SCA

Apprenticing Treásach Þjóðhagi

On the 22nd day of July Anno Societatis LII, 2017 in the common reckoning, which is the feast day of Saint Mary Magdalene, patroness of penitent sinners and women, at the Investiture of Gwain and Meisha as the undoubted Prince and Princess of Cynagua, I took to indenture Treásach Þjóðhagi as my apprentice. It is my undoubted pleasure to guide and mentor her.

As part of the ceremony we signed a chirograph. This is a medieval document, which has been written in duplicate, (or triplicate or very occasionally quadruplicate) on a single piece of parchment and then cut through to separate the parts.

Calligraphy and Illumination done by Mistress Danaë FitzRoberts (my grand-Laurel).

The text of the contract:

Þ is a thorne. Pronounced “th”
ʃ is a sometimes called sigma. Pronounced “s”

Þis indenture made þe twenty-second day of July, yn þe raene of our Soverand lorde King Miles the iijrd and his fair Queen Ariela ijnd, wyttneʃs þat Treásach Þjóðhagi, a Lady of the West Kingdom, doʃʃe in goode feyth and free will bynd hyr ʃelf apprentice to Sylvie la chardonnière, Mistress of the Laurel, for a terme of no leʃs þan i complete and continuous yaere from þis date or until the rightful Soverand may call to Treásach serve as Mistress in her own right. Þis indenture made ʃo þat Sylvie may teach, conʃyll and inʃtruct her such matters aʃ þe ʃeid Sylvie has deems fit. During which term þe ʃeid Treásach þe ʃeid Sylvie as hyr miʃtress yn all þynges well and faiþfully ʃhall ʃerue, hyr conʃyll kepe, and hyr lawfull and honest commaundements euerywhere gladly do. She ʃchall not do damage to hyr ʃeid miʃtress wyþin þe ʃeid terme to þe value of xii pence or more per annum. She ʃchall not waste þe godes of hyr ʃeid miʃtress nor lend þem wyþout hyr order or ʃpecial commaundement. She ʃchall not play any unlawful or unʃeemly gamys whereby hyr ʃeid miʃtress may have any loʃs. She ʃchall not frequent a tavern ʃave to do þe buʃneʃs of hyr ʃeid miʃtress. She ʃchall not wyþdraw unlawfully from þe ʃeruice of hyr ʃeid miʃtress during þe ʃeid terme nor flee nor depart for any reaʃon, until ʃhe haʃ completed hyr indenture or she ʃchall releaʃe hyr. And yf ʃhe ʃchall wyʃh to purchaʃe hyr freedom during þe ʃeid terme ʃhe may do ʃo for xxxiij ʃolidi. And þe ʃeid Sylvie þe ʃeid Treásach hys indentured yn hyr art which she uʃes by þe beʃt and moʃt excellent means þat she knows ʃchall diligently teach and nʃtruch or cauʃe to be inʃtructed by oþers, puniʃhing in due manner, and noþyng to be hyd frome hyr þerof. And alʃo ʃchall find for þe ʃame indenture ʃufficient victuals and apparel lynyn and ʃhoys and all oþer neceʃʃaries during all þe ʃeid terme as ys fitting to be found for ʃuch an apprentice of þat art. In wyttines whereof þe aforeʃaid parties to þeʃe indentures interchangeably have put þeir ʃeals. Done at þe Summer Investiture of Cynagua on þe feaʃt day of St Mary Magdalene, patroness of penitent sinners and women, Hereford yn þe liiʃt yaere socitatus.

Mistress Sylvie la chardonnière

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