more hygienic by preventing the transmission of lice and to prevent damage from both woodsmoke and the sun.

So, when the time comes and your husband wishes to avail himself of your beautiful golden (or brunette, red, or black) tresses, they are in the very best condition. I must admit that my husband loves to wrap my golden mane around him and … ahem! Where was I? Oh yes, veils. Well, to help you along, just keep scrolling down. And you will need a few implements to assist you such as veil pins, a simple material fillet and cap.

Tutorial: How to wear 14th Century veils and wimples – The De Caversham Household (wordpress.com)

HOW TO EMBROIDER

The art of embroidery is considered luxurious; sumptuous fabrics decorated in silk, gold and silver thread for the finest clothing available only to the upper classes, or religious and secular narrative scenes adorning altars and vestibules in churches, but just how is this painstaking and precise, not to mention time consuming art form accomplished?

Example from the Opus Anglicanun exhibition

The main technique used today is called ‘Opus Anglicanum’ (English work). The stitches used are laid and couched work, stem and satin stitch, split stitch, and chain stitch. Couching is the technique of laying thread on top of the fabric and tying it down with a second thread, (or in the case of laid work, threads). First the design is drawn out on paper and transferred to the fabric with charcoal in a technique known as ‘pouncing’.

The design is then embroidered using two techniques which were characteristic of English medieval embroidery: split stitch (shown here with white and coloured silk thread), and underside couching (usually silver or gold, as here).

The small figure recreated below will take a medieval embroider roughly 35 hours to complete.

Here are ten comon stitches to help you get started, but there are at least sixteen more I can share in a later issue.

Here are some examples of such embroidery.

Surcotte belonging to Edward of Woodstock, the Black Prince

CHAUCER’S LATEST LOVE POEM

I couldn’t do this next piece without some formal introduction to our subject’s guest, Geoffrey Chaucer.

Geoffrey was an English poet, author, and civil servant, and around 1357 he became page in the household of Elizabeth de Burgh, wife to Lionel of Antwerp, King Edward III’s second son, thus bringing him into the court circle.

During the early years of ‘The Hundred Years War,’ Geoffrey travelled with Lionel’s household to France as part of the English army. He was captured during the Siege of Rheims in 1360 and Edward sent a courier to pay his ransom of sixteen pounds (equal to over twenty-one thousand pounds in 2021) and thus Geoffrey made his first appearance in Lions and Lilies for the courier Edward employed was none other than Gillet de Bellegarde!

Chaucer has been called the ‘father of English literature,’ or the ‘father of English poetry.’ He was the first writer to be buried in Westminster Abbey in what has since become Poets’ Corner.

The poem, ‘Merciless Beauty’ is written as a triple rondel. A rondel has two quatrains that are followed by a quintet, a set of five lines. The verse form has its origins in lyrical poetry of 14th-century France. In the case of traditional rondels, the first two lines of the first stanza are refrains. This means that the lines are used and reused at other moments in the text.

This poem is venerating a beautiful woman with whom the author has fallen deeply in love. Drawn by her eyes, he, who was once serene, now finds himself shaken by the depth of his feelings and keenly feels the sharp pain in his heart by her refusal or abandonment. So much, he declares that she has no pity for him so it is useless for him to complain. And her beauty is so great, it has left her without mercy. He will die loving her. Until the third quatrain when he is released from Love’s prison, where he states if he must love, he will love with his whole heart (fat) for he never expected to be sparing with his feelings (lean), but now that he has escaped, he will not return to such a tormenting prison again.

‘Merciles Beaute’ is known from only one other surviving manuscript, Magdalene Collage Cambridge MS Pepys 2006. Original version and a translation follows. Here is the article as it appeared in our fictional June issue of ‘The Chastity Belt.’

*****************

Dearest maidens and ladies of distinction,

We know you have all been waiting for our latest instalment into the writing of our handsome poet, Geoffrey Chaucer. Dare I say it, you will not be disappointed! It is everything we maidens love reading; penned with such feeling it will have tears flowing gracefully down your cheeks! Of whom does our mysterious man speak? A true love abandoned, mayhap? A one-time lover? Or some wonderous lady that he set upon a pedestal and adored from afar, married perhaps and unattainable! You decide…

Merciles Beaute

Your yen two wol slee me sodenly;

I may the beautee of hem not sustene,

So woundeth hit throughout my herte kene.

And but your word wol helen hastily

My hertes wounde, while that hit is grene,

Your yen two wol slee me sodenly;

I may the beautee of hem not sustene.

Upon my trouthe I sey you feithfully

That ye ben of my lyf and deeth the quene;

For with my deeth the trouthe shal be sene.

Your yen two wol slee me sodenly;

I may the beautee of hem not sustene,

So woundeth it throughout my herte kene.

So hath your beautee fro your herte chaced

Pitee, that me ne availeth not to pleyne;

For Daunger halt your mercy in his cheyne.

Giltles my deeth thus han ye me purchaced;

I sey you sooth, me nedeth not to feyne;

So hath your beautee fro your herte chaced

Pitee, that me ne availeth not to pleyne.

Allas! that Nature hath in you compassed

So greet beautee, that no man may atteyne

To mercy, though he sterve for the peyne.

So hath your beautee fro your herte chaced

Pitee, that me ne availeth not to pleyne;

For Daunger halt your mercy in his cheyne.

III

Sin I fro Love escaped am so fat,

I never thenk to ben in his prison lene;

Sin I am free, I counte him not a bene.

He may answere, and seye this and that;

I do no fors, I speke right as I mene.

Sin I fro Love escaped am so fat

I never thenk to ben in his prison lene.

Love hath my name ystrike out of his sclat,

And he is strike out of my bokes clene

For evermo; [ther] is non other mene.

Sin I fro Love escaped am so fat,

I never thenk to ben in his prison lene;

Sin I am free, I counte him not a bene.

Translation

Your eyes two whole slay me suddenly;

I may the beauty of them not sustain

So wounds it, throughout my heart keen.

Unless your word will heal, all hastily,

My heart’s wound while it is yet green,

Your eyes two whole slay me suddenly;

I may the beauty of them not sustain.

By my truth, I tell you faithfully

That you are of my life and death the queen,

For at my death the truth shall be seen:

Your eyes two whole slay me suddenly;

I may the beauty of them not sustain,

So wounds it throughout my heart keen.

So has your beauty from your heart chased

Pity, that it avails not to complain,

For Pride holds your mercy by a chain.

Though guiltless, my death you have purchased.

I tell you truly, needing not to feign,

So has your beauty from your heart chased

Pity, that it avails not to complain.

