[Fortnights] Dec/Jan Fort Knights

Sun Jan 6 22:55:04 EST 2008

www.caer-adamant.org
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         Fort Knights
    THE SHIRE OF CAER ADAMANT NEWSLETTER

DECEMBER/JANUARY  2007/2008

DECEMBER OFFICER REPORTS:

FROM THE SENESCHAL: LADY HEDEWIGIS IS OFFICIAL .
FROM THE EXCHEQUER: WE HAVE $4973.47 IN THE BANK.  NO
CHANGE FROM LAST MONTH.
FROM THE CHATELAINE:  DEMO FOR FIRST NIGHT DOVER WON’T
BE DONE THIS YEAR.  PERHAPS IN 2008.  LOOKING FOR
DEPUTIES FOR EACH COUNTY TO HELP SERVE NEWCOMERS IN
EACH COUNTY.  
FROM THE ARCHERY CAPTAIN:  LORD LEWIN IS RUNNING THE
WINTER ARCHERY CHALLENGE AT THE SMYRNA OCEAN PRO
ARCHERY CENTER.  OVER 100 GENTLES HAVE SO FAR
ATTENDED.  OF THAT NUMBER, 10 HAVE BEEN SHIRE MEMBERS.
 DAYS WILL CHANGE TO SATURDAYS IN NEAR FUTURE.
FROM THE KNIGHT MARSHALL:  WE ARE CURRENTLY LOOKING
FOR INDOOR SPACE TO HOST WINTER INDOOR PRACTICES.  
FROM THE MISTRESS OF ARTS AND SCIENCES:  REPORT HAS
BEEN SUBMITTED, AND SHE WAS GRANTED “OFFICIAL” STATUS.
 SHE NOW HAS TWO DEPUTIES TO HELP ASSIST HER.  SHE
SUBMITTED AN INTEREST SURVEY TO THE ASSEMBLED POPULACE
TO GET AN IDEA OF WHAT KIND OF INTERESTS THERE ARE IN
THE SHIRE.
FROM THE HERALD:  WAS AWARDED “OFFICIAL” STATUS. 
REPORT IS DUE.
FROM THE CHRONICLER:  LEARNING PRIVIOUS NEWSLETTER
SOFTWARE/FORMATS.  REPORT DUE SOON.

OLD BUSINESS:

--NO NEW DEMOS SCHEDULED
BUT LOOKING!
--NO NEW ACTIVITIES

.BUT LOOKING!
--SUNDAY A&S NIGHT IS STILL GOING ON.
--DANCE CLASS IS STILL GOING ON.  1ST AND 3RD
TUESDAYS, 7-8:30 AT KENNETT’S SQUARE.  CONTACT LORD
PADRAIG FOR MORE INFO.
--SOUTHERN SHIRE PROPOSAL, WE WERE ASKED IF WE WOULD
RE-CONSIDER SPONSORING THE SOUTHERN SHORE SHIRE
PROPOSAL.  IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE OPINIONS OF THE
SHIRE OFFICERS WOULD BE HEARD.

NEW BUSINESS:

--LADY SUSANNA WILL SUBMIT A BID PROPOSAL TO AUTOCRAT 
THIS YEARS SWAMP THING EVENT.  THE THEME WOULD BE
“ROBIN WHO?”.
--BARON ADOLPHUS WILL LOOK INTO AQUIRING A CANVAS
DINING FLY, SIMILAR TO WHAT HE’S SEEN AT THE ICOD
ENCAMPMENT.
--LADY CATRINE  HAS ASKED FOR EVERYONE TO LOOK FOR A
SITE TO HOST THE 2009 KINGDOM CRUSADES EVENT.  SHE HAS
LOOKED INTO THE DELAWARE STATE FAIRGROUNDS.  THIS IS
ONGOING.
--ST. GEORGES CIVIC CENTER HAS APPROACHED US IN ORDER
TO DO A RENN. FAIRE IN THE ST. GEORGES AREA.  THEY
WERE LOOKING TO DO THIS IN THE OCTOBER TIMEFRAME.  
--BARON ADOLPHUS HAS POSED IF WE SHOULD LOOK AT OUR
PENDING SEPARATION.  AFTER SOME DISCUSSION, IT WAS
DETERMINED TO LET THE PROCESS PROCEED FOR NOW.  

