Death and Sorrow will be companions of our journey;
hardship our garment; constancy and valor our only shield.
We must be united, we must be undaunted, we must be inflexible.
Heaven is not reached at a single bound; But we build the ladder by which we rise
From the lowly earth, to the vaulted skies,
And we mount to its summit round by round.
~Gradatim, Josiah Gilbert Holland
Once upon a time, there lived a noble good King named “King Arthur Pendragon”. He ruled over a Golden Kingdom called “Camelot”. With great courage and with a herte of the greatest compassion, King Arthur wielded his sword to protect all under his care.
Those in the world, who suffered, tried to find this hidden place. But they sadly discovered it was not found on any parchment map. The steps they learned were to follow the map within thy wounded herte.
Ride dear Knight Ride! Under heaven’s blue cloth, hold tight your companion’s reins and follow the ebb and flow of the land.
You shall hear hoofs of invisible horses close by your side, as you gallop o’er the dreaming earth.
Ride Brave-hearted Ride! With your pennon held high. Dost thou hear the trumpets speak? Camelot is near.
Weary from the heat and toil of battle, thou is hungry, poor and weak. You battle in a deep silence and almost do fall. The Ancient Courage of the forest trees grasps your armour to strengthen thee.
At long last and over many leagues, the faint silhouette of a castle opens to thee. You ride forward too weak to see. Only heaven’s strength can carry thee…….
to Camelot…….Gradatim
Come out of the circle of time And into the circle of love.
Rumi
Missive from King Arthur Pendragon
Dear Knights of the Pain Table, and All in Camelot,
How do you all, in this first month of the yeere? Your King Arthur and your Queen Guinevere greet you well and are thankful for each herte in this Kingdom, as each has worth beyond any price.
I speaketh to thee as I stand in the Great Hall in the Castle of Camelot to share news with you all. Steward!- set me the stoups of wine upon the High Table, as your King and Queen shall drink to this new adventure. Take thy glass dear friends and drink with your King and Queen before we commence our ride to a new landscape of time for Camelot.
Our beloved Camelot will be found at a new web address in a few days.
Behold our new address for The Knights of the Pain Table will be:
Let the trumpets sound upon this first day of our journey. Come begin. Lower the drawbridge, as Orpheus plays. Commence to load your packhorses and gather your belongings.
My fellow Warriors of Paine, forget not thy armour, thy embroidered cloaks, thy shields and thy swords. You shall always be distinguished in the field of battle.
Minstrels, Scribes and Bards, forget not thy citterns, lutes, parchment and manuscripts.
Children, forget not thy spinning tops, rocking horse, ponies and whistles.
All Creatures, both great and small, forget not thy footcloth, thy bard, and thy bedding.
These, which I speaketh, are just a few of the many details of the journey.
Hadst thou any question? Worry not. Remember Camelot cannot be found on a map. So to find thy way one must look in thy soul and herte. Come, we shall ride together beneath the blessed skies of Time.
In thankfulness we bow our heads for all the kindness blest upon us. May God watch over our Kingdom tonight and every night always.
By the Grace of God, so begins our journey, for love. May peace follow us.
Arthur, King of Camelot Camelot, Kingdom of The Knights of the Pain Table
Dear Knights of the Pain Table and All Dear Friends of this Humble Kingdom,
As time’s hand doth prepare to turn the page of December, my pen doth dwell a moment to reflect on time’s past. First glad tidings to all and deep gratitude for gracing this Kingdom of Spirit, called Camelot.
This yeere past, I have been absent in my writing, and for that I ask forgiveness. Mine body and heart are weary many a day, from the constant war under skyes of grey. Paine devours time. A yeere rides by and waves farewell with a hand of antiquitie.
Although my pen could not write, mine eyes didst see each word written upon these parchment pages from precious Painefull Warriors, Friends, Lords, Ladies, Villeins, Villagers, Children, Creatures, Travelers and Pilgrims. Your wordes I do honour the most. Your wordes are like heavenly touches to me and your brightness doth grace my day. I apologize for not yet replying to all your thoughts, but take heede I will be replying to those I have missed very soon.
From this time hence, this Scribe will, with God’s grace, scribe more written ambassages, since her duty to King Arthur and the Knights of the Pain Table is great.
Even, as when first I hallowed this deare Kingdom, I knew I would be humbled by the grace of many great Warriors of Paine. King Arthur didst understand that being a Knight was more than a pilgrimage; it was a spiritual and emotional way of life.
Constant battles with the Dark Knyght will bring one to their knees begging for no more. Arrows pierce your armour with true sorrow and you fall again deeper in this darke world, as your herte and soul doth break. Lost and feeling forsaken, you search wherein for a mightier waie. All the olde ways must be forgot, for you are no longer on a mortal plaine. To truly fighte for victory, one must ride above thy sight and follow within, that gracious light. Inside your broken herte and within your soul lies the compass to find the Knight within.
And by your side is your loyal and beloved King, King Arthur, and the Knights of the Pain Table, on their destriers strong. Thou shalt finde you will never ride alone. Even in the silence and darkness, we will be there.
Let us now toast to times of hope, as the hour turns, and to our great King Arthur Pendragon and the Fellowship of The Knights of the Pain Table. And most of all let us toast those fellow Warriors whose quest this yeere touched heaven’s ayre. We preye their hertes are at peace and paine no more. They now ride with us in Camelot and with the Angels across the champaign.
I take leave now, as the trumpets sound in the Great Hall in Camelot. At the high table, King Arthur and Queen Guinevere, wilcume all to this humble Kingdom, whilst the feast begins.
Each night we light a candle of white, with prayers divine for each deare Knight of the Pain Table and to all those hertes this Kingdom has endeared. You are always in constant minde in Camelot.
Thou art loved.
Thou art my all,
Lady Sharon Scribe and Knight of the Pain Table
“As King and Knights we shal together thrive forever.” ~ King Arthur
Let us bring in the New Year as we did last year with amazing Andre Rieu playing a Stauss medley. In Camelot we loveth when everyone, from Knights to horses and Kings to small children take each other’s hands and waltz. When you dance in your herte, you are dancing toward heaven. You might even waltz with Johann Strauss since anything is possible in Camelot!
On with the dance! let joy be unconfined; No sleep till morn, when Youth and Pleasure meet To chase the glowing hours with flying feet.
~George Gordon, Lord Byron, Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage
La danse, c`est le mouvement, et le mouvement, c`est la vie. (Dance is movement, and movement is life.) ~ Ludmilla Chiriaeff
A dance can be played where the dancers are the instruments with strings of emotions. And what we see is what we feel. Last week on the TV show “So You Think You Can Dance Canada”, we continued to see some beautiful instruments.
Nico Archambault and Arassay Reyes, when they dance ,they become a language of passion that uses the vocabulary of emotions to speak to our hearts. On this dancescape, they use their bodies to write beautiful calligraphy using ink that is crafted in their souls.
Watch Arassay and Nico in the Top 12, dance Jazz to the song “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World” by James Brown. Paul Becker choreographed this hot piece of passion.
Dancing is my gift and my life… God gave me this gift to bring delight to others. I am haunted by the need to dance. It is the purest expression of every emotion, earthly and spiritual. It is happiness.
~ Anna Pavlova
Blake McGrath choreographed the best group performance thus far for the Top 12 dancers on “So You Think You Can Dance Canada” last week. Watch this dance with the music “I Surrender” by our Canadian Chanteuse Celine Dion. The dancers killed it.
I’d surrender everything To feel the chance to live again I reach to you I know you can feel it too We’d make it through A thousand dreams I still believe I’d make you give them all to me I’d hold you in my arms and never let go I surrender
We surrender to these beautiful dancers each week who paint a moment of movement for us. We thanketh you all for sharing your gifts with us.
Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal. ~From a headstone in Ireland
It is a special day. A day to remember those who chose suffering themselves, so others would not have to suffer. A day to remember those who sacrificed their lives, so others could have better lives.
Remembrance Day
King Arthur and Queen Guinevere and all those in Camelot honor all your lives.
We thanketh these Valiant Knights who are still with us and those who are in the arms of the Angels. We will never forget.
Lady Sharon Scribe of The Knights of the Pain Table
Photo of Statue erected by the people of New Westminster, Canada in grateful memory of those who served King and Country in the Great War of 1914-1918 and 1939 to 1945 and the Korean Conflict 1950 to 1953 by Lady Sharon
Last week, on “So You Think You Can Dance” we didst love many of the dances. We chose two that were memorable to us.
Dance is the hidden language of the soul. Martha Graham (1894 - 1991)
Lisa Auguste & Vincent-Oliver Noiseux worked with choreographer Sean Cheesman in an African-jazz number last week. With the Soweto Gospel Choir singing “Hlohonolofatsa” they opened with a surrendering motion, of not only their bodies but also their souls. With beautiful synchronization they moved as if in waves. The soulful music infused their bodies to create a passionate sculpture of beauty.
Watch Lisa and Vincent on “So You Think You Can Dance”.
O body swayed to music, O brightening glance, How can we know the dancer from the dance? W. B. Yeates (1865 - 1939)
Arrasay and Nico are two dancers that become the dance.
Arrasay Reyes & Nicholas Archambault, choreographed by Blake McGrath, danced to Contemporary last week. “Let Me Be” by Marc Broussard, was the chosen music which created the story for their dance.
Let me Be who I am Let me Leave while I can You know love don’t find This sort of man So just let me leave While I can
When these two brilliant dancers come together their emotions fuse and an explosion of passion and intensity grace the stage. They breathe dance.
Watch Arrasay and Nico on “So You Think You Can Dance”.
We thanketh each dancer for opening their hearts and working so hard to give us a moment of artistry.
Dear Knights all we have are moments as the future is promised to no one. So let us savour these beautiful moments.
Lady Sharon Scribe of The Knights of the Pain Table
With passion, with herte, with brilliance, they danceth. This past week on Canada’s “So You Think You Can Dance” the competitors gave us some beautiful moments. We hath chosen two dances that were pieces of art.
It is of course possible to dance a prayer. ~Glade Byron Addams
Nico Archambault and Arassay Reyes danced Theatre to the song “Somebody to Love” by Queen. The choreographer, Melissa Williams, described the narrative of the dance. The story is about a girl at her wits end and her Guardian Angel decides to become human to save her life. Nico plays the heartfelt angel, costumed in black feather wings, and Arassay plays the despondent girl with wild agony.
How can we know the dancer from the dance? ~William Butler Yeats
Francis Lafreniere and Natalli Reznik danced a Paso Doblé to the song España Cañí by the Manhattan Pops Orchestra.
Paso Doblé or pasodoblé is a dramatic style of dance that actually originated in southern Spain , but is modeled after the sound, drama, and movement of the Spanish bullfight. Paso doblé means “double step” in Spanish. It is danced to the characteristic march music used for procession at the beginning of a corrida ( bullfight).
The male dancer plays the role of the matador, while the female dancer plays the role of a cape (the red canvas of the toreador) or the bull or a flamenco dancer. Haughty bold pride is expressed by the man and the woman uses her agility to keep a self- confident distance to him without totally surrendering. Both exude power and elegance. The Paso Doblé is also called the “Dance of the Master”.
Watch Natalli and Francois dance a brilliant Paso Doblé choreographed by Tony Meredith and Melanie LaPatin
We thanketh these artists for painting a story with their performances.
You can dance anywhere, even if only in your heart. ~Author Unknown
Dear Knights I preye that you may dance tonight, even if only in your heart. And may your Guardian Angel find you in your moment of despair and free you.
Lady Sharon Scribe of The Knights of the Pain Table
Lyrics to “Somebody to Love” by Queen
Can anybody find me somebody to love? Each morning I get up I die a little Can barely stand on my feet Take a look in the mirror and cry Lord what you’re doing to me I have spent all my years in believing you But I just can’t get no relief, Lord! Somebody, somebody Can anybody find me somebody to love? I work hard every day of my life I work till I ache my bones At the end I take home my hard earned pay all on my own - I get down on my knees And I start to pray Till the tears run down from my eyes Lord - somebody - somebody Can anybody find me - somebody to love? (He works hard) Everyday - I try and I try and I try - But everybody wants to put me down They say I’m goin’ crazy They say I got a lot of water in my brain Got no common sense I got nobody left to believe Yeah yeah yeah yeah Oh Lord Somebody - somebody Can anybody find me somebody to love? Got no feel, I got no rhythm I just keep losing my beat I’m ok, I’m alright Ain’t gonna face no defeat I just gotta get out of this prison cell Someday I’m gonna be free, Lord! Find me somebody to love Can anybody find me somebody to love?
Wilcume to the University of Camelot (UofC). Today we will talketh about Heraldry.
Heraldry is a system in which inherited symbols, or devices, called charges are displayed on a shield, or escutcheon ( shield like surface ), for the purpose of identifying individuals or families.