Alas, that Nature has in you placed

Such great beauty that no man may attain

To mercy though he die from the pain,

So has your beauty from your heart chased

Pity, that it avails not to complain,

For Pride holds your mercy by a chain.

Since I’m from Love escaped yet so fat,

I never plan to be in his prison lean;

Since I am free, I count it not a bean.

He may answer and say this and that;

I care not: I’ll speak just as I mean.

Since I’m from Love escaped yet so fat,

I never plan to be in his prison lean.

Love strikes my name from his slate flat,

And he is struck out of my books clean

For evermore; my sole course it has been.

Since I’m from Love escaped yet so fat,

I never plan to be in his prison lean;

Since I am free, I count it not a bean.

Note from translator:

Merciless Beauty, one of the great glories of English poetry, is particularly difficult to translate without damage. Chosen here, for the sake of clarity, to substitute eyes for eyen, thus losing some of the music, and to use the modern sustain replacing sustene thus destroying the strict rhyme.

The Lily and the Lion – 1st Place Chanticleer Chatelaine Award – 2014

The Order of the Lily – 1st Place Chanticleer Chatelaine Award – 2015

The Gilded Crown – 1st Place Chanticleer Chaucer Award – 2016 The Traitor’s Noose – Grand Prize WINNER Chanticleer Chaucer Award – 2017

How to remove rust from his armour; Queen Eleanor’s adventure in the Holy Land; and a special birthing issue – April’s issue of The Chastity Belt.

Posted on April 1, 2023 by Lions and Lilies

For our 2022 advent calendar, we decided to create a set of magazine covers in the likeness of Dolly or Cosmopolitan that capture the medieval essence. Such were our efforts that we now find ourselves tasked with writing some of these articles! Well, why not? It might be fun… So please enjoy the snippets below from the April issues of The Chastity Belt. Continue reading →

The Chastity Belt – Saint Valentine’s Day Issue

Posted on February 1, 2023 by Lions and Lilies

By Catherine T Wilson

For our advent calendar last year, we decided to make a set of magazine covers in the likeness of Dolly or Cosmopolitan but capture the medieval essence. If such a journal could have existed, what sort of articles would it have contained? Anything and everything to assist the young maiden about to set out on her life’s journey as a wife and mother, and once there, all the information needed to be a good one and keep her husband satisfied, and at home when not out soldiering.

Such were our efforts that we now find ourselves tasked with writing some of these articles! Well, why not? It might be fun…. So please enjoy the articles within this issue of The Chastity Belt.

The Chastity Belt – Article 1

Apothecaries Love Potions – Do they really work?

In the vast history of romance, dating back to Ancient Egypt, Greece and the Roman Empire, fragrances were essential to the art of seduction. Botanical oils were commonly used to create these desirable aromas. Perfumes were created to attract lovers, and headdresses adorned with sweet smelling flowers were often worn at weddings as a symbol of love and fertility.

In medieval literature, love magic often takes the shape of a potion. In the famous courtly love tale Tristan and Isolde, the protagonists fall madly in love with each other after drinking a love potion – causing all sorts of problems as Isolde was promised to marry another man. In Italian romance epics like the Orlando Innamorato, there are entire fountains that make those who drink from it fall in love, as well as other fountains that make the drinker despise the person they were infatuated with before.

References to love magic can be found outside the area of literature as well, for instance in works of medicine. Some of them involve the wearing of a talisman, made from herbs, gems, stones, or animal parts to which some kind of occult power was attributed. The Italian physician Pietro Bairo mentions a number of magic tricks in his Secreti Medicinali. Carrying a beryl stone, for instance, is said to increase the love between husband and wife, while a magnet may reconcile them, and wearing the heart of a crow will make them support each other. Potions and powders could be made from various substances, ranging from herbs and minerals, to bones, hair, and blood. In one of Pietro Bairo’s tricks, the reader is advised to

“take swallows born in August and put them in a big pan, alive, and bake them until they are shrivelled, then make a powder out of it, and when you give this to those who kiss together, it will cause great delight”.

(Marlisa den Hartog and Leiden Medievalists Blog – see https://www.leidenmedievalistsblog.nl/articles/love-magic-and-rape-drugs-in-late-medieval-italy)

We now know that scent does in fact have a direct connection to the amygdala and the hippocampus– parts of the brain that process emotion and deal with associative learning, respectively. The neural structure that is involved in the sense of smell (called the olfactory bulb) is closely connected to these emotional parts of the brain; all together called the limbic system. So, it is no coincidence that when we take in a scent we are reminded of a loved one, an event in your life, or a certain place.

So, is it scientifically possible to make a love potion?

Yes and no. It is impossible to replicate true love, since it’s an emotional, cognitive process that’s based on experiences and memories. There’s no scientific pill for that. But it has been proven that there are specific chemicals related to emotional states similar to love.

The Chastity Belt – Article 2

Meet the Travelling Troubadours (Sorry, no backstage passes left!)

A troubadour was an often-wandering composer and performer of Old Occitan (the earliest form of Occitano-romance language) lyric poetry – an entertainer from 1100 to 1350. The art of the troubadours declined in the 14th century and around the time of the Black Death (1348) it died out completely, as wandering from town to town (possibly carrying the plague) became hugely unpopular.

The texts of troubadour songs deal mainly with themes of chivalry and courtly love. Most were metaphysical, intellectual, and formulaic and many were humorous or vulgar satires.

The earliest troubadour whose work survives is Guilhèm de Peitieus, better known as Duke William IX of Aquitaine (1071–1126).

Orderic Vitalis, a Benedictine monk and English chronicler revered as a reliable source, referred to William composing songs about his experiences on his return from the Crusade of 1101 (c. 1102). This may be the earliest reference to troubadour lyrics. Orderic also provides us (1135) with what may be the first description of a troubadour performance: an eyewitness account of William of Aquitaine.

Then the Poitevin duke … the miseries of his captivity … before kings, magnates, and Christian assemblies many times related with rhythmic verses and witty measures.

Troubadour activity lasted from about 1170 until about 1213. During this time the lyric art reached the height of its popularity and so did the number of surviving poems. The canso, or love song, became distinguishable as a genre.

The 450 or so troubadours known to historians came from a variety of backgrounds. They made their living in a variety of ways, lived, and travelled in many different places, and were actors in many types of social context. Some stayed in one place for a lengthy period of time under the patronage of a wealthy nobleman or woman, but many did travel extensively, sojourning at one court and then another.

The Chastity Belt – Article 3

How to Pluck a fashionable forehead (Ouch!)

The Bible says a woman’s hair is her crowning glory. Because of this, it was considered a very private thing. It was fine for young girls to have unbound hair, and a maiden wore her hair completely unbound on her wedding day as a symbol of her virginity. Once a lady was married however, it was a different story.

