Guest Blogger: Nancy Lee Badger on Scottish Proverbs Volume II

Welcome back Nancy Lee Badger! We were excited to have you present Scottish Proverbs Volume I, and I'm sure our readers are delighted to have you back for Volume II. Take it away Nancy...

Thanks for joining me for another discussion on Scottish Proverbs. For those of you who did not get a chance to read Volume #1 (posted on this blog on 13 November 2009) let me explain what we are talking about today.

The Oxford English Dictionary explains a proverb as: “a pithy saying in general use", and the Longman Dictionary says it is: “a short well known phrase or sentence, which contains advice about life.” Often repeated, proverbs express a truth based on common sense. Proverbs are wise words of wisdom, said in a hidden way. In many cases, we heard them given as advice or as warnings.

Various sayings come down through the ages. Origins get muddied. The proverbs I will list today, in their exact spelling, were recorded as far back as the 1600’s and attributed to Scotland. Passed for centuries before then by stories told around the home fires, many still ring true. Many will sound familiar, though a word or two may have gotten lost in translation.
I heard many that I didn’t realize were actual proverbs while growing up. I thought my parents, grandparents, etc. were quite intelligent. As an adult, I have come across these pearls of wisdom and abide by some to make my life run smoother.

Take this saying, which I cannot say influenced my life, simply because my husband and I never considered ourselves ‘rich’. A fu’ purse never lacks friends. Have any of you found people suddenly latching on when a little extra cash comes your way? Beggars cannae be choosers.

The proverb that has helped my family is A penny saved is a penny gained. Remember ‘Christmas Club accounts’ at the bank? Putting aside a set amount of money each week helped once our two boys came along. Then our bank offered a ‘Tax Club Account’. A Godsend when the property tax came due. Look after the pennies and the pounds will take care of themselves reminds me how happy we were when our boss handed us bonus checks. Putting those funds away for a rainy day helped us buy a house. Even today I have a container in my desk. All the extra change I accumulate each day gets dropped inside and I gleefully carry it to the bank whenever I need funds for a trip or event. A small amount adds up!

Speaking of marriage, I heard to marry is to halve your rights and double your duties. Is this statement true? My husband might agree. Though I think owning a home together brings its own burdens. We compromise on several issues, but I still remember his face the day I drove home in a new car. Well, it was an inexpensive used car, and I paid cash for it, but he looked at me like I was crazy. Willful waste makes woeful want. The vehicles air-conditioning broke and other little things started to pop up so we traded it for a Jeep that HE wouldn’t mind driving. Confessed faults are half mended. Since then, we tend to discuss major purchases before they happen. Nae fool like an auld fool, I guess.

Speaking of major purchases, we were discussing our first home purchase back in the day when $500 down got you a new home and two mortgages. Our son and partner are buying their first home. They are jumping through hoops and climbing mountains! Don’t marry for money, you can borrow it cheaper. One of the two mortgages we held for our first house had a balloon payment. Surprise! We held the mortgage on our next house while trying to sell the other house yep…two mortgages for six months. You CANNOT borrow it cheaper. They that dance must pay the fiddler. My opinion, remember.

When times get tough I think of several proverbs that have stuck with me. Be happy while you’re living, for you’re a long time dead. Nothing is more straightforward than that! Job loss is another issue that has raised its ugly head lately. Those of us who remember the massive unemployment rate back in 1990/1991 will understand that what is meant by when one door sticks, another one opens. Finding a new position in a new company or in a new field is a daunting task, especially if you are supporting a family. Change can be a good thing so don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant.

What about the employer who pink slips hundreds of workers in order to make the bottom line look good? How can they sleep at night? A business is more than cement walls, desks, and personnel files. What about when the recession ends? It will. It always does. Then this boss will try to fill his needs. What if everyone already changed careers? What if his normal work base left the state? Will he blame himself or the powers that be? He’s the slave of all slaves who serve’s none but himself. Did he remember to give charitable gifts to those in need? Did he drop off food for the food bank or old clothes for the thrift shop? If he doesn’t help our neighbors in need he’s as water in a holed ship.

These words have survived for centuries because a good tale never tires in the telling. Remember the next time something or someone bothers you that time and tide will tarry on nae man. And when life irritates you until you feel like throttling everyone and anyone, never draw your dirk when a blow will do it. Hit a wall or, better yet, a fluffy pillow.

Valentine’s Day is a time for forgiving, forgetting, and showing how much you admire the love in your life. Take time to say pretty words, do a good deed, and enjoy life, because a’s weel that ends weel.

Nancy Lee Badger lives with her husband in Raleigh, NC. She loves everything Scottish and still volunteers at the New Hampshire Highland Games, with her family. She is a member of Romance Writers of America, Heart of Carolina Romance Writers, Fantasy Futuristic & Paranormal Romance Writers, and Celtic Heart Romance writers. Her first novel comes out 25 June 2010 under her pen name, Nancy Lennea. Visit her websites and blog for updates and excerpts.

