The Sixth Year

Beltane Coronation Festival
May 1-2, 1971

From The Page (April, 1971):

MAY CORONATION FESTIVAL - KINGDOM OF THE WEST - May 1st and 2nd, 1971

This is a schedule of eventsset forth by the Crown Prince and Princess, and includes mainly those events that willoccur at pre-set times. There will be many other activities as well, somecconcurrent with each other, for which there will be two main activity areas, one in front of the Royal Pavilion and the other off to one side. Most of the following events will take place in area I.

May 1st - May Day (Beltane) - Fifth Anniversary of founding of SCA, Day One A.S. VI

8:00 - 11:30a.m.	Setting up. Cars will be allowed on the field during this time only.
10:00 - 12:00	Arms inspection and qualifications by the Earl Marshal. Qualification will also take place at other times during the day. Fighters are urged to qualify now to avoid a crowd at the next Crown Tourney.
12:00 noon	Grand March, starting ON TIME, followed by Court of King Jean.
12:30 p.m.	Coronation of King Hagen and Queen Ruth and Court of King Hagen.
1:00 p.m. Afternoon & Evening	Maypole Dance followed by Maying events: Dancing instruction and dancing, games, kite flying, contests, treasure hunt. Mass will also be said by the Order of St. Julian at some point during the day.
2:00 - 3:30	Melee followed by challenges.
3:30 p.m.	The Mask of Thesus and Hippolyta and at some point you will all eat dinner....
dusk	Lighting of the bonfire followed by more festivities at the command of Their Majesties.
May 2nd - Day Two, A.S. VI 9:00 a.m. Mass p- Order of St. Julian
10:00 a.m.	Melee, followed by Competiton for the post of King's Champion- single elimination freestyle to the finals. Finals will be a round-robin in which each combatant must use each of the following: 1) Broadsword & shield, 2) Shortsword & buckler, 3) Longweapon, 4) mace or axe & shield.
10:00 a.m.	Will also see the start of the Archery, Javelin, Tilting & Wrestling competitions, and more Maying events.
3:00 p.m.	Closing court of King Hagen-- awards followed by

BREAKING CAMP AND CLEANING UP! Cars will again be allowed on the field at this time.

Directions: (directions omitted)

TAKE NOTE: 1) Our water supply will be a stream. Bring large water containers for carrying and purifying the water (Halizone tablets or Chlorox recommended). The watering places are upstream several yards from where most of you will be camping so plan accordingly. Washing water can be drawn from the creek closer to camp. Horses will also be watered downstream from the watering hole.
2) Chemical toilets are being imported. A nominal fee will be collected to pay for them.
3) Wood may be scarce at this site, and there are few rocks with which to build fire-pits and stoves. We recommend that you bring cinder-blocks and at least some of your own wood or charcoal. The evening bonfire will have priority on gathered wood. Also, if you are planning on cooking over an open fire, bring a shovel and bucket with you. Coleman stoves are also allowed.
4) There are no trash cans in this area of the park. Bring your own trash containers and plan low garbage-content meals. When you are camping remember that you have to carry out everything that you brought in.
5) Park Regulations require all dogs to be on leashes.
6) Fighters are reminded that under the new Rules of the Lists, the neck must be protected by means of mail, a padded coif, etc. Be prepared.
7) Other things to bring include: mosquito repellent, sun guard for the day and warm clothing for the evening, extra jon paper, flowers for wreaths, etc.

Competitions: besides the usual martial contests, the King and Queen will judge a Chidren's Cookie Decorating Contest for children under 12. There will be a prize. On May Day and possibly May 2 there will be a Kite Flying Competition. Prizes will be awarded by their Majesties for the Smallest Kite that flies, the most Grotesque Kite, the Most Beautiful Kite, and the Most Efficient Kite (based on the amount of string pulled out per kite area). Build and bring kites for flying!

From the History (by Wilhelm):

Held in Briones Park, Homestead Valley, California. Jean and Ellen held court. King Jean gave Grants of Arms to Pwyll pen Tyhron and Talanque. Then King Jean created the Order of the Leaf of Merit, and admitted Ellen Cross Quills as the founding member. He gave Awards of Arms to Ellen Cross Quills, Rima of Rockridge, Sårkhånyl Gerö, Samuel de Basset, and William the Lucky. Then Hagen and Ruth were crowned by Jean and Ellen. King Hagen knighted James Greyhelm.

