Order of the Bedchamber

So, I had decided if I had managed to get into the third round at King and Queen's Bardic, that I would put on my resume (and hope to get asked) to do an Order of the Bedchamber piece. We know, from documents of the court, that there were two Skomorokhi in Ivan the Terrible's Order of the Bedchamber (which was a list of all his retinue that did the home tasks that were necessary). And we also know from journals of visitors that Ivan often enjoyed having his Skomrokhi regale him with songs, poetry, byliny, and epic tales - whether they were true or not. Sometimes he would have them recite epics that were well known and loved. But Ivan also enjoyed getting drunk and wearing masks and doing improv with the Skomorokhi, so almost anything is up for grabs.

In either case, for quite some time now I have been taking notes on phrases that would make good 'Order of the Bedchamber' glory to the King type of praise piece. And that is what I offered to do. Although I didn't make it into the third round, I finally decided I would like to try my hand at arranging all the phrases and see if I could make a worthy praise poem for the soon to be King Kenric of the East, as he and his beautiful lady have always been an inspiration to me.

So, based off a variety of byliny, but mostly the Lay of Igor's Campaign, here is the praise piece for Kenric that I wrote, something that would rival the Skomorokhi tales that were told while Prince Ivan languished in his bathing tub in the afternoons.

O you guests, invited guests,

Honored guests, warrior guests.

You are to be told a wonderous thing.

A wonderful thing and it is no trifle.

I speak of our King Kenric.

Swaddled to the sound of trumpets,

Nursed beneath helmets,

Fed at the spear's point.

He has girded his mind with fortitude

And sharpened his heart with valor.

King Kenric will speed like an ermine into the rushes,

Like a white duck onto the water.

He will spring upon his swift horse

And leap from it like a white footed wolf.

He will speed towards the meadows of AEthelmearc

And fly like a falcon beneath the mists

Slaying geese and swans

For his morning, midday, and evening meals.

What is this noise?

What is this ringing I hear far away?

He shouts.

The earth rumbles.

The grass rustles.

The tents stir.

The East advances on the great plain with scarlet shields

Seeking honor for themselves and glory for their King.

The roads are known to them.

The ravines familiar to them.

Their bows are strung.

Their quivers open.

Their sabres whetted.

They race across the land like grey wolves.

But a like battle was never heard of.

From dawn till evening,

From evening till dawn.

Tempered arrows fly.

Sabres thunder against helmets.

Lances of steel crash amid the land.

A blood red glow will herald the dawn.

Black clouds come in from the East

and streaks of blue lightning quiver within them.

There will be a mighty thunder.

Rain will come-

A rain of arrows.

Here lances will break.

Here sabres will strike against foreign helmets.

Brave thoughts carry our minds to action- to war.

Horses neigh beyond the shires.

Glory rings out in the baronies.

Trumpets sound in the cantons.

Standards are raised in Tir Mara.

The countryside is happy.

The cities are joyful.

We praise the deeds of the past.
Glory to Brennan!

Glory to Caoilfhionn!

Now we must honor the present.

Glory to Kenric!

Glory to Avelina!

Long live the King and Queen!

Long live the retinue!

Glory to the East!

King and Queen's Bardic Champions

It is very important to me to start documenting my performances because I have been working so hard on all of them. I have been working hard on how to stand, how to talk, what to wear, what props to use, how to move, etc.

This past weekend, against previous decisions that my life had been too hectic, I decided that I would compete if for no other reason than to be given a venue in which to teach a little bit more about skomorokhi and what/how they did what they did.

For the first round, I did a piece I call The Brave Youth. I decided to incorporate a lot of the movement I learned taking classes from Antonio Fava as well as an extant find mask I had been wanting to make for a long time.

Here is the 13th century 'buffoon' mask, made of leather and found under the floor boards of a cobbler's shop that was excavated.

And here is the mask that I made, using the same measurements as the mask above (16 x 13 centimeters).

The card I handed to the judges with the documentation for my performance read as follows:

"The Brave Youth
Katrusha Skomorokha Negodieva `Doch

Mask based on late 13th century extant find.

"The first known recording of a Russian folktale was made in the sixteenth century by an Italian historian."
"While the east slavic folktale flourished as entertainment ... folktales were enjoyed among all social classes, including the tsar's family."
Johns, Andreas. Baba Yaga. Peter Lang Publishing: New York. 2004. Page 49.