PRESENT AT THE MEETING:

NINA, SUSANNA, CATRINE, LEWIN, MARK IV, SARA,
HEDEWIGIS, PADRAIG, ALEXANDER, MAGDELENA, MALCOLM

NEXT SHIRE BUSINESS MEETING:

TUESDAY, JANUARY 15TH AT THE DOVER LIBRARY, IN DOVER.

UPCOMING SHIRE BUSINESS MEETINGS:

THURSDAY, FEBUARY 21ST AT THE CORBITT CALLOWAY
LIBRARY, IN ODESSA.
SUNDAY, MARCH 16TH IN SUSSEX COUNTY, LOOKING FOR A
LOCATION.

CHRISTMAS-AN ANCIENT HOLIDAY

    THE MIDDLE OF WINTER HAS BEEN A TIME OF
CELEBRATION FOR PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD FOR CENTURIES.
 CENTURIES BEFORE THE ARIVAL OF THE MAN NAMED JESUS,
EARLY EUROPEANS CELEBRATED LIGHT AND BIRTH IN THE
DARKEST DAYS OF WINTER.  MANY CELERBATED THE WINTER
SOLSTICE, WHEN THE WORST DAYS OF WINTER WERE BEHIND
THEM.
    IN SCANDINAVIA, THE NORSE CELEBRATED YULE FROM
DECEMBER 21ST, THE WINTER SOLSTICE, TO JANUARY.  IN
CELEBRATION FOR THE RETURN OF THE SUN, FATHERS AND
THEIR SON’S WOULD BRING HOME LARGE TREE LOGS WHICH
THEY’D SET AFLAME.  THE PEOPLE WOULD FEAST UNTIL THE
LOG BURNED OUT, WHICH COULD TAKE AS MANY AS TWELVE
DAYS.  THE NORSE BELIEVED THAT EACH SPARK THAT ROSE
FROM THE FIRE REPRESENTED A NEW PIG OR CALF THAT WOULD
BE BORN DURING THE UPCOMING YEAR.
    THE END OF DECEMBER WAS THE PERFECT TIME FOR
CELEBRATION IN MOST AREAS OF EUROPE.  THAT TIME OF THE
YEAR, FARM ANIMALS WERE OFTEN SLAUGHTERED SO THAT THEY
WOULDN’T HAVE TO BE FED DURING THE WINTER.  FOR MANY,
IT WAS THE ONLY TIME OF THE YEAR THAT PEOPLE HAD FRESH
MEAT.  IN ADDITION, MOST WINE AND BEER MADE DURING THE
YEAR HAD FERMENTED AND WAS READY FOR DRINKING.
    IN GERMANY, MANY PEOPLE WORSHIPED THE PAGAN GOD
ODIN DURING THE MID WINTER HOLIDAY.  IT WAS BELIEVED
THAT DURING THIS TIME ODIN WOULD TAKE FLIGHT AND GO
AMONGST HIS PEOPLE AND DECIDE WHO WOULD SURVIVE AND
WHO WOULD PERISH DURING THE UPCOMING YEAR.  BECAUSE OF
THIS, MANY PEOPLE CHOSE TO REMAIN INDOORS.

CHRISTMAS HISTORY

CHRISTMAS BEGINS
    NO ONE KNOWS THE EXACT DAY JESUS WAS BORN.  AT THE
TIME HE LIVED, PEOPLE DIDN’T RECORD THE DATE SOMONE
WAS BORN.  THE DATE SOMEONE DIED WAS THE ONLY DATE
THAT PEOPLE REMEMBERED.  BIRTHDAYS WEREN’T RECORDED
NOR WERE THEY CELEBRATED.
    IT WASN’T UNTIL THE 320’S THAT THE CHRISTIAN
CHURCH DECIDED THEY SHOULD PICK A DATE TO CELEBRATE
THE BIRTH OF JESUS.  THEY DIDN’T HAVE A FESTIVAL IN
DECEMBER, SO THEY CHOSE THE 25TH AS THE DAY.  THEY
WANTED THE HOLIDAY TO BE A PRAYERFUL MASS, SO THEY
CALLED IT “CHRIST’S MASS”.  IN 337, THE NEW HOLIDAY
RECEIVED A HUGE BOOST,  WHEN THE ROMAN EMPEROR 
CONSTANTINE WAS BAPTISED AND CHRISTIANITY BECAME THE
OFFICAL STATE RELIGION.
    THE FIRST YEAR WE KNOW  CHRISTMAS WAS CELEBRATED
ON DECEMBER 25TH WAS IN 352.  SINCE THAT DAY, IT HAS
BEEN THE MOST HOLY DAY OF THE YEAR FOR ALL CHRISTIANS.

