Sent: 10/25/2007 6:53 PM
Greetings Grail Seekers,
Recently it has come to my attention that a phrase used in our Knight's prayer, "...Here Lord are your footsteps, I want to follow them through everything without fear and without reproach my soul virile and my head held high, this is my promise as a knight, and upon my honor I shall not fail..."
Even if your command of French is as poor as mine, you can tell that this is a translation of the French. I recently discovered, (by doing a wed search using this phrase, en francais, that this is a motto attributed to a famous French Knight, Pierre Terrail de Bayard.
Some of you may be already familiar with Pierre de Terrail, a photo of a statue of Terrail (that is to be found in the Scottish Rites Cathedral in Indianapolis, IN) appears on our website on the Chivalry link, and an anecdote regarding him and the French King Francois I, appears in our 3rd Degree Knighting Ceremony.
Interesting co-incidence, but not really surprising? Why did I not discover this before? Well, I have an excuse, but my excuse isn't better than "the Dog ate my homework". You see, strangely enough, it has to do with researching my own genealogy. As is often the case, something must "find us where we live" in order to get an important point across that we have been missing even though it is right in front of us.
In this case it was, and to make a long and not-that-interesting story short, after recently reading the genealogical research completed by my maternal Aunt, I have discovered I have some "Baynards" as distant ancestors. These are Baynards of England, who had a castle of this name and other possessions after the Norman invasion of England, and then lost most of them when Edward I took the throne, as they supported the Eldest Son of William, a rival.
Anyway, I'm not certain why I fixated to some degree on this one branch of "the family", of which no more than "a few drops of this distant ancestors blood" remains in my veins, if any. Probably because I had heard of the name, and was easily able to find reading material online including "Baynard, an ancient family bearing arms" which was full of famous names. Whatever the reason, I doubt it was virtuous.
In addition to this coat of arms "sketch" on the cover of this book, I was easily able to find a coat of arms for a Baynard recorded in Sir Bernard Burke's General Armory in 1884, It was listed as "sable on a fess between two chevrons or three birds of the field beaked and legged gules". This coat was similar in design, it had the fess between two chevrons although it was not identical, and did not find any description of the colors (or indicating hatch marks) crest, or motto.
The surprising thing to me was the motto attributed to these "recorded" arms, "SANS PEURS ET SANS REPROCHE" a phrase which was familiar to me.
So there you have it, the story of my strange discovery, odd co-incidence it is. Although, Pierre Terrail is "de Bayard" from a village in the Haute-Alpes, and has a castle of that name. The Baynard "history" tells of Norman Knights named Baynard (which can also mean son of Bayard or Bernard).
I honestly do not know, and cannot imagine that THIS Bayard, Pierre Terrail, Knight, who died in 1415. Could possibly be but a possible distant relative of one of my ancestors distant relatives. I am new to genealogical research and so far (with the efforts of my maternal Aunt) my minimal efforts have only gotten me barely back over the "pond" from America, to a Thomas Baynard born in 1613 at Blagdon Manor, Somerset, England and died at Cliff Manor, Dorset, England, in 1682, which has still to be proven.
Anyway, to conclude this little exercise in "Seeking out the Myth and not the literal History" Something of the great example of the Blameless Knight, Sir Pierre Terrail de Bayard, I've inherited by my work in the Order of the Grail, if not by actual blood, and the connection through coincidence has at least made that apparent to me, if to no one else.
If you or I can find inspiration is such a "happenstance" or synchronicity, and it makes us more dedicated in our work, than something will have been distilled from typical vanity and self-interest, and a common pre-occupation with fame and notoriety, that will hopefully bring us back to the divine realities above the endless churning of years and ages.
Godspeed my friends!
Rev. Dame Donna
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From: Chantal-Elsa
Sent: 10/25/2007 10:44 PM
Most Venerable Dame Donna: Interesting story...If you allow my humble help, the Baynard name is Flemish.I once knew a priest of that name there.Waves of our ancestors moved at various episodes, to the British isles.Many certainly went to Scotland,throughout the Middle ages, but many had already left with William the Conqueror for England. Later, many French protestants left for England.These latter were the ready-to move middle-class; they were artisans, etc...and left the country, ''unpoor''.The name has changed alphabetically whence ''Britishized'', and it remains ''Benaerdt, Benaerd,Benardt, mainly ''Benard'' nowadays in Northern France and Belgium.William was heaviy involved in our province, that's for sure.Peace profound.Chantal-E.
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From: Mikhelle
Sent: 10/26/2007 10:10 AM
Greetings, Rev. Dame Donna,
How very true! One of my professors has been doing work on the role of "imaginaries" in leadership and social values - these are not "made up things", but rather the myths and stories that have an emotional or intellectual influence on how we understand ourselves and our place in the world, and that lead to the creation of the values to which we hold ourselves.
For me, being part of a tradition that stresses Ancestor honoring, it goes a bit further -- we're taught that all of those who by relation (especially by blood or shared spiritual initiation) are always with us and influencing us to continue their presence. Only the most worthy make it into the celestial realm we term "The Ancestors", so the best and brightest of our heritage are always present, guiding us to remember them and claim the gifts they have passed down to us through blood and knowledge. It doesn't matter how far back or how long ago -- time only exists here, so it's just a matter of people opening up and listening to the voice that tells you who you are.
Oddly (well, maybe not!) enough, my biological family name -Chamberlin- traces back to the
Thank you for bringing this so prominently to mind right now - that alone is a most welcome gift of synchronicity from this group!
Respectfully, and in peace profound,
Mikhelle
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