The Fourth Book of the Chronicles of Eoforwic

Page 7 of 7

Here ends the fourth volume of the Chronicle of Eoforwic. Many are the deeds recorded; many more the deeds forgotten, for seven years have passed since Hyrcanos set down his pen. Others have told me tales and brought to my attention learned volumes. Mistakes herein recorded were not in their telling but in my remembering. Mea maxima culpa. Gentle reader, I pray you find within yourself both boon and pardon; the boon of amusement and instruction in what has been recalled and pardon in your heart for he who has erred in recollection and may now but apologize for those errors.

Inscribed in Anno Societatis XXX in the days following the Feast of Saint Columba, when Thorbjorn Osis was our King and Valthjona was our Queen, Roak II our Prince and Tarkwyn II our Princess, Ieuan our Baron and Adrielle our Baroness and Gunnar our Cities Lord Mayor for the second time.

The fifth volume of the chronicle may begin hereafter; palmam qui meruit ferat. The night comes, the light fades and old eyes tire. Write no more, Magnus of Iona, brother of the Benedictine Order, write no more.

Appended to the fourth volume of the Chronicle of Eoforwic as a document of interest is the text of the alleged "Ancient Charter of the City of Eoforwick" ^[56] scrupulously copied by Magnus of Iona from the copy residing in the Lord Mayor's Library, with critical commentary by the scribe.

^[56] This is a scrupulous copy of the Charter made available to me by the Abbey of St. Brand and considered by most to be genuine, but the text is riddled with obvious inaccuracies and thus is of dubious authenticity. For instance, all know that Cariadoc, mighty King that he was, was a paynim and could not be deemed an apostolic monarch by any man save a heretic. There are other such grievous errata throughout this text, so, while some portion may have merit in that it may capture the spirit of the original Charter, overall it is unreliable and its origins are suspect (though I have no reason to believe it has ever visited Starleaf Gate, for had this document the taint of those heresiarchs, I would cast it in the fire and burn my desk as well for having given such abomination shelter, and afterwards I would scour my hand with sand, confess and do penance for having touched so unclean a thing.)

I know of many translations of the works of learned paynims and some have I read, especially the writings of the noble, gentle and wise paynim Durr ish Jabal who takes great pains to instruct the reader in the ways of his people, strange and misguided though they may be, and the fabulous stories of another paynim named Chengir abu bene Said, which can offer no faithful man edification and yet are amusing (which fact perhaps supports comments made by another Benedictine, once of my acquaintance though now long dead, about the inherent wickedness of laughter, though I do not believe my acquaintance ever read the works of Chengir before he lost his sight.) No translation of a paynim text into our tongue has ever read as this text does, thus again I doubt the veracity of this translation.

I am advised there are also many ancient texts held in the Abbey of St. Brand, to the west of the City, and there is a sister there named Susanna of Leicester who is well-read and has some Latin, though no Greek. Perhaps she may find the original Charter in that library and from it draw new insights into the earliest days of the City, for I am told she has an interest in the history of Eoforwic.

It should be noted that the obscure spelling of "Eoforwick" is found in other antique documents of unquestioned legitimacy and thus in itself is not a proof of this text's corruption.

