Hi Cynthea,

Thanks for letting us announce The 6th Annual Boar's Head Feast in Renaissance Central.

The Boar's Head Feast is a Christianized version of the harvest and winter pagan feasts (as many of our traditions are.....). The Boar, being a fierce and feared animal in his day, was a good target for testing the manliness of the hunters. So, it was a prize catch. For the celebration of the Christmas season, the Boar has taken on the persona of "evil" (Satan) and slaying the Boar is like Christ coming to earth to triumph over evil. The type of feast that we put on is very much what others sometimes call a "Madrigal Dinner". It is a sort of night of medieval flavoured entertainment and food, costumes and sets (try turning a church basement into a castle!....but we do......). Like Ren faires, the flavour is very 16th century, but it is put out there for modern consumption.

Having said that, maybe there is another thing you can list on your site. Just like you list Ren faires. If you type "Madrigal Dinner" in to a search engine, you will find a variety of church and college groups that put these kind of feasts on around Christmas. There might be a crowd out there who would like to attend such dinners in the winter, just like we go to faires in the summer.

Thanks for all your help!
Karen (Euclid Lutheran Church, Ohio)

Dear Karen,

Listing Madrigal Dinners is a great idea. We'll get on it right away. Anyone wanting to promote their event is welcome to contact us. Don't forget Rumors and Tyddings is your page for making proclamations to the world.

Cheers!
Cynthea Cameron
Editor

To Ye Loyal Krewe of Grace O'Malley,

I had a bit of difficulty locating the articles, but finally found them in the rencentral site. The Grace O'Malley article written by Rosemarie Colombraro is extremely well researched and well presented. I want to link it and the other articles referencing Grace O'Malley to the O'Malley Clan Website. Your photos are also really good; I like your Clare Island shots.

I'd really like some photos from the upcoming Super Bowl/Gasparilla parade, when the time comes. And would you please get that Presidential voting thing straightened out. If it's not sorted out by Super Bowl time, then I think your Krewe ought to extend the parade northward right up to the White House.

Cheers,
Peter O'Malley

Dear Ms. Cameron,

I am a recently published author of a 16th century historical fiction novel, "Melaynies's Masquerade." I thought you might be interested in my novel and its background since The Chivalry Sports Renaissance Catalog Magazine was extremely helpful in my research.

My novel is the story of Melaynie Morgan, a young woman of Plymouth, England who wants adventure in her life. Disguised as a captain's boy, she sails off with the young Francis Drake to plunder Spanish treasure in the exotic Caribbean. The novel concludes in a bittersweet ending years later with the arrival of the Spanish Armada.

In the early 1980s I often attended Phyllis Patterson's famous Southern California Renaissance Faire in the Agoura area where I still live. I remember chatting many times with the character of Sir Francis Drake, not knowing at that time that I would spend most of the 1990s writing both a screenplay and a novel concerning the real Sir Francis Drake.

When I began doing research on the Renaissance, I came across The Chivalry Sports Renaissance Catalog Magazine and found it a treasure trove of information. The books on costume were invaluable. Who knew women didn't wear underwear (The History of Underclothes) until the 18th century? I spent hours devouring the pages of Tudor Costume and Fashion and Historic Costume in Pictures, deciding upon what my characters would wear from day to day. Drake was known as quite a dandy dresser! I even ordered a book on pavilions.

Victoria Giraud

Congratulations on your novel! I'm sure that all your well researched details will make for an interesting read. We'd love to have the chance to review it. Perhaps you'll send us a copy?

Most kindly,
Cynthea Cameron
Editor