Visit Nancy:

http://www.nancylennea.com/
http://www.nancyleebadger.com/
http://www.rescuingromance.nancyleebadger.com/

Guest Blogger Mary McCall on Sacred Gardens

When I spoke with Eliza a few months ago about some Church history topics that might interest historical writers, I mentioned the Virgin Cult. It began when Thomas and James, who were unable to attend the Blessed Mother’s burial, arrived and asked to see her body that they might recite the prescribed prayers. When the tomb was opened, rather than a decaying corpse, the smell of roses greeted the Apostles. Her body was gone, replaced by thornless, long-stem roses. And of course, her first apparition occurred to Saint James when he was evangelizing what is now known as Spain. So talk about a topic bigger than one can chew – that would be more than a book – more like a series of tomes!

One thing that jumped out as useful topic to writers is something I employed briefly in one of my manuscripts (that will someday be purchased by some lucky house). That is Mary Gardens and other Sacred Gardens. Now even I will be the first to tell you, the Catholic Church didn’t invent these mediation retreats. We can go back to the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World to know they have been existence for quite a while. Recent excavation along the Scottish Lowland border of an old Celtic site shows evidence of what is believed to be a “prayer” garden. And Jesus was in a contemplative garden when he was arrested. The colors, the aromas, the peacefulness – all combine to lend a sense of serenity and otherworldliness that are, to this day, considered conducive to prayer and meditation.

Mary Gardens are filled with flowers, plants and trees named for Our Lady, Jesus, and other holy people or places. They are designed to be a place of beauty that reminds one of our Lord and our Lady, allows one to experience God's creation, and invites prayer and contemplation. Because Mary is an archetype of the Church as Bride, the garden should be enclosed if at all possible, based on the words in the fourth chapter of Solomon's Canticle of Canticles: How beautiful art thou, my love, how beautiful art thou! Thy eyes are doves' eyes, besides what is hid within.

Saint Benedict had a rose bush dedicated to the Blessed Mother at his monastery in the 4th century that still grows to this day and covers an entire side of the building. However, the first garden we know of that was specifically dedicated to Mary was created by the Irish Saint Fiacre in the 7th century. The earliest record of a garden explicitly called a "Mary Garden" involves a "fifteenth century monastic accounting record of the purchase of plants "for S. Mary's garden" by the sacristan of Norwich Priory, in England."

Before the rise of Christendom, many flowers were associated with pagan deities – Diana, Juno, Venus, etc. When the Age of Faith ascended and superseded the pagan age, these flowers were christened and re-dedicated to Christian themes. So many flowers were named for Jesus, Mary, the angels, holy places, etc. – enough that you can create a garden focused on specific aspects of Mary and Jesus' lives, such as His Passion or her sorrows. Enchanting names, like "Our Lady's Tears" (spiderwort), "Christ's-Cross Flower" (Summer phlox), "Joseph's Coat" (Amaranthus), "Pentecost Rose" or "Mary's Rose" (peony), and "Our Lady's Mantle" (Morning Glory), abounded. During the Protestant rebellion and the rise of secularism, many of these flowers were re-named yet again with more worldly names. But, of course, these flowers still exist, and to many Catholic gardeners, their religious names are still meaningful.

In Pennsylvania, the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish’s (a place I would love to visit) Mary Garden Dedication Booklet includes the following, which will give you an idea about how Mary Gardens recall the lives of Mary and Jesus. The booklet asks the reader to visit the garden and think of Mary:

"Picture her eyes (Forget-Me-Nots), her hair (Maidenhair Fem), her five fingers (Potentilla). Think about her apparel: her smock (Morning Glory), her veil (Baby's Breath), her nightcap (Canterbury Bells), her gloves (Foxglove), and her shoes (Columbine). Remember her attributes: Mary's humility (Violet), the fruitful virgin (Strawberry), Mary's queenship (Virgin Lily), Mary's Flower of God (English Daisy), Mary's glory (Saint John's Wort), and Our Lady's Faith (Veronica). Think about her life: The Bethlehem Star (Bellflower), the Christmas Flower (Poinsettia), Lady's Bedstraw (Dianthus - Mary used bedstraw to prepare a bed for Jesus), the Epiphany flower (Chrysanthemum), the Flight into Egypt (Fig Tree - legend says that the Holy Family ate the fruit of this tree during their flight into Egypt), Our Lady's Tears (Lily of the Valley - tiny white nodding bell-shaped flowers can be likened to a train of tears), Our Lady's Tresses (Asparagus Fern - legend holds that at the foot of the cross, Mary, in. deep agony, tore out a tress of her hair which Saint John preserved), Mary's Bitter Sorrow (Dandelion), and the Assumption (Hosta - Plantation Lily blooms at the time of the Feast of the Assumption)."

