St. Eligius 2025 Overall Winner - Chaucer Meets Black Lance

Acknowledgment and Dedication

The words used for this project are “Black Lance, the Blue Tyger Legion of Pennsic XLIX” - a collaborative tale by Lord Brogain O'Riain, Sir Klaus Winterhalter, Imperator Allaricus Xirinius Dominus, Lady Caitlin FitzGerald, and Sir Donnan FtizGerald recounting a fateful Pennsic War where the East Kingdom’s Black Lance heavy fighting unit found glory. This project is dedicated to them and to all members of Black Lance. Their words can be found in Appendix C.

What did you make or do?

This piece is four fully illuminated and calligraphed 11”x14” scrolls. It was created in the style of an early 15th century English manuscript of Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales known as the Ellesmere Chaucer. I created a specialized ductus from the calligraphy in the manuscript for this project. I also researched the pigments and materials used for the artwork, and emulated them with safer and more practical materials. This work was not intended to be a facsimile, but I was meticulous about the details when possible. 

What is the connection between your entry and a medieval item or practice?

The Ellesmere Chaucer was one of the most famous illuminated manuscripts of the Canterbury Tales, known both for standardizing the spelling and organization of the Tales, and its beautiful artwork. It was likely created in London in the early 15th century. The Ellesmere Chaucer could even have been started while he was still alive by a scribe he had personally employed, Adam Pinkhurst. (Simpson, 2022, 197) (Kerby-Fulton, 2024, 664) This would make the manuscript one of the only versions of the Canterbury Tales overseen by Chaucer himself. Most others were created entirely after his death. This makes the manuscript one of the closest connections we have to Chaucer’s writings and original intentions for the Canterbury Tales. Thus, emulating the style of this manuscript for my project closely ties the words written for Black Lance to Chaucer himself.

How would your entry have been made/done in period?

The Ellesmere Chaucer was done by a team of artists - a calligrapher, at least three illustrators, and possibly more who worked on the borders. (“The Ellesmere Manuscript: Controversy, Culture and the Canterbury Tales,” 2010, 59)  It is believed that the text was written first. The slight differences in the texture and quality of the pigments suggests that there were multiple artists used for the various artwork of the manuscript. Very faint crimson red lines were used for guidelines (“ruling”) and can still be seen. (Cains & Fredericks, 1995, 129)

How was yours made/done?

I attempted to emulate the work of each of these artists alone. I began by researching each of the materials used (detailed in the next section). Then, using the known size of the pages of the original document, I carefully measured the scanned pages from the Huntington Library on my computer screen to create a scale and determine the exact size of the words and illustrations in the original. Through experimentation, I determined that I could almost perfectly match this with a 1 mm Brause nib and line spacing at 6 on an Ames guide, to make my words the same size as those on the original. 

Next I carefully read the Ellesmere Chaucer and compared it with the full middle English text (by Larry D. Benson., Gen. ed., The Riverside Chaucer, Houghton-Mifflin Company; used with permission of the publisher) on the Harvard website. (Harvard's Geoffrey Chaucer Website) Once I understood the rules and intricacies of the calligraphy (Appendix B), I created my own generalized ductus of the document (Appendix A). I carefully measured and lined each of the pages with a pencil, leaving room for illuminated letters, illustrations, and margins. Finally, I began with calligraphy followed by several layers of colorful illustrations: flat colors, gold gouache, red glaze over the orange-red, whitework, and outlines. The research, measurements, experimentations, and documentation of this project took just as long as creating the four pages themselves. Work was completed in approximately two and a half months of diligent work.

Summarized Steps:

• Researched the materials used for the Ellesmere Chaucer, and experimented to determine appropriate substitutes.

• Measured the Ellesmere Chaucer on a computer screen to create a scale and determine the exact sizes of calligraphy and decorations.

• Created a ductus based on the calligraphy in the original.

• Used digital art software (Clip Studio Paint) to create a mockup using pictures from the original manuscript, with small changes for the characters or to better fit the decorations with the big capitals on each page. This step is modern, but prevents extra trial and error or wasted materials.

