a collection of instructions on medieval arts and sciences
A Lace Gules Bordered Ermine
| This is one of a
set of four braids that I developed in honor of
Mistress Rhiannon y Bwa's elevation to the Order of the Pelican. The
instructions for the braids (written in Middle English) along with
samples of the braids were included in a hand-bound booklet
that was the award scroll. The
braids are meant to evoke various aspects of the emblem of the Order of
the Pelican, a pelican “in its piety,” that is, seated
in a nest, surrounded by her young, piercing her own breast with her
beak in order to nourish her offspring with droplets of her blood. In
keeping with the naming conventions of the 15th-century braid recipes,
I used heraldic terms to name my four new braid variations. The Lace Gules Bordered Ermine is a three-person 19-loop braid that joins two Grene Dorge braids to either side of a central seven-loop version of the Broad Lace of 5 Bows, found in both Harley and Tollemache. The side braids are identical to the Lace Gouty, except that the red “droplets” are replaced with black ermine tail flecks. The central braid is worked entirely in red. The three braids are worked by three separate workers and are joined after each complete turn by exchanging (twice) each braid’s edge-loop with that of its adjoining neighbor. This method of joining braids is evidenced in several multi-worker braids in both manuscripts. Gules is the heraldic term for red, and the coloring of the braid refers to the chapeau, the red cap with ermine fur trim worn by members of the Order of the Pelican. Instructions The instructions include the Middle English text as it appeared in the Pelican scroll (with abbreviations expanded in italics) and the modernized steps, following the format used in Elizabeth Benns and Gina Barrett’s Take V Bowes Departed.(SoperLane, 2006). The diagrams are adapted from those in Benns & Barrett. Scroll Text A lace gules bordred ermine: þake ij felowes on eiþer syde. each felow schal set vj bowes on hys hondes in þe maner of þe lace gouty, but save þt þe bowe þt was gules schal be sable. þy felows schal set x whyte bowes on B, C, D of þere next hondes and B, C of þere ferþer hondes; and ij bowes sable on A of þere ferþer hondes. On þy hondes set iij bowes gules on B, C, D ry3t, and iiij bowes gules on A, B, C, D lyft. þen schal A of þe ry3t hond go þoro3 B of þe same hond and take þe bowe D of þe lyft hond reuerced, þen lowe þy lyft bowes, and A lyft schal go þorow B of þe same hond and take þe bowe D of þe ry3t hond reverced. þen lowe þy ry3t bowes. when þy felows have each made o pass at þe lace gouty þe felow to þy lyft schal take wt A of hys next hond þorow B of þe same hond þy A lyft vnreuerced. þen take wt þy A lyft from B of hys next hond vnreuerced. þen schal þy felow lowe A of hys next hond. þen schal þy lyft felow & þe change a3en, so þt þe bowe þt was on þy A lyft afore þe ij changes be a3en on þy A lyft and þe bowe þt was on þy felows B next hond be þere a3en. þen do in lyke maner wt þy ry3t felow, save þt þy ry3t felow schal change wt þy ry3t B twyes, so þt þe bowe þt was on þy B ry3t afore þe ij changes be a3en on þy B ry3t, &c(etera). þen begyn a3en. Note: a subscript number 3 has been used to represent the Middle English letter "yogh." Modern instructions This braid calls for three workers. The “Self” should sit between the “Left Partner,” who sits to the Self’s left, and the “Right Partner,” who sits to the Self’s right. A. Self: Put a loop of red onto B, C & D right and A, B, C & D left. B. Left Partner: Put a loop of white onto B, C & D right and B & C left. C. Left Partner: Put a loop of black onto A left. D. Right Partner: Put a loop of white onto B & C right and B, C & D left. E. Right Partner: Put a loop of black onto A right. 1. Self: A right goes through B right to take D left REVERSED. 2. Self: Lower the left loops (C to D, B to C and A to B). 3. Self: A left goes through B left to take D right REVERSED. 4. Self: Lower the right loops (C to D, B to C and A to B). 5. Left Partner: A right goes through B & C right to take C left REVERSED. 6. Right Partner: A left goes through B & C left to take C right REVERSED. 7. Left Partner: Lower B left to C left. 8. Right Partner: Lower B right to C right. 9. Left Partner: B left goes through C left to take C right REVERSED. 10. Right Partner: B right goes through C right to take C left REVERSED. 11. Left Partner: Lower the right loops. (B to C and A to B). 12. Right Partner: Lower the left loops. (B to C and A to B). 13. Left Partner: A left exchanges with D right. 14. Right Partner: A right exchanges with D left. 15. Left Partner and Self: Left Partner’s B right exchanges with Self’s A left UNREVERSED*. Repeat. 16. Right Partner and Self: Right Partner’s B left exchanges with Self’s B right UNREVERSED**. Repeat. * Expanded directions for the exchange move in step 16: 16.a. Left Partner: A right goes through B right outward to take Self’s A left UNREVERSED. 16.b. Self: A left takes Left Partner’s B right UNREVERSED. 16.c. Left Partner: Lower A right (A to B). ** Expanded directions for the exchange move in step 17: 16.a. Right Partner: A left goes through B left outward to take Self’s B right UNREVERSED. 16.b. Self: B right takes Right Partner’s B left UNREVERSED. 16.c. Right Partner: Lower A left (A to B).  Back to Alheydis's main Fingerloop Braiding Page |
 A pelican in its piety  A "chapeau"  A close-up of the Lace Gules Bordered Ermine |
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THLady Alheydis von Körckhingen
(c) 2005-7 Kimberly Frodelius
may be freely distributed at no cost with this notice included
THLady Alheydis von Körckhingen
(c) 2005-7 Kimberly Frodelius
may be freely distributed at no cost with this notice included