In medieval times, chatelaines planted flowers, plants, and herbs whose names and form evoked the Fourteen Stations of the Cross, the Fifteen Mysteries of the Rosary, the Seven Dolors of Mary, or any number of other religious themes, according to their patrons. Thus, by walking through their gardens, they not only enjoyed natural beauty, but practically "made the Stations" or "walked the Rosary," turning their gardens into a holy shrine (especially when accented with beautiful statuary). It was common for families without chapels to gather in their gardens for morning and/or evening prayers. Also, some of these plants had healing properties that were believed to be enhanced by their presence on land dedicated to God, because, of course, these gardens were blessed by priests.

As time went on, these gardens became treasured spots. Nobles vied with each other to create the most extravagant outdoor paradises in honor of God (and themselves). The revival of labyrinths (a topic in itself) in the medieval period came about by these “unnamed contests.” However, the significance of the labyrinth in a garden from a Christian perspective is that there is only way to the heart of the maze, which signified Paradise, but many ways to get lost and land in Purgatory or Hell. For these complex gardens, nobles needed caretakers known as, you guessed it, gardeners. A few of the mazes in England today can be traced back to medieval origins.

Over the years, I’ve developed a huge table with the modern name, scientific name and medieval names of many of the plants, flowers and herbs used to create these outdoor cathedrals. Knowing the medieval name lends a sense of time to any period fiction. If you want the medieval name of any you don’t see listed above, let me know. I’ll let you know if I’ve found it.

So the next time your medieval heroine needs a place to escape where the hero can actually trap her, think of the enclosed Sacred Gardens – where I’m sure more than praying occurred.

Mary McCall is an award winning writer of historical romance. Visit her at: http://marymccall.wordpress.com/

Historical Book Review: Beauvallet, by Georgette Heyer

Recently, I had the pleasure of reading one of Georgette Heyer’s magnificent works, Beauvallet. The title itself rolls off your tongue and promises an escape, something exciting and romantic. Originally published in 1929, Beauvallet was been reprinted by Sourcebooks Casablanca in the USA, this pas January!

About the book…

A swashbuckling tale set in the second half of the 16th century, when Elizabeth was on the throne and the Spanish Armada ruled the waves. Sir Nicholas Beauvallet, pirate and nobleman, captures a Spanish galleon and discovers a lovely lady on board. Chivalrous to the core, he woos and wins her heart, then returns her and her father to their homeland, vowing to come after her—even though there's a price on his head and discovery of his identity will mean certain death. In the midst of much adventure, Beauvallet masquerades as a Frenchman, is betrayed, and must fight his way to freedom while stealing the lady willingly away…

About the author, from Sourcebooks…

The late Georgette Heyer was a very private woman. Her historical novels have charmed and delighted millions of readers for decades, though she rarely reached out to the public to discuss her works or personal life. She was born in Wimbledon in August 1902, and her first novel, The Black Moth, published when she was 19, was an instant success.

Heyer published 56 books over the next 53 years, until her death from lung cancer in 1974. Her work included Regency novels, mysteries and historical fiction. Known also as the Queen of Regency romance, Heyer was legendary for her research, historical accuracy and her extraordinary plots and characterizations. Her last book, My Lord John, was published posthumously in 1975. She was married to George Ronald Rougier, a barrister, and they had one son, Richard.

History Undressed Review…

Heyer has been dubbed the Queen of Regency, which she very well is, but this story takes place in Elizabethan times. I think this calls for another title to be bestowed on our beloved late author--Ms. Georgette Heyer, is also the Queen of Elizabethan romance. I must say thank you to Sourcebooks, for bringing Heyer back into the limelight. I’d never read one of her books before, and am now a major fan, swallowing up her literary treats as fast as I can get my hands on them.

From the very first sentence-- “The deck was a shambles.” -- the reader is pulled into the story. Heyer is magnificent in her hooks, but not just the opening and ending hooks, but the very middle. Her work bounces off the page in a lively piece that is reminiscent of Shakespeare and other great historical writers. She has been likened to Jane Austen, which I can see as well.

The dialogue is witty, fun, exciting. The characters are well thought out and unique. As a history lover, I was impressed by Ms. Heyer’s research. The book is chock full of real-life history, including those larger than life real privateers like Drake and Raleigh. Her scenery descriptions and the way she captures the true essence of the characters was a marvel to me. The heroine, Dona Dominica was a woman ahead of her time. She stoically and valiantly thwarted the evil machinations of her cousin and aunt, all while staying steadfast to her true love. Sir Nicholas Beauvallet was so well created and imbedded in the history, I actually did a search to see if he existed in real-life. Sadly, he was all made up, but a hero I fell in love with nonetheless, and a book I recommend to all of you! If you love adventure, romance, intrigue, betrayal, love and history all rolled into one, Beauvallet, has it!

And let’s face it--who doesn’t love a daring pirate hero willing to risk life and limb for his feisty heroine?