• Marked up the 4 pages with guidelines for borders and words using a pencil. Traced and finalized the decorations and illumination printed from the mockup.

• Used the ductus to calligraph the words of the poem.

• Painted flat colors, painted with gold gouache, glazed red over the orange-red color, added whitework, and outlined the entire piece.

• Erased all guidelines and stray pencil marks

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What are some similarities and differences in materials, process, tools, approach?

Paper

The Ellesmere Chaucer was written on 240 leaves of  calfskin vellum parchment, approximately 15.75”x11.2” in size. (Cains & Fredericks, 1995, 127) (“The Ellesmere Manuscript: Controversy, Culture and the Canterbury Tales,” 2010, 59)

I used 11”x14” pergamenata for my project as a replacement for the calfskin vellum. Pergamenata paper is a popular substitution for vellum among SCA scribes. It is much more affordable and widely considered more ethical, while maintaining many of the visual and practical qualities. For example, pergamenata can be gently scraped with a knife to remove mistakes. I considered buying large sheets and cutting them down to the exact size of the original copy, but ultimately opted for a standard size to minimize waste and make the pages easier to frame and display.

Pigments

The exact binder and composition is not known for most of the paints and pigments in the Ellesmere Chaucer. But we do know that pigments in the early 15th century were often combined with egg whites or gum arabic, so I looked for a way to emulate this. (Making of White Gouache for Drawing - Ars Pictoria: Renaissance Art Techniques) I first considered egg tempera, as I first believed it may be more authentic to the period. However, I learned after reading comments in SCA scribal forums on Facebook and Discord that egg tempera is used primarily for rigid pieces and not for flexible pages like in this manuscript because of its propensity for cracking. The manuscript does not show signs of the paint cracking in the same way that many documents with tempera paint often do. I then turned to gouache, which was in use around the 15th century in Europe (Burke, 2024) when this document was produced. While modern store-bought gouache may not be the same as that used in the time period, it does use gum arabic as a binder, so I decided that this was similar enough for my purposes. I opted for professional-grade gouache, matching the colors to the descriptions of the pigments noted in an article from a project to rebind the manuscript done at the Huntington Library in 1995, where the document still resides today. (Cains & Fredericks, 1995, 128-129)

Blue  - “The blue color in the decoration is ultramarine--either as a pure pigment or mixed with an inert white to give lighter shade. It is also occasionally overpainted with an inert white (or painted over inert white).” (Cains & Fredericks, 1995, 128) I used a light ultramarine, PB29 gouache. 

Orange-Red - “The orange-red pigment is almost certainly red lead.” (Cains & Fredericks, 1995, 128) This is known today to be a very toxic and dangerous pigment. It has since been widely replaced today with cadmium red. However, this is also quite toxic (especially if inhaled), and known to cause cancer. I did carefully paint a small sample of spare pergamenata paper with cadmium red, and then mixed my safe crimson and yellow gouache colors together to closely match it.

White - “The transparent nature and the stability of the white suggests that it is chalk rather than lead white.” (Cains & Fredericks, 1995, 128) I selected PW5, or Zinc White gouache to replace this since it is more transparent than the PW6 titanium white gouache I had.

Black - Carbon black was used, (Cains & Fredericks, 1995, 128) and I used Platinum brand carbon black ink.

Brown-Black - Asphaltum was also possibly used. (Cains & Fredericks, 1995, 128) I skipped this pigment.

Green - There is a “transparent amorphous green - transparent green particles, resinate or verdigris, suspended in a matrix of a transparent medium, perhaps copper.” (Cains & Fredericks, 1995, 128) Based on this description, I chose PY3 PG7 Emerald green gouache. Verdigris is also toxic and has largely been replaced by phthalo green, which is the main color in this gouache.

