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| | Close up. Late 16th Century Pikeman, Pa. Ren. Faire, 2013. |
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Personae BackgroundSir Matthew, oldest surving child of Master Raymond and his wife Diane. Younger Sister, Carrie, married a local Sheriff (my brother in law is a police officer). Younger brother, Christopher, joined the protestant clergy and is studying to be a pastor (he is in Church Grad school). Father was a freeman farmer and assistant miller (my father works in a feed mill and is an avid gardener), mother was the oldest daughter of a weathy merchant/shopkeeper and was able to read and write, she taught her children to do the same. Finding that I had no taste for farm life, I left home with my parents blessing at the age of 12 to follow a Landsknecht unit on their way to serve a contract with a border Lord. I earned my keep by taking care of weapons, armor, and whatever other odd jobs I could. In my spare time, such as it was, I learned pike, musket, halberd, rapier, katzenbalger, and various unarmed fighting techniques. Being a rather slight young man, I was not deemed suitable to take a place among the Border Lord's retainers until the age of 17. Coming from the Gentry, I took a place in the pike ranks. After serving for 5 years, I left the Border Lords' service to join a mercenary company forming to answer the calls for aid from English Lords in Ireland. Finding I could make more money serving on a gun crew, and finding my education made me valuable as a gunner, I joined the company's artillery crew. I served with various mercenary companies throughout Ireland and continental Europe as a gunner, pikeman and musketeer, before finally being wounded while in the service of the Spanish. I was recognized for my bravory by a Spanish noble and fate would have it that I caught the attention of the Spanish King. He confered the title of Knight upon me and bid me return to Spain should my native monarch refuse to recognize the title. Upon returning to England with my new wife, I secured an audience with Queen Elizabeth and she chose to recognize the title I had been granted and cofired a modest estate upon me. During my travels, I learned to be a Dyer (a person who dyes fabrics and makes dyes) and I have opened a small shop in the town of Mount Hope, England. I have joined the Trayned Bands to recieve the benefit of tax exemption and to make use of my soldering skills. Plus I enjoy the company of fellow soldiers, particullary in my shop.
The final part about the knighting comes from a wedding present my family gave my wife and I, a trip to Medieval Times. When we met the King we explained why we were there, as we went in garb. He Knighted me as way of a gift. Since MT protrays a Spanish theme and Faire patrons see anyone in armor as a Knight, I amended my personae to portray this. Any thoughts or suggestions?
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