In 1905, an excavation revealed burial mounds of the 11th -12th centuries that bear a striking resemblance to the tales of Baba Yaga, giving us reasonable cause to believe the skomorokhi told the stories to keep the bodies from being disturbed."

Here are a few photos from the performance to show some of the acrobatics used. I geared the performance hoping for children to come forward and enjoy it. I will post a video of the performance once they are available.

My second round piece I had decided on taking excerpts from the Izbornik, a book written around 1076. My documentation for it read:

"Parental Advice
Katrusha Skomorokha Negodieva `Doch

Excerpts from the Izbornik, circa 1076.

"The majority of the people were largely unaffected by the conversion (to Christianity) ... they continued to practice the ancient cult of their ancestors and to call upon the skomorokhi for spiritual guidance."

Zguta, Russel. Russian Minstrels. University of Pennsylvania Press. 1978. Page 15."

Here is what I read:

"Child, in your lifetime test your soul and see what is bad for her and do not give it to her, for not everything agrees with everyone, not every soul enjoys everything. Entice your soul with gladness and comfort your heart, and remove sorrow far from you so that you will not grow old too soon.

Do not be ashamed to stand against the current of the river, or submit yourself to a fool, or court the face of the powerful, but defend truth to the death.

Do not withhold your mercy even from the dead and do not fail those who weep; mourn with those who mourn and do not shrink from visiting the sick, because for those deeds you will be loved. A sweet throat multiplies friends, and a fair speaking tongue multiplies courtesies.

Child, from your youth up choose instruction, and until you turn grey you will find wisdom. Come to her like one who plows and sows and wait for her good crop. In cultivating her you will toil a little while, yet soon you will be eating the good things of her produce. She seems utterly intractable to the uninstructed and the faint of heart will not remain with her but leave; for wisdom is like her name and is not revealed to many.

Put your feet in her fetters and into her collar your neck; put your shoulder under her and carry her, and let her bonds be not to close. Come to her with all your soul and keep her ways with all your might Search out and seek, and she will become known to you. When you get hold of her, you will not let her go, for in the end you will find her rest: she will be changed into joy for you and her fetters will become for you a strong protection and her collar a robe of glory, for upon her is the beauty of gold, and her bonds are a braid of precious stone. You will put her on as a robe of glory and put a crown of gladness on your head.

If you wish, child, you will be instructed, and if you give it your soul, you will become clever; if you love to listen, you will live, and if you incline your ear, you will become wise. Child, stand in the multitude of elders, and if one is wise, cleave to him. Be willing to listen to every narrative, and the precept of insight will not escape you. If you see a wise man, rise early to visit him and let your feet wear out his doorstep.

Above all, child, remember this. Do not hide your wisdom, for wisdom will be recognized by your word. Be firm in your mind, and let your word be one."

Although I did not make it into the third round, I decided that I would begin documenting my resume as well. So my resume was written as such:

Katrusha Skomorokha Negodieva `Doch

A War Song (not period) written by another
" ... foreign influences enabled the skomorokhi to transform themselves ..." page 21

Order of the Bedchamber (period style) praise poem for the King created on the spot
"Of the 188 persons listed under the general heading of the Order of the Bedchamber ... two were skomorokhi." page 54-55

Traditional Russian historical piece (period style)
" ... skomorokhi became heirs to a rich body of oral heroic poetry ..." page 22

Sing-a-long (not period)
"... on occasion Ivan himself (Ivan the Terrible) took part in their (the smokorokhi) entertainments." page 55.

Zguta, Russell. Russian Minstrels. University of Pennsylvania Press. 1978.


The only other thing to explain is the clothing style choice. Skomorokhi, having been nearly banished by the church, took on a lot of repertoire as well as clothing styles from their European counterparts. They took inspiration from anywhere they could get it: Germany, Italy, Greece, China, etc. So I fashioned my garb after these descriptions and the few illuminations we can find of skomorkhi. And yes, there were female skomorokhi.

SCA Questionaire

 There is a website that has questions you should think about and try to answer for your persona. I fell in love with this website long ago and swore, someday, I would be able to answer all of the questions. Today I sat down to see how many I could answer and was happily surprised by the result as well as being able to say 'I know exactly which book to go to to show documentation for each of these answers!'

It is still my goal to eventually be able to fully answer all of these questions. But at least now I know which ones I should be looking more into. Why is this important to me? These are just the things I strive for.