Crimson Red - “There is a rich, transparent crimson red, an organic color that was typically produced from such materials as madder, kermes, or orchi. This is used as a glaze over red lead and ultramarine and mixed with the inert white to give an opaque pink.” (Cains & Fredericks, 1995, 128) I used a dilated PR170 primary red gouache. The primary way I used this color was to glaze over the orange-red color I created, to match the original process.

Purple Red - “There is a transparent amorphous purple red in clear medium that is generally referred to as folium or turnsole.” (Cains & Fredericks, 1995, 128) I skipped this pigment, as I did not need it for my illustrations.

Yellow - An opaque yellow was used on some of the figures, which may have been orpiment. (Cains & Fredericks, 1995, 129) I used PY74 primary yellow gouache.

Ink - The ink was “a transparent organic brown in a clear medium, with no crystalline or particulate matter present.” (Cains & Fredericks, 1995, 128) I elected to use the carbon black ink that I already own and trust, since it is used elsewhere in the piece and could have just as easily been used in place of the transparent brown ink.

What inspired you? 

The Ellesmere Chaucer, the manuscript on which this whole project is based, can be found in the Huntington Digital Library with high quality scans of each page. This resource is what made this project possible. https://hdl.huntington.org/digital/collection/p15150coll7/id/2359

What was your favorite part of preparing your entry?

There was a moment in creating the ductus where something clicked, and I was able to decipher and read the original middle English straight from the scanned pages instead of relying as much on the Harvard website’s full text. I still rely on the translations to glean the exact meaning of some words, but it was such a satisfying moment that made me realize how much I had learned from the exercise.

What would you do differently next time?

Next time I begin a deep-dive into a manuscript, I would write everything down that I use for calculations or inspiration, even if I think I will not use it in the final draft. There were so many times that I did a “temporary” measurement to create the scale of my manuscript, only to realize that I needed that number again and had to re-measure. Similarly, there were a few times when I saved a picture from the manuscript, but not the page number. This makes it very difficult and time-consuming to cite later, or to determine the context of that image!

Furthermore, though I carefully set everything else to scale, I had to change the left borders because of the size limitations (11”x14” paper  instead of 11.2”x15.75”). I believe it would have been better to have picked pieces of the border to use or remove and kept the size of the decorations to scale, instead of shrinking down the borders to fit. It would have been far technically easier to draw and paint bigger decorations, and I think it would look slightly better from a distance, too. While working on the tiniest details, I began to get eye strain and headaches at every sitting. I believe this could be avoided in the future.

What references or sources would you recommend to someone interested in your work? 

In addition to my cited references, I would highly recommend Medieval Calligraphy: Its History and Technique (Lettering, Calligraphy, Typography) by Marc Drogin, which introduced me to its own version of gothic littera bastarda calligraphy and showed an example of the Ellesmere Chaucer that sent me down this rabbit hole. It is a great book for learning a new hand with period examples. I also greatly appreciate the Pensive Pen, by Professeur Alexandre Saint Pierre of the East Kingdom, which has taught me how to use an Ames guide, among other important lessons. (https://www.thepensivepen.com/2013/12/guidelines.html)

How did you find your sources of information?

Most sources were found by searching online, or reviewing the lists of references on the Ellesmere Chaucer Wikipedia page. I heavily prioritized sources that were posted in reputable journals or by museums. No AI was used in the creation of this work or its documentation.

Did you find a connection to a medieval artisan or owner while working on your entry?

This project gave me a deep appreciation for the calligrapher, possibly Adam Pinkhurst (Kerby-Fulton, 2024, 664), who may have worked directly with Chaucer. The text I worked with was polished and had very few punctuation and grammar mistakes. With modern editing software, it could be easily written and rewritten and spellchecked. This calligrapher, on the other hand, took Chaucer’s notes and outlines and had the great task of finalizing the order, spelling standardization, and grammar, even after Chaucer’s death. He must have made many hard choices when deciding whether to stay faithful to Chaucer’s original texts, or to standardize and correct or interpret mistakes when needed.

Any last thoughts or amusing stories about your work?