Our most Royal and Apostolic Majesty the Dread Sovereign Cariadoc, by Right of Arms anointed King and Emperor of the Middle and of the East, Splendid Prince of Ealdormere, Prince of Drachenwald and Lord of all the Launds to the East, Vojavoda of the Midlands, Archduke Elector of Northshield, Sovereign Monarch of Pennsia ^[57] , Lord of Tre-girt-sea, General of the Hosts of Righteousness, Shield of the Weak, Light of Justice, Posessor of Men's Necks, Proconsul of Calontir, High Admirall of the Middle Seas, First Knight of the Middle Kingdom, Sovereign of the Order of the Pelican in the Middle Kingdom and of many other orders of Honour and Merit the Sovereign, Father of his Country, Victor of the Olympic Games ^[58] , Chin of Victory ^[59] , Defender of the Society, Emperor of the Legions of the Middle, Autocrat of Autocrats, Possessor of the High Justice and the Low, et cetera Do extend this Charter of Liberties unto the City of Eoforwic that hath heretofore been named a Canton, that is in the Barony of Septentria in the demesne of our right trusty and well beloved cousin Aedan, Master of the Laurel, Master of the Pelican ^[60] , Companion of the Dragon's Heart, Companion of the Dragon's Barb, Companion of the Silver Oak, Companion of the Purple Fret, Companion of the Dragon's Tooth and of his lady Caffa, Mistress of the Laurel, Mistress of the Pelican, Companion of the Dragon's Heart, Companion of the Willow, Companion of the Purple Fret, Companion of the Dragon's Tooth; that is in our Principality of Ealdormere which we entrust unto our aforementioned Aedan, our Lord Lieutenant of Ealdormere and unto our right trusty and well beloved cousin Enid Aurelia, Baroness of Skraeling Althing, Mistress of the Laurel, Mistress of the Pelican, Companion of the Dragon's Heart, Companion of the Willow, Companion of the Purple Fret, our Lady Lieutenant of Ealdormere.

^[57] Which is what I have seen some later chroniclers call the Barony Marche of the Debatable Lands, in latter days a possession of the East Kingdom and far to the south of the City, though I think this citation is not itself indicative of the age or true origins of this copy of the text.

^[58] An error most peculiar in nature, for the Olympic games of ancient Greece have not been contested for many hundreds of years. Perhaps this is some allusion to a love of things classical and ancient in the character or nature of King Cariadoc?

^[59] Added in a different ink by another hand to the text in the City's possession, and thus almost certainly suspect, for it stands alone on the page. Later corrections to a manuscript should bear some commentary or explanation, and this instance does not save for these remarks I make in observation, not in apology.

Based on other texts I have seen, the serifs on the added characters appear Slavic in style. This may be part of some recent plot to prove that (g.) Vychata Igoravich, fifth Lord Mayor and subsequently and Alderman of the City, has a hereditary claim upon a greater office yet.

Some, after seeing this peculiar addendum to the text, have commented that it may be no coincidence that the name Vychata starts with a "V", as does the name of the dread Vipper Baron! As a poor monk I am a cloistered innocent and not prone to thinking the worst of people, but one cannot help but wonder...

^[60] Herein lies proof positive of the strange and corrupt nature of this text, for all know that Eoforwic is a rare ancient City, and the deeds of Cariadoc harken back many years, for he was indeed first of the vast line of the Midrealm Kings, though a paynim. And yet the scribe does relate that Cariadoc, as King and patron of the City, hails Aedan as a Master of the Pelican, which honour was not achieved by that worthy Baron until the reign of Cariadoc's descendent King Palymar II, long after Cariadoc and his heir's successor Cariadoc II had passed from the Dragon Throne.

Perhaps the scribe of this copy of the Charter was in service to Baron Aedan and would try to curry favour through the interpolation of outrageous flattery at the expense of veracity? This would explain much found within this text, though not all, for Baron Aedan was accounted a good Baron and thus would never knowingly employ a heretic able to call a paynim an apostolic monarch.

This charter extends unto the City of Eoforwic and unto its citizens the right to the ancient liberties that have been granted unto cities from the beginning of time, from the foundation of Jericho, the first city, of Babylon, the great city, of Jerusalem, the Holy City, of Rome, the Eternal City, to wit the following.

I. Of the Governance of Eoforwic, a Canon

The citizens of Eoforwic shall have the right to maintain gilds and misteries after the ancient fashion, and the gilds shall have masters and the masters shall sit as a City Council and the councillors shall, at every Michaelmas or at the next folkmote thereafter, choose from amongst them a Lord Mayor to be the chiefest man of the city for one year and one day ^[61] . Also shall the citizens Eoforwic choose from among them a sheriff, to serve for a period of one year and one day.

