Fall Muster was held on a chilly day, but members and friends of the Company gathered in good spirits, and trained with pikes and shote, and then feasted heartily.
Our head cook hard at work over the fire.
Introduction to the Musket
Firing of hand gonnes
Feasting midday upon the fruits of the cooks’ labors
More pictures are available including the pike drill and the swarming of the peddler’s booth.
October 25 – 27, 2013
As Fall descends upon the countryside, the lands around the Cat’s Perch Inn have been plagued by rumors of an evil entity. To make matters worse, Captain Gardiner has ordered a muster of the Company. Skirmishing and drill is the order of the day. Drunken exorcisms are possible in the evening.
Master Bedingfield has arranged accommodations for the Company at the Cat’s Perch and there will be games, dancing, singing, and any other merriment as can be contrived. Present will be Bandsmen, their friends and families, potential recruits, locals dropping by for entertainment, and such others as have a taste for drill or disport.
RSVP Required. Cost is $15 (still!) for the event. Send payment to:
Sandy Toscano- treasurer AT gardinerscompany.org
Questions or other information needed, contact:
Bob Mellin- president AT gardinerscompany.org
Contact us if you want to bring friends, so we can plan food and lodgings.
SCHEDULE
Friday
General site set up and an informal play day for those that arrive early and help set up the site (i.e., if you arrive while we’re playing, we’ll see you at dinner!)
Saturday
8:00 am WAKE UP (if you’re not already). Breakfast (Oatmeal, bread, fruit, and cheese) will be provided. Get a good breakfast; it will be a while ’til lunch.
9:30 ORIENTATION
Everyone fighting in the skirmishes must attend. Introductions will be made for those new to the muster.
10-noon COMPANY DRILL. Coordinated and supervised manly displays. A chance to brush up on your pike and shot movements in a pacific environment and pose for inspiring photos.
CIVILIAN ACTIVITIES (non-combatants) Handcrafting, socializing; cavorting and frolicking; playing lawn games, etc.
noon-1:30 LUNCH, ACTIVITIES, and PAY.
Members of the Band will be paid what they are worth for drill. Lunch will be the major meal of the day. (provided).
1:30-6:30 SKIRMISHES (See Rules)
Uncoordinated and unsupervised manly displays.
ACTIVITIES. Such as target shooting with musket and bow, individual fencing with baited rapier, pike fencing, sports to include, football, goff, shuttlecock, and lawn games.
6:30-on FESTIVITIES and FEASTING to celebrate the date.
Dinner is bread, fruit and cheese and leftovers from lunch (provided). If you would like to bring a favorite food or drink to share, please do so. Festivities will include dancing, cards, dice, bowls, and singing.
Sunday Meeting and plans for the rest of the year, clean up and go home.
SITE RULES
You are responsible for your own safety.
Fire safety is a primary consideration. All fires/flames must be attended at all times.
Absolutely no cars in the re-creation area on Saturday.
Gardiner’s Company made an excellent showing at Ruby Joust over Memorial Day Weekend. Hospitality was provided for Bandesmen, guests, and many rapier fighters. Eleanore and Olivia were even kind enough to provide the recently requested Beet Pie and Spinach Tart. I know I ate more than my fair share of both. Bandesmen visited with guests, showed off the sewing in progress for the Governor’s new clothes, and even had a bit of a pike drill.
Esther kindly took pictures of the set-up, that you can view in her Flickr set.
Mousehole was a grand event this weekend, despite the meager attendance. Though only 15 brave souls traveled to the Cat’s Perch Inn for the event, a fun time was had by all.
The morning started off with a manly display of manliness in the form of Pike Drill, led by our own Master Hamilton, Corporal of the Pike. Eight pikemen showed up for the drill; ordering their pikes, resting their pikes, charging their pikes, porting their pikes, marching their pikes, and other manly acts with long wooden pointed shafts. The ladies of the company were mighty impressed with the display, and may have heckled a bit.
Pike drill was followed by Bear Baiting with our master bearbater, Ian. Barnabus and Belle successfully defeated the packs of dogs that attempted to beat the bears into submission. Clearly we need younger and more hungry dogs. But the show entertained those in attendance to great applause.
The cooks switched things up and presented the company with a large dinner at midday, after pay, We were presented with a hearty chicken, apricot, and turnip stew, creamy snow peas, carrots in vinegar, cheese slices, bread with butter and jellies, pizelles, and a currant cake. Yum! After the big meal several Bandesmen succumbed to naps in shade, on benches, and on a blanket under the cedar tree.
Having the cooks mostly done by midday meant that we also enjoyed their company for the rest of the day. Whether sewing in the shade, shooting at the archery butts, or shooting bated arrows at attackers, the afternoon was full of activities, after several naps were accomplished. We finished up the day with a delicious supper of roast pork and savory cheese tart, some board games, dice games, and card games in the tavern with drink and some (poorly done) singing, as well as some excellent singing thanks to Fanny. Though a storm rolled in, coaxing folks inside, we still had a great event.
Wish you were there! But you can see more pictures from the event on Flickr.
Gardiner’s Company had the company store set up at Lochmere‘s Night Out of Town event today. Sales were made and many good friends were enjoyed.
But most importantly, the Last Jesuit was chased out of England
You can see more pictures from the event in Jen’s Flickr set.