A large fleet have been spotted coming from the west of the Channel, destination uncertain. Where are they headed? Enquiring minds want to know.
Also, near Calais, some of King Philip's ships have been stolen, apparently in retaliation for the chief shipwright, Osmund, going out and brutally clubbing young seals and their mothers to death by night.
It is now certain that Nottingham Castle is taken by a band of rough outlaws, and that rumours of seditious teachings in Oxford have been confirmed by leading university members. It appears that the lower classes are taking advantage of the absence of the monarch and lack of a judicial system to swarm over the lands and ride over the God-given rights of the nobility.
To those of you who are of noble blood, think if you really want those beneath you to rise up, to demand equal shares of the wealth your families toiled and struggled to earn. Do you want your serfs and followers to break from your control, to move to work the lands of another, or to rise up in the dark, burn your house, kill your spouse and children and declare that your property is now theirs?
To those of you oathsworn to a liege, think of the time and the struggle and the pain it has taken you to achieve these heights. No longer will you be trusted, protected - no longer can you expect rewards you can bequeath to your children. Those beneath you - those who have not shown even a pinch of your loyalty and commitment - will now raise themselves above you, taking the favours and rights that you worked so hard to earn.
To those of you who are serfs, think of the advantages inherent in your situation. You have a great protector in your liege, one who will protect you against the violence of others, whether that be attacks to your person, to your home, or to your goods. If the feudal system is torn down, who then will protect you from marauding knights, rogue nobles and the whims of your neighbours? Who will you turn to for aid in your hour of need? There is a man in Oxford who preaches that the monarchy will aid you - when has French Ellie ever provided you with support-
At this point the speaker was dragged protesting to the pillory and whipped until unconscious by town guards.
Reports have reached England that the Kingdom of Sicily has been invaded by the armies of Henry of Hohenstaufen, the son of his Imperial Highness, Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa. Fighting has been fierce along the borders and the forces of Hohenstaufen are currently besieging the town of Benevento. Those who have been at the front line have reported seeing Her Majesty Katrina, Queen of Sicily fighting alongside her nation, using the magics of the Faerie to push back against the invading hordes.
Thanks to the efforts of Dent-de-Lion, the Southern French gentleman Demetrius Khages, the Englishman Welkin Fields who seems to be of French sympathy (speaking stirringly of the justice of our cause to our troops) and of course the true vision of His Majesty Philip the Second, Paris is now defensible at twice the size it once was, and hosts a market area, which has been dubbed “Les Halles”, a large arcaded space. Merchants are said to be headed to Les Halles from as far afield as Venice!
The walls are both strong and beautiful, and if some say they look fanciful and a bit like a cathedral from certain angles, it just shows that Paris and France are at the forefront of architectural innovation.
An unusually intense aurora spread across the sky in the north several months ago. They gradually faded over the course of several nights. Many also claimed that they saw Hadrian’s Wall glowing with a blue-white light during this time. Word is that all this happened at just about the same time as the coronation of Domnall meic Fergus as the new King of the Highlands.
Following these strange occurrences, the forces of King Domnall are once again massing on the border between the Highlands and what is now greater Galloway - it seems that the temporary peace between these two lands will have been very short-lived. Rumours abound of strange Pagan rites being performed by the armies. King Domnall himself has also been seen striding along the border - notably sometimes alone, far from his troops, and at strange hours of the day.
Young Prince Robert of France has been betrothed to the Infanta of Portugal, the child-Princess Isabella. May their union be long and prosperous!
The one who calls herself Saint Jutte is in fact no saint at all, and her authority is not recognised by the Vatican. By order of the Most Holy Mother, Pope Mary IV any and all who are found to devote themselves to this so-called Saint or her teachings are to be recognised as heretics and brought before the nearest church authority.
The famed troubadour Bertran de Born and the English Knight Samuel Attaway have sworn an oath to be blood brothers, and have been notable throughout the French summer for all sorts of escapades, such as would be fit for a tale that, perhaps, M. De Troyes is too polite to tell. Lady Iseut de Porcairages was serenaded by both men in pursuit of her hand before they both regretfully withdrew their suits, saying that as much as they valued the virtue of the lady, their sacred bond must come before all things. It is said she has a lock of each of their hair, which has been made into a bracelet. Have we a new troubadour in M. Attaway?
The diocese is reporting a new lease of life for the parishes in the city of York following the appointment of the two new bishops, Goda Tirel and Adela de Jorvalle. They have spent the summer preaching to their flock and the faith and generosity of the citizens of the city shines as a bastion of Christian truth.
After a series of disappearances, notably in the Highlands of Scotland, although also further south, game hunting has become a rather unpopular sport in the region. Those living in the area have mostly decided to give up their pastime or otherwise travel further south. The new King of the Highlands does not seem to care about this matter, but Lady Margaret Galloway has issued a warning and request for further information.
At high noon one day recently, the area around Durham was bathed in a light akin to staring directly into the Sun. The light lasted for a few seconds before fading away to nothingness, but it was more than passing strange.
It is said that in light of the spectacular sermon he preached at Christmas-tide in Poitiers, and the mediation of the trade agreement he led, that Citeaux, mother-house of the Cistercian order, are recommending Guillaume de Cluny for the blessedly hard travails to come in the name of God at the new abbey, satellite of Revesby. Of course this has to be rectified by the bishop, but Citeaux's opinion carries weight.
The Archbishop of Palermo, Walter of the Mill has been recalled to Rome for reasons unknown. This leaves the office of Archbishop open, and many predict it will remain that way while Sicily is at war.
We, the Court of Faces, would like it to be known that we do not have Prince John but that, in a spirit of cooperation with the Church, we have given him back anyway.
Thanks to the glorious Knights of St George, and in particular Sir Gerard, Lahav BenIdan and Rhydian Coedwig, we can all sleep safely in our beds once more. Redcaps may look small and harmless, but they are vicious killers. Our thanks go out to the Knights: keep up the good work!
In an unprecedented move, the Welsh Church has declared itself independent of the English. Many Welsh people are heard to say that Christianity in general is merely a method by which the English control their finances and livelihood.
Bewildering rumours are flying around that Cardiff Cathedral has been destroyed utterly in a fiendish pagan rite. Eyewitnesses have unfortunately confirmed that there is barely anything left of the Cathedral.
It is believed that Cardinal Shadrach has been dispatched from Rome to look into these issues.
“We don't think this will keep them out,” a harrassed Sister Maud explains. “This is a principled decision based on rumours about their behaviour. Of course we wouldn't be saying this if we thought it might have any effect. The last thing we want is to annoy them.”