Saturday, October 3, 2015

Drake Oranwood's Troubadour Scroll

Given the opportunity to do Drake's troubadour scroll meant finally getting work from an illumination that I have fancied for a long time: The Sforza Hours.

The Sforza Hours (1490) often have a very particular way in which the borders are set with blues and reds and planters and vases lining the sides. The one that I loved, though, also had an angel at the bottom beside an open book and a cup. A cup that would be perfect for a troubadour. And it was perfect for Drake: something bright and colorful like the ribbons on the mugs he sings about.

For the words, I decided to tap someone I hadn't tapped yet before: Lady Olivia Baker. She was much more versed in the kind of poetic manner in which Drake seemed to enjoy than I was, and she was happy to oblige. The wording ended up as such, written fully in iambic pentameter (information on the words and how they were created):

"Ryght true it is and said full yore ago,
“Take hede of him that rounde thy fire dothe presenteth”;
Thys Goldsmithes worke and goodley song dothe gro
Both voyce and visage for all deliteth.
Full many a wondrus tale he recounts
Woven stronge wyth thredes of thyne and Owre owne
Memoryes. Lo! Have We cause goode to dance,
Syng and rejoyse in tyme-cloth he hath sowne.


For as wyth cause We, Brennan and Caoilfhionn,
Nobyll King and true Quene of the Eastern
Landes do inducte to the Order herein
Of the Troubadour, Drake Oranwood done
On thys third day of October, A.
S. L, Owre joyus
Coronation in the northerne Baro-
Ny of Owre Concordia of the Snows."

And here is the finished scroll:



And a quick shot just to see the shine of the gold. Oh it was so pretty held up and shining!