Because such emphasis was put on covering the hair, the medieval ideal was of a high, round forehead. Women who were not blessed with this, aided nature by plucking their hairline towards the crown of the head. To make the forehead even more prominent, eyebrows were plucked to a barely-there line. Again, this was condemned as vanity by the Church. Instructions to clergymen told them to tell ladies in confession:

“If she has plucked hair from her neck, or brows or beard for lavisciousness or to please men… This is a mortal sin unless she does so to remedy severe disfigurement or so as not to be looked down upon by her husband.”

So, you could do it if your husband agreed!

Headdresses could be anything from the veils and headrails of the earlier part of the period to the elegant henins of the 15th century. This later period saw a time when women were to favour very high foreheads. This enabled the hair to be hidden beneath the headdress. To achieve this, the hairline was often plucked along with the eyebrows.

“Women in the 1400s wanted to have high foreheads and an egg-shaped face, with small nose and lips. They saw this as resembling a child, innocent and pure. It was truly a blank face, without much expression, since the hairline was tweezed to be very high and the eyebrows shaved off.” So, if you asked for tips on what to do with your countenance, you’d probably be handed a pair of tweezers!

The Chastity Belt – Article 4

Decorate your chamber walls tastefully – (Giant Souvenir Poster of Sir Lancelot included)

As the medieval stone walls of a castle could make a room feel very cold, large fires burned in the grates and the addition of hanging tapestries on the walls helped to insulate the warmth of the chamber. As time went on, the tapestries became larger, more luxurious, and more expensive. To own one was seen as sign of the owner’s wealth.

So, what is a tapestry?

It’s a specific type of weft-faced textile that is handwoven on a loom. The loom is composed of two rollers, between which there are plain warp threads. In the large tapestry factories of France (now known as Belgium), these warps were made of wool.

The warps are either stretched vertically or horizontally, and have a small space between them, which is called the shed. The weaver (who works on the underside of the tapestry), passes coloured threads wrapped around a shuttle through the shed. Alternate warps are attached to drawstrings, which the weaver can either pull forward or backward in order to create another shed for the weft to be passed back through again. By using a variety of colours of weft, the weaver creates an image or pattern.

Designs in the French tapestries of the 13th and 14th centuries resemble the manuscript paintings of the Gothic period. Figures of people were flat silhouettes, and backgrounds were simplified. Arras, in France, was so important a centre that the tapestry itself, became known as an “arras.”

Arras Tapestry, Offering of a Heart, c. 1400-1410, Louvre Museum

The millefleurs (thousand flowers) background was widely used in 15th- and 16th-century tapestries. Small flowering plants in soft colours were scattered over the entire background. A notable example of tapestries of this type and period is The Hunt of the Unicorn series in The Met Cloisters museum, New York, and ‘The Lady and the Unicorn’ tapestries in the Cluny Museum, Paris.

For more on this see – http://bit.ly/LLTheUnicorn

This last part is a sealed section in our magazine therefore it now comes with a warning or two. (Author – This article is based on medieval history and research however it comes to you now with a tongue-in-cheek Lions and Lilies twist. We trust none of it offends.)

Sealed Section – HOLD! Are you old enough for this section?

The Chastity Belt – Article 5

Bold Chamber Tricks Couples are trying!

Be bold beforehand and set the pace!

Get to know the feel of him and visa versa. The church will advocate that you keep your clothes on but if he insists on undressing you, then at least keep your night cap on, otherwise the heat of your passion will escape through your head and you may not fall pregnant! But we are jumping the gun a bit here…. Better to get ready first!

2. Getting ready for his attention – take a bath

The first thing you must do is prepare yourself for him.

Call your waiting-women and take a nice long bath! Our sources tell us (that being Trotula de Ruggiero 11^th– 12^th C who may have been the first female physician), you should “purify the inner pudenda,” by wiping the interior and exterior with a clean cloth, let the fluids drain out and then dry thoroughly inside and out! Liberally sprinkle with rose water.

3. Shave everything!

If you were a woman of rank, it seems the advice offered by ‘Aunt Theia Voula’ in ‘A Big Fat Greek Wedding 2’ was to have been the order of the day – “Shave everything!” Although there is evidence that not all women shaved, it is pondered that these examples came from the peasant class.

4. Prepare him

You’ve enjoyed a nice long soak, now put your nimble hands to good use and get scrubbing! Get to know him intimately and wash away the toil of the road that lingers upon his skin.

Some variations on this could include inviting a friend or two to help out as you join him!

Once you feel comfortable enough, you could invite a few more! Make a weekend of it.

5. Explore the great outdoors!

But if crowds are not to your husband’s pleasing, perhaps a change of scenery? Try spending a night outside in the courtyard under the stars.

Or in the woods. For some, the excitement of getting caught is enough to increase their libido!

Or perhaps the garden fountain might appeal?

6. Try something exotic!

But if your own bed will suffice then how about trying something exotic? Gift him with a rare and strange book that will add spice to your chamber! But you’ll have to find a merchant willing to travel the spice road to bring you back a copy of this ancient text.

The Kama Sutra is an ancient Indian Sanskrit text on sexuality, eroticism and emotional fulfillment in life. It’s defined as ‘The art of living well, the nature of love, finding a life partner, maintaining one’s love life, and other aspects pertaining to pleasure-oriented faculties of human life.’

Its chapters discuss methods for courtship, training in the arts to be socially engaging, finding a partner, flirting, maintaining power in a married life, when and how to commit adultery, sexual positions, and other topics. The majority of the book is about the philosophy and theory of love, what triggers desire, what sustains it, and how and when it is good or bad.

But alas! You still can’t ignore the church, can you? Deciding they needed to impose a few bans on certain days or activities, someone took the trouble to draw up a flow chart of the church’s new rules to make it easier for all of us to follow.

Are they serious? Yes, they are.

But remember, in whatever way you decide to spice up your chamber, the church will not agree to any of it so if you admit it in confession, you WILL be given a penance!

Meanwhile, hold on tight and enjoy the ride!

DON’T FORGET YOUR FREE GIVEAWAY POSTER!

The Chastity Belt – Free giveaway poster of Sir Lancelot (take your pick!)

See you in next month’s issue of The Chastity Belt!

The Lily and the Lion – 1st Place Chanticleer Chatelaine Award – 2014

The Order of the Lily – 1st Place Chanticleer Chatelaine Award – 2015

The Gilded Crown – 1st Place Chanticleer Chaucer Award – 2016

The Traitor’s Noose – Grand Prize WINNER Chanticleer Chaucer Award – 2017

A Santa by any other name is still a Santa!