CHRISTMAS CAROLS

    THERE WERE ANCIENT CHRISTMAS CAROLS DATING BACK TO
THE 4TH CENTURY.  THERE WERE ALSO OTHER SONGS THAT
PRAISED THE WINTER SEASON LONG BEFORE THAT.  DURING
THE 12TH CENTURY, ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI INCLUDED
CHRISTMAS CAROLS IN CHURCH SERVICES.  MONKS COMPOSED
CHRISTMAS THEMED MUSIC DURING THE MIDDLE AGES.  ALL OF
THESE CAROLS WERE BASED ON THE BIBLE, AND WERE USED
FOR RELIGIOUS SERVICES ONLY.
    EVENTUALLY, LIGHTER, MORE JOYFUL CHRISTMAS CAROLS
WERE WRITTEN.  HOWEVER, ALL CHRISTMAS MUSIC WAS BANNED
IN ENGLAND BETWEEN 1649 AND 1660.  OLIVER CROMWELL
FELT CHRISTMAS SHOULD BE A SOLEMN DAY.  WHEN
PROTESTANTS LEFT ENGLAND FOR THE NEW WORLD, THEY
BROUGHT THEIR CHRISTMAS CAROLS WITHTHEM.  IN 1649,
JOHN DE BREBEUR  WROTE THE FIRST AMERICAN CHRISTMAS
CAROL CALLED “JESUS IS BORN”.  

CHRISTMAS TREES

    EVERYONE AGREES THE GERMANS CREATED THE CHRISTMAS
TREE TRADITION.  IT’S BELIEVED THE FIRST CHRISTMAS
TREE CAME INTO BEING DURING THE FIRST HALF OF THE
700’S.  A LEGEND SAYS A BRITISH MONK WAS GIVING A
SERMON ABOUT THE NATIVITY TO A TRIBE OF GERMANIC
DRUIDS AND FELLED AN OAK TREE TO SHOW IT WASN’T
SACRED.  WHEN THE OAK FAILED TO CRUSH A SMALL FIR TREE
THAT LAY BELOW THE OAK, IT WAS CALLED A MIRACLE AND HE
NAMED THE TREE “THE TREE OF THE CHRIST CHILD”. 
CHRISTMAS WAS THEN CELEBRATED IN GERMANY BY PLANTING
FIR TREES.  
    WE DEFINITELY KNOW CHRISTMAS TREES WERE DECORATED
INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE HOUSE DURING THE 1500’S IN
GERMANY.  THERE WAS A FORREST ORDINANCE DATED 1561
THAT SAYS “NO BURGHER SHALL HAVE FOR CHRISTMAS MORE
THAN ONE BUSH OF MORE THAN EIGHT SHOES LENGTH”.  THE
DECORATIONS AT THAT TIME INCLUDED APPLES, COOKIES, AND
CANDY.

CHRISTMAS TREE DECORATIONS

THE FIRST CHRISTMAS TREE DECORATIONS WERE STRICTLY
EDIBLE.  COOKIES, CANDY, LITTLE CAKES AND APPLES WERE
HUNG ON TREES TO BE HAPPILLY EATEN AFTER CHRISTMAS. 
THE FIRST NON-EDIBLE ORNAMENTS WERE INTRODUCED IN THE
LATE 1500’S WHEN MARTIN LUTHER DECIDED TO ADD CANDLES.
 THIS IMMEDIATELY BECAME THE NEW TRADITION DESPITE THE
FIRE HAZARD.  A BUCKET OF WATER WAS CUSTOMARYILY KEPT
NEXT TO THE TREE AND PEOPLE SIMPLY HOPED FOR THE BEST.

