First
Cambria Rotary Club Medieval Faire -- Barony of the Isles
May 29-30, 1975
|
Held in Cambria, CA. |
Annotations:
“This event featured mounted combat, with two fighters on horseback
with sword and shield. It was NOT equestrian tourney stuff, but actual
mounted combat.
“It was held in my hometown, and I walked up to this huge guy with
the biggest beer stein I'd ever seen (turned out to be Olaf the Maedi-Ogre)
and said "I've been looking for you guys for years, and now you turn
up in my home town?"
“It turned out there were a lot of members and interested parties
scattered around San Luis Obispo County, none of whom knew each other
existed, until then. We all exchanged information and started working
on creating the group that would become the Shire of Tarnmist.
“Being the new recruit, I can't tell you a lot about the participants
at that one. I don't see a listing for the next year, but there was a
second Medieval Fair in about the same timeframe, in AS XI. Paul and Carol
attended, and set up a royal pavilion at the end of the eric. The first
year had been mostly demo fighting, but the second had a real lists. I
remember Douglas Longshanks as one of the fighters, along with Mahie MacFergie.
This was when Mahie had his wonderful helm with the wings made out of
kiddie swim fins. I will forever treasure the memory of Mahie kneeling
at the edge of the eric, bending his head down so that a knee-high Stephen
of Bellatrix could hammer on the winged helm, then falling over, as Stephen
excitedly announced "I killed the white knight!" I also recall
Lorna chasing Doug around the eric with a boffer sword, at one point.
“I believe this was also the Medieval Fair where two envoys recently
returned from the Kingdom of the East approached the throne and said they
brought with them a pleasant custom of the East Kingdom, and produced
cloved lemons, explaining how they were passed on, then demonstrating
to the King and Queen. At the revel after closing of the Fair, that night,
Carole wandered about with an impish gleam in her eye, casually tossing
the lemon in one hand, looking for a worthy recipient. Selecting her victim
at last, she approached Mahie, and offered the lemon. "For me?"
he said with a grin. He pulled out a clove (with his fingers, not his
teeth) and she said that wasn't how it was done. He said he'd make up
for it, picked her up and laid her on the picnic table, climbed on top,
and delivered a real prize-winning kiss, to the applause of all assembled!
And thus cloved lemons entered into the customs of the West ...”
– Jilara of Carrowlea
Description
of this event, © Copyright 1980 by William R. Keyes (Wilhelm von
Schlüssel)
This is from The History of the West Kingdom, Volume 1 (the only volume
produced). When reading this text, please keep in mind the following disclaimer:
Disclaimer: This history may have errors in it, as much of the detail is “remembered” history, or as one of the cover pages of the original type-written manuscript states “The material within is derived from the information printed in The Crown Prints and in The Page, and from the memories of the participants.” The original document was typed on onion-skin paper, with hand-written notes (often in the margins). All attempts have been made to reconcile the notes with the original document.
Annotations, when they are added, are from The Annotated History of the West, Volume 1, which is the same text as Master Wilhelm's mentioned above, with commentary from members of the SCA who were active at the time of the event, and are added to help clarify questions and expand on what happened and why. This volume is copyright © Ken Mayer (Hirsch von Henford). Caid thanks Master Hirsch for his kind permission to use data directly from the West Kingdom Site.
Caidan specific annotations may be sent to Duchess Natalya at .