New Book Available!

Ossa poetices: A Cyclopedia of Early, Medieval and Renaissance Poetic Forms, Devices and Genres.

From the works of the troubadours and trouvères of the 14th-century to those of the skalds and scops of the 6th, poetry has been written in Europe for a very long time. Within this volume Todd H. C. Fischer has gathered information on different poetic genres, forms and devices used across Europe during the early, medieval and Renaissance time periods. You may have heard of roundelays, madrigals, ballads, and—of course—sonnets in high school English class, but have you heard of hrynhent, leich, letrilla and zéjel? Mr. Fischer (who holds a double honours BA in English and Creative Writing) has made the study of medieval poetry a passion. He has scoured hundreds of volumes on medieval literature to here gather together information ranging from Anglo-Saxon versification to the obscure fatras of France. Most entries are illustrated by period examples, quoting works by Dante, Shakespeare, Marie de France, Raimbaut of Orange, and many others. Indices at the end of the volume allow easy cross referencing of entries by location and time period. Students of literature, lovers of poetry, and medieval re-creationists alike will find this volume essential.

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Poetry Challenge Success! 50 poems for AS 50!

Back on June 3rd 2015 (the second month of AS 50) I made the following challenge:

Hereby do I, Colyne Stewart, as I wish to better myself in all ways, challenge myself to write a number of poems to number no less than fifty in number to mark and celebrate and honour the fiftieth year of our Society. This I pledge on this feast day of Clotilde.

I am pleased to announce that I have just posted the 50th SCA/medieval poem that I have written during the past twelve months to succeed in this challenge! I really tried to challenge myself, by writing in several different genres and forms from many different European cultures and time periods. I had fallen behind in my task and about 20 of these poems were written in the past two months. I hope I did them all justice.

You can find links to all the poems from this challenge on my Challenge page.

List of Ealdormerean Blogs

I began a new project today, which is to collect a list of blogs belonging to Ealdormereans.

I know lots of people don't like to toot their own horns, but I would encourage everyone to start an SCA blog. Albums on Facebook are not enough. Most of them aren't set as public, so people who aren't friended with you can't see them. And photo albums don't track your service. You can be proud of what you have done without giving in to Pride. I'm proud of you, and I want to spread your wordfame. You may think no one cares about what you have to say, or do, or make, but that is often far from the truth.

In fact, quite often someone's name will come up in a discussion and I want to point out the cool things they have done and having a blog to point to with fully documented details of how cool and productive they are is really handy. It helps for award recommendations too. Just sayin'.

So, if you have a personal SCA blog, please consider sharing the link with me as I begin to compile this resource!

Please note, I am not looking for links to Facebook profiles (though Facebook pages may be appropriate) or to business/merchanting sites.

The list is currently being housed by the Archive of St. Etienne.

New Book on Chivalry by Sir Nigel and THL Colyne

Within the Society for Creative Anachronism, Duke Nigel MacFarlane, KSCA, has reigned as king twice in the Kingdom of Ealdormere and has been a knight for over a decade. Originally from the Middle Kingdom he now dwells in the northlands with his lady, Duchess Adrielle Kerrec, OP, OL, surrounded by their household of Arrochar. In this volume, Sir Nigel expounds on the nature of chivalry, with his words on the subject being transcribed by his squire, TH LairdColyne Stewart (also known asTodd H. C. Fischer). Within you can read his thoughts on the virtues, pilgramages, the taking of dependents, and more.

Order it on Amazon.

New book of poetry available

My latest book of poetry, Lion-King of Ealdormere, is now available on Amazon.

Two New Books Available

I've got two new books available, one on the history of Ealdormere, and one on the history of Septentria. Both are available in print or on Kindle.

Florilegium historiarum Septentriae (book)

Florilegium historiarum Septentriae (kindle)

The Society of Creative Anachronism (SCA) is a world-wide living history club with members numbering in the tens of thousands. Within the SCA there are several “kingdoms” and within these kingdoms are local groups known as baronies. One of these baronies, made up of central Ontario, Canada, is known as Septentria. Septentria was the first barony to be formed in Ontario. The people of this barony, who pride themselves as being from “the heart of Ealdormere”, have a long and proud history. The Honourable Laird Colyne Stewart (otherwise known as author Todd H. C. Fischer) has, over the past decade and a half, written several histories of this barony, its peoples and their deeds. From the founding baroness, Gillian d’Uriel, up to the investiture of Dafydd and Mahhild, Colyne has collected many tales of Septentria’s past, presenting them in the form of period chronicles.

The Wolf, the Wilds, and the Will (book)

The Wolf, the Wilds, and the Will (kindle)

The Society of Creative Anachronism (SCA) is a world-wide living history club with members numbering in the tens of thousands. Within the SCA there are several “kingdoms”. One of these kingdoms, made up of most of Ontario, Canada, is known as Ealdormere. The people of this kingdom, who pride themselves as being from “the northlands”, have a long and proud history. This year, the SCA turns fifty years old, and as part of the celebrations, each kingdom was asked to write a history of its lands. In Ealdormere, this task fell to the Honourable Laird Colyne Stewart (otherwise known as author Todd H. C. Fischer). Through study of earlier histories, newsletters and discussions with founding members, Colyne has compiled this chronicle featuring many acts of dedication, service, prowess, valour, and honour.

