Apprentice #2

WW was an exciting event. My apprentice Margaretta was there and we actually got to spend time together! Always a minor miracle at big events. She looked stunning in her new light pink gown.

(BTW: if you all are ever looking for a way to volunteer at an SCA event consider hosting Artisan's Row! I got to sit in the shade and chat with artisans and work on my own projects all weekend! It was brilliant!)

So I now have apprentice/ student #2.

This would be Eleanor, daughter of Sir Urien and HL Sabina.




She is currently 8, turning 9 on Friday the 13th and we are going to see Harry Potter! Because of her age we are keeping this apprenticeship very open ended and we are both going to examine it each year and see if this is something we want to extend for another year. I want to give her the freedom to change her mind cause she is a kid.

Since she is of the age that period apprenticeship occurred both her parents and I wanted to do something very period and with the assistance of HL Lucia, wrote up a formal indenture.




The full text is below:
This indenture witnesseth that Sir Urien ap Taliesin has put Eleanor his daughter apprentice to Giovanna di Battista da Firenze to learn her art and serve her after the manner of an apprentice on this the feast day of St. Dominica in the year of the reign of King Hrodir until the end of one year thence. During which term the said Eleanor the said Giovanna as her lady and mistress shall serve, her secrets keep, and her lawful and honest commandments everywhere gladly do. She shall not waste inordinately the goods of her said mistress nor lend them to anyone without her order or special commandment. She shall not customarily frequent a tavern save to do there the business of her said mistress nor shall she contract matrimony with any man during the said term. But shall bear and hold herself both in words and deeds towards her said mistress and all hers as a good and faithful apprentice ought to bear and hold herself according to the usage and custom of the Kingdom during all the said term. And the said Giovanna the said Eleanor her apprentice shall diligently teach and instruct her in her art or cause to be instructed by others, punishing in due manner. And also shall find to the same apprentice sufficient victuals and apparel linen and wool during all the said term as is fitting to be found such an apprentice of that art according to the custom of the Kingdom. And for the fidelity of the said apprentice and that the aforesaid covenants on her part shall be well and faithfully kept as is aforesaid Sir Urien ap Taliesin citizen and Knight of Northshield shall be pledge and mainpernor binding himself his heirs and executors for the said apprentice by these present and the said apprentice binds herself firmly and all her goods present and future wherever they may be found. In witness whereof the aforesaid parties together pledge to these indentures interchangeably have put their seals.

TE's allowed us to have time in Baronial court on Friday and the indenture was read. Urien and I agreed to it. Our signatures were verified by TE's and Eleanor was asked to prove that she had received a certain level of education, as is required by the guilds before entering into an apprenticeship. She read a text from Dueteronomy and wrote her name with quill and ink thus proving her literacy. I received funds for her education (which I turned over to TE's to hold in trust), Eleanor received a set of clothes from me (which she is wearing in the picture), and I received a new cooking pot! In period it was customary for a apprentice to leave her parents and live with his/ her teacher so her parents hugged and kissed her goodbye (and she hugged her rather reluctant brother) and she left with Margaretta and me. I understand that there were quite a few people who were choked up because of us, which was a bit of a surprise to me. I had many who came and thanked us for that bit of ceremony as well and that was just lovely! It felt very real and proper to me and I'm glad that people felt the same. The hall was completely silent, which was amazing.

The best part was when all three of us donned matching aprons and walked around the site calling ourselves the "Norns". I think it works well. I also loved Manthra's reaction when Eleanor called her "grandma".

It was a lovely weekend. All but one of my tents did fine in the wind on Thursday (the Jara shade fly suffered a major rip in the wind burst, but I mended it and set it up the next day and it was fine for the weekend). We got home around 2 on Sunday, unpacked, napped and had a bite to eat. Further unpacking will begin in earnest tonight and I will not be going to the normal fiber gathering.

Royalty row had 5 tents that I made or help make this weekend and there were 7 shade flys of mine on the field. I didn't bother to count the number of wedge tents or rounds that were in the rest of the site. Quite a few, which was awesome!