DECEMBER 25TH HISTORY

0352—FIRST DEFINATE DATE CHRISTMAS WAS CELEBRATED ON
DECEMBER 25TH.
0597---ENGLAND ADOPTS JULIAN CALENDAR
0800---POPE LEO III CROWNS CHARLEMAGNE ROMAN EMPEROR
1066---WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR CROWNED KING OF ENGLAND
1223---ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI ASSEMBLES THE FIRST
NATIVITY SCENE
1492---COLUMBUS’ SHIP SANTA MARIA DOCKS IN THE
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

Twelfth Night History

    A major January holiday was Twelfth Night, which
celebrated the eve of Epiphany and the end of the
twelve days of the Christmas holiday season.  Twelfth
Night observances were ritual contests between good
and evil.  For instance, star-led Magi in dramas
outsmarting wicked King Herod to find the Christ Child
in his manger were performed.  Traditional country
actors known as mummers in England, performed St.
George and the Dragon plays in which the Saint
overcomes an evil knight.  Team games such as Oranges
and Lemons ended with a tug-of-war between
representatives of Winter and Spring.  The triumphant
new season became the necessary winner.
    Rites involving food also assured a bountiful
rebirth of the land after it’s winter deadness. 
Wassailing toasts of spiced and herbed ales and wines
were drunk and offered to the trees.  Wassailing fruit
trees in country orchards or symbolically in a hall,
was accompanied by loud, jubilant, stamping dances
such as the ox-horn rounds.  Revelers adorned with
ox-horned headdresses joyously circled the wassail
tree, their earth-pounding, ankle-belled feet
rhythmically signaling the awakening of Spring.  Also
derived from rural fertility practices were Twelfth
Night bonfires, often rings of twelve small fires set
around a larger one in grain fields, originally to
stimulate harvests, or created indoors by circles of
twelve candles centered by a thirteenth. 
Christianized, these flames became  the twelve days of
Christmas or the twelve Apostles, and the thirteenth
representing the Virgin Mary or Christ.  At the
Twelfth Night High Table, honored guests were the King
and Queen of the Bean.  A tradition involving baking
twelve cakes with a bean and a pea baked inside. 
Whomever discovered the bean and pea became the “King
and Queen of the Bean” for the rest of the
celebration.  In castles, instead of a bean and pea, a
gold, porcelain, or jeweled favor was baked into the
Twelfth Night cake.  Then it was called the King’s
Cake.   

UPCOMING KINGDOM EVENTS:

JANUARY 19TH                                     
BELLRINGERS                                  BARONY OF
CARILLION
FEBRUARY 16TH                                   WINTER
BRAWL                             BARONY OF BHAKAIL
FEBRUARY 23RD                                  
NOISEMAKERS SCHOLA               IVYEINRUST

REGULAR SHIRE EVENTS:

Period Gaming (A&S social, garb encouraged)
1st Sunday 5:00 p.m. at Lady Hedewigis', Hockessin
(see "Directions" for address)
Contact Lady Hedewigis 302.239.9787 
Focus on Games of the Middle Ages. Favorites include
Bocce, Tarot and Astronomical Tables. Light
refreshments are available.
This evening gathering is open to all. A&S projects
are welcomed as well as friendly social interaction.

A&S Evening -- formerly known as Embroidery Night
(A&S‡)
2nd Monday at Lady Hedewigis' (320.239.9787) 7:00 p.m.

(see "Directions" for addresses)
An opportunity to work on various A&S projects in good
company. Trying an new stitch? Need help marking a
hem? Need tasters for your new recipe? Light
refreshments are available.

Winter Challenge (Archery)(martial activity)
November 4th and 18th 
December 2nd and 16th 
Time: 3pm-5pm but mind you YOU NEED TO BE THERE NO
LATER THAN 4pm!! takes appox hour to shoot. 
Location: Ocean Pro Outfitters 2461 S Dupont Blvd,
Smyrna, DE 19977 
Contact Lewin de partone for further information
302-465-0651

SHIRE OFFICERS:

SENESCHAL:  THL HEDEWIGIS  OCKENFUS
DEPUTY SENESCHAL:  VACANT
MISTRESS OF ARTS AND SCIENCES:  MISTRESS SARAH THE
LYMNER
KNIGHT MARSHALL:  LORD KREY MACLEOD
ARCHERY CAPTAIN:  LORD PADRAIG O’GEALAGAN
CHATELAINE:  LADY MAGDELENA THE MIGRANT
HERALD:  LORD ALEXANDER MACBLYKROSE
EXCHEQUER:  LADY SARA
WEB MISTRESS:  LADY WENDE BROWN
CHRONICLER:  LORD MALCOLM MACLEOD

Fort Knights Newsletter
c/o Neal Griffin
2055 Andrews Lake Rd.
Felton, Delaware  19943

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