A mumming greeted King Edward and Queen Thyra at their recent visit to Carolingia.  “In honor of their visit, and in keeping with our duties has baron and baroness, we wanted to honor them with something both appropriately Carolingian,” said Baron Fergus MacRae. “ Leaning on the strong traditions of our fine barony, a Mumming was presented during feast.  In keeping with His Majesties fine Scottish roots, it was all about sheep.”

Baron Fergus and Mistress Catrin o’r Rhyd For commissioned Master Christian Lansinger von Jaueregk to create a poem for the performance.  “Mummings were used in period to entertain, deliver advice or present gift to notable people,” explained Mistress Catrin.  “We do them periodically in Carolingia, and they’re always popular.”

Mistress Gwendolyn of Middlemarch performed the poem, admonishing the local shepherds and shepherdesses for paying more attention to their sheep than each other.  Master Peregrine the Illuminator and Lady Clara Beaumont were the shepherd and shepherdess.  Additional shepherds and shepherdesses were Lord Ulrich Reinhart, Lady Sorcha Dhocair inghean Ui Ruairc, Lord Symon of Barnesdale and Lady Deirdre of Mitgaard.  Onlookers who were dragged up to dance by the shepherds and shepherdesses were Their Majesties, Master Justin du Couer, Lord Andreiko Eferiev, Lady Rosina von Schaffhausen, Countess Mara and Duke Vissevald.

The poem, photographs and a video follows. The video starts a few seconds into the mumming.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQ_sC1R1vA4?rel=0]

A Mumming for King Edward and Queen Thyra
by Christian Lansinger von Jaueregk (mka Michael McAfee)

Sad tidings, oh, sad tidings do I bring!
Good people, oh, good people, weep and wail!
And yet what good are tears ‘gainst serpent’s sting?
For now we strive ‘gainst grief to no avail!
‘Tis no hyperbole, no strain of truth
To state the gods themselves must be dismayed
For through the silly foolishness of youth
The dancing, my dear friends, has been delayed!
The frolicking and merriment tonight
Would have begun on time, and started well,
But, oh, we now must wait upon delight
And fires in our hearts we now must quell.
But whom, I hear you ask, are we to blame
For such a heinous fate now to befall?
I shall not single anyone by name
For truth to tell the blame is shared by all!
(more…)

Crumbs
By Chatricam Meghanta
(also known as Marguerite ingen Lachlainn in the SCA)

(more…)

After a full day of outstanding performances the field of contestants in the King’s and Queen’s Bardic Championship came down to five superlative performers.  Their Majesties then announced the theme of the last round of competition.  Each of the artists was charged to write a new composition in honor of Saint Robert’s Day, a festival …