We often recognize famous people by their faces, but in the Middle Ages, you would not know who famous people were, unless you met them in person. Knights also were difficult to recognize, due to their helmets and face guards. So those who needed a way to announce who they were used a coat of arms. A coat of arms or armorial bearings in European tradition, is a design belonging to a particular person (or group of people) and used by them in a wide variety of ways. The term ‘coat of arms’ derives from the surcoat (outer garment ) on which the heraldry was displayed.
When Knights proceeded to battle their coat of arms was emblazoned on their shield, their surcoat and the cloth that draped their horse. Along with the crest on their helmet, they could be identified by others including enemy soldiers. The fact that a Knight could be identified often saved their lives. If defeated, he was worth keeping alive and held hostage, instead of being killed. A well-marked Knight would also be disgraced if he ran away from the battle.
Only one coat of arms was carried by a Knight, and this passed onto his eldest son when he died. Other children would use variants of their father’s coat of arms. By the middle of the 12th century, coats of arms were being inherited by the children of armigers (persons entitled to use a coat of arms) across Europe.
The coat of arms and other heraldic symbols were displayed in pageantry at tournaments. These symbols, during King Arthur’s time, were a way of identifying chivalric valour and loyalty to the King. The highest order of Chivalry in England was the Order of the Garter. This was a revival of the Knights of the Round Table dedicated to St. George, the dragon slayer.
A description of a coat of arms is called a blazon. To emblazon is to inscribe ( a prominent marking ) on a surface. Coat of arms were placed on all sorts of objects. Rings could be engraved with heraldic arms and then pressed into hot wax to seal documents with the coat of arms. Heraldic banners would bear the arms of their knightly owners.
Those in battles have always decorated their shields. In the 12th century, though, these designs became more standardized. This system, known as Heraldry, had strict rules.
Arms used a series of standard colours divided into tinctures and “metals” (silver and gold) and are described in a special language based on Old French. Gold and Silver, often represented by yellow and white, were metals. The tinctures were red, blue, black and green. In a coat of arms, metals could only touch tinctures and tinctures would only touch metals. These rules generated strongly contrasting coat of arms, which were easily identified. To read more about the rules of Heraldry visit Heraldic Dictionary. at the University of Notre Dame.
A herald or a herald of arms is an officer of arms, ranking between pursuivant and king of arms. Like other officers of arms, a herald would often wear a surcoat, called a tabard, decorated with the coat of arms of his master. In the late Middle Ages and the Renaissance, heralds came to be associated with the regulation of the Knights’ coats of arms. Heralds made lists to keep a record of participants in military events like tournaments and battles and were experts in coat of arms.
We doth conclude the lesson for today.
With Great Respect and Compassion,
Merlin, Magister of U of C Camelot and The Knights of the Pain Table
“Forever”, the recent single by Chris Brown, toucheth our hertes in Camelot. Are we not blessed if we have been loved as the words in this song doth paint.
“I won’t let you fall girl It’s a long way down we’re so high off the ground”
To have someone who declares their passion and love for you and then lives those words, infuses our hertes and soul with strength. I bid thee listen to the Minstrel, Chris Brown singeth “Forever”.
This song may speaketh of romantic love, but the core feeling is to really to love truly and be there for the one you love, as a Protector.
Gentle friends, as we endure long and sharp arrows of pain that pierce our skin each hour, we fight to keep standing to liveth one day more. We grasp the reigns of our horse to our chest and hold our emblazoned shield with force as our herte doth beat with the rhythm of fear. A heavy blow from whence we know not, descends from above. A flash of piercing pain strikes you and dancing fires roars within. A painefull Warrior falls to meet their fate.
As you fall a force comes forth to bear your weight. You fall into the arms of love. These golden arms, be they lover, friend, animal, family or stranger, they hold a momentary paradise. Fear no more, dear Knights for their love now protects you.
As human beings, we often do not truly appreciate this heavenly gift of high degree. As we falleth, we often are so busy looking for certain people to be there for us that we do not see who does embrace us when we fall. We are looking in the wrong direction. Forget not those angels both earth and heaven bound that have held their arms open with love. You only need one to be truly blest with sacred love.
We doth dedicate this song “Forever” to all those who catch us when we fall. In thankfulness we bow our iron heads for their kindness and their sacrifice. Thank you Chris Brown for bringing us this song.