I admittedly wanted to tie the “Black Lance” poem to Chaucer because of the influence of the anachronistic 2001 film “A Knight’s Tale,” and this was a fun, but still constructive and academic, way to do that.

References

Burke, D. (2024, October 23). Gouache paintings: history, use, care and restoration. Fine Art Restoration Company. Retrieved October, 2025, from https://fineart-restoration.co.uk/news/gleaming-gouache-the-history-care-and-restoration-of-gouache-on-paper/

Cains, A. G., & Fredericks, M. (1995). The Bindings of the Ellesmere Chaucer. Huntington Library Quarterly, 58(1), 127-157. https://www.jstor.org/stable/3817900

The Ellesmere Manuscript: Controversy, Culture and the Canterbury Tales. (2010). In O. Da Rold & E. Treharne (Eds.), Textual Cultures, Cultural Texts (pp. 59-74). Boydell & Brewer, Limited. https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/abs/textual-cultures/ellesmere-manuscript-controversy-culture-and-the-canterbury-tales/527B3C3732F2721E59011E0849EFE051

Kerby-Fulton, K. (2024, July). Adam Pinkhurst and the Baffled Jury: Assessing Scribal Identifications within the Margin of Error. Speculum: A Journal of Medieval Studies, 99(3), 664-687. https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/730564

Text and Translations | Harvard's Geoffrey Chaucer Website. (n.d.). Harvard's Geoffrey Chaucer Website. Retrieved October 26, 2025, from https://chaucer.fas.harvard.edu/pages/text-and-translations

Appendix A: The ductus created from the Ellesmere Chaucer

Appendix B: Examples of each letter from the Ellesmere Chaucer

<This section is available upon request - too many individual pictures for Wix.>

Appendix C: The words of the Black Lance poem

Black Lance, the Blue Tyger Legion of Pennsic XLIX

When does a storm become a storm? Is it the gathering of leaden clouds upon the horizon? Is it the first few drops of rain? Is it the first time the howl of the wind drowns out your voice? Is it the first crack of lightning and the boom of rolling thunder? Is it the first shaft of straw laid flat, or the first man? Is it the moment it is named by the King or historians “the great storm of sodden past”?  I think it is ever changing and is the moment you realize you are at the storm's mercy.

Acrosse an ethereal chasm the Middle Dragon stood, roaring with ferocity, snapping its maw enraged by the insult dealt by defeats acrosse the prior days. Five bridges crossed the void, flaxen lines laid against the oppressive summer sun. Little did the great beast know the machinations of war had begun in anticipation of this day, at war camps months before.

Roiling clouds built upon the horizon.  Black Lance Host was initially conjured from the southern region of our Kingdom, consisting of House Carpathia, Falcons Keep, House Cheshire and levies from the Barony of Carillion. In the bitter cold of 100 Minutes war the Black Lance Host assembled for the first time and began to hone its skills as a unit. But they were far from whole.

With an alignment of the stars, longtime friends Sir Klaus Winterhalter Von Wallachia, Imperator Allaricus Xirinius Dominus and Sir Donnan Fitzgerald spoke and agreed to combine all of their forces. With the alliance secured, Imperator Dominus and Sir Donnan brought with them the legendary Unsterblichen Army; consisting of The Senate and People of Rome, House Bloodguard, EldVatten, House Fitzgerald and allies from House Wilmont and Settmour Swamp.  The first few drops of rain fell and the Tyger of the East gained a razor's claw.

Our story returns to the bridges and that Pennsic War. The cannons bellowed with their thunder and the Black Lance Host ran into the breach. They held fast upon the hard won bridge. Their enemy was fierce, and the battle raged acrosse the span, and Black Lance advanced. With valor our host broke through the bridge defenders slaying every Dragon in its path. They then crossed to the second bridge from the enemy side to meet our fellow Easterners, crushing the Dragon between us. It was four times the black lance broke through the enemy ranks and four times the Tyger of the East took the flaxen lines now red with Middle blood.