Posted on December 1, 2022 by Lions and Lilies

By Catherine T Wilson

For some years now, as I unpack my Christmas decorations, I sit this lovely ‘Santa’ in a blue coat no less, and a young woman with long blonde plaits, also dressed in blue, on my mantle. They were a gift from my brother who worked in Russia years ago when the country was safe and nice. Last year he spent Christmas with me, and I asked him their names. I wrote them down so when I unpacked them this year, I would know who they were. But did I really know? So, I decided to find out and fell down a fairy-tale rabbit hole!

DED MOROZ

The gentleman in a blue coat (which can also be red or white) is called Ded Moroz, which literally translates as ‘Grandfather Frost,’ and the young woman is his granddaughter, a snow maiden, called Snegurochka, and both their backgrounds go way back!

First, let’s look at Grandfather Frost. He is a legendary figure similar to Saint Nicholas, Father Christmas, and Santa Claus who has his roots in Slavic mythology. He has a long white beard and wears a heel-length fur coat, usually in blue, a semi-round fur hat, and valenki on his feet (wool-felt boots worn with rubber overshoes).

He walks with a long magic stick and often rides a troika – a sleigh pulled by three horses, all harnessed side-by-side. The middle horse is usually harnessed in a horse collar and shaft bow; the side horses only in breast-collar harness.

What makes this so unusual and noteworthy is the troika is traditionally driven so that the middle horse trots and the side horses canter. It’s often claimed to be the world’s only harness combination where the connected horses move in different gaits (paces).

Grandfather Frost is depicted bringing presents to well-mannered children, often delivering them in person in the days of December and secretly putting some under the New Year Tree on New Year’s Eve.*

The origins of the character of Ded Moroz predates Christianity. He is a ‘Wizard of Winter’ in Slavic mythology. According to some sources, Ded Moroz was a snow demon. However, before the arrival of Christianity, the term demon had no negative connotation. Like many other mythical figures, only over time were demons attributed negative characteristics. (We often think of gargoyles as demons, but they were placed on churches and buildings as protection against evil forces.)

Like many myths, Ded Moroz evolved in the changing world, and since the 19th century, the attributes and legend have been shaped by literary influences. *During the Soviet days, Christmas was banned for religious reasons, which resulted in some of the traditional celebrations being moved to New Year. Instead of a Christmas tree, they have a New Year tree, which stays up for the holidays and ‘Grandfather Frost’ became the main symbol.

SNEGUROCHKA (AKA OR SNEGURKA) or the Snow Maiden

Ded Moroz is accompanied by his granddaughter and helper, Snegurochka. Legend says she is the daughter of ‘Father Frost’ and the ‘Snow Queen,’ but we cannot be sure.

She wears long silver-blue robes and a furry cap or a snowflake-like crown and is a unique attribute of Ded Moroz, since similar characters in other cultures do not have a female companion/helper. (Sorry Mrs Claus!) And she is a snow maiden. Ringing any bells?

This is where the rabbit hole gets deeper! Firstly, did you know that all fairy tales are categorised into story types? It’s a catalogue used in folklore studies called The Aarne–Thompson–Uther Index (ATU Index). They are sorted into these categories and given a number-type that denotes the kind of tale or even just a part of the story in the tale.

Animal Tales (Types 1-299)
Ordinary Folktales (Types 300-1199)
1. A. Tales of magic
2. B. Religious tales
3. Aitiological tales (origin of diseases)
4. Romantic tales
5. Tales of the stupid ogre (Shrek? lol)
Jokes and Anecdotes (Types 1200-1999)
1. Numskull stories

And so on! The list is quite long as you can imagine.

The Snegurochka story compares to The Snow-child in the ATU Index, type 1362 – doubtful paternity, and also type 703 – The Snow Maiden, where a child really has a magical snow-related origin. Disney’s ‘Frozen’ would fall into the 703 category having been based on the Snow Maiden.

THE SNOW CHILD

The Snow-child is a widespread European folktale found in many medieval recitations and it’s a type 1362 which are stories about married couples and questionable paternity, or where the strange origins of the child are a blatant lie.

The Tale –

One version is a merchant returns home after an absence of two years to find his wife with a newborn son. She explains that one snowy day she swallowed a snowflake while thinking about her husband which caused her to conceive. Pretending to believe, her husband raises the boy until one day he takes the boy on a trip and sells him into slavery. On his return, he explains to his wife that the boy melted in the heat.

Another version has childless peasants, Ivan and Marya, make a snow doll, which comes to life. The child, Snegurka (another name for Snegurochka), grows up quickly. A group of girls invite her for a walk in the woods, after which they make a small fire and take turns leaping over it. When Snegurka’s turn comes, she starts to jump, but only gets halfway before evaporating into a small cloud.

The tale first appears in the 11th-century Cambridge Songs (a collection of copied songs from around the Norman conquest (1066) but also includes Goliardic Latin (satirical poems from the 12^th and 13^th centuries, some questioning the inconsistencies within church teachings).

The tale also appears in Medieval fabliaux, (comics) and was used in school exercises of rhetoric. A Fabliau (plural fabliaux) is a comic, often an anonymous tale written by medieval minstrels in northeast France between c.1150 and 1400. They are generally characterized by sexual obscenity (as often seen in medieval marginalia), and by a set of contrary attitudes to the church and to the nobility. Several were reworked by Giovanni Boccaccio for the Decameron and by Geoffrey Chaucer for his Canterbury Tales. Some 150 French fabliaux are in existence, the number depending on how narrowly fabliau is defined.

THE SNOW MAIDEN

The Snow Maiden is a teenage girl with a heart of ice whose very existence offends the Sun-God. Only when she learns to love and her heart melts, will the Sun-God be appeased and so bring about the arrival of summer.

In another version, she is the daughter of Spring the Beauty and Ded Moroz, but she yearns for the companionship of mortal humans. She grows to like a shepherd boy named Lel, but her heart is unable to know love. Her mother takes pity and gives her this ability, but as soon as she falls in love, her heart warms and she melts.

Ded Moroz and Snegurochka are very popular figures come New Year and can be seen amusing the children at the many events held, similar to how the Western world takes children to visit Santa’s ‘workshop.’

Perhaps I should leave out an extra glass of milk and biscuits this year in case Santa Claus, Father Christmas or Grandfather Frost is aided by a helper! Just so long as my naughty ‘Elf on the Shelf’ doesn’t drink it!

‘Now Dasher! Now Dancer! Now Prancer and Vixen. On Comet, on Cupid, on Donner and Blitzen – dash away, dash away, dash away all,’

Or is it, ‘giddup horses, horses, horses!’