Here is the website: SCA Persona Questionaire


1.    What is your persona’s name?
Katrusha Karpova Doch'Negadiev Skomorokh
 2.    What year was your persona born?
1535
 3.    What is your persona’s native country?
Karachev, Russia
 4.    What is your persona’s current country?
Novgorod, Russia
 5.    What are the climates of your persona's native and current countries?
 6.    What are the terrains of your persona's native and current countries?
Plains, mountains, forests... oh the forests....
 7.    In what city/town/barn was your persona born?
Karachev
 8.    What city does your persona currently claim as "home"?
Novgorod
 9.    What are/were your persona’s parents’ names?
10.     What are/were your persona’s parents’ occupation(s)?
Mother died when young. Father was a tanner.
11.     Does your persona have any siblings, and if so, are any still alive?
Two brothers. Both alive. One in the army, one working farm land in our hometown.
12.     Is your persona married?
Was married
13.     What are the marriage customs and typical age of marriage for your persona's culture/time-frame?
Typical marriage age for women is about 11 years old. Customs include dowry and parents each inspecting both of the children when they are very young and approving the marriage. They are then not allowed to see each other until the day they are married, which is why the woman becomes known as the unknown woman.
14.     What type of building does your persona currently live in?
She runs an inn/restaurant and lives in one of the rooms at the inn.
15.     With whom does your persona live?
Alone with just her son.
16.    Are there members of your persona's household that are not related to your persons
        (servants/retainers, wards/fosterlings, guests, etc.)?
Sometimes guests for various lengths of staying.
17.     Were pets kept during your persona’s culture/time-frame? If so, what kind, if any, does your persona have?
18.     What is your persona’s occupation?
A restauranteur and a smokorokh
19.     How old is your persona?
30
20.     How long do people like your persona tend to live?
40 is when you make your death parcel and prepare for the inevitability that you will die soon.
21.     What is your persona’s ethnicity?
Russian
22.     Who is your persona’s current employer?
Self-employed
23.     Would your persona have been literate in your chosen culture/time-frame?
Yes
24.     What level of education does your persona have?
Enough schooling to run the finances, write many things... there were girl schools where they were taught many many things.
25.     Where was your persona educated?
Her home town of Karachev as she had no mother and her father wanted to make sure she would know enough to marry.
26.     What languages does your persona speak?
Russian, Greek, Latin, and a a few words from various other surrounding countries.
27.     What units of measure were used by your persona’s culture/time-frame?
Spoons, glasses, poods...
28.     What type of money did people of your persona’s culture/time-frame use?
This was when the Mongols finished attacking, so they no longer had the coins they made only for the Mongols to steal. But they did have coin money.
29.     What kind of legal system exists in your persona’s culture/time-frame, and who make the laws?
The laws were very fair for women, which is slightly unique. Because women could be judge, jury, and executioner, they didn't make laws that were unfair for women. But there were courts and juries and a judge, which has been documented by written birch bark like papers that have been found.
30.    What is the status of women among your persona’s culture/time-frame, and can they own property or conduct business?
They can own a business, conduct business, own land... When/if their husband died, they inherited his property and did not have to use it as dowry if she got married again. When she died, she decided how her things were split among her children. Although folk tale stories say that women were much less than men and had to keep their proper place as silent and submissive towards her husband or father, there are documents that show that the women were who kept the household finances running and took care of many other subtle nuances. Females in a position of power even had their own wax seal stamps made so they could sign documents.
31.    What major events have occurred during your persona’s lifetime?
        (Natural catastrophes, wars, revolutions, discoveries, etc.?)
Ivan the Terrible. Nuff said!
32.     Does your persona fight? If so, where did your persona learn to fight?
She does not fight, but she does shoot a bow in order to hunt for food on her own land. She was taught that by her father.
33     What type of armour and weapons were used by fighters in your persona’s culture/time-frame?
        And how were such obtained?
Bows that looked similar to Mongolian horse bows. I do not know many of the other weapons and armor though.
34.     List your persona’s skills and hobbies. For each, write down where your persona learned them.
Most of her hobbies (cooking/baking, sewing, spinning, art) were taught to her in school. When she moved to Novgorod, she fell in love with the Skomorokh and became a quick student to their ways. Other things she enjoys she learned from her father, such as archery and metal working. Some stranger techniques she has been taught by foreign travelers through Novgorod who trade their knowledge for her wares.
