Godfrey Spelman of Hexham: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 08:50, 29 October 2019

Photo

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Information

Preferred title:	Not specified
Their Pronouns:	Not specified
Resides:	Naevehjem
Status:	Active
Awards:	Visit the Caid Order of Precedence

Heraldry

Per chevron gules and Or, two bees and a rose proper.

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Lord Godfrey attended his first SCA event at the Barony of Naevehjem's Frost Dragon Anniversary and became enamored with what the SCA was and what it provided to him; however mundane life prevented him from being fully immersed for about a year or two. When he returned; however, he jumped in with both feet and began integrating into his new home by assisting as deputy Chatelaine. After a year of service, Godfrey received his Award of Arms on 11/11/2017 from TRM Alexander and Tahira and was elevated to the Office of the Chatelaine for the Barony of Naevehjem that same day. After some time learning and studying the SCA, he found his passions and began devoting his time and energy to heraldry and scroll work and finding means to improve these skills wherever he saw lacking. He began working closely with Baroness Eridana Ambra Dragotta, Dolphin Herald on the heraldic process, understanding the rules of heraldry submissions, and was taken under her tutelage and as her deputy for submissions. On 10/13/2018 he was offered and then accepted to be a protege to Master James of the Lake to pursue the virtues, dedication, and hard work of the Order of the Pelican and learn from him the resources of name heraldry. On 6/29/2019, he was offered and then accepted to be an apprentice to Mistress Caitlin Christiana Wintour to pursue the skills, dedication, and determination of the Order of the Laurel and learn from her the particular art of literary works and performance.

Persona

Born in Hexham, England to a Protestant cleric and pagan mother, Godfrey endured many hardships but excelled greatly in learning new things; making him a very proactive scholar and researcher primarily in the fields of astrology, medicine, and history. To protect him during the political and religious turmoil of Queen Mary restoring Catholicism to England, Godfrey was offered to the Benedictine Monastery of Hexham Abbey in 1554 at the age of 7 where he studied, worked, and prayed under the monastics to not only grow in his passion for learning, reading and writing, but to also be shielded under the facade of being an ally of the Papists. It was during this time that he delved into apothecary medicine and herbology due to his discovery of the works of Hildegard von Bingen; studying what she wrote and taught and practicing in the monastery nursery at night to carry on such knowledge for others.

In September of 1557, Godfrey received word that his father was executed for his proclaimed Protestant beliefs and vocal preaching during the Protestant Persecutions. However, in 1559, when Elizabeth is crowned Monarch of England, the angst of the religious turmoil that occurred seemed to finally come to an end and when Elizabeth and Parliament passed the Acts of Uniformity and Supremacy in 1559, Godfrey denounced the Church of Rome and (though he wasn’t Christian), claimed fidelity to the Church of England and to the legitimacy of Elizabeth; doing so in honor of his father and the devotion and faith he had, even to the point of death.

Having been expelled from the Catholic abbey along with those who professed fidelity to the Church of England, Godfrey found himself under the tutelage of William Cecil and grew in scholarly pursuits while serving as one of his many secretaries (but being one out of two apothecaries that tended to his requests).

During his time of work and academic studies, witchcraft was deemed a capital offense in 1562 and wrote to his mother to ensure she carry her practices in secret and to preferably move into the forested regions of the country to remain safe and undetected. Unfortunately, his mother refused and was eventually discovered, tried, and executed for practicing witchcraft. Due to his mother’s love of poetics and stories, Godfrey spent time in the libraries when not working, copying literary works and taking to the pen in writing his own small poems and prose in dedication to her.

Working with William Cecil trained Godfrey’s ability for politics and to play the courts to the advantage of his teacher and Her Majesty; especially in trade deals and international affairs. When times were dark and assassination plots were being taken against Elizabeth, Godfrey was charged in hiring mercenaries to intercept such plots and plans and to discover who the enemy was (by whatever means necessary) and it was here that he made the acquaintance of a notable French legionnaire by the name of Sauvage le brigand. Working side by side for the benefit of England, Godfrey and Sauvage became unlikely of partners and sought to make history for themselves and the world that they were living in. And by joining forces and becoming part of the war band, Horsemen of Judgment Keep, they believe that there is nothing they cannot do.

