Baronial Emerald for Pan Mikulaj von Meissen

I was honored to be asked to make the Emerald for a friend of mine, Mikulaj. The Emerald is an Order in the Barony of Concordia of the Snows that is given for a well done creation of persona. Mikulaj and I have talked over the years and he does an incredible Polish persona and is wonderfully knowledgeable in the subject. So when I was asked to make his scroll, I started by searching for Polish documents to inspire me.

I wanted the words to be the more important part of the scroll, and found a few that were documents from royalty giving out land or titles. This worked well for me. So I scoured the words and eventually rearranged and translated and worked out something to read as follows:

"For the eternal memory of things, because human actions are so worthy of memory, this letter will be handled as memory.

Pan Mikulaj von Meissen, who was to us and our predecessors, valuable through due merit, faith and duty, saw the more he tried he did stand out.

That is why we Jean Paul, Baron of Concordia of the Snows, and Lylie, Baroness, hereby declare that for whom this letter is intended, we offer respect for the obedience and famous merit.

Considering that his duties both publicly and privately met weights, his wants to make himself more inclined and willing to Our Barony and Our Kingdom for knowledge and desire of Polish custom was pleasing.

By needs and measures established, as well as duties and burdens of Poland, under which the customs are obliged after all the good this man has maintained, We do this.

Thanks to Our existing Emeralds, unto this Order which is appropriate to the circumstances, with all the same goods and income, all for ever joining, assign and take on the Emerald.

A testimony to our signature is affixed to the document. Make things happen in the Barony of Concordia of the Snows at the meeting of Ceilidh on Saturday, the eve of the 12th in the year of Our Society LI (51), in the presence of many dignitaries, officials, courtiers, and subjects who are dear to us."

I was quite happy with the results and decided, in the end, that the document that inspired the words should also inspire the finished product. So here is a link to the document I had chosen, a Polish document from 1548:

http://tnn.pl/mapy/lublinwdokumencie1548/

And here is my finished product. I kept the pencil lines in this time since they were also very apparent on the original scroll. I was trying to keep it as true to form as I was able with the skills and supplies I have for use.

Sumi ink and gauche paint on parchment.