35.     What "class" is your persona? (I.e., royalty, nobility, merchant, middle, artisan, slave, etc.)
Middle/merchant/artisan
36.     How widely has your persona traveled?
She has never traveled beyond her birth home and Novgorod, but she is worldly from where all her clients come from as they bring stories from the spice and silk trails.
37.     In what capacity has your persona traveled? (I.e., military, sailor, rich person’s hobby, etc.)
N/A
38.     Who is your persona’s current monarch?
Ivan the Terrible
39.     Who is the current Pope during your persona time?
40.    What religion is your persona?
Most people in the cities were Christian, but the Skomoroks were decidedly Pagan, or so the Christians said. Katrusha practices bits from all she has sen.
41.    What kind of religious duties would be required of your persona?
At home, keeping the icon area well groomed and the candles always lit. For a Skomorokh, they sang and performed wedding rituals and sang the songs that changed the seasons and gave the towns and villages good fortune. They were the ceremonial warlocks, the pagan preists.
42.    How did people of your persona’s culture/time-frame deal with trade?
She lived on along the slik road and the spice routes... but I haven't read much about actual trade. Other than I know they traded for furs often.
43.    With respect to international relations, does your persona favor colonization, isolationism, conquest/conversion,
        open trade, etc.?
44.     How does your persona personally obtain goods (food, drink, clothes, etc.)?
She eithers makes them, purchases them, or trades for them... depending on what she wants.
45.     How did people of your persona’s culture/time-frame tell time?
46.     How did people of your persona’s culture/time-frame keep track of days?
47.     What type of clothes does your persona normally wear?
LAYERS! SO MANY LAYERS!
48.     What type of clothes does your persona wear for special occasions?
Also layers. Only with more embroidery and pearling.
49.     Are there any (sumptuary) laws restricting what your persona can wear?
I can not have my hair seen. Once married, you are a woman and your hair has to be covered.
50.     What does your persona eat in a normal day?
Many root vegetables. Grains. On lucky occassions, meat.
51.     How is food prepared and preserved in your persona’s culture/time-frame?
The central part of every house is an oven. There was always bread. And whatever was left of bread would make kvas since it was hearty. And if your oven wasn't big enough for bread, you could make your dough and drop it off at the local bread baker and they would bake it for you. There were many root vegetables which, by the end of the winter months, would be the big things you would be eating. Fresh fruit was rare as it had to come from other places, so they would pickle it or make cordials with it so they still had the fruits.
52.     What spices were available to your persona and how expensive were they?
Being on the spice road, many spices were available. Like most places, they were expensive.
53.     What were the eating habits of people of your persona’s culture/time-frame?
Festivals and lots of food were big. It was common for tables to be littered with food when guests would be around. Weddings were times of huge feasts that fed the whole village.
54.     What are the cleaning/bathing habits of your persona’s culture/time-frame?
They had bath houses and expected visitors to bathe before entering the home. Even baba yaga stories are big on bathing as she would give children a sieve and tell them to fill her bath. There are many stories in the folk tales that have something to do with the bath houses.
55.     What types of wildlife live in your persona's area?
56.     Name your persona’s favorite musicians/artists/dances.
57.     What political figure/party/movement does your persona support?
58.     Who is the most significant thinker of your persona’s time?
59.     What does your persona consider to be the greatest social problem their country?
60.     What is most likely to cause your persona’s death?
Since it wasn't childbirth... I would have to think about that.
61.     What type of medical aid is available in your persona’s culture/time-frame, and does your persona have access to it?
62.    List at least three of your persona’s goals in life. (Learn to write, become apprenticed to a craftsman, visit the "big city",
        take over the family business, go to the Holy Land, usurp the crown, etc.)
63.    What does your persona know of history/science/medicine/geography?
64.    What’s the most striking scientific achievement of which your persona is aware?
65.    Does your persona consider the Earth to be flat, round, or hollow?
66.    Does your persona believe that the Earth revolves around the Sun, or vice-versa?
67.    What does your persona consider to be the causes of criminal behavior?
Evil spirits invading the body.
68.    What does your persona consider to be the true measure of a man?
69.    Who has most influenced your persona’s thoughts on these questions?
Society and religion.
70.    Did your persona’s culture/time-frame have heraldry?
Yes