One final word… A movie was made called ‘Father Frost – Battle of the Mages’ though it may be hard to track down.

Below is a link to the trailer

Pause the video and click on the CC button (on the Youtube screen) to turn on subtitles (it will underline it) then go to the Settings button > subtitles >auto-translate and search for English and click. It’s a rough translation but you can get the idea. Maybe there’s a better subtitled version somewhere.

Synopsis

Young Masha is tormented by visions of flying fiery monsters. Her mother worries about her, her classmates chuckle. But one day, Masha sees a battle of winged fiery monsters with young people who call themselves magicians. One of them saves Masha from an attack by a chimera and she is accepted into a secret corporation, where she learns that Santa Claus (Father Frost) really exists. He leads an army of magicians who can control snow and ice and protects the Earth from the invasion of dark forces.

The New Year holiday is a magical ritual that people all over the world enjoy every year, never suspecting that they are participating in the largest battle between good and evil. Santa Claus informs Masha that the fate of our world hangs in the balance, and it depends upon her as to who will win – light or darkness.

Creepy Castles, Corpses & Curses – Happy Halloween!

Posted on October 1, 2022 by Lions and Lilies

By Cathy T

** Warning – this blog contains pictures of the deceased including one child.

THE CATACOMBS OF PARIS

Much of the Left Bank area in Paris rests upon rich Lutetian limestone. Known as Paris stone, it is unique to the area. This stone built much of the city including Notre Dame and many of the Gothic monuments. It was extracted in suburban locations away from any habitation. Because of the post 12th-century haphazard mining technique of digging wells down and extracting the stone horizontally until depletion, many of these mines were uncharted, and when depleted, often abandoned and forgotten until a series of mine cave-ins beginning 1774 brought them into the ‘limelight,’ (pardon the pun!)

Around the same time, the overflowing cemeteries above ground, were also proving to be a problem, so with the reinforcement of the caves, the idea to use them for ossuaries was contrived. By 1785 it became a reality.

Beginning with an opening ceremony on 7 April the same year, the route between Les Innocents cemetery and the ‘clos de la Tombe-Issoire’ became a nightly procession of black cloth-covered wagons carrying the millions of Parisian dead. It would take two years to empty the majority of Paris’s cemeteries.Note: the walking route in the catacombs is about 1.25 miles (2 klms), but some 200 miles of labyrinthine tunnels are believed to exist!

These days many tunnel entrances have grills to prevent the public from getting lost as has happened in the past. The most famous account occurred in 1793 during the French Revolution, a fellow by the name of Philibert Aspairt who was a doorkeeper of the Val-de-Grâce hospital. He entered the catacombs via a staircase in the hospital courtyard. His motive was unknown but if he thought to escape the guillotine, then he did not succeed in escaping Monsieur Grim Reaper! His body was found eleven years later (1804) in one of the quarry galleries, identifiable by the hospital key hanging from his belt.

Translation of headstone

TO THE MEMORY OF PHILIBERT ASPAIRT, LOST IN THIS QUARRY ON 3 NOVEMBER 1793; FOUND ELEVEN YEARS LATER AND BURIED IN THE SAME PLACE ON 30 APRIL 1804

As one visits the catacombs, a sign above the entrance reads ‘Arrête! C’est ici l’empire de la Mort,’ (Stop! This is the Empire of Death).

Having visited these catacombs myself, I can attest to the very real eerie feeling as you tread softly through the subterranean tunnels. The knowledge that Paris’ metro underground rail system is way above you is unsettling enough, but once you start down the twists and turns, your attention shifts to the many stacked bones and skulls that once held life. Kept in separate sections according to their age, one cannot help but wonder what sort of lives they led.

BRAN CASTLE, ROMANIA

In the tranquil forest setting of Romania is Bran Castle, famously known as the inspiration for Dracula’s castle. In the words of Bram Stoker, the castle sits ‘on the very edge of a terrific precipice . . . with occasionally a deep rift where there is a chasm [with] silver threads where the rivers wind in deep gorges through the forests.’ Bram Stoker never visited Romania. He depicted the imaginary fortress based upon a description of Bran Castle that was available to him in turn-of-the-century Britain.

1922 portrayal of ‘Nosferatu’ the vampire, Count Orlok, played by Max Schreck. It is believed that this movie was based on Bram Stoker’s Dracula but for copyright reasons of the times, changed the names of a number of characters and places.

1931- Bela Legosi’s interpretation of Dracula which famously became the ‘look’ for future Draculas!

It’s not hard to see how Bram came across the castle either, when the real-life muse for his character, Dracula, that being Vlad the Impaler, lived (in today’s terms) just a 2-hour drive south in his own castle. Nothing remains of that castle now but the legend of Vlad the Impaler lives on.

Vlad III, Prince of Wallachia, (picture tag – A portrait of Vlad the Impaler, circa 1450, from a painting in Castle Ambras in the Tyrol) was born in 1431 in Transylvania, a mountainous region in modern-day Romania. His father was Vlad II Dracul, ruler of Wallachia, a principality located to the south of Transylvania. Vlad II was granted the surname Dracul (meaning dragon) after his induction into the Order of the Dragon, a Christian military order supported by the Holy Roman emperor.

Situated between Christian Europe and the Muslim lands of the Ottoman Empire, Transylvania and Wallachia were frequently the scene of bloody battles as Ottoman forces pushed westward into Europe, and Christian Crusaders repulsed the invaders or marched eastward toward the Holy Land.

Vlad II was summoned to meeting with Sultan Murad II and he took his two younger sons, Vlad III and Radu, with him. But it was a trap, and though Vlad II was released, he had to leave his two sons behind as hostages. This was a common enough practice in medieval times in order to keep the parent under restraint or from attacking in the future. The boys were tutored in science, the arts, and philosophy, and Vlad became a skilled horseman warrior. It is during these times, he may have learned about the art of impaling.

Vlad III returned home to Wallachia to find the local warlords had killed his father and learn his older brother, Mircea, had been tortured, blinded and buried alive. Enough to turn a person into a blood-crazed, impaling killer?

He was now ruler of Wallachia, but his lands were in a ruinous state due to constant warfare by the feuding warlords. To consolidate power, Vlad invited hundreds of them to a banquet. Knowing his authority would be challenged, he had his guests stabbed and their still-twitching bodies impaled. He reportedly dined among a veritable forest of defeated warriors writhing on impaled poles.

A quick note on the ‘art of impaling.’ Done to perfection, the pole could be inserted into the body without damaging internal organs. This way the stake could be stuck in the ground, the impaled victim taking days to die. I think we can see where the idea of having to strike a vampire through the heart with a wooden stake in order to kill it came from!

