Malepardus

Registered badge for House Malepardus.

House Malepardus (officially registered as Housse Malpertus) is the personal household of Maister Colyne Stewart and THL Þorfinna gráfeldr, as well as Colyne's dependents and students. It was founded at Feast of the Bear AS 53 (2018) when Colyne took Baroness Anneke the Furious as a protege. The household's name is taken from the Reynard the Fox cycle of stories dating from at least the 12th century (Malepardus being the name of Reynard's home).

Origin of the Name

As mentioned above, the name Malepardus is taken from the Reynard cycle of stories. In her book Spenserian Satire: A tradition of indirection, Rachel E. Hile tells us

The most unusual word in the work, Malepardus (“Maleperduys” in Caxton’s 1481 edition), the name of Reynard’s fox-hole/castle, turns out to be a corrupted version of the French word for St. John’s wort: “This plant is called Millepertuis (or thousand holes) because the leaues of it are all full of so small holes, that one can scarce see them, but onely betwixt their sight and the sun” (de la Primaudaye, French Academie, 335). Obviously a name that means “thousand holes” serves as a fitting moniker for Reynard’s confusing den with many paths and exits, not an allusion to signal a real-world satirical target.

Another possible origin for the name of Reynard's home is the word "malapert":

Malapert debuted in English in the 14th century, was a favorite of Shakespeare, and is still used sporadically today. The prefix mal-, meaning "bad" or "badly" and deriving from the Latin malus, is found in many English words, including "malevolent" and "malefactor." The second half of "malapert" comes from the Middle English apert, meaning "open" or "frank." "Apert" further derives from the Latin word"apertus" ("open"), which gave us our noun "aperture" (meaning "an opening"). Putting the two halves together gives us a word that describes someone or something that is open or honest in a bad way-that is, a way that is bold or rude. The noun "malapert" also exists, and means "a bold or impudent person." [Merriam Webster]

Colyne takes on Anneke at Feast of the Bear 2018.

Members

Baron Colyne Stewart, OP, and Baroness Þorfinna gráfeldr head the household.

Proteges

Baroness Anneke the Furious

Students

Nicola Canis

Malepardus Kennels and Mews

O'ber

Ham

Malepardus badge by Nicola Canis.

Embroidered version of the badge also by Nicola Canis.