Elspeth Selwode of Wilton

Persona

The Honourable Lady Elspeth Selwode is an English lady in the court of Henry VIII. She has been witness to the end of Henry's marriage to Katherine, his fall away from the Church, embracing of the Protestant faith and his subsequent marriage to Anne Boleyn. The year is 1535. She serves as a lady-in-waiting to the new queen and returns to her family estate in the winters. Elspeth's father, Edmund, is a wealthy wool merchant in Wilton, the county seat of Wiltshire. Having grown up near Salisbury Cathedral, Elspeth is a pious woman, happily married and raising three children. While she professes her Protestant faith, the old prayers and intercessions sometimes sneak in still.

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Elspeth can also be found masquerading as Elspeth Sèalwudu, a 10th Century woman from Jorvik. Widowed, she was raising her young children, Leif and Aoife, by herself. She had returned to her childhood home in the wake of her first husband's death (turns out he wasn't all that adept at sea-voyaging after all) and was helping her mother to run the household and educate both her own children and those of her father's retainers.

It was while living in the hall of her father that she first laid eyes on the skald, Wulfstan Hrafnsson. His songs and stories enchanted her and she sought him out after the others had retired for the night to ask questions of him, seeking to know more of the stories he shared and places he had traveled. It was during these many quiet conversations that they discovered a deep and abiding love that would capture them both. Together, they sought her father's leave to marry. While he felt the match was beneath her station, he saw the love she bore for Wulfstan and, as she was a widow with children, he recognised that she was entitled to make such decisions for herself and was asking him out of courtesy and respect. With his blessing, they were betrothed during a feast celebrating Odin's Chosen. He presented Elspeth with a song that he had written for her and she offered to him her children, the promise of more and a gift of her hands.

Married, they now reside together happily, raising Leif Wulfstansson and Aoife Wulfstansdottir, who Wulfstan took as his own, and now also Hrafn Wulfstansson and Sasgerðr Wulstansdottir.

Interests

- Raising her beautiful, intelligent and remarkable children

- Service at Branch, Principality and Kingdom levels

- Embroidery, primarily Opus Anglicanum and blackwork

- Calligraphy and illumination

- Event stewardship

- Tablet weaving

- Sewing

- Archery

History

February 22, 2003: attended her first event, Winter Tourney in Lionsdale.

June 2003: became A&S officer for Lionsdale

October 18, 2003: Awarded Arms by Einar Guntharson and Thora Golvik of Al in Hallingdal, first Prince and Princess of Tir Righ.

March 14, 2005: Gave birth to Aoife Wulfstansdottir.

July 12, 2008: Married Wulfstan Hrafnsson.

October 2008: became Coronet Scribe to Raknar Guntharson and Chiara Fiamma, 12th Prince and Princess of Tir Righ.

May 8, 2009: Gave birth to Hrafn Wulfstansson.

May 23, 2009: Granted admittance into the Order of the Jambe de Lion by Vik Vikingsson and Inga the Unfettered, 55th King and Queen of An Tir.

August 29, 2009: Stepped up as Tir Righ Chief Scribe.

September 27, 2009: became Coronet Scribe to Ulfgar II (Ulfgar Hjartar Bani Thorvaldsson) and Renée II (Renee de Josselin), 13th Prince and Princess of Tir Righ.

October 24, 2009: Admitted to l'Ordre de l'Etoile d'Argent by Ulfgar II & Renée II, for Arts & Sciences contributions to further Tir Righ.

February 20, 2010: Admitted to the Order of the Silver Pillar by Ulfgar II & Renée II, for service to the Principality of Tir Righ. Received a Prince's Favour for exemplary service. Received a Princess' Talon of Favour for service to the Princess during her reign.

August, 2010: Stepped down as Lionsdale Scribe.

September 13, 2010: Gave birth to Sasgerðr Wulfstansdottir.

February, 2011: Stepped up as Lionsdale Chamberlain.

March 5, 2011: Admitted to the Order of the Goutte de Sang by Skeggi Hrafensfuri and Taisiia of MaElring, 59th King and Queen of An Tir.

Service

Current Service

Branch level: Lionsdale Chamberlain, deputy Chatelaine

Principality level: Tir Righ Chief Scribe

Chronological Record of Service

April-June 2003: Served as Lionsdale Waterbearer

June 2003: Embroidered the Lionsdale device for the Principality kneeling cushion

June 2003-February 2005: Served as Lionsdale A&S Minister

February-May 2004: Served on the autocrat team for May Crown, hosted by the Shire of Lionsdale

2004: Began making award necklaces for Tir Righ

October 2004: Taught blackwork embroidery at Lionsdale workshop

April-September 2005: Event steward for the Minter Gardens demo

September-November 2005: Worked on the team constructing the Investiture garb for Amanda Kendal of Westmoreland (hand-sