Count John Peregrine of Restormel

Sea Stag

10 October 2020 at Aragon Court

I may have had some research help from a few of his squires. This is a stained glass window from Chartres Cathedral.

Calligraphy & Illumination

K ValravnRoxbury MillAtlantia

Text

"We stared in fear from gatehouse tallOn Evil, who had mustered allThe Ignorance of Man to war.By siege would they have breach’d the wallOf Castle Reason, would enthrallThe men therein to dullard’s corps!Too soon, they pass’d the drawbridge o’er,Benighted ram brought ‘gainst the door. Above Our groans, there came a call:O’erhead a giant raptor soar’d, Aquila brought to life once more,Within Our yard to land withal.
When down the falcon bowed, a friend,Sir John the Peregrine, did descend. The Count of Restormel called out: “I’ve gathered Virtues to defendThe Castle Reason to the end;First, Patience will arrive, my scout!”And nigh, We spied a bloody spout!The enemy scores lost, each a lout,As through the mass, a Lion wend,His rider, fighting, sought Us out. She leapt the wall, the only routeInside. Hear Patience, pray, attend.
“Thy constancy for each thy wardDoth honor thee -- thou hast my sword.”Wore Patience pair of lozenge jet; Blue sash ‘cross shining breastplate poured.Just then o’erhead, a black drake roared.Spake John, “Here, by my coronet!”That dragon, Rigor, was the petOf she, chevalier Diligent --They, too, drove back the brutish horde.With lance long as three pines in set,She bested Ignorance’s threat,Then shouted down to her right Lord:
“Omnis gloriae, Count Sir John!For fortitude thou built uponThy squires, thou hast earned my spear.”And yet remained one echelonOf Callowness with steel still drawnWith which to pillage the frontier.Though clearly lost the battle here, Dull darkness would yet domineerThe villages around ‘til dawn. What miracle should next appear? Three shooting stars launched from their Sphere;Gold Charity did speed them on!
“Unstinting of thy time and skill,Sir John, I follow as you will.”Caritas routed what remained,Her comets’ light did Evil kill.Count John holds Castle Reason still:By Patience t’ward all those untrained,By Diligence for prowess gained,By Charity always unfeignedWith mastery thy students fill.Thus A.S. Fifty-Five, We reigned:And on October 10th ordainedThat Sea Stag’s Order further fill."
Lord Ishmael Stedfast ReedRoxbury MillAtlantia

Materials

Winsor & Newton GouacheNoodlers Bulletproof Black inkNikko crow quill nibCold press watercolor paper

Substrate Size

20"x16"

Assignment Date

September 2020

Completion Date

1 October 2020

Script

Proto-Gothic

Source

North Transept Rose WindowNotre Dame Cathedral, Chartres, Francec-1235http://www.medievalart.org.uk/Chartres/121_pages/Chartres_Bay121_key.htmhttps://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b8/Chartres_RosetteNord_121_DSC08241.jpg

Progress