New article posted

My short article on Writing a Shakespearean Sonnet has been added to the Athenaeum Hectoris.

New article

I just posted a new article about storytelling in the SCA on the Athenaeum Hectoris site.

On Writing a Virelai

New article on writing a virelai added to the Athenaeum Hectoris.

Writing a Triolet

New article on this French poetic form added to the Athenaeum Hectoris.

The Athenaeum Hectoris

To encourage the proliferation of the written word within my kingdom (and the Society as a whole), I have launched a new project: the Athenaeum Hectorus. This website will (in time, I hope) become a great resource to those who want to learn to become poets, storytellers, wordsmiths or other producers of the written (and oral) word.

My plan is for the site to house (or link to) resources on how to write in various formats, how to perform, and other such items of interest.

So far I have had writers from several kingdoms allow me to link to or republish their content.

Today I added a new article I wrote about performing in the SCA.

A Deed of Arms at War of the Trillium

At the conclusion of my deed of arms on Monday, I was approached by Lord Fulk Beauxarmes, my sword-brother and friend. He asked me if I would stand with him as one of three tenans at an emprise he was organizing for this summer. I was deeply honoured, and accepted immediately.

There is a Facebook event for the deed available; below I have pasted the proclamation Lord Fulk had earlier made.

Under the eyes of my Sovereign Lord the King of Ealdormere, Nigel II, and of his gracious Queen, Adrielle II, and also of their Heirs Prince Siegfried and Princess Ragni, do I, Lord Fulk Beauxarmes, give greeting, honour and all joy to those who hath taken up the most noble profession of arms in these northern lands.

For though I am but the most base and lowly of all the warriors of the Northlands, let all know that I be desirous of the advancement of the noble profession of arms, and also of the exaltation of the name and renown of my Lady Wife, the Honourable Lady Urraca de la Mar; and therefore I hath most humbly supplicated and entreated my aforesaid Sovereigns that I might be granted license and permission to perform a deed of arms at the War of the Trilliums, for it should be shame were so many noble warriors to be gathered in one place and no small emprise should come of it. And to this entreaty through their wisdom, mercy and the love of arms hath my most gracious sovereigns right generous assented to, even from such a low creature as myself.

And so, being minded of the most puissant passage of arms of Don Suero de Quiñones, a famous knight of Leon who alongside his friends and companions in ancient days vowed to break three lances each upon a hundred challengers upon the Órbigo Bridge in Castile, let our Passo Honroso be of the form and manner following:

Upon a bridge at the War of the Trilliums shall be three tenans, each armed and armoured as pleases them best; and they shall hold the bridge against all who seek to come against them, either singly one to each or by threes all together, with matched weapons in honourable combat as is the custom of our Society; and they who fight shall discuss and agree upon which weapons shall be matched before their bout begins; and each bout shall last of three stout blows as is the custom; and should through chance or skill a tenan be defeated in honourable combat then shall the challenger take their place upon the bridge as a tenan upon the bridge in turn; and the tenans shall hold the bridge for one hundred bouts all counted for the joy and honour of the profession of arms and the exaltation of those who inspire them; and these three hundred stout blows shall be in remembrance of the lances of Don Suero Él del Passo; and also let there be a place set aside nearby that there may be private challenges as are wont to arise when so many noblemen and warriors do gather together in arms.

And for to make advancement of the profession of arms there shall be no preference of rank nor title, for so that the lowliest squire or man-at-arms might cross swords with the greatest of worldly lords without they be reproached or shamed; and that all who witness know we be not villeins, or routiers, or any such low persons, let all they who gather for this honourable passage of arms make proud display of their badge or heraldry, by shield and surcoat and banner and all the divers means of display, that the fame and honour of those who meet in this Passo Honroso be enhanced; and let each who make challenge of the tenans declare forth their name and style, and the name and style of the one who hath inspired them to do this deed; and so too shall the names and blazons be recorded in a book that their deeds might be remembered forevermore and not fade in the passing of years.

And in attendance upon the Passo Honroso shall be a gallery of good persons and true, and being chiefly ladies; and they shall decide amongst themselves and secretly which of the Great Virtues of Chivalry shall be their touchstone upon this day; and that gallery shall attend most closely upon the combatants upon the bridge; and they shall gather to decide amongst themselves which exemplar of that said Virtue be best displayed upon that field; and among all they shall award unto that single exemplar a riband to bear upon their arm or belt thereafter, that all might know the worth of that good warrior and true; and let the combatants know not which Virtue hath been decided upon, lest they be tempted to neglect any one of the Virtues of Chivalry in favour of any other, but rather let the Virtues be practiced and exalted all.

And by the word of my most modest and gentle wife, the Honorable Lady Urraca de la Mar, let this Passo Honroso be accomplished in the name of all those who give thankless service to the Society, be that service great or small, lest those who make sacrifice of their tasks think they do so unnoticed; but rather by this deed their service shall be honoured of us all, and be given deserved gratitude.

And to add greater faith and security to this letter, I Fulk Beauxarmes, seneschal of the Canton of Petrea Thule, have sealed it with the seal of my arms, written and dated from Petrea Thule upon the Feast of St. Osburga, this 5th day of April in the year AS 49.