Ansteopality

[dennis grace]

Sir Lyonel here and oops oops oops.  I said:

>> Sounds like an excellent attitude to me.  If it isn't fun, I don't want to
>> do it either.  We can erect signs at the borders:  ENTERING THE PRINCIPALITY
>> OF ********:  PLEASE LEAVE YOUR POLITICS AT THE GATE.

And Baroness Mari replied:

>Alright, now I must speak most seriously.  Word has come that Their 
>Majesties will be attending our 20th Baronial Jubilee.  It is their wish, 
>desire and, yea, their ORDER, that a sign, reading much like the above, 
>along with a trash can in which to dispose of such contraband, be 
>positioned at the gate at our upcoming event.  Sigh.  Now personally, I 
>don't see the need.  It's like having a sign saying "WELCOME TO PHOENIX: 
>PLEASE LEAVE YOUR ALLIGATORS AT THE BORDER."  But Their Majesties desire 
>this thing, and since it is but a trifling matter to put such a thing 
>together -- Seraphina could probably raise an eyebrow skyward and one 
>would appear in a beam of light -- it shall be done.  What I don't want 
>to hear is: "Hey, look at that sign!  They stole that idea from Sir 
>Lyonell!" or worse: "Hey, look at that sign!  They stole that idea from 
>Sir Lyonell!  THEY MUST THINK THEY'RE A PRINCIPALITY!!!"  Sigh.  I'm 
>rambling now, it's late, I think I'll just be going.  But anyway, when 
>you see the sign, it's the Crown's fault.

Oh My BoD!  I have inadvertently plagiarized the Queen!  

She told me about the sign some weeks ago over the telephone, but I mis-
understood this to be SOP for major Bjornsborg events.  I thought I was just
co-opting a fine idea from our good neighbors in Bjornsborg.  A thousand
apologies to Her Majesty, and my thanks to Baroness Mari for clarifying this
most egregious faux pas.  

Yours in Virtual Service

Sir Lyonel Oliver Grace, Baron, Thegn, OP
__________________________________________
Dennis G. Grace
Postmodern Medievalist
Division of Rhetoric and Composition
Department of English
University of Texas at Austin
amazing at mail.utexas.edu
___________________

Baro, metetz en guatge                    |  Lords, pawn your castles,
Chastels e vilas e ciutatz                |  your towns and cities.
Enanz qu'usquecs no'us guerreiatz         |  Before you're beat to the draw,
                                                    draw your swords.

                   -- Bertran de Born (a really fun Viscount)