Vlad went on to make history with his vicious killings, some 80,000 all told, but he also prevented the Ottoman empire from invading Europe.

Catacombe dei Cappuccini, Italy

The practice of mummification is an ancient tradition that has taken hold, particularly in Sicily, and the Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo. The catacombs are the highest expression of this tradition, because of the huge number of preserved humans housed in them.

The Capuchin friars were established in Palermo in 1534, at the church of Santa Maria della Pace (Lady of Peace). They created a cemetery in which deceased friars were buried, digging a mass grave that opened like a tank under the altar of St. Anne.

The Capuchin community grew and by 1597 the first room, the pit or tank, became insufficient. Excavations began to create a larger sepulchre behind the main altar, using the existence of ancient caves below. After two years the new cemetery was ready, and similar to Paris’ catacombs, the transference of the brothers from the overflowing charnel house could commence.

Unlike Paris though, when the friars exhumed the corpses something incredible had happened: forty-five friars were found naturally mummified and magnificently preserved. They had not decomposed, and their faces were still recognizable.

The Capuchins believed that this was an act of God and, instead of burying the remains, they decided to display the bodies of their adored brothers as relics, propped in niches along the walls of the first corridor of the new cemetery. Various methods of mummification were invented by the Capuchin friars.

The Women’s corridor

These days the bodies do not just include those of the priests. Now a famous ‘must see’ attraction, the guides of the cemetery know the history of the 2,000 embalmed mummies including the famous two-year old Rosalia Lombardo, called the ‘Sleeping Beauty of Palermo.’

She can be found in the chapel of Santa Rosalia, between two coffins containing corpses of other children. She is amazingly preserved with the aspect of a sleeping angel. Belonging to a noble family, Rosalia’s father asked local taxidermist, Alfredo Salafia, to preserve his daughter and make her ‘live forever.’ Rosalia is so perfectly preserved that she is considered the ‘world’s most beautiful mummy.’

Edinburgh Castle, Scotland

Edinburgh Castle is possibly one of Scotland’s most haunted sites, containing countless urban legends, reported sightings of misty figures and ghosts, things pulling at your clothes, and sudden drops in temperature. Perhaps though, the most famous is the story of an unnamed piper who disappeared.

The boy had been sent to investigate the passageways beneath the castle. He was instructed to play the bagpipes as loud as possible so those above ground could trace the network of tunnels. He was dutifully completing his task when as the boy reached the area below the Tron Kirk, a church which is a well-known landmark on the Royal Mile, the sound of bagpipes suddenly stopped.

Rescue teams went into the tunnels in search of the boy, but his body was never found. The burrows were subsequently sealed off. Even today people claim to hear the faint sounds of bagpipes coming from beneath the castle.

Another military ghost seen on the castle’s battlements is that of a headless drummer. This grisly figure was first seen drumming around the courtyard all night long, disappearing when the sun rose. It is now believed to have been a warning signal in 1650, just before the castle was attacked by Oliver Cromwell. Ever since, the headless drummer has been considered a harbinger of danger.

There have also been reports of a ghostly man who smells distinctly of manure and tries to push visitors over the castle’s battlements. The story goes that he was one of the many poor souls imprisoned in the castle’s dark, damp, rat-infested dungeons. Desperate to escape, he crawled into a wheelbarrow full of muck, hoping to be taken out of the castle and emptied onto a nice soft dung heap. But the wheelbarrow was tipped over the battlements instead, and the poor man broke his neck on the jagged slopes of Castle Rock, the name given to the volcanic plug upon which the fortification is built.

A most tragic apparition is a mysterious lady, dressed like a 16th-century noblewoman, who wanders the older parts of the castle, sometimes weeping. It is thought she might be Janet Douglas, Lady Glamis, a woman accused of witchcraft by a vengeful King James V who took his grudge against her brother out on her. Everyone knew the accusations were baseless, but Janet Douglas was burned at the stake outside the castle on 17 July 1537, in front of her son.

When his grandson, James VI, travelled to Denmark to collect his new bride, Anne of Denmark, in 1589, storms were so severe they prevented his journey. Like his grandfather, he became convinced that this was the work of witches from North Berwick, intent on his ruin so he initiated a witch hunt which resulted in (numbers vary from report to report) anything from 200 to 500 women being burned at the stake on the Royal Mile. Their screams and protests haunt the castle still.

Sedlec Ossuary, Czech Republic

Another ossuary but with a difference. This one is a Roman Catholic chapel located beneath the Cemetery Church of All Saints. Blessed with earth from the Holy Land by the Cistercian monastery’s abbot in 1278, the cemetery became a desirable burial site throughout Central Europe. This eventually led to the familiar problem of an overabundance of bodies.

Expansions began but it wasn’t until 1870 when a woodcarver, Frantisek Rint, was employed to put the bone heaps into some sort of order. What resulted was a creative, macabre display of interior design including a chandelier of bones containing at least one of every bone in the human body, that hangs from the centre of the nave, garlands of skulls draping the vault.

Château de Brissac, Franc

Constructed during the 11^th century, the beautiful Château de Brissac is situated south of Angers in the Loire Valley, and it’s haunted by the ghost of ‘La Dame Vert’ or the ‘Green Lady,’ so called for the green gown she wears.

Charlotte de France was the illegitimate daughter of King Charles VII, and the young wife of Jacques de Brézé. His father, Pierre de Brézé, was a chief minister of the king and no doubt the marriage had been arranged. Such agreements were commonplace in the medieval world, but these marriages did not always include love however, it would appear that Jacques took huge exception to his finding his wife in the arms of Pierre de Lavergne, her lover.

Returning from a hunting trip, Jacques ate dinner with his wife and retired to his own chamber–separate suites was another medieval custom–when he was awoken by his manservant in the middle of the night and informed his wife had a visitor…in her bed!

It is here the story has two versions as to what happened next.

One version states that Jacques was so enraged, he dealt over 100 blows of his sword to the cheating couple. The second version states that Jacques strangled Charlotte in the Chapel Tower at Brissac later that very same day. That version would account for why her spirit haunts this tower, but one thing is certain, neither Charlotte nor Pierre de Lavergne were ever seen again.

Jacques left the chateau shortly after, whether to escape the bad memories or the hauntings is unclear, but when his departed wife’s half-brother, Louis XI, now king of France, heard what happened, he had de Brézé thrown in Prison for a number of years. Jacques was to be sentenced to death, but Louis finally relented and spared his life, instead confiscating all his property. After all, adultery was an unforgivable sin.

