Following Orders

[Femme Falchion]

How interesting to see you again TJ!  It sounds as if you need to be confessed of your buccaneer sins before approaching the Knight's mantle again.  I'm happy to be of service. 

Warrior Monk...that DVD was rated "G" right? 

[Monsignor de Beaumanoir]

It had no rating, but wasn't as bad as anything currently programmed on TV.

[Femme Falchion]

Just want to be sure the little Princess doesn't go hacking and slashing back into kindergarten tomorrow....    All in good time.

[Monsignor de Beaumanoir]

No, she did quite well at doing this very thing as we went outside after dinner, to await the start of the show Merlin. She declared herself the Black Knight, and commenced to dealing horrific blows to her fatherusing the sword and shield purchased on her behalf at GARF. She was all about every strike to my sword, was to be accompanied by my sword flying from my grasp, and then pummeling me to the Earth (front yard drama without rival). Tonight I wore gorget with spaulders, 3/4 leg armor, and carried my "Beausant" heater, and hand and a half practice waster. They all received their validation and extreme workout. The Lady LeFay can attest to her Princess' ferocity in battle this eve.

[Sir William Marcus]

Hail Princess Brynn for exhibiting such exceptional fighting skills. To hear of the repeated disarming of her worthy opponent is most impressive. One can only wish he could of witnessed these epic battles with his own eyes!

Received my Crusades; Knights of Christ DVD today. I give them a C+ for effort. I still dislike the way every just ignores everything after the Third Crusade. Most historical DVDs just treat it like a casual continuance of the epic struggle.

Absolutely, I couldn't agree more.  C+ is definitely a good rating for this particular dvd.

[Monsignor de Beaumanoir]

The Lady LeFay has not been herself as of late. It appears that she will end up in the care of the healers within 2 weeks or so. The camera was put away, and she is not as fleet of foot currently to capture the battle, but I might try to get her to put her description of the contest in words.

I know the neighborhood's urchins were out and about, some with their mothers, watching the epic struggle of life, limb and bragging rights with some interest. No doubt they had thrown in their lot in with this new and more compact "Black Knight".

Much like playing her by her "chess rules", no matter how I tried to save myself, she found a lethal counter, and continued to cleave off large chunks of my supposed heroic defense, just to leave me a lump of semi armored human flesh on the front lawn.

It seemed scripted and written in fate, at least according to this Black Knight, that I was to lose at every turn.




This is what the Lady LeFay witnessed and had time to put down in words:

Fight in my Front Yard           


Yesterday at around 6:00 pm, I was outside trying to comb my five year old daughter's hair, again.  She was standing in front of me with a sword and a shield, apparently she had called her father out, although I am not sure what the occasion was for the calling out.  After a few minutes, her father, a man who is 6'6" tall emerged from out home dressed in armor that covered his knees and thighs and I believe armor on his shoulders and neck, along with a shield and a real sword.  I found all the up armoring a little odd until I saw the five year old lay into her father with all her might, not seeming to care where she hit.........I heard her tell her dad, I cut you down so get in the grass........I do not believe I can accurately describe the carnage in the front yard yesterday.  Here I am sitting on the front porch waiting for the ice cream truck (as were half the neighbors)  my daughter is waving a sword in the air yelling at her dad, her dad, all 6'6" of him is laying in the grass  with a shield covering some "vital" body parts and his sword somewhere in the front lawn.  If he tried to get up, she immediately attacked him again.  I suppose the next time he will come out in all his body armor!

[Monsignor de Beaumanoir]

Another FYI:

http://www.ordo-militiae-templi.org/index.htm

[Sir William Marcus]

Much like playing her by her "chess rules", no matter how I tried to save myself, she found a lethal counter, and continued to cleave off large chunks of my supposed heroic defense, just to leave me a lump of semi armored human flesh on the front lawn.

It seemed scripted and written in fate, at least according to this Black Knight, that I was to lose at every turn.

The Force is strong with this one.

Thank you for Lady Lefay. It is now that I can truly visualize the clash between these two warriors in this historical confrontation.

It also saddens us to hear you are not feeling well. I send our most sincerest wishes and prayers for your speedy recovery M'Lady

[Mikael of Aragon]

Hail, brothers and sisters!

It's been too long since I've visited! I won't bore everyone with the chores of career change I've been going through, but I hope to start participating here some more! Hope all are doing well!!! 

[Sir William Marcus]

NO WAY!

"Give me a pound, lock it down" it has been so long my brother. It is great to see you have returned and now there is need for much celebration!

[Monsignor de Beaumanoir]

[Mikael of Aragon]

Thank you, thank you!!!  I have some fun news to share, too! I just got signed to do a 120 page graphic novel based on the true history of Wiliiam Wallace. This won't be the movie version...no mullets and kilts here! We officially start work on it in October, and it will go to print next year. If things go well with that, i.e. my working relationship with the publisher, there's a possibility they'll be interested in publishing a book on the Crusades. So, fun stuff has been happening off screen!

Oh, and most importantly of all...my shoulder FINALLY healed enough to wear the chainmail without any discomfort! HUZZAH!!!!! 

[Sir William Marcus]

Fantastic frere Mikael.  We look forward to new images along with images of your artistic talents

[Monsignor de Beaumanoir]

New book alert:

The Siege of Jerusalem, Crusade and Conquest in 1099; Conor Kostick

I recommend this read for folks who want to see what the average Pilgrim/Crusader had to endure on their trek from Europe to the Holy City during the First Crusade, especially chapter 4: aptly title "Thirst". It evens covers what the animals had to endure.

[Monsignor de Beaumanoir]

An interesting note about the siege of Jerusalem in 1099.

As with any war of Faiths, those not of your pew tend to garner suspicion. During this event, it was the Christians that wore the heaviest mantle of suspicion.  Even the Jews helped the Muslims in the defense of the city, in no small part due to the stories that had reached the city about how their
fellows had been treated in mainland Europe upon the departure of the Crusading host. Thousands were killed are blamed for the world's woes (much like in Mel Gibson fashion).

The Christians in the Holy city were fearful of being set upon by fellow occupants, or labeled as spies. They stayed away from city walls, so as not to be accused of giving away secrets to the besieging army.

The problem with this was the ruling Islamic leader had expelled some of the Syrian Christians, who
could and did get in or out of the city and distribute vital information. They also conducted spy operations for the Christian host outside the walls of Jerusalem. They also helped show the starving and very thirsty Crusaders to wells and food resources.

It was during this time that it was said that Gerard (Founding Father of the Hospitallers) was inside Jerusalem during the siege. He did his best to assist his fellow Christians outside the walls by appearing to throw rocks at the Crusading army, but these items were in fact loaves of bread. On being accused of treachery (he was a Christian and had gone to the walls) and taken to the Islamic governing head of the city. The loaves of bread that had been concealed within his garments, had miraculously turned to stone, and he escaped punishment.

Deus vult!