Lady Sharon Scribe of Camelot
Chris Brown was born and raised in the small town of Tappahannock, Virginia, USA. An R&B Hip Hop singer, this 19 year old has already an impressive career. He released his first album at the age of 16. ”Run It”, his first single was released in November 2005 and became an instant success and topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart. He continued to have great success with his music.
“Forever”, was released in May 2008 from the deluxe Exclusive: The Forever Edition and has peaked at number two on Billboard Hot 100. Exclusive has gone platinum, selling over one million units. In addition to singing, Chris Brown also dances and acts. He will be in the film “Bone Deep”, which will be released in early 2010.
1, 2, 3, 4. Hey Hey Oh… Hey Hey Oh… It’s you and me moving At the speed of light into eternity yer, Tonight is the night that you Join me in the middle of ecstasy, Feel the melody in the rhythm of the Music around you, around you Ima take you there, Ima take you there So no longer be sacred, Then im right here baby We can go anywhere, go anywhere But first its yo chance, Take my hand come with me [Chorus] It’s like I waited my whole life For this one night It’s gonna be me, you, and the dance floor Cause we only got one night Double your pleasure And dance forever ever ever Forever ever ever (x6) Forever on the dance floor Feels like we’re on another level Feels like our loves intertwined, We can be two rebels breaking the Rules me and you, you and I All you got to do is watch me Look what i can do with my feet Baby feel the beat inside, I’m hoping you can take the front seat Just need you to trust me Ohh Ahh Ohh It’s like! [Chorus]
It’s so high of the ground, Sent me for an angel To bring me high, Girl where did you come from Got me so undone, Gazing in your eyes got me Singing what a beautiful lady No if buts or maybe’s Release in my heart and It’s feeling amazing There’s no one else that Matters you love me and i wont Let you fall girl Let you fall girl Ohh AOhh AOhh Ye Yer I wont let you fall Let you fall Let you fall Ohh Ohhh Yer Yer Yer Yer Its Like! [Chorus]
Last year Jaydee Bixby finished as the runner-up on the fifth season of Canadian Idol, a reality based TV show that attempts, through a competition, to find the most talented singer in Canada. Driven by his deep passion for music, Jaydee has used his Canadian Idol experience as a launch pad for his desired career in music.
Our Squire, Jaydee, grew up in a home of musicians in Drumheller, Alberta, Canada. Drumheller is the Dinosaur Capital of Canadaand part of the Canadian Badlands. Since competing in Canadian Idol, Jaydee has completed the Canadian Idol tour with competitors Brian Melo and Carly Rae-Jepsen.
Now 18 years of age, our Squire has released his first album called “Cowboys and Cadillacs”, via HRM Records/Fontana North. Working with renowned producers Bill Buckingham and John Webster, Jaydee created a Country and Western album with 12 tracks.
1. Old Fashioned Girl 2. Cowboys and Cadillacs 3. Love Is 4. Broken Windows 5. Boys In The Band 6. Run Away 7. My So Called Life 8. Somewhere Tonight 9. Slow Me Down 10. Hard To Love You 11. I’m Ready Whenever You 12. Break It To Them Gently
In its first week in stores “Cowboys and Cadillacs” debuted at #1 on the Canadian Soundscan Country Chart and #8 on the Canadian Top 200 Chart.
The first single from “Cowboys and Cadillacs” is “Old Fashioned Girl,” in which Jaydee describes his dream of a good, clean, wholesome girl.
This recording artist is evolving and his voice is getting richer and more confident. The two tracks “My So Called Life” and “Cowboys and Cadillacs” reveal a more edgy sound which we think will develop in his music as he matures. Jaydee Bixby invited his mother and father to sing harmonies on the CD, so he is staying true to his roots. Listen to more of his album on his MySpace page.
Since we first met our Squire Jaydee, we didst admire his love affair with music from the great Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash and Little Richard. The music from the 1950’s and 1960’s flow through his veins so we believe if he can fuse the past with the present, he will produce some amazing music in his career. On the 12-track album, Jaydee has co-writing credits on “Love Is” and “Somewhere Tonight”, which is a wise move for a very young artist.
We believe with his strong hard work ethic and his natural charm and talent, our young Squire doth have a brilliant future in the music business. Here is an interview by andPOP.comwith Jaydee Bixby.
We doth wish our Squire a smooth ride on the music carousel and will always ride with him.
Lady Sharon Scribe Reporter of The Knights of the Pain Table