Charlotte’s moaning and weeping spectre has been seen at the chateau ever since, mostly in the tower room. What terrifies witnesses to this ghostly vision is the fact that in place of eyes and a nose, there are gaping holes in her face making her look truly terrifying.

The Capetian Curse

This last example is another illicit affair, though it is more about the curse that was at work behind it, probably the most well-known today. So, let’s start with the curse and then see how it destroyed the House of Capet.

On Friday, the 13^th day of October in 1307, secret orders issued by King Phillip IV were carried out in France. The knights of the Templar Order were arrested and under gruelling torture many broke, confessing to the crime of heresy. They were burned at the stake. Most historians agree that Phillip’s war had exhausted his funds and by ridding himself of these quasi-bankers, and confiscating their coin, it filled his repleted coffers nicely.

On 18^th March 1314 the Grand Master himself, Jacques de Molay, having confessed then retracting it, was placed on a pyre to burn on the Île de la Cité. As he burned, he called upon Christ to ‘prove the Order’s innocence and bring its persecutors to the judgment of God.’ He cursed King Philippe and Pope Clement V in their collusion of falsehood. His curse included that within a year and a day, both king and pope would die. He also said that Phillipe’s bloodline would reign in France no more!

Phillipe had three sons, Louis, Phillipe, and Charles, so his dynasty was assured, and he secured for them excellent marriages to Margaret of Burgundy, Joan of Burgundy, and Blanche of Burgundy respectively, the latter two cousins to Margaret and all three descendants of Saint Louis IX. With his own daughter, Isabella, married to King Edward II of England, what could go wrong?

Isabella of France Margaret of Burgundy Blanche of Burgundy Joan of Burgundy

In fact, it was Isabella who first suspected her unfaithful sisters-by-marriage were having affairs. She had gifted them with beautiful, embroidered pouches and on a return visit to her father, she spied two Norman knights, the brothers Gauthier and Philippe Aunay, each wearing one of the purses on their belts. Isabella informed her brothers, who had the knights followed. It was discovered they were meeting the three women at the Tour de Nesle. There was speculation as to whether Joan actually participated in the romantic liaisons as her marriage to Philippe was thought to be a happy one, or was she just dutifully ‘keeping watch’ for her sister and cousin.

The Normans were caught ‘red-handed’ and justice was swift. They were castrated, drawn and quartered, broken on the wheel and hanged.

All three women were tried by parliament, Margaret and Blanche found guilty and had their heads shaved and imprisoned in underground cells at Chateau Gaillard. Joan was eventually acquitted.

Before the year was out, just as Jacques de Molay had predicted, King Philippe IV died, followed by Pope Clement. That put Louis on throne but his wife, Margaret was no longer fit to be queen. Mysteriously, she died before Louis was coronated. He remarried five days later. But the Templar curse struck again, Louis dying before the birth of his son. The babe only lasted five days-the same number of days between his first wife’s death and his new marriage.

With the death of his brother and nephew, Philippe took the throne, but the curse struck again when out of five children, his only male heir died within a year of the birth. Philippe died with no issue to take the throne.

That brought Charles to the throne and because it didn’t look good to have a wife in prison, he banished her to a convent. He had his heir, a son, Philippe, almost nine years of age, who had never really known his mother. Charles was coronated and two months later, young Philippe died of fever. Some say the child drank from a polluted well, but most agreed it was the curse again. With his only heir gone, Charles had his marriage dissolved and Blanche died …. you guessed it, within a year! Charles remarried twice his only other son from those couplings died weeks after birth. Only the females remained alive and, due to Salic Law, they could not inherit the throne. The Capetian House no longer ruled France and the words of Jacques de Molay became true.

This story is the basis of Maurice Druron’s ‘The Accursed Kings’ series or Episode 1 can be viewed here https://youtu.be/VU3-_C6IcWo The following episodes are available on the same page.

Louis XVI and Marie Antionette’s tombs at Saint Denis, Paris

NB. When the House of Bourbon (descended from the House of Capet) came to power, King Louis XVI was stripped of his throne by the French Revolution and refused the name of Bourbon, possibly because it could still entice a following. From then, he was to be called Louis Capet, and his wife became the ‘Widow Capet,’ for the time left to her. We all know what their fate was! Nearly 500 years after Jacques perished, the curse was still working.

Since Edward III, son of Isabella, was Philippe IV’s grandson, it should be deduced that he also had Capet blood in his veins. His attempt to take the French throne failed and was part of the reason for the Hundred Years War, lasting 116 years. He never gained the throne, again proving Capetian blood would not rule France’s kingdom. Towards the end of Edward’s reign, his struggle shifted to hold his own house, the House of Plantagenet, intact. He may have dodged the ‘Capetian Curse’ but could it be said the military intervention of his son, the Black Prince, into Spanish affairs had attracted another?

The Imperial Crown of England containing ‘The Black Prince’s Ruby’ (recently seen atop Her Majesty’s Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin – Sept 2022)

There is a curse about a ruby, the gem currently residing in the British Crown jewels, but I’m not going to share it here. That story will be told in Lions and Lilies next instalment, Roar of the Lion.

Medieval Mythical Beasts – Are you looking for a new pet?

Posted on June 30, 2022 by Lions and Lilies

By Catherine T Wilson

If you have ever closely looked at the illuminated borders surrounding medieval manuscripts you will indeed see some very strange depictions of animals and of man, himself. Known as ‘medieval marginalia,’ these creatures often stretch the imagination to the limit (what was in that ink the monks used?) but the idea of combining two or three animals into one, or a creature that was half-animal, half-human was certainly not a new concept. Here then, is just a sample of some of the mythical hybrid creatures that existed since early times and made their way into medieval folklore.

THE HIRCOCERVUS (Or Trusty Servant)

The Hircocervus was supposed to be half deer and half goat and has been speculated about since antiquity. Both Aristotle and Plato discuss the Hircocervus in their philosophy, although to Aristotle’s mind the creature is clearly fictional. He utilized the idea of a fabulous goat-stag to express the philosophical concept of something that is describable even though it does not really exist. The first English language mention of the Hircocervus comes from a manuscript of 1398 which now resides in the Bodleian Library in Oxford.

In origin it is just the Latin word for a billy goat (hircus) attached to that for a stag (cervus). The fabulous animal has not, however, always had a simple form of a goat and a stag. In a book by Arthur Cleveland Coxe, Impressions of England, published in 1856, he wrote about a famous painting at Winchester College:

“I must not omit to mention the time-honoured Hircocervus, or picture of the ‘trusty servant,’ which hangs near the kitchen, and which emblematically sets forth those virtues in domestics, of which we Americans know nothing. It is a figure, part man, part porker, part deer, and part donkey; with a padlock on his mouth, and various other symbols in his hands and about his person, the whole signifying a most valuable character.”