^[61] Nowhere in this text does it set forth the rule that the name of the Lord Mayor must start with the letter "G", which omission I deem must also render this copy of the Charter suspect, though some say this iron-bound rule is but a custom and not set forth in any statute.

The Lord Mayor and the sheriff shall have the power to appoint serjeants, bailiffs, clerks, bedells and such other offices as lie in no other man's purview to appoint. Also shall the Lord Mayor and the sheriff appoint an ale conner on behalf of the Prince, to enforce the Prince's laws on the making of ale for sale.

The administration of the City on behalf of the Prince of Ealdormere and the Crown of the Middle Kingdom shall be in the hands of the Seneschal of Eoforwic, who shall continue to be responsible to the Seneschal of Septentria, and the Seneschals who govern Ealdormere and the Middle Kingdom. Likewise shall the various officers of Eoforwic City continue to be responsible to their baronial, principal and kingdom superiors. This Charter doth in no manner abridge the responsibilities, duties and rights accorded these officers as officials of a subsidiary group.

The Eoforwic Pursuivant shall be the herald of the Lord Mayor of Eoforwic, in addition to his other duties, or shall appoint same.

Justice in matters of Law of the Middle Kingdom and of Ealdormere, of ordonnances, of canons and decrees shall be dispensed in Eoforwic only by Judges appointed by the Prince of Ealdormere or by his Baron Septentria, according to the Laws of the Kingdom except in cases of offences against ordinances of the City which may be judged by such magistrates as the Lord Mayor shall appoint.

The right of outfangthef that apply between lord and vassal shall apply between the City of Eoforwic and its citizens. The right of infangthef shall be reserved by the City of Eoforwic.

II. Of the Defence of Eoforwic, a Canon

The White Tower called Fort Book which lies at the Centre of the City of Eoforwic shall continue to be the property of us, the King of the Middle and our lawful heirs and successors to be held for us by our Prince of Ealdormere and garrisoned by soldiers of the Prince.

The citizens of Eoforwic shall have the right to build a wall round the city, and to crenelate, garrison and entower the wall. For the defence of the city, the Lord Mayor shall raise a city militia ^[62] . This militia shall be mustered once per year for the purposes of training and counting. In times of war, the Prince of Ealdormere may subject this militia to the command of the Baron Septentria.

^[62] This description of the City Militia of Eoforwic is an authentic feature of the text, for only in latter years, during the tenure of the third Lord Mayor, was the City Militia renamed the City Guard, in honour of its glorious exploits on the field at the XXIst Pennsic War.

For the purposes of this militia, each citizen must maintain one gambeson or the value thereof. Each man whose wife wears a silk petticoat or a velvet skirt must contribute a steel cap and a sword as well. Every man who owns more than one cow must contribute brigandines equal to the number of kine he owns, and a silk banner for each bull. Every gild must contribute a sword and shield from each master, or the value thereof. The Lord Mayor may grant relief from the militia obligations on payment of a fee.

There shall be a muster-master, to supervise the mustering of the militia, and that shall be the same as the Knight-marshal of Eoforwic ^[63] , or such as said Knight-marshal shall designate. One day each year shall the muster-master conduct the mustering of the militia, and at this time will the City's exchequer collect annual taxes and levies.

^[63] Also called the Captain of the White Tower, though that honourable and ancient appellation does not appear within this text, which again suggests the text may be corrupt.

III. Of Liberties from Noble Men, a Canon

The Crown of the Middle nor the Prince of the Middle Kingdom shall never collect pavage, poundage, pontage nor murage from the citizens of Eoforwic. The City Council must, however, maintain the Humber Bridge and the Don Bridge in fit condition for the transport of troops save when exigencies of war require the destruction of said bridge.