Hagen the Strong

Ruth

Annotations:
“Now we come to my first event. I had come to UC Berkeley the previous fall, and had discovered Science Fiction Fandom with the Elves, Gnomes and Little Men Science Fiction, Chowder and Marching Society. Through Little Men I heard about the SCA and I got a ride to the May coronation with Boncueur in his famous chariot Gules (a red convertible with GULES as a vanity plate). Boncueur was the taxi for many of us UC students to SCA events. I had met Adrienne-Martine Barnes (Adrienne of Toledo) in Little Men and through her met Poul and Karen Anderson (Sir Bela of Eastmarch and Karina of the Far West.) I enjoyed the coronation and was looking for something to participate in at SCA events. I consulted with Karina about my name and device, and Karina naturally suggested trying out as a herald. As a trained singer, I had no trouble projecting my voice, and as a longtime punster I fit right in with the rest of the heraldic crew. The rest, as they say, was history.” – Wilhelm von Schlüssel

“There was much trepidation at using this site. For one, the only access was a dirt road. For two, it was usually an active cow pasture. By the present time, as far as I can tell on the SCA-West list, such hazards are commonplace and dealt with with aplomb. In the time spoken of, if was whole new idea and we weren't sure how to deal with it.
     “We were so worried about it that my lady and I and some members of our household, plus some folks from other households including a bard named Gwydion who was generally following Caradoc, ventured out the previous weekend to clean up the field and get a good idea where to situate the tourney in what is actually a good size area (though I have the feeling that a modern Crown tourney would swamp it).
     “The problem proved to be both insurmountable and ignorable. The field was well littered, but with old fewmets, the cows had been moved out some weeks before. I did get to learn my favorite Druid riddle, from Gwydion. "Why is Stonehenge unfinished?" "Because Druids have short attention spans."
     “I believe this was also the tourney wherein Calafia made a major showing by arriving in a large RV and seeming to disembark an endless stream of college students in excellent costumes with very impressive wargear and camping gear. Jeffrey Brokenblade (Jeff Rogers) who I believe earned his name by breaking several sabersaw blades while he was making a shield facing or some piece of armor, had been part of Henrik's household but moved to San Diego to go to school. There, he met several folk who found the idea of the SCA fascinating. Combine this with the proximity of one Kirby deWise, who was just then getting newspaper coverage as this recluse who had moved to the California desert to make armor, and you had a volatile combination that developed into Calafia.
     “I believe this was also the tourney wherein various members of my household decided to abduct Luise, aided by some of the Calafians. The result was an uphill fight (and if you are familiar with the site, you know I mean Uphill) with the abductors including Houri the Savage and Cormac (er, can't remember Cormac's last name. Do you remember Steven, he was your squire) standing against all comers.” – Stefan de Lorraine

“Cormac na Conacht, as I recall. I remember you introducing me to him when I returned from Air Force land. His arms were very close to my original arms, being azure, a pale argent charged with a sword gules. My original arms were azure, a pale argent charged with a heart gules. In the end, I abandoned them before heraldry became codified for my current arms.” – Steven MacEanruig

“This was the event where I fought Lysander of Sparta, mentioned elsewhere.” – Henrik of Havn

Description of this event, © Copyright 1980 by William R. Keyes (Wilhelm von Schlüssel)
This is from The History of the West Kingdom, Volume 1 (the only volume produced). When reading this text, please keep in mind the following disclaimer:

Disclaimer: This history may have errors in it, as much of the detail is “remembered” history, or as one of the cover pages of the original type-written manuscript states “The material within is derived from the information printed in The Crown Prints and in The Page, and from the memories of the participants.” The original document was typed on onion-skin paper, with hand-written notes (often in the margins). All attempts have been made to reconcile the notes with the original document.

Annotations, when they are added, are from The Annotated History of the West, Volume 1, which is the same text as Master Wilhelm's mentioned above, with commentary from members of the SCA who were active at the time of the event, and are added to help clarify questions and expand on what happened and why. This volume is copyright © Ken Mayer (Hirsch von Henford).

The West Kingdom History Website was created by and is maintained by Hirsch von Henford (mka Ken Mayer).