Efenwealt Wystle
Introduction
A minstrel by trade and a fool in my spare time. Playing SCA since 1989. Done a little spear fighting, combat archery and rapier back in the day. I mostly do music these days and a little merchanting. I've got a pretty good collection of European medieval & renaissance instruments (SATB crumhorns, SAT recorders, 7-course lute, 4-course citole, 22-string harp, 2-octave portative organ, 2-octave plucked psaltery, jaw harps, whistles, and assorted hand percussion). I can even play some of them. I particularly dig the music of Cantigas de Santa Maria, various Trouvere tunes, the Llibre Vermell de Montserrat, and monophonic secular music. Though I've also done some madrigal singing, dabbled in English Country Dance, Arbeau's Orchésographie, some Ravenscroft and other renaissance composers/publishers. In spite of all this, I'm mostly known for playing guitar and singing goofy songs about farts and poop.
Persona
Late 12th century England, Normandy, Aquitaine, and Anjou. An itinerant musician sometimes in the patronage of Robert de Beaumont, Earl of Leicester. It's not a very lucrative position because I don't speak very good French. Also, Earl Robert helped lead a revolt against Henry II back in 1173 and is out of favor at Court. But it's not a bad gig. I got to visit Queen Eleanor's court once. (She's out of favor with the king too). That was pretty forsooth, verily.
Offices & Positions
Current
- Interim Second Assistant Undersecretary to the Acting Emergency Deputy Minister of the Department of All That Which is Fun and/or Silly (and occasionally Tacos), Barony of Windmasters' Hill, February 2017 to present
Past
- Seneschal, Canton of Elvegast, around 2000-2001 (clarification needed)
- Seneschal, Canton of Elvegast, 1990-92
Projects & Publications
- Efenwealt Wystle: Website with links to music and stuff.
Heraldry
- Arms Vert, on a bend sinister between two lions rampant Or, a dragon's head palewise contourny erased sable.
- Badge (Fieldless) Two arms embowed and clasping hands proper vested vert. (It's Greensleeves in the shape of a W for Wystle, get it!?)
Awards and Achievements
Awards
- You should just visit Efenwealt Wyslte on the Atlantian Order of Precedence if you care about this stuff.
Achievements
- I've self-produced a dozen or so albums of SCA, medieval, renaissance, celtic, and folk music.
- I was Atlantia's Royal Bard back in 1996.
- I was Baronial Fool to Gaston and Rosalind of Windmasters' Hill 2007-2009, and was gloriously banished from Their Presence as the very last act of their very last court.
- 3 of my former apprentices and 1 grand-apprentice have all been elevated to the Peerage. God help them.