Spring Coronet Tournament 1977

Photo
Balin and Lorissa
Information
Location: Arroyo Seco Park,Pasadena, CA Date: Apr 30, AS XI (1977)

• Autocrat -- Alewaulfe the Red
• Autocrat -- Gabrielle Deveraux NicChlurain (Gabrielle nicChlurain )

Balin of Tor, fighting for the honor of Lorissa du Griffin won the coronet list.

Highlights

• Balin and Lorissa become al-Caid and Lady Caid
• Event Description From: Wilhelm von Schlüssel's History: Closing court was held at the Holy Trinity Church in Alhambra, with a light finger food buffet following court. Prince Martin and Princess Arabella held a ten minute opening court. Double elimination Coronet Lists ensued, with Balin of Tor defeating Viscount Morven of Carrick. Balin's lady was Lorissa du Griffin, who was ten years old. At closing court Prince Martin appointed Katwen du Griffin, Nyla of Woodlyn, Trey of Woodly, Sweet Karen and Fair Kate as Official Pages to the Office of the Lists. Prince Martin gave Awards of Arms to Lorraine d'Alsace and Jane Ann. King Andrew, who attended the event, admitted Randolph the Devious to the Order of the Leaf of Merit. Then Balin and Lorissa came up to receive the rosemary wreaths and crescent-shaped horse brasses which are the insigiae of Al Caid and Lady Caid. A light buffet followed. (Handwritten note added) Jason Griffiths of Shadowhyrst became the Caid constable, Bjo of Griffin became Principality Chronicler.

Memories

• In those days Viscount (later Duke) Gregory of York and I were "tourney bums" and "war dogs"; as well as inseparable friends. We spent every weekend traveling from Calafia to any war or tournament available, including driving nine hours to the Bay Area for West Kingdom home events (we were still part of the West, and you needed to get well known up there if you wanted any chance of being knighted). I don't think he or I missed one weekend event in my first 3 years in the SCA. When in Angels for an event we usually drove up from Calafia on Friday, spending the night at Griffin Freehold. It was “the” gathering place for the Angels elite; which is to say the “establishment” elite of the Principality in those days. Angels was the heart of Caid, and Griffin Freehold was, arguably, the heart of Angels... It was a double-elimination tournament. After a couple of early rounds which I don’t really remember very well, my third draw was my friend, Gregory of York. I walked out to face him with a jaunty confidence; which concealed an underlying nervousness... As I look back, I recall that from that moment I felt somehow transcendent. In a 10 second fight, I had beaten one of the top contenders, and done it with one shot! At some unconscious level I knew if I could defeat Greg I could defeat anyone! My next fight was against Sir Hugh, Caid’s Paladin-of-Paladins... . I was younger than Hugh (he an old man of 31, while I was a sprightly lad of 21) and as he was attacking relentlessly, he tired quicker than I. At some point I went over to the offense, and using shield hooks of my own, combined with a very fast series of inside cuts and a blow I had recently perfected, what would be later called a “scorpion wrap”, I took Hugh down... As if to put a damper on my good fortune, in the next round I drew Guy of Castle Kirk. Back then I think he was Guy de Montfort still, and though not yet knighted our future Duke was even then a dominant tourney fighter, and had been since his very first days... After a couple of furious minutes, I caught Guy squarely with a back-hand shot to the face, and I had defeated yet another of Caid’s champions! There was an electricity around the field, as the populace and fighters now out of the tourney gathered in various states of shock and surprise to watch a scrappy unbelted, fighting for a 10 year old girl, go into the final round of the Caid Coronet list. I would be facing the very-noble Sir Morven of Carrick, who had been Prince just one reign earlier. He was fighting for Mistress Bevin Fraser of Stirling, the beautiful “grandame” of Caid... John ap Griffin was the herald on the field (one of the best Caid has ever known, for my money), and Sir Hugh was marshalling the final fights. We were called upon to salute the throne. I looked over where Prince Martin sat beside his consort, Princess Arabella. Seated on Arabella’s other side was Duke Deaton Claymore, visiting King of Atenveldt. Duke Siegfried of the West was sitting beside Martin, a guest of honor... This time, the final fight, I started cautiously at first, letting Morven throw a few long shots. Then I rushed upon him. Morven, like other’s earlier in the day, was unable to withstand my close-quarter onslaught. I don’t remember much of the details. Only that, in the end, I defeated a very worthy adversary who gave me the best three fights of the day. The rest is very much a blur. I vaguely remember much of the Brotherhood coming out to congratulate me. Did they take me up on their shoulders? I sort-of remember that happening. Lorrisa was brought out to the center of the field, and I remember kneeling before her. Fiona/Natalya was beside her, teary-eyed with joy. Lorrisa, all of ten-going-on-thirty, summed up this most unexpected day: “You weren’t supposed to win!”

• I was chosen for the Princess's Guard at the Investiture. We were fighting for Princess's Champion during the tourney. I had drawn Viscount Sir Gregory of York (ahtw) in the 1st round. As he had had an extraordinary number of clashes in the 1st round of Lists that tourney season, we went to the Mistress of Lists and asked her if we could change. I had had a very good season, which we were keeping track of. Sir Hugh had inaugurated the Grand Prix, where we kept track of those who ended up in the semifinals and above. I was the unbelted with a clean record and the best score under the knights. I didn't really keep track of it myself. I just had a lot of fun and that year was even better as I won more fights. In any case, the List Mistress changed our fights to different people. So I met Gregory in the finals this time instead of the 1st round. We were in a 2nd stage smog alert during the tourney. The fight was not a quick one. Gregory cut my leg so I went to my knees. We fought for awhile, but he couldn't get past my defense immediately. He hit me so many times in the same place that he cut the leather strap of my leg armor in twain lol. But he finally won. It was the 1st time I had been on the Princess's guard so I was happy about that as well. The Investiture had gone off without a hitch, I was in the Household of the Princess, we had a Brotherhood Prince, and.I was on the Guard, so, all-in-all a great day, though I was sorry to see Piers and Ximena leave as Baron and Baroness. - Charles of Dublin

Navigation

Go back	Go forward
Fall Coronet Tournament 1976	Fall Coronet Tournament 1977

Previous Year	Current Year	Next Year
Events 1976	Events 1977	Events 1978

Events of Caid
Events: 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, 2020s Event Types: Tournament, War, Collegium, Revel, Court, Arts & Sciences Competition Other Information: Results