The citizens of Eoforwic shall have quittance at all ports of toll and be exempt from all the taxes levied by the Baron of Septentria, including scutage, tallage, manrent, window tax, mortmain, seisin and mort de ancestor, toll and team, tunnage and poundage, lastage, passage and stallage, soc and sac, scot, lot and Danegeld; and shall be liable only to pay such taxes to the King and the Prince of Ealdormere, as are not included above as well as such levies as may be deemed fit by the City Council ^[64] . Levies may be charged the Baron and Baroness of Septentria for residence in the City of Eoforwic ^[65] . No baronial duties in Eoforwic may be discharged by baronial personages, but must be discharged only by vicars duly appointed by the baron or baroness for periods not to exceed one day. Such appointments are liable to vicarage tax to be levied by the Lord Mayor upon each appointment of a vicar and payable to the Prince of Ealdormere. Defiance of this canon may be repaid by a fine of twice the daily vicarage tax, half to be paid to the Prince and half to be paid into the City's coffers.

^[64] In my time in the City I have heard much of the exemption all free men have from taxes, and yet I have never heard of the collection of those taxes that this Charter says are applicable. It is interesting to note the variation between this text and the revealed truth of recent history as seen in the practices of the City-folk. Though as I have noted before, this text appears corrupt in many ways.

^[65] Which may explain why Cordigan and Diane, the Baron and Baroness of Septentria after Aedan and Kaffa, lived outside the City, as did their successors Ieuan and Adrielle after them, assuming this portion of the text is not corrupt also.

No nobleman may bring inside the walls with him more than one hundred armed retainers. No more than twenty armed retainers may remain within the walls after nightfall, save that said nobleman shall arrange for a license to maintain, and remit the appropriate fee to the City to be applied to the maintenance of the militia.

No men may be lodged by force in Eoforwic save by order of the Lord Mayor in time of war, nor may any be lodged by livery of the marshal without that he pay such fee as the Lord Mayor shall require. The houses of foreigners are not so protected.

IIII. Of the Citizens of Eoforwic, a Canon

Every man who lives in Eoforwic for a year and a day shall be a free man and a citizen regardless of his previous condition. Even serfs of the Prince of Ealdormere himself will be free men an they live in Eoforwic for one year. Each citizen is subject to taxation by the City.

While the High Park that lies without the walls of Eoforwic shall remain a deer park for the Prince's pleasure, the citizens of Eoforwic and none other shall have the right to hunt deer, hart, boar and badger in the Forest of Don and in Humber Park the boar and badger. While the Prince reserves the right to appoint foresters to oversee the High Park, the Sheriff of Eoforwic shall appoint foresters for the Forest of Don and for Humber Park.

V. Of Foreigners, a Canon

Foreigners may be allowed to live in Eoforwic by license of the City upon payment of the appropriate fee. They may live in the Foreigners' Quarter of the City, and their safety there and that of their chattels is not guaranteed by the Crown. Merchants of Beau Fleuve, Thescorre and Ruantallen; and mariners from thence and from Rising Waters, the Cleftlands, the Grey Fells, the Isle of Dragon Dormant and from Seashire and Wolfsgate may live in other quarters of the city, and may pay a reduced fee for a license. VI. Of the Undesirable Elements, a Canon

Actors, prostitutes, bawds, fencing-masters, too-chucks ^[66] and minstrels may not reside in Eoforwic, and must leave the city by nightfall each day. Theatres may only open under license of the Lord Mayor. Water-men and deserving beggars may only their trades under license, and under such regulation as the Lord Mayor may impose. Undeserving beggars are subject to what punishment the Lord Mayor may devise, and may be deported from the City.

^[66] Whatever a too-chuck may be; perhaps an inferior type of juggler, one who cannot juggle three balls and can only "chuck" two into the air at once? Mine is an unproven theory, for I have never heard tell of a three-chuck, nor any higher sort, condition or degree of chuck, nor have those around me within our cloisters.

Further, there is no other mention of jugglers in this text, and it seems unlikely that inferior jugglers would be barred from the City unless more proficient jugglers were granted access to the City, which is not said.

