Based on a real incident in 1390s England when the royal court of Richard II took refuge in Gloucester from an outbreak of plague in London -to the great detriment of the grass in the Cathedral precincts owing to unrestrained enthusiasm for what later became the national game. Reading of this incident I was led to wonder what lay behind the trip to the country of Prince Javan and his companions in Evie's tale of the Rustic Prince. Of course this may just be my suspicious mind...
The tenth day of Christmas being the fourth day of this new year of Our Lord 1140
A humble petition from the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of Rhemuth unto his gracious Majesty King Kelson:
May it please your Majesty:
Whereas we the people of this your capital of Rhemuth have always had cause to give thanks for the beneficence of your Majesty's rule, for which we give most humble and hearty thanks to almighty God, and whereas your Majesty has always given ear to our just concerns, which we remain convinced will ever be so, it is with heavy hearts that we, your most dutiful subjects, make bold to disturb this holy season by presenting unto your Majesty this our grievance.
Be it known unto your Majesty that during the forenoon of this very day divers young noblemen, whom trustworthy report declare to be of your royal court and some ten in number, have besmirched their nobility by amusing themselves in the base and riotous sport of football, thus behaving in a manner which is an affront to all decency and good order.
We pray that your Majesty might recognise the ills proceeding upon this behaviour, namely:
The first, that the ill-conditioned and idle amongst the youth of the city have been enticed into following the example of their betters into this so called sport, the which has long been recognised as one of the foremost causes of the breach of the King's peace.
The second, that the tranquillity and serenity of this holy season has been profaned and godly citizens much disturbed.
The third, that the grassy forecourt in front of the Guildhall has been thereby turned into a mire thus blemishing the face of this beauteous city, and seeming likely to produce no little expense in the restoring of what has been damaged.
We therefore beseech your Majesty to impose upon these young lords the impropriety of their conduct in such chasing and leaping after an ignoble pigs bladder inflated with the hot air of fools.
It is our fervent prayer that those citizens thus incommoded and put to expense will, with us, trust in a speedy satisfaction from your Majesty.
We remain your Majesty's humble and obedient servants.
Naughty lads!
But then as now, not much keeps people from their sport. :)
Forgive me, revanne, I know it is the wrong sport, but part of me wants to scream "Go Green Bay!" :D
Nicely done, nevertheless. I will gladly contribute to the restoration of the Guildhall forecourt, and certainly chastise those responsible severely.
After the game. :D
Would this be Rugby or Soccer?
LOL! A great twist on "lords a-leaping"! ;D
Quote from: Elkhound on January 04, 2016, 07:27:47 PMWould this be Rugby or Soccer?
Assuming the medieval version neither had emerged as a distinct rule set.
Quote from: Elkhound on January 04, 2016, 07:27:47 PM
Would this be Rugby or Soccer?
Probably elements of both were present in the medieval game of football but there were no rules as such and it was consistently being banned by the authorities because of the number of injuries and its tendency to cause mayhem and riot.
Quote from: Jerusha on January 04, 2016, 07:05:07 PM
Nicely done, nevertheless. I will gladly contribute to the restoration of the Guildhall forecourt, and certainly chastise those responsible severely.
I rather fear that the city dignitaries will not be placated until Kelson has agreed to cover the cost and labour of making the damage good. I would strongly advise any of the culprits to make themselves very scarce as I fear Kelson's reaction to receiving such a dressing down from said dignitaries -the obsequious language will not have fooled him one bit - is unlikely to contain much forbearance for youthful exuberance.
LOL I happily stand on the side-line (um...is there a side-line?) and Heal all the injurious to send them out to sport some more. I am for Kelric's team. (Um... is there two teams or a free-for-all?)
Oh, the look on Kelson's face reading that letter; Alaric Morgan's tone after hunting down ten muddy lads singing a drunk sporting song in a lower Rhemuth pub; thirty minutes latter, those same ten lads standing stock-still, not a twitch among them, before their irate sovereign. ;D
Love our ten lords-a-leaping!
I hope for his sake that Derry wasn't involved. Because Alaric won't be at ALL amused if he was. ;)
Melissa
There's a story from some years ago about a group of guys in some Russian city who met most afternoons for a pickup rugby game; then one day the police came along and arrested them because they thought it was a brawl.
Quote from: Shiral on January 05, 2016, 03:38:28 PM
I hope for his sake that Derry wasn't involved. Because Alaric won't be at ALL amused if he was. ;)
Melissa
Perhaps it was Derry who let Alaric to the pubs where our perpetrators celebrated. :)
Quote
Be it known unto your Majesty that during the forenoon of this very day divers young noblemen, whom trustworthy report declare to be of your royal court and some ten in number, have besmirched their nobility by amusing themselves in the base and riotous sport of football, thus behaving in a manner which is an affront to all decency and good order.
Quote
We therefore beseech your Majesty to impose upon these young lords the impropriety of their conduct in such chasing and leaping after an ignoble pigs bladder inflated with the hot air of fools.
;D ;D ;D ;D LOL
Being as how I have watched more football this year with my dad than ever before. I am so glad for the ten lords a leaping who began the popularity of this sport. ;D
QuoteForgive me, revanne, I know it is the wrong sport, but part of me wants to scream "Go Green Bay!"
This is as my father would say.
"Go Seahawks" is for my brother in Law.
I cheer on who ever has the ball.
"Go Prince Javan"
And I am reading this today with a football game on in the background. Green Bay isn't playing, so like Laurna, I'll cheer for whichever team has the ball (and doesn't fumble). :)
Quote from: Laurna on January 05, 2020, 12:54:43 AM
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"Go Prince Javan"
I sincerely hope for his sake that no-one actually called that out or he is in even worse trouble.
Quote from: revanne on January 05, 2020, 01:52:27 PM
Quote from: Laurna on January 05, 2020, 12:54:43 AM
Quote
"Go Prince Javan"
I sincerely hope for his sake that no-one actually called that out or he is in even worse trouble.
"Go, Prince Java, Go! TouchDown! " **** Big cheers*****
LOL!