Buy link

Product ISBN: 9781402219511

Reprint by Sourcebooks Casablanca

Publication Date: January 2010

I highly recommend visiting this site, with all sorts of fun information on Ms. Heyer, her work and historical eras she wrote in: http://www.georgette-heyer.com/

Guest Blogger: Victoria Gray - Clothes Make the Man

Clothes make the man, or so the saying says. In the case of numerous Civil War soldiers and spies, this was quite a true statement. It’s estimated that at least four hundred Civil War soldiers were women disguised as men. This number may actually be higher, as women were usually discovered when they needed medical treatment or died.

Motivations for dressing as a man varied. In some cases, women in love desperately wished to join husbands or sweethearts on the battlefield. One can only wonder how many of these couples succumbed to desire and rose eyebrows in the process. In others, becoming a man offered a woman the chance to fight for a cause, either on the battlefield or as a spy.

One of the most notorious cross-dressing spies was Sarah Emma Edmonds, known as Private Franklin Thompson, Union Army nurse turned spy. As a girl, the Canadian-born tomboy craved adventure and could outshoot boys her age. When her father’s attempt to force her into marriage with a local farmer drove her to run away, Sarah worked as a milliner before assuming the identity, Franklin Thompson, traveling Bible salesman.

When war broke out, Sarah/Franklin rushed to enlist. Serving as a male nurse, Private Thompson served in the First Battle of Bull Run and distinguished herself with dedication and competence. Recruited for the newly created Secret Service, she maintained her male persona and crossed Confederate lines to gather information. Taking her deception further, she disguised herself as an African American man to glean intelligence. She used silver nitrate to dye her skin, shaved her head, donned old, worn clothing like that of a plantation slave, and called herself “Cuff”. Working alongside African American men working to build Confederate fortifications, she employed her keen memory and some well-implemented bribery to glean information for the Union. In another instance, Sarah/Franklin donned the clothes of a captured Confederate soldier to move through enemy lines.

In a strange twist, Sarah’s Franklin alter-ego disguised himself as a woman on at least two occasions. Pretending to be an Irish peddler named Bridget O’Shea, she planned to infiltrate the army by becoming a camp follower selling pies and cakes. In another instance of “Franklin” donning a disguise as a woman, he dressed as an African-American laundress working for Confederate officers.

Sarah Edmonds’ story has been recorded in far more detail than many other women who fought in the Civil War in the guise of a man. Women such as Mary Livermore, Mary Owens, and Albert D.J. Cashier (born Jennie Hodgers) joined the war effort in the guise of a man and served their cause. In some cases, female soldiers died from wounds or disease. In others, they lived to old age, raised families, and wrote memoirs. Sadly, the United States Army did not recognize female soldiers and tried to ignore their contributions for decades after the Civil War ended. Fortunately for all of us, accounts of their daring masquerades survived despite the Army’s attempt to pretend they didn’t exist.

Regardless of their motivations and which side of the conflict they were on, the women who disguised themselves as men to become a part of Civil War battles and espionage risked their lives and became a part of history. What fascinating stories they must have had to tell.

Victoria Gray is the author of historical romance. Her debut novel Destiny will reslease in May this year. Visit Victoria at http://www.victoriagrayromance.com/

Movie: The Young Victoria

While this movie has yet to reach my area, I am really looking forward to it! I have a fascination with European history, especially monarchs within England. My release over this past summer, Love Will Bloom included a small snippet with Queen Victoria in it. Naturally, when I heard there was a movie coming out about her, I was excited, and its a romance which makes it even better. As you all know I'm also a history buff. An interview with Sarah Ferguson (producer of the movie and current Duchess of York) showed that she made it very clear the true history was told, and not any frivolous scenes thrown in for entertainment.




From the press release.... The Young Victoria is written by Julian Fellowes (Gosford Park, Vanity Fair) and directed by Jean-Marc Vallée (C.R.A.Z.Y.). Producers on the film are Graham King, Martin Scorsese, Tim Headington and Sarah Ferguson.

Emily Blunt (The Devil Wears Prada) delivers a stunning performance as Queen Victoria in the turbulent first years of her reign. Rupert Friend (Pride & Prejudice) portrays Prince Albert, the suitor who wins her heart and becomes her partner in this spectacular romance. The film also features Paul Bettany (Iron Man, The Da Vinci Code), Miranda Richardson (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire), Jim Broadbent (The Damned United, The Chronicles of Narnia), Thomas Kretschmann (Valkyrie), and Mark Strong (Tristan & Isolde, Oliver Twist).

The Young Victoria chronicles Queen Victoria's ascension to the throne, focusing on the early turbulent years of her reign and her legendary romance and marriage to Prince Albert.

Here is the trailer:




The Duchess of York, gave an interview and I thought, you all might be interested in a few particular things she had to say...

Did you have any hesitations with your daughter, Princess Beatrice, taking part in the film? Whose idea was it for her to get involved?