Associates

Consort to Uhtred Ragnarson - 8/22/2019 to present
Apprentice to Mistress Caitlin Christiana Wintour, OL - 06/29/2019 to present
Protégé to Master James of the Lake, OP - 10/13/2018 to present
Scriptorium Associate with Lady Caelia Nerva - 08/2017 to present
Scriptorium Associate with Lady Brig inghean Uateir - 09/2015 to present
Household Member and a Prefect of the Horsemen of Judgment Keep - 08/16/2017 to present

Guilds

Caid Arachne's Web Guild
Herbology and Alchemy Guild of Caid

Offices & Positions

Kingdom

Deputy to Dolphin Herald - 01/01/2018 to present
Moucheture Pursuivant - 08/31/2019 to present
Moucheture Macer - 10/07/2017 to 08/31/2019
Court Scribe to Wilhelm III and Tsyra II - 7/13/2019 to present
Deputy Chief Lord in Waiting to Wilhelm III and Tsyra II - 7/13/2019 to present
Interim Bellows Herald - Queen's Champion [Tsyra II] - 06/22/2019
Lord in Waiting to Wilhelm II and Tsyra - 03/10/2018 to 06/23/2018
Lord in Waiting to Agrippa III and Dawid -06/23/2018 to 01/05/2019

Baronial

Territorial Herald - Barony of Naevehjem - 10/01/2018 to present
Territorial Chatelaine - Barony of Naevehjem 11/11/2017 to present
Co-Chamberlain to Baron and Baroness Llewellyn and Eularia - 11/10/2018 to present
Deputy Territorial Herald - Barony of Naevehjem 06/2018 to 10/01/2018
Deputy Territorial Chatelaine - 02/01/2017 to 11/11/2017

Event Staff

Autocrat for Naevehjem October Faire Demo - 10/18/2019 - 10/20/2019
Heraldry Consultation - GWW 2019
Ran Herald's Point - Festival of the Rose - 8/24/2019
Heraldry Consultation - Potrero 2019
Autocrat - Naevehjem Frost Dragon Anniversary, 11/10/2018
Heraldry Consultation - Calafia Anniversary 2018
Autocrat for Naevehjem October Faire Demo - 10/12/2018 - 10/14/2018
Heraldry Consultation - GWW 2018
Chief Lord in Waiting for Tsyra I - Wintermist Anniversary- 05/19/2018
Heraldry Consultation - GWW 2017

Workshops Taught

Kingdom of Caid

"Heraldry 101 - Submitting a Name and Device as a Submitter or as a New Herald" - GWW 2019

Barony of Naevehjem

Who's Who in the SCA: Knowing Officers, Titles, and People of Rank
What are the Kingdom Awards?
How to Submit Kingdom and Baronial Awards
Field Heraldry 101
Roles and Relationships of a Consort and Champion
SCA Camping 101 for Wars and Weekend Events
The Dos and Don'ts of Court: Etiquette, Procession and Presentation, and How to Survive

Miscellany

Barony of Naevehjem

Dragon's Wing (service) 11/11/2017
Dragon's Blaze (special recognition) 11/10/2018

Barony of Wintermist

Gillyflower (service) 5/18/2019

Kingdom of Caid

Harp Argent (illumination/scroll work) 7/13/2019
Award of Arms 11/10/2018
Signum Regina (Tsyra I) 06/23/2018

Blog of Godfrey's Poetic and Other Literary Works

https://heraldtale.blogspot.com/

Projects and Publications

Promissories

Image	Promissory
	Acorn
	Arcus
	AoA
	Court Barony
	Crescent
	Crescent Sword
	Dolphin of Caid
	Duellist
	Furison
	Gauntlet
	Harp Argent
	Legion of Courtesy
	Lux Caidis
	Order of the Chivalry
	Royal Recognition of Excellence