Wet Raglan pt 6 in which we go to court...
The late afternoon, for me, wrapped up with preparing for court. In a way, it was easy, since I've managed several elevations. It felt a bit odd, though, organising my own - isn't someone supposed to fix this for me? But in the end, I think I got a ceremony that suited, and that was visually striking, in line with my own fondness of good court.
I opted for the 'four peers speak' style of ceremony - partly because I quite like it, partly because it's familiar to most attendees.
The speakers were Master Floris and Mistress Hannah, together, for Pelicans; Sir Alaric for knights; Mistress Nerissa for Laurels; and Countess Elsa cameleopard (in a letter read by HG Alessandra Melusine) for order of the Rose.
To this I added two further letters: one from my own Pelican, Brand Thorwaldsson black5sugars, read by Master Etienne, and one from my friend Dame Sarra Graeham, who introduced me to the Society.
Sanzmerci herault nusbacher read Sarra's letter (Lynette knows Sarra from Ealdormere) and L did her best Sarra Graeham impression, aiming to recreate Sarra's thoughtful inflection and timing.
I asked TRM to name me Dame Genevieve, as I'm fond of the style 'Dame', over 'Mistress'. It's a popular style in Ealdormere, where most of my favourite women peers were so named, including Enid and Sarra.
As I'm not a martial peer, I also asked to swear fealty not on the sword but on my own herald's staff, given to me by Vitus and Eleanora last year, made by Lord Vrank: it's a caduceus, as befits a messenger, and Vrank made one each for Robert and me when we were made Heralds extraordinary.
Some clothing-staging bits, in which best laid plans go pear-shaped (as they say here)
I felt it was important to wear white at an elevation, as the knights used to wear a plain white gown after their ritual vigil and bath.
I started a new white front-laced gown in silk and linen, very simple lines. But the silk I had required interlining, because it didn't have enough body for a very fitted garment. This required basically cutting out two gowns and sewing them together as one, plus cutting and sewing a bodice lining for more support.
I had finished the machine sewing and was starting the hand-finishing...and realised after an hour of the hands sewing that I didn't have enough hours remaining before the event to finish. It's still hanging in my doorway, waiting for attention.
I don't do all-nighters for sewing. My R. elbow has started complaining (the hand that holds my sewing steady), and it's aggravated by handsewing and knitting. I'll have to be more picky about what I hand-sew in future.
SO: I wore a white undertunic I already owned, and made a 3/4 length cyclas (sleeveless overgown) in very light white wool - had to piece the hem to get the length I wanted, and brought it, unfinished to the event. I managed to tack the neckline facing one afternoon, and edith_hedingham and kirieldp sat in the encampment and did the final hemming half an hour before court. That, plus wimple, veil, coronet and heraldic cloak was the final elevation outfit. The veil was silk, very floaty, and really did billow in the breeze.
badgersandjam called it my 'novitiate outfit', which was apt, though that part of the effect was unintentional - what I wanted was modest, white and female clothing. I didn't even try it on together til I was dressing for court, and found the cyclas is a close fit; if I want to wear it again it will need side slits.
It felt a bit cobbled-together to me, but Robert said it looked great: simple, elegant, like a 13th c statue. :-)
Another couple of pics from badgersandjam: me in court, reading in a scroll, and Robert, being his handsome self.
I've always liked the effect in coronations of taking off one's personal arms (rolling up banners, setting aside shields) in favour of the regional arms, and then resuming them on stepping down. I also liked katherine kerr's (from Lochac) notion of approaching the Crown in her shift only, bareheaded and barefoot...but I wasn't quite so brave.
So as a display of stripping off I approached the throne with coronet and cloak, and then took them off, so it was just me, in white, before the crown.
The kingdom Pelican cloak used for most elevations is deep blue velvet, with the Pelican on the back, and the breast. Robert said the effect was excellent dramatic theatre - a white figure receiving the Marian blue cloak. So that's in keeping with my taste for good court.
It's hard to go wrong with the backdrop, really.