Wisconsin School for the Deaf - Tattler Yearbook (Delavan, WI)

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THE TATTLER aide neh person of rank wu placed n goblet of silver; the lower hoard had largo drinking horn instead. Several different kinds of wines were served as well os mead, a drink used by l ,e Saxon and made of honey and water, strong ale, rich moral made of honey flavored with mulberries, sparkling cider, and pigments which were sweet and rich liquors composed of highly spiced wine and honey, Guests often drank to the health of the lady of the hall saying. “Waeahnll. ’ (Be in health.) This Saxon custom continued in England for many years and at Christmas time the wassail bowl io even now a part of the holiday celebration. Another Saxon custom was the grace cup, a cup of wine, which was passed from guest to guest as a final health after the grace concluding the meal. The sleeping rooms for the master's family were behind the dais and were reached by a hull and rude stairway, the steps of which were formed by beams of solid oak. In the Indies’ bedrooms, the walls were usually covered with colorful embroidered hangings or tapestries interwoven with silk and gold thread and which pictured scenes from the popular sports of hunting and hawking. The hod might be adorned with the sumo rich tapestry and surrounded with purple curtains or those of some other rich hue. The rude, uncomfortable seats about the room also and stained coverings, and the one for the Indy might be higher than the rest and he completed with a footstool of carved ivory. No fewer than four silver cundelnhrns, holding great waxen torches, served to illuminnte such an apartment. Yet no girl of today would envy the magnificence of u Saxon princess for the walls of the apartment were so ill-finished and so full of crevice or cracks that the rich hangings shook to the night blast, and, in spite n sort of screen intended to protect them from the wind, the flame of the torches streamed sideways into the air like the unfurled pennon of a chieftain. In case of visitors to the lady, the maidens in attendance upon her, without leuving the a-puritnenl, retired to its further end. and sat down on a small bench against the wall, where they remained mute h« statues, even though at such a distance that their whispers could not have interrupted the conversation of their mistress. The master’s bedroom was furnished almost the same us the ladies’ bedrooms except tlint the hangings were of more somber hue. Sleeping apartment In this large and Irregular mansion stretched backward from the hall From an ante-room the guests were conducted to their sleeping rooms by a servant with a torch. Tho. e of importance were taken to fine rooms, while those of lesser degree were led with more haste than ceremony to an exterior part of the building surrounding an open courtyard whore a number of small apartments or rather colls, served for sleeping places for the domestics and to strangers of mean degree. The door of the cell of the cage-llke cell was closed before the torch was placed in a candlestick made of wood. The furniture, which was of the most simple kind, consisted of a rude wooden stool and sti I ruder hutch or bed-frame, stuffed with clean straw and covered with two or three sheepskins by way of bed clothe ami a short wooden log which served ns a pillow. The sun beams found their way through the little grated window which served to admit both air and light to the uncomfortable cell. The Saxon hall of England were slowly succeeded by Norman castles, as the victor of old Englnnd were given the land of the conquered Englishmen in return for loyalty and military service to the powerful William and his successors. But in spite of the destruction of the Saxon hall, Saxon customs could not be stamped out entirely by the conquering Normans, so that today we still find some trace of the Saxon hull in some of the living rooms of our modern homes with their beamed or vaulted ceilings and large fireplaces. THE TOURNAMENT By LEROY E1NBERGER The tournament was a common sport of the Middle Ages in which two armed bands of knights combated each other with lunces or swords in order to exhibit their strength, skill and courage, or for the honor of the ladiea. These combats were very popular during the eleventh, twelfth and fifteenth centuries. The first combats, however, were held in Franco in the ninth and tenth centuries, hut the custom spread to England, Germany, and the southern part of Europe. They 19 3 4 Page twenty-two

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THE TATTLER to fight that particular knight. The knight wo forced to light. At these toumuments the champion of the first day chose the Queen of Love and of Beauy. The same champion, if he won the second day, received the Chaplin of Honor from the queen. This crowned him champion above all other . Chivalry really was n system of education for the nobles as it taught them the best social and moral ideas which the time could understand. Chivalry is what made Washington, Lincoln, Peary and other work for the good of their country. Even our flag is a symbol of chivalry- The brave men who fought in the World War were knights because they gave up their live for the helpless. Wc should see to it that this spirit lives on and hear ourselves with courtesy, honor, and goodwill to all. A SAXON HALL By LEONA LUEPKE The Hall of Rotherwood, located in eastern England near the River Don, was in the midst of a dense forest. This was n Saxon manor house, or, as it was commonlv culled, the Hall This particular hall, of which I am thinking, wa built of stone und timber with a roof of thatch. The low, irregular building, which enclosed several courtyards, was entirely surrounded by a moat with a drawbridge across it from the outer palisade on the further edge of the ditch to the innur stockade. The roof was thatched with straw stubble over heavy beams and rafters. A well-fortified castle or hall of that day sometimes had wattled walls of grout height. Wattling is strong sticks or slabs of wood interwoven, one with another, to the necessary height. Such a barrier was used instead of a stone wall to protect the enclosed structure. Inside the building there was a great hull which was used os a sitting, an eating, and often as a sleeping room. Bundles of straw or some skins were thrown on the floor to make hods. Huge fireplaces were seen at either end of the long, wide hall. There were no chimneys for carrying out the smoke like those of today, but rude clay affairs were often aided by holes in the roof. If the owner was wealthy, us in the case of Cedric, the Saxon, the wnlU were decorated with brightly colored tapestries or curtain- On the side of the apartment hung implements of war and of the chase. However the rough plastered walls were often left bare as they were at the lower end of the Hall of Rotherwood. The rude, earthen floor, compost'd of earth mixed with lime and trodden into a hard substance such as is often found in the floors of bams today, was uncarpeted. Heavy, rough-wooden benches supplied the places of chuirs. For about one quarter of the length of the upurtment. the floor was elevated by a step, and this apace was called the dais. It was covered with a gaudy carpet. A table, richly covered with a scarlet doth, was placed through the long way of tho ilatform, and another extended from the middle of tbi mauler’s table well toward the bottom of the Hall. The whole formed u huge letter T. Most of those ancient dinner tables were arranged on the same principle. Massive chairs and settles of carved oak were placed on the dais for the matter and member of the family and for guests of nobility. To each of these chairs was added a footstaa! '••iriotuly carved and inlaid with ivory. The floor umier the table below the dais. being covered with bono thrown to the dogs during men Is, was in quite u filthy condition. Gottrtl of a lower order of society took their places with the servants at the farther end of the huge greasy surface of the long table, ilark with stains and littered with crumbs, for they did not make a practice of removing them after meals. The feast which was spread upon the long table was indeed a bounteous meal. Swine’s flesh, cooked und served in several modes, appeared on the lower part of the bourd, as also thut of fowls, deer, goats, and hares as well as various kinds of fish. Huge loaves und cakes of different kinds of bread could have friut jellies or jams and honey served with them. The smaller sorts of wild-fowl were not served on platters hut were brought in upon email wooden spits, upon which they had been roasted whole and were offered by the pages and servants to each gueet. one after another, who cut from them such as a portion us he pleased. The master used a small white truncheon or staff, which lay by his trencher, to beat the dogs to calm. Re- K6! Page twenty-one

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THE TATTLER were introduced into England after the conquest of the Normans. It was during the fifteenth century that they took the form of a pageant. Tournaments were given by wealthy nolle , earls, dukes, or by the king himself. They made very elaborate preparation , and the invitations to the tournament were carried by heralds. A custlc guard would report thut a herald had come to the castle gate. The gaU was opened for him ond his cavalcade to enter into the court-yard. Then a Hast was blown by a trumpeter to coll the folks of the castle to hear what the herald had to say. He proclaimed the tournament to all who were worthy of knighthood and would give their respects to ladies. At that time the herald explained everything; what the prizes would be, what weapons could be used, where the tournament would be, when it would be held, and other details. He sometimes made his announcement in markets and even went into the neighboring countries. Traveling was slow work so the invitations were given long before the time came for the tournament, but on that very day every knight began to get ready. As for the ladies, they, too, made ready their wardrobes. When the time came for the great event, the journey was safe because people iti different countries would not harm or injure them, not even their enemies at such times. From far and near many knights und their ladies, squires and servants came to the place of meeting. The host welcomed them and gave them good lodgings. Some would sleep in the castle, some in a neighboring village and some in their own tents. Wherever one slept, he set up the design of his coat of urins over the entrance so that nil the knights would know who he was. If he had broken his promise to any woman or had been a coward, he would not be allowed to take part in the tournament. The courtyard of the castle was a scene of great excitement. It was like u village. There wero many old friends who were happy to meet each other again. There were feasting, music, dancing and singing. The night before the tournament everybody went to bed early, but the next morning all were hard at work. The armor must be polished, rivets, straps and buckles closely inspected, and horses must be well fed and rubbed down. Each one was discussing the contestants. One hail made himself popular because he was very strong, another hud been skillful in munaging his horse, while still unother had shown determination. Every lady must be fair because it was her duty to choose the winners. Early in the morning everyone went to the lists, which had been prepared long before. A double row of wooden railings or ropes fenced an oblong area, and a space between the two was saved for those who were to help the injured knights. The galleries, which were out side this empty space for the ladies and nobles, were richly decorated with costly tapestry. The pages und young maidens were dressed In bright colored clothes and jewels. The lord of the tournament made his announcements, explaining carefully what arms were allowed. No one was allowed to bring any weapon with a sharp point into the lists. If this was ever permitted, they used rockets which were pieces of wood that protected the point of the lance. The heralds gave out the rules of the contest. Some of the rules wore: The one who broke the most lances would be a winner and should be awarded the first prize if they were broken according to the laws of the tournament. One who would break a spear by striking a man out of the saddle would gain three points, but if it was broken by striking the saddle itself, he would lose one point. If one struck a horse or struck a man in the buck when he was not armed, he had no chance of getting a prize. Before the tournament started, the arms of the knights had to be examined by the constables, as there were some who would not conform to the rules, especially when enemies were taking part. When all was ready, the heralds shouted. Come forth, knights.” Th« contestants then entered the list . The horses in their beautiful harnesses und jeweled bridles pranced gracefully. The gold and silver armor gleamed in the sunshine, and polished jeweled helmets wore decorated with ribbons belonging to the ludies. Each one thus bedecked her favorite knight. When it was time to begin, the Indies gave the orders for the ropes, which were stretched between the two sides of the lists, to be snatched aside. After the trumpets had been sounded, the knights bent low, put spur to the horses, and rushed toward their opponents with lances. The spectators were excited; some held their breath while the minstrels played and the trumpets blared. The trampling of the horses shook the plain, and the noise of arms and the breaking of spears filled the air. Men were unhorsed and their blood mingled with dust. There were usually several encounters the first day. Following the tournament, the lists were deserted. After those who took port had bathed and dressed, they had n banquet with the ladies at which they hud o gay time. Tho lady who had been chosen Queen of Love and of Beauty was 19 3 4 Page twenty-three