Manticore

The legend of the Manticore originated in Persia and, like many monsters, reached medieval Europe via Pliny the Elder’s 1st century Naturalis Historia, which tended to be quite willing to accept such creatures. Similar to the Egyptian sphinx that proliferated in western European medieval art, the Manticore has the head of a human, the body of a lion and a tail of venomous spines similar to porcupine quills, while other depictions have it with the tail of a scorpion.

Flavius Philostratus, writing after Pliny, said:

“The creature has four feet, and that his head resembles that of a man, but that in size it is comparable to a lion; while the tail of this animal puts out hairs a cubit long and sharp as thorns, which it shoots like arrows at those who hunt it.”

Mermaids

The earliest references to mermaids are in Assyrian folklore and the creatures became well known in Europe via Greek adaptions of these legends. One of the earliest mermaid stories appeared around 1000 BC when the Syrian goddess, Atargatis, dove into a lake to take the form of a fish. As the gods there would not allow her to give up her great beauty, only her bottom half became a fish, and she kept her top half in human form.

In medieval times, mermaids went against the Christian view and so needed to be vilified. Many medieval depictions of mermaids show them holding a comb and mirror, meant to symbolise their sinful vanity. They became a symbol of lust and temptation, their beauty deceiving young men and luring them to their deaths. They were portrayed as capricious and often simply as evil. Melusine was a popular legend of a water spirit in the medieval period – for full details of this bizarre story see L&L’s blog ‘The Demon Countess of Anjou’ https://lionsandlilies.wordpress.com/2021/03/29/the-demon-countess-of-anjou/

The Pard

The Pard was believed to be a large spotted cat which could move at great speed, possibly inspired by a cheetah. They were thought to mate with lions in order to produce leopards.

One of the earliest known references to the pard comes from Pliny the Elder’s Natural History (the chapter is entitled “Lions; How They Are Produced”),which dates to around 77 A.D.

He describes how the lascivious male pard seeks out seductive female lionesses on the banks of Africa’s rivers, where species mingle. Later, the male lion, recognizing the peculiar odour of the pard on his lady lioness, will avenge himself with the greatest fury. But by then it is too late, and the lioness is already pregnant with a leopard.

As was common in medieval times, anything the church saw as unnatural was deemed to be evil. In a 13^th century Bestiary, pards acquire a bloodthirsty, even demonic, reputation. ‘The mystic pard signifies either the devil, full of a diversity of vices, or the sinner, spotted with crimes and a variety of wrongdoings,’ reads the caption beneath its snarling face.

Monopods

Monopods made their way into European folklore also through the work of Pliny the Elder. As their name suggests, they are one-footed creatures. According to Isidore of Seville, (560-636AD is known for the legacy of ancient culture that he transmitted to the Middle Ages in his chief work, the Etymologies. He also invented the full stop, comma, and colon!) they:

‘…live in Ethiopia; they have only one leg and are wonderfully speedy. The Greeks call them “shade-footed ones” because when it is hot they lie on their backs on the ground and are shaded by the great size of their feet.’

Illustration from the *Nuremberg Chronicle*, 1493

“Heures à l’usage des Antonins”, 15th century

The Unicorn

In the Middle Ages, unicorns had strong religious symbolism. They were associated with the Virgin Mary and stories involving the death of unicorns often paralleled Jesus’ Crucifixion.

Well into the Middle Ages, people believed them to be real. *See L&L blog https://lionsandlilies.wordpress.com/2018/08/30/the-unicorn-medieval-beast-or-heraldic-hero/ for a detailed history and description.

In medieval heraldry, a lion’s tail was added to the unicorn’s mix of horse and goat, and its symbolism matched perfectly to the chivalric virtues held by the knight. The proud, aristocratic bearing of the animal which also stood for purity (chastity for the knights), its kinship with the horse, (the same being the knight’s most prized possession) and the devotion to beautiful women as adopted by the art of courtly love, made it a perfect choice to use as a charge (a figure displayed in a coat of arms). The unicorn was fierce when attacked and protector to his foes, but it was also gentle and bore the dignity of solitude and wandering as did a knight. The only way you could catch a unicorn was by luring it with a pure maiden (a virgin), sometimes depicted naked in illustrations. She would sit quietly in the forest whereupon the docile creature would lay its head in her lap to sleep, sure of her protection.

Wyvern

The Wyvern was a large-winged reptile similar to a dragon – except for it having two legs rather than four, and unlike dragons, is rarely fire-breathing. Its tail is more serpent-like, the word ‘wyver’ (attested to 14thC) from Anglo-French ‘wivre’ is derived from Latin’s word ‘vipera’ meaning viper. A golden wyvern is believed to have been the symbol of the medieval kingdom of Wessex, and the standard for the kingdom of Mercia.

The Wyvern has the head of a dragon, a forked tongue, scaly neck and leathery wings, but two clawed feet of an eagle, and a long, serpentine tail which is often depicted as knotted, or twined upon itself, to indicate the extreme venomousness and violent temper. Wyverns have since then been seen as a symbol of war, envy, pestilence and even strength to those who bear it in medieval heraldry.

Yale

Pliny the Elder (mentioned above) is also responsible for the appearance of the Yale in medieval myth. Most descriptions make it an antelope or goat-like four-legged creature with the tusks of a boar and large horns that it can swivel in any direction.

Its name is thought to be derived from the Hebrew word ‘yael’ meaning ibex (any species of wild goat). Long used as a heraldic symbol associated with the British royal family, “the Yale” was a favourite symbol of Lady Margaret Beaufort, mother of Henry Tudor, in the 15th century. There are yales on the roof of St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle and it is included as one of the ten heraldic beasts that represent Queen Elizabeth II’s heraldry (The Queen’s Beasts – the Yale of Beaufort).

A Yale, from Bestiary 2nd quarter of the 13th century (vellum 13th century); British Library, London, UK

The Yale of Beaufort – one of the Queen’s ten heraldic statues that represent her majesty’s heraldry.

Griffin (Gryphon)

The origins of Griffins are unclear and in the early Middle Ages their appearance is variable but by the 12th century it had become more regular, comprising the body of a lion with the head and wings of an eagle. Because the lion was traditionally considered the king of the beasts, and the eagle the king of the birds, by the Middle Ages, the griffin was thought to be an especially powerful and majestic creature. It was popular in heraldry, symbolising the intelligence of the eagle combined with the bravery and strength of the lion. The griffin was also thought of as king of all creatures, known for guarding treasure and priceless possessions.