Made to Swear Fealty

[Timothy A. McDaniel]

I think I'm spelling it right, as "mainbour".  It means something like
"under the hand of".  As I recall, a lord often or usually had
mainbour over their vassal.  If the vassal was cited in some court,
the lord would substitute for them in that court, and the lord would
later take such action as he deemed fit in his court.

For SCA purposes, we added the clause "if the court so permits", and
awards are more likely than punishments.  The one time we had a chance
to use it, when I got my AoA with her present, I didn't think to ask
her to go up for me so that I could receive it from her hands.  I was
a tad flustered at the moment, though.

I insisted on a clause to regulate what physical punishments she could
apply.  The object has to fit within a finger ring she is wearing, and
cannot be extended longer than the distance between her palm and the
crook of her elbow on the same arm (which lets out bullwhips, for
example).  It also can't cause permanent damage.  However, if I make a
terrible pun, she can hit me with anything convenient to hand within
1/6 of a minute.

The only punishment I recall is at Middle coronation a few times ago.
It was the end of one court and time to crown the successor (each king
crowns his successor, unlike Ansteorra).  The herald called for the
heir to the throne to approach, and there was no evident motion for a
few seconds.  I said semi-loudly "or someone to accept for him" and
she slapped my hand.  (Then motion happened, and it was the king of
the East who strode up to claim the throne per an earlier agreement.
The prince then came in and objected, a civil war^H^H^Hmelee was
declared, they went out and fought, and no surprise the prince won.
The kings' fighters were told not to win.  Then the king of the Middle
crowned the prince, and the king of the East strode out swearing
vengance and promising an invasion in August via Aethelmearc ...  I
then pointed out to my lady that, indeed, it HAD been "someone to
accept for him", and she graciously admitted her error.)

But I digress.

-- 
Daniel de Lincoln
Tim McDaniel; Reply-To: tmcd at crl.com