Both of them are so proud about this film that they of course loved sitting going on set and when they were on set of course it was then decided that Beatrice could go and do that and she jumped at it with both feet. She came from school where she did drama so for her it was just big dresses and just being on set. What this film has taught me just is how hard Hollywood works. Hollywood is not just entertainment, it’s about the behind the scenes, what everyone does. I’ve never seen such hard work. It’s really extraordinary and has to be heralded. I often took myself, go to the cinema and look at the big screen, walk out and go yeah that’s good but never contemplate just what it takes. I think it’s incredible. I’m happy with whatever both girls decide to do because I believe a real mother should be there to guide, be a role model, and to listen, but never to preach or teach.

What is Beatrice’s impression of the whole experience?

I think Beatrice would like to be in that century and I keep trying to tell her well it’s not going to happen dear. She really is so responsible; she was born to be a princess. She’s got it in her blood. She just has a sense of duty and responsibility that I’ve never seen in another human being.

You’ve written two novels about the life of Queen Victoria – is there a particular connection you feel you have with her?

I find her sense of cheekiness. I find her sense of humor. I find that she’s so strong and bold and I often have days when I allow people to push me around and I often think what would she do. There’s no way she’d put up with it so why am I?

Actress, Emily Blunt, who play Queen Victoria had this to say...

How much of this was a character study, compared with taking creative license?

It’s funny cause I felt like I had a free reign with her because nobody knows about the youthful side of Queen Victoria, the love and the passion and I felt like no one really knew about that so I think there was an element of me sort of saying well prove it to me, prove to me that she wouldn’t have sat like this or said that, said something in that tone of voice, but I think I wanted at the same time to do her justice cause it was very well documented, that whole side of her life. So everything that I read about her wouldn’t necessarily been read about by most people but, but I thought it was important to do justice to what I had read which presented her as this remarkable girl who had such strength and fire in her and literally everything that you see in the movie, virtually everything was true almost to the word.

You were allowed access to Victoria’s private diaries and letters – how did that help you form the basis for your role?

The diaries were the most helpful because she was so open in them and you know very expressive and would go into great detail about people or what she thought about them and who she hated, who she liked, and even with Albert she’d talk about the way he looked in such such detail. The curl of his mustache…was like she’d rapture about it for a paragraph and so it was really helpful to me to delve into that cause I could start to hear her voice in a way.

What other special research/training did you do to prepare?

I learned to side saddle a horse ride and I learned how to waltz. Both of them were frightening experiences but I overcame them in the end. It was a bit of a task but we did alright.

(I wanted to pop in here and say that even writers have to do this sort of thing. The best way to write a scene is to experience it in some way, whether that be through actual practice, lots of reading, interviewing or watching videos.)

Is there one scene in the film that you are particularly fond of?

It’s funny, I really like the scene where she meets the privy counsel for the first time where she addresses the room full of sort of 60 old men who are there to judge her really, and doubtful of whether this young girl can..is up to the task. As an actress when there’s so much to play with that you know she’s terrified, she needs to assert herself, this is a huge moment for her, she knows that they doubt her, she’s feeling very vulnerable about the fact that her dearest uncle has just died and it was so much to play with that I really enjoyed that scene, I just really enjoyed it. I thought it was her really coming into her own. I think on the day that I read about it in biographies, she really did surprise them and they talked about the strength and the femininity but also that she was someone that was quite hard to read and I found that interesting that she was actually quite an ambiguous girl. You couldn’t quite figure out what she was thinking so there’s something quite powerful in that. That’s the thing and that’s what I loved about the film. You see the private side and the public side and she lead such a duel existence as you know so many of the monarchs do.

Actor, Rupert Friend who plays Prince Albert, was interviewed as well. Here are few things he had to say...

It seems as though you enjoy working on period pieces (The Young Victoria, Pride and Prejudice, The Libertine, The Last Legion, etc.) - what attracts you to these types of films? Do you prefer period pieces to modern day films?

I think it’s just the stories that have come my way that have interested me and in a sense there’s an element of kind of I guess time travel about it that I really like. Being able to really go back in time and see how people lived in other periods is really exciting for me. As different as it can be from my own experiences the better.

To prepare for the role of Prince Albert, you took dancing, calligraphy, archery lessons, and even worked with a vocal coach to capture an accurate German accent. Out of all the lessons, what did you find the most challenging to learn? What was the easiest to pick-up?

The hardest was the piano because I had to learn a piece of Shubert which Albert plays for, well he doesn’t actually play it for her but he plays it in the movie, and that was really really hard but the most rewarding as well because when I cracked it, it was the best feeling ever, so that was the hardest. The easiest in a way actually was the archery. The guy who was teaching me was amazing and he made me my own bow and my own arrows. It came weirdly quite naturally the whole sharp shooting thing.

I leave you withthis particular scene in The Young Victoria that reminds me a great deal of another great queen who also struggled with being a woman and holding the crown...




Can you guess which queen I speak of?

I hope you all enjoy the movie, I'm chomping at the bit to see it!