Then the lighting cracked. The Noble Tyger King, Ryouko'jin had seen fit to bestow our host with the Blue Tyger Legion as a reflection of the prowese we had shown. Blue Tyger Legion is a right and noble award given once per reign, and only once except sometimes not at all, to the instrument of His Majesty’s most fierce warriors. That legion wears the badge for life and may display its crest as they are the chosen of the King, His instrument of purpose on the field of battle. And the wind howled.

And the thunder boomed. So it was on the fifth day, did the Black Lance assemble once again. Shoulder to shoulder they stood at the edge of the world; the far right flank of the battlefield. Eastern fervor had coursed through all of our veins. The day prior His Majesty approached before the battle much as he did today.  But today his trust was with us as he led no retinue. His belief in us so pure. He sang to us with a voice coarse from the din of battle, of the bloodshed we had wrought. He saw fit to lead our Company into battle after his hymn. And so his Majesty’s words inspired us once again, and upon reflection, had finally seen a moment further created for us. Black Lance Host, an army of disciplined, powerful heroes.

“Soldiers who against all reason loved war” – Sir Jonathan Miles

 And the first shafts of wheat were felled.

The drums of war once again pounded their dreadful sound, a cannon signaled our time for action.  “Once more unto the breach!” we cried as the Black Lance tore acrosse the battlefield. Upon contact with the enemy we laid waste to their defense, rending their flank wide open, and as they stood there bleeding the Black Lance pressed their flank. With stout heart and aching arms they pushed the Dragon to the edge of the knowne world. And there the Blue Tyger did feast. With each following battle the Dragon of the Middle committed more troops to suppresse us. Again and again, greater and greater numbers, but to no avail, for the Black Lance and the East Kingdom cannot be subdued any more than one would subdue a storm.

-Lord Brogain O'Riain, Sir Klaus Winterhalter, Imperator Allaricus Xirinius Dominus, Lady Caitlin FitzGerald, Sir Donnan FtizGerald

Appendix D: Selected Exemplars

The digital version of the Ellesmere Chaucer can be found here: 

https://hdl.huntington.org/digital/collection/p15150coll7/id/2359 

Page 1

Border and illuminated capital modeled after the opening page of the prologue: https://hdl.huntington.org/digital/collection/p15150coll7/id/2367 

Character modeled after the Knight’s figure, and slightly altered to resemble Black Lance member Klaus Winterhalter: https://hdl.huntington.org/digital/collection/p15150coll7/id/2385 

Page 2

Border and illuminated capital modeled after the Knight’s Tale opening page: https://hdl.huntington.org/digital/collection/p15150coll7/id/2385 

Character modeled after the Squire’s figure, and slightly altered to resemble Black Lance member Ezra dei Bazzi: https://hdl.huntington.org/digital/collection/p15150coll7/id/2595 

Page 3

Top border and large illuminated capital from the Prologue of the Friar’s Tale: https://hdl.huntington.org/digital/collection/p15150coll7/id/2518 

Left border from f. 71v: https://hdl.huntington.org/digital/collection/p15150coll7/id/2508 

Bottom border modeled after the Prologue of the Reeve’s Tale: https://hdl.huntington.org/digital/collection/p15150coll7/id/2448 

Top character modeled after the Cook’s figure, and slightly altered to resemble Black Lance member Dietrich of Timis: https://hdl.huntington.org/digital/collection/p15150coll7/id/2459 

Bottom character modeled after the wife of Bath’s figure, and slightly altered to resemble Black Lance member Serafina Reis: https://hdl.huntington.org/digital/collection/p15150coll7/id/2509 

Page 4

Left border is from the Prologue of the Reeve’s Tale: https://hdl.huntington.org/digital/collection/p15150coll7/id/2448 

Top and bottom borders and illuminated capital are from f. 71v: https://hdl.huntington.org/digital/collection/p15150coll7/id/2508 

Character modeled after the Reeve’s figure, and slightly altered to resemble Black Lance member Donnan Fitzgerald.