VII. Of Fairs and Trade, a Canon

The City of Eoforwic shall have the right to hold two fairs every year, and a tenth part of the gross revenues shall be turned over to the Prince of Ealdormere in return for safe conduct on the roads of Ealdormere for any persons travelling to or from the fair. As well, Eoforwic Market may be held twice in every week, and a horse market may be once every week in Eoforwic Cathedral.

Ale may not be sold in Eoforwic, except by license of the Lord Mayor and the supervision of the Prince's ale conner.

Every man and woman in Eoforwic, citizen, visitor or alien must buy no less than two loaves of bread every week. In addition, every household must buy candles every month, and must keep a light in front of its house in the hours of darkness.

Fishermen of Vest Yorvik may not sell their fish away from Eoforwic Market except by license of the Lord Mayor of Eoforwic. A tenth part of the gross income from the sale of fish shall be tendered to the Baron of Septentria for that Vest Yorvik lies in his exclusive demesne.

Trading vessels may be charged a fee for docking at Eoforwic Port. Vessels of War of the Middle Kingdom shall not be charged a fee for such docking, and their supplies outside of ordinary provisioning shall be provided through payments in silver from the masters of all the other vessels then in Eoforwic Port. Vessels of War of foreign kingdoms may not dock at Eoforwic Port save by specific license of the Prince of Ealdormere.

Gilds and misteries shall govern the trade in the trades which they govern. No gild may be formed save that which fulfils the obligatory militia tax. No gild nor mistery may be formed without it be named for an honourable trade.

Done under our Seal of Estate this day while Sitting on our Thrones in our City by the Tree-girt-sea ^[67]

^[67] Despite the final clause in this text, the copy of the Charter in my hand has neither a seal upon it nor a witness' statement attesting to its accuracy as a copy taken from a sealed original. Thus I deem this text should not be considered authoritative, nor should its clauses and provisions be considered binding, but that is only my opinion, though I have noted the many errors in truth - corporeal, temporal, and spiritual-that riddle this text.

The reader is free to accept or reject the authenticity of this text, as Adam was free to be led astray by the connivance of the temptress Eve. With such a decision the reader must also embrace or cast aside the associated errata and undeniably heretical utterances contained within this text that shroud whatever merit this text may hold in a rent and reeking cloak of damnable perversity and self-servile wickedness.

But that is only my opinion; my present abbot says I can be too harsh in my opinions, though forgiveness of heresy is not within any mortal purview and I have seen many evil signs and terrible mysteries in years gone by, and thus can both see a fire and smell sulphur in its smoke.

Also appended to the fourth volume of the Chronicle of Eoforwic is a poem by a local poet (not Mistress Rhiannon, who was harper to the Baron and Baroness of Septentria, nor Timothy Nichol of MaqQueen who was Bard of Ealdormere at theDuke Sir Finnvarr had moved farthe time of the event) to mark the end of a Baronial tenure, which was published in The Ursus. While it is not of great significance it is an interesting aside, and verse is a pleasant way to end a chronicle.

For Aedan and Kaffa, VIII June A.S. XXVI

I
The years so soon passed / sanguine sages shall tell us
Two lines each proud deeds tell / two names worth remembering

II
The war bands like banshees / ruby banner before them
Two spearpoints gore-streaming / two stout hearts the foremost

III
The archers aye patient / all in livery of scarlet
Two arrows 'midst many / two bows drawn to make marks

IV
The care of proud craftsmen / crimson glow of forged iron
Two hands making harness / two hard skins of war steel

V
The woodwright's fine work / in white pine and bright cedar
Two eyes trace fine wood-grain / two tried and true teachers

VI
The feasts at the fireside / flame's glow warm and ruddy
Two cups clash in tribute / two toasts split the silence

VII
The gifts and great honours / beneath gules banner given
Two voices speak verity / two ring-givers valued

VIII
The courts and high councils / with South King and Rose Queen
Two seats held in splendour / two peers in such fiefdom

IX
The North's houses and heroes / copper shields and hard warriors
Two noble names ring clear / two known as kind patrons

X
The font of proud Princes / beneath red standard puissant
Two legacies legendary / two lands - wolf's and barony