Order of Thorbjorn's Hammer - David of Ben Dunfirth

So, when someone asks for a very short scroll wording, I break out in a sweat.  250-300 words is my go-to length, and a good 100 of those words are used by the salutation, necessary verbiage, and date/place/seal conclusion at the end.

I had been asked to do some wording for my friend, David of Ben Dunfirth, a fencer and pirate-ish fellow, who was being inducted into the Order of Thorbjorn’s Hammer for his skill in fencing.  So doing some research, I found the earliest records of a letter of marque issued was 1205!  From England … the original was issued in latin, but I found a translation:

Rex omnibus, etc. Sciatis quod concessimus galiotis galias, quas Thomas de Galweie nobis fecit venire, medietatem lucri sui quod facient super inimicos nostros, et insuper eis servicium suum bene reddemus secundum quod ipsi nobis servient juxta consilium G......, filii Petri, Justiciarii nostri, et predicti Thome, et aliorum fidelium nostrorum, ita quod bene erunt pacati. Teste me ipso apud Nottingham, xij die marcii.

...

The King to all to whom these presents shall come, Greeting. Know ye that we have granted to the crews of the galleys, which Thomas of Galway has sent to us, one half of the gains which they may make in captures from our enemies; and we will, besides, recompense them for their service, according to the advice of G......, the son of Peter, our Justiciary, and the said Thomas, and other our lieges, in such sort that they shall be well satisfied. Witness, &c.

Not only was this a unique source to work from, the original letter of marque, beginning to end was 85 words.  Perfect.

The King to all to whom these presents shall come, Greeting.

Shortest salutation ever.  I did expand it to name the King and Queen, and changed the grammar from ‘greeting’ to ‘greetings’ for modern sensibilities.

Know ye that we have granted to the crews of the galleys, which Thomas of Galway has sent to us, one half of the gains which they may make in captures from our enemies and we will, besides, recompense them for their service, according to the advice of G......

The divvying of loot with the Crown is a fun line, and I worked it into the final draft.  I had to change the bit of galleys to duelling, but it’s a fun line.  As well, the recompense for service is a nice touch.

Teste me ipso apud Nottingham, xij die marcii.

Again, a really brief summary (I’ve used the latin because the translation above doesn’t quote the date or place, which is what we are used to).  I like the starting line of the conclusion ‘Witness… ’

So, by building on these elements, here is David’s scroll at a whopping 118 words.

The Crown for all Ealdormereans, Baldric and Breylah, send greetings.  Know that we grant to David of Ben Dunfirth the right to duel within a stone’s throw of any of our city walls with appropriate witnesses, to muster skilled blades for our armies, and one half of the gains that he might make in captures from our enemies, and we will, besides, recompense him for his service, according to the advice of skilled armigers, and the said David shall be entered into the Order of Thorbjorn’s Hammer, in such a way that honourable lords and ladies of this order shall be well satisfied.  Witness ourselves at our Pennsic War Court, the 9^th day of August, Anno Ealdormeris xxix.

(based on the British Admiralty Court records, Patent Rolls 6 John m.3, 1205 which is the earliest extant examples of a letter of marquee.)

Here’s an excellent site on letters of marque from 1205 to 1645, including the original writ I based this scroll on: 

http://www.modaruniversity.org/LOM.htm

Cheerfully slaving for my feudal masters,

Brand Barenwalde