September 2015 Newsletter!

[Westmarcher]

When last I looked, yes, I think!    

Mollinary

But where did you look?  

(don't tell me - TMI  )

The new figures all look great, by the way - apart from one - sorry, the truth devil made me say it.

[fsn]

Hmmm ... but (bear with me chaps, I'm going into unknown territory here) Techno is cleverer than that.

When he typed 1513, did he mean the year 1513 or did he mean 15:13? That could be nearly quarter past 3 which is known the be the traditional time for a  chocolate drink break.

Alternatively, Techno could be getting Biblical. John 15:13 says "greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends", which points to casualty markers. Proverbs 15:13 says "a merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken". Put John and Proverbs together, and we're talking about lying down and hearts ... perhaps sacrifice by having the heart ripped out ...

Now, the obvious thing for 1513 is Flodden, but one of the mercenaries on the field was a certain Pablo Escovar Diaz, who was an adviser to d'Aussi on James' side. Afterwards Diaz returned to his native Spain where he met up with a certain Hernan Cortez, who was planning a trip.  

The Koran 15:13 states "they will not believe in it, while there has already occurred the precedent of the former peoples". Well, we may not believe it, and who could these former peoples be?

Then again, 15-13 is 2 and 1/2 is a half, and where is half a world away? South America.

But perhaps we're looking in the wrong place. The newletter says "1513 anyone." "Anyone" or "NE1", which is of course the postcode for Newcastle - which is "nuevo castillo" in Spanish. So who was "new" in "Castillo" or "Castile"? - Hernan Cortez, who was born in Medellin in Castile.

Who brought us the news? - Techno.  Where does he live? In a part of Wales which is well known for its garden birds. In fact, you can get a letter to our favourite putty-slinger with the address "Techno, Tit Land", which sounds awfully like "Tenochtitlan".

The clues are all there if you just know where to look. I'm telling you it'll be Aztecs.

Unless it's Flodden.  

[Westmarcher]

Hold these thoughts. I'm just about to watch Downton Abbey (I might be back later). 

[mollinary]

But where did you look?  

In my heart, where else could it be?

Mollinary

[Techno]

There's a handful of the early ones 'wot I dun' on this page.....If I do it right.  
Scroll down the page half-way (ish)

http://www.pendrakenforum.co.uk/index.php/topic,4908.135.html

Cheers - Phil

Nobby.....You're an oik ! 

[WeeWars]

Yes, but Leon was saying that whatever-it-is has not been previewed anywhere as yet. Was that a cunning ploy to put them what haven't forgotten your splendid sculpts off da scent?

[Westmarcher]

I blame Mel Gibson. Mind you, I tend to blame Mel Gibson for everything!   

I'm back (sorry, I'm not really into soaps but, for some reason, I watch Downton Abbey - well, Mrs W does .... and I .... er ... happen to be there. Yes, Mel Gibson. 

Braveheart. What a distortion (but, nevertheless, based on a great and inspiring story  - and James Horner's music ......). And he didn't stop there. When he shot, "The Patriot", he pulled one atrocity from WW2 - the Nazis burning a church in Poland with people in it - and had us Brits committing it in the AWI (What a rabble rouser!). Also on record as a religious bigot. What a disappointing f.......

But, do you know, Moll, when I look back, this is what I think. I blame Edward I for most of the bitterness between some of the countrymen in our respective nations. Up to his reign, relations between the kingdoms of Scotland and England were relatively good. But he wanted to rule over everyone. As alluded to in the title of one recent biography, he was a great and terrible king. Take this episode from his younger days, for example. 

Matthew Paris, the most notable chronicler of the day, wrote in the late 1250's, in despair as to what the future King Edward I would be like as a king. He described a particularly unpleasant and wholly gratuitous attack by Edwards and his followers on a young man, who at the prince's orders had an ear cut off and an eye gouged out. Matthew altered a quotation from St Luke to fit: "If he does these things when the wood is green, what can be hoped for when the wood is seasoned?" The Scots (and I am sure, others, e.g., Welsh, Irish, French and English) learned to find out that part of his character. To the great credit of my ancestors, the Scots managed to resist him. Alas, the smaller Welsh nation did not.

So, fair do. In 1513, the Scottish King invaded England and the English won a heroic victory in legitimate defence of their homeland. In 1314, the outnumbered Scots hammered a numerically superior invading English army.  In one case, a King acted in accordance with some romantic gesture to the Queen of France and, more importantly, to honour certain Treaty obligations (that if both countries were attacked) (and paid for it with his life). In another, a King (Edward II) just wanted to be dominant over another nation (like his father). So bearing in mind a later Scots King became the king of both kingdoms, and we all became Brits together - and look what epic stuff we subsequently achieved together - I like to think the Scots story was the more laudable ... and therefore more worthy of the song* 

If it is 1513 (Flodden campaign), I look forward to seeing the new releases in due course.

*which, incidentally, only dates back to roughly 1967 and, in my opinion, as a candidate for a national anthem, is a bit of dirge and slightly anti-English - not an attractive feature for future international relations.   

[Ithoriel]

*which, incidentally, only dates back to roughly 1967 and, in my opinion, as a candidate for a national anthem, is a bit of dirge and slightly anti-English - not an attractive feature for future international relations. 

Have to disagree about it being a dirge, especially when sung with gusto by crowds of sports fans, however there is indeed a problem with it being only slightly anti-English

[Techno]

Yes, but Leon was saying that whatever-it-is has not been previewed anywhere as yet. Was that a cunning ploy to put them what haven't forgotten your splendid sculpts off da scent?

There are a few dozen more that haven't been previewed, though. 
Cheers - Phil

[fsn]

Have to disagree about it being a dirge, especially when sung with gusto by crowds of sports fans, however there is indeed a problem with it being only slightly anti-English

Danny Bhoy explains it all ...

[Westmarcher]

 

The Big Yin and another dirge .......

[toxicpixie]

Flodden or Le Motta, those non-bag pipe figures might slip into either quite nicely

I WAS NEARLY FINISHED WITH THE ITALIAN WARS FIGURES, DRAT YOU!

[Techno]

  Sorry.....
Cheers - Phil

[Tawa]

Sorry.....

He's not you know..... 

[Leon]