The Fourth Book of the Chronicles of Eoforwic

By Magnus of Iona

Being the history of the Royal Burgh from the first day of the Crown Principality of Ealdormere, XX August, Anno Societatis XXIII, to the last day of Aedan and Kaffa as Baron and Baroness of Septentria, VIII June, Anno Societatis XXVI, including two appendices, one of some significance.

Copyright Arthur McLean 1995. First edition privately published in the Royal City of Eoforwic (Toronto, Ontario) in celebration of the 20th Anniversary of the founding of the City, A.S. XXX (1995).

This volume is assembled strictly for the pleasure of its readers. This volume is not an official publication of the Society for Creative Anachronism, Incorporated, and does not delineate Society policies. Opinions expressed herein are those of the author. All copyright is held by the author; please contact the author for permission to reproduce work. Any excerpt from this volume of 300 words or less may be reproduced in any Society for Creative Anachronism publication and any warranted chronicler may deem this statement to be permission to reproduce work, so long as such excerpts are properly credited, the Seneschal of the Canton of Eoforwic is informed of such use and the Seneschal of the Canton of Eoforwic receives a copy of the citation.

Many thanks must go to Elaine for pre-reading, to Brand for proof-reading, researching in various Orders of Precedence, consulting his miraculous memory of events and setting his scribe Merten to work on the final proof, to Nicolaa for her patience and expertise, to Umberto for a name and to Madinia for living through yet another writing project.

This volume is dedicated:

with gratitude to Finnvarr, Tarver, Robert and James, who went before;
with respect to Nicolaa, who is pushing ahead;
with good will to all Eoforings, who make the history we write.

To the Sixth Lord Mayor of the Royal Burgh of Eoforwic, His Worship Gunnar Halfdann, first Lord Mayor to sit two terms in office, and to Lady Aveline, Sheriff of the City, come greetings and salutations from Brother Magnus of Iona. May Saint Columba, patron of poets and founder of the ancient Abbey of Iona, smile upon you both.

Having read, heard and learned from the great tales of Eoforwic from the dawn of time until the time of King Corwin's and Queen Shana's one notable deed, it is meet for the tale to continue. While many did see these events occur and I did hear tales of them in my wanderings, there have been many days and many things since. A mind, like a cup, may run over and some contents may be lost. Such loss is inevitable; even the great abbey libraries lose books to time, vermin and (as I know) fire.

Here are committed to the written word some of the tales of the glorious days of Eoforwic and its environs. These efforts will be flawed, for much is lost and forgotten in the course of one's daily round, even in such placid surroundings as those to which I again am so blessedly accustomed. Yet some part is better than nothing at all, and some of the history of Eoforwic is still a splendid thing

Of the first night of Ealdormere, celebrated in the Debatable Lands, and of the part Eoforings played therein.

As the scribe Hyrcanos Ben-Jacob has truly written, on the twentieth day of August in the twenty-third year of the Society, Corwin and Shana, King and Queen of the Middle, did indeed declare Ealdormere a Crown Principality while on campaign in the Debatable Lands far to the south of Eoforwic. There was much rejoicing that night, and Prince Reynard, Heir to the Throne, came to Baron Aedan's camp to celebrate with his people, included amongst whom were many from Eoforwic. There was great joy in the camp, part for Corwin's proclamation said that the King was the King and his Heir would be Crown Prince of Ealdormere ^[10] . As Reynard and his Princess Brynhildr were well loved by all the North-folk, this was a popular interpretation.

^[10] Though no King from the time of Corwin through to Tadashi, last of the Southron Prince-Kings, chose to observe that provision.

King Corwin of the Middle was actually first Prince of the Crown Principality of Ealdormere, just as his successors until Tadashi were King and Prince both, but Corwin had little to do with his Northern lands (for he was deemed a slothful King and his Queen was haughty to boot). The people of Eoforwic and their neighbours were content to suffer his neglect.

So good Prince Reynard stood in camp beside Baron Aedan, who had been named Lord Lieutenant of Ealdormere to sit in the King's Curia beside Baroness Enid from the Skrael, the Lady Lieutenant. Aedan toasted the Principality with a great "Waeshael!" Thus Aedan first sounded the cry that has rung through the Northlands ever after. That same hour the mighty warrior John of Slaughterfield and his friend Alastair Kirk of Inness - Eoforings both - raised their tankards and toasted Prince Reynard, crying "Long Live His Lupine Highness!" in honour of the wolf whose outlaw spirit had carried Ealdormere through the dark days of King Alen's proscription. In this manner, on the first night of a free Ealdormere, worthy folk from Eoforwic made indelible marks on all that would be said and done thereafter in the North.

The Chronicles of Saint Brand reveal that it was on this date that Rayah bint Yusef, called Blackstar, was made a Mistress of the Laurel, though there is some disagreement as to the date of this happy occurrence. None can recall what particular deeds or knowledge won Mistress Rayah her Laurel, for she learned so many arts and mastered all of them.