Cheers,
Eliza

The Sword of Christendom by Mary McCall

The Sword of Christendom: Vowed to the Riding
The trail is through dolour and dread,
Over crags and morasses;
There are shapes by the way,
there are things that appall or entice us:
What odds? We are Knights of the Grail,
We are vowed to the riding.
~Louise Imogen Guiney (1861—1920)

They say a little truth suspends disbelief in fiction. Watching the film First Knight, one gets a sense of medieval customs when Lancelot kneels before the chapel altar prior to receiving his sword. The medieval knight spent a significant amount of time in fasting, prayer, and other rituals prior to being inducted into service. When one reflects on the Ten Commandments of Chivalry, the modern mind is sometimes appalled by “VI: Thou shalt make war against the infidel without cessation, and without mercy.”

This was not a concept held only by knights, whom we moderns might accuse of being ignorant or cruel. In his De laudae novae militiae (Of the New Knights, referring to The Knights Templars whose rule he wrote), the learned mystic and scholar St. Bernard of Clairvaux wrote:

But in truth the knights of Christ fight the battles of their Lord with all tranquility of conscience, fearing neither sin by the death of their enemy nor the danger of their own death, because death inflicted or suffered for Christ’s sake bears no trace of crime and often brings the merit of glory... For he bears not the sword without cause; he is the minister of God for the punishment of evil and the exaltation of good. When he kills a malefactor, it is not homicide, but, so to say, “malecide,” and he is clearly considered the avenger of Christ in the case of those who do evil, and defender of Christians. Moreover, when he himself is killed, it is understood that he has arrived in eternal glory... (Migne, Patrologia Latina, vol. 182, col. 924).

Heady words, but before we are too easily repelled or self-righteous, let’s remember that both the crusading efforts of the knights and the missionary works of the friars were complimentary. Also, those of us in America are taught to praise as heroes the men, who by force of arms, built and sustained our nation. That included the vanquishing of French and Spanish Catholic culture in Mississippi and the Great Lakes areas, and in the Southwest; the transportation in miserable conditions of thousands of slaves into a life of servitude, the murder and persecution of thousands of Loyalists during the revolution for the heinous crime of supporting the government they and their fathers knew and loved against men who in their eyes were traitors. Dare I mention what our heroes did to the American Indian Nations, those noble people whose love of this land that was literally stolen from their Great Spirit, and their tribes made subject to wholesale slaughter and dishonored treaties. This list can go on. The point I am making is that the medieval knights did what was perceived as right and moral for them in their world. It is not wise to cast stones and neglect the debauchery of society today. I dare say the medieval knights of God would be raising their sword against most of us.

In any case, it is important also to see that the medieval knights attempted to pattern themselves after heavenly patrons – Saints of Chivalry. In them they saw not merely prototypes as warriors, but as men.

Interestingly, their principle patron was not a man but an angel – Saint Michael the Archangel. In his struggle against Satan at God’s command, when first the cry of revolt was raised in heaven, medieval chivalry saw its first example. “Who is like unto God?” was both St. Michael’s war-cry and name. He was called the Standard-bearer of Heaven and held the honor in Christian postmortem liturgy of leading the souls of the Faithful to Heaven. Most of the mountaintops of Europe were consecrated to him from the Dawn of the Church through the Middle Ages.

So too was St. George a patron, not just in England but across Europe. In this soldier, martyred under Diocletian, our fathers found the perfect image of knight and crusader. He also showed us a perfect example of how the best of Eastern and Western Christendom met in reveling the saints and fighting the infidel. As a result of the Crusades, St. George became a sort of patron-general for Chivalry.

Many and varied were other patrons of chivalry. “The Seven Defenders of Christendom”: St. George for England, St. Denis for France, St. David for Wales, St. Andrew for Scotland, St. Patrick for Ireland, St. James for Spain, and St. Anthony for Italy. They would often be invoked together under this one head by knights from various countries charging the Saracens.

Another list of heroes the knights attempted to emulate were the Nine Worthies. Three were pagans: Hector of Troy, paragon of loyalty; Alexander the Great, who became of demi-Christian hero for his ability to conquer the then known world; and Julius Caesar, founder of the Roman Empire, of which our ancestors believed Christendom to be the continuance of politically.

Three of the Worthies were Jews: Joshua, who defeated the Canaanites; King David, who made the Jews mighty and defeated Goliath; and Judas Maccabeus, who led the resistance against the Syrian pagans. Lastly, there were three Christians: King Arthur, Roman leader of Briton’s resistance against the pagans; the Emperor Charlemagne, re-establisher of the Roman Empire. And last was Godefroi of Bouillon, leader of the first Crusade, Liberator of the Holy Land, and considered to be the very flower of Chivalry. Godefroi was at once a courageous warrior and very devout and pious. He founded one of the largest Christian orders of chivalry (of which there were many) – the Knights of the Holy Sepulcher. This order exists to this day.

So why would I pick this topic during Advent as many are already celebrating the Christmas season? For the answer, I’ll introduce you to one of the most beautiful ceremonies in the history of the liturgy of the Roman Catholic Church. Until the Postcounciliar (Traditional Roman Catholics separate Church time as Precounciliar and Postcounciliar, according to the time of Vatican II) changes in the liturgy in the 1960’s, the ceremony of the Sword of Christendom was celebrated at 11:00 p.m. on Christmas Eve.

The Sovereign Pontiff, the Vicar of Christ, blesses, in His name, a Sword and Helmet, which are to be sent to some Catholic warrior who has served well of the Christian world. In a letter addressed to Queen Mary of England and to Philip, her husband, calling her husband to Rome, Cardinal Pole explains this solemn rite. The sword is sent to some Prince, whom the Vicar of Christ wishes to honor in the Name of Jesus, who is King: for the Angel said to Mary: The Lord will give unto him the Throne of David his father (Lk. 1:32). It is from him alone that the power of the sword comes (Rom. 8:3,4); for God said to Cyrus: I have girded thee with the sword (Is. 45: 1,5); and the Psalmist thus speaks to the Christ of God: Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O thou most mighty! (Ps. 44:4). And because the sword should not be drawn save in the cause of justice, it is for that reason that a sword is blessed on this Night, in the midst of which rises, born unto us, the divine Sun of Justice. On the helmet which is both the ornament and protection of the head, there is worked in pearls, the Dove, emblem of the Holy Ghost; and this is to teach him who wears it that it is not from passion or ambition that he must use his sword, but solely under the guidance of the divine Spirit, and from a motive of spreading the kingdom of Christ.

How beautiful is this union of energy and meekness under the one symbol and ceremony! The power and blending and harmonizing the varied beauty of distinct classes of truth that is to not to be found save in that Christian Rome, which is where God has established the center of Light and Love. The ceremony we have been describing… What a grand list it would be, had we the names of all those glorious Christian warriors, who were thus created Knights of the Church, at this solemn hour, when we would celebrate the birth of Him who came to vanquish our enemy!

At Rome, if there be in the Holy city a Knight, who has received the sword and helmet, blessed as we have described by the Sovereign Pontiff, the fifth Lesson is given to him to sing, because it speaks of the great Battle between Christ and Satan in the glorious mystery of the Incarnation. [Note: This was truly an honor. Until the first recipient, Gofefroi, this Lesson was restricted solely to the Pope, and is one of the few times in the medieval period that a member of the laity was permitted to approach the Holy Altar and the only time a sword was permitted to be drawn within the sanctuary]. Whilst the Choir is singing O magnum mysterium, the Knight is taken by the Master of Ceremonies to the Pope. Standing before the Holy Father, he draws his sword, thrice sets its point to the ground, thrice brandishes it in the air, and then wipes the blade on his left arm. He is then taken to the Ambo or reading desk, takes off his helmet, and, having vested the cope, over his armour, he sings the lesson. Theses ceremonies of Holy Mother, the Church of Rome, were drawn up in days when might was not right and brute force was made subservient to moral power and principle. The Christian warrior, cased in steel armour, was resolved, as indeed he was bound, never to draw his sword save in the cause of Christ, the conqueror of Satan… (Gueranger: Liturgical Year, Vol. II, p. 127-128)

The prayer used at the imposition of the Sword of Christendom, remained unchanged in the Roman Pontifical until its removal by John XXIII. The following prayer was also used by local episcopates when blessing knights for secular rulers within their Episcopal jurisdictions at the imposition of the sword and expresses perfectly the medieval view of knighthood as a vocation.

Receive this sword in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; use it in defense of thyself and of the Holy Church of God, for the confusion of the enemies of the Cross of Christ and of the Christian faith, and never unjustly to the injury of any man, so far as human frailty will permit; which he deign to grant who with the Father and the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth world without end. Amen.

For the medieval knight, the Feast of the Incarnation (Christmas) held special significance. The art of war was not merely a preserve for the nobleman and mercenary, but something which may call to its trumpet all manner of men through knighthood, holy orders and lesser orders as members of the Earthly Church Militant (Church Suffering = Purgatory; Church Rejoicing = Heaven). For the combat of the Christian Knight was not primarily with flesh and blood but with supernatural principalities and powers. The great dragon (the serpent of Eden) lurked in his world (and still does in ours), seeking whom he may devour. The true Christian warrior conformed to the society standards in which he lived that were considered akin to Christ and His Church.

I will close with a medieval blessing: May the miracle of the Incarnation reign in your heart and protect you from the dragon.

***

Mary McCall is an award winning writer of historical romance. Visit her at: http://marymccall.wordpress.com/

A Taste for Ale, by Nancy Lee Badger

Research is a big time-consumer when I write a historical romance novel. I set my adventures in ancient Scotland and the marvelous bits of information, found in books and the internet, get me excited. Researching beer and ale for a story set in 1598 Scottish Highlands, I thought about the area skirting the eastern shore of the North Sea. Did the harsh climate let them grow the necessary ingredients?

In order to answer my questions, I scoured the internet and came across an interesting website. I have asked John DeMasi of www.ProhibitionHomebrew.com to help me understand more about this naturally made beverage.

Nancy: Thanks for joining me John

John: Hi Nancy, I’m glad to be here.

Nancy: Tell us a little bit about your business.

John: Prohibition Homebrew is an online retail store for home brewers and home vintners, as well as those interested in adopting the hobby. We have the ingredients and equipment necessary to brew your own beer and wine, as well as information on how to brew it.

Nancy: My research shows Scotland has produced beer and ale for thousands of years. Is there a difference between beer and ale?

John: Well, yes and no. An ale is a type of beer. In the most rudimentary sense, “beer” is broken down into two broad categories: ales and lagers. An ale is a type of beer which is created using top-fermenting yeasts, while a lager is produced using bottom-fermenting yeast. There are numerous subsets of each, and even hybrids between the two. There are Belgian ales, Brown ales, Pale ales and of course-- Scottish ales! Similarly, Lagers include various Pilsners, American Lagers, and Bocks to name a few.

Nancy: I was amazed to hear Scotland’s method of using bittering herbs is older than Europe’s. I read where organic remains found inside pots gave modern brewers the ability to recreate today’s ale with the same taste. Are any of your products able to recreate something akin to ancient Scottish brews?

John: Yes. Unfortunately, we do not have a specific “ancient Scottish” brew kit (containing all the ingredients for a specific recipe). However, we carry many of the ingredients which were used in ancient Scottish brews. Before the advent of hops in beer a variety of different herbs and spices were used. The heather plant is common to the Scottish countryside. Its tips were, and still can be, used to add a floral and aromatic character to beer. Similarly, sweet gale is a deciduous shrub found abundantly in the Northern Hemisphere, especially on the Scottish moors and bogs. It was historically used for beer flavoring before hops. We also carry herbs used in European brewing before the use of hops.

Nancy: I found one website selling something called Froach Heather Ale. They state leann fraoich means heather ale, made from boiling malted barley, sweet gale, and then adding flowering heather. Anything like this in your catalog?

John: Unfortunately, not at this time. We carry the ingredients necessary however and a simple Google search for “Heather ale” will bring up tons of different recipes which other home brewers have posted on homebrew forums.

Nancy: ‘Drop Your Kilt’ Scottish Ale caught my eye as it is promptly touted on your webpage. You share the recipe with readers. Do you sell all the ingredients? Can anyone make this at home?

John: We sure do. One of the recipe kits we sell is our ‘Drop Your Kilt’ Scottish Ale. Like all our recipe kits, it contains all the ingredients (hops, grains, yeast, etc.) that you need to make a batch of beer as well as detailed instructions on how to brew it. Truly anyone with the ambition can make it at home! However, there is some basic equipment you will need. You can check out the ‘Equipment Kits’ section of our website to get a better idea of some basic kits and general pieces of equipment you will need.

Nancy: Second only to single malt Scotch Whisky, my husband loves a product from a local brewery with a Scottish name. It is not a true Scots product, and he was thinking of trying to brew his own. Do you carry everything he needs?

John: We should. If there is any particular item your husband cannot find already on our website he, or anyone else, can email us at: Customers@prohibitionhomebrew.com and we will do our best to special order it. I am also happy to answer any questions, and can be reached directly at: John@prohibitionhomebrew.com.

Nancy: How long until his homebrew would be ready to taste?

John: Going back to your original question, it will depend on what style of beer your husband is trying to make. The temperature of fermentation and the quality of yeast will determine when a beer will taste its best. However, it takes around four weeks for many types of ale.

Nancy: Any other interesting things you can tell us about your business? And where are you located?

John: We are located in Greensboro, North Carolina. We are working on a recipe-sharing forum, known as the Speakeasy, so that home brewers can trade their own recipes, as well as a custom label making section so that individuals can make customized labels right within our site. Our staff loves home brewing and is very knowledgeable. We are willing to answer any questions people may have and no question is too great or too small. I hope your article sparks some interest in potential future brewers because this is an incredibly enjoyable hobby. The Scottish ale has a deep copper color. The hardy, rich character of this ale is much a reflection of its own people and it is not surprising that after thousands of years these characteristics have endured.

Nancy: Wow! You sure have raised my interest in the possibility of home brewing. I am still in awe that flowers and bits of shrubbery work together with yeast and come up with such a worldwide favorite like ale. My research shows it was a staple of life in the less-than-hospitable Highlands of Scotland, where I base some of my stories. Thanks for helping me understand the language and I hope my readers will visit your website. Make-your-own beer kits sound like a great gift idea!

Nancy Lee Badger lives with her husband in Raleigh, NC. She loves everything Scottish and still volunteers annually, with her family, at the New Hampshire Highland Games. She is a member of Romance Writers of America, Heart of Carolina Romance Writers, Fantasy, Futuristic & Paranormal Romance Writers, and Celtic Heart Romance writers. Her first novel will be published under her pen name, Nancy Lennea, in early 2010. Visit her websites and blog for updates and excerpts.

www.nancylennea.com
www.nancyleebadger.com
http://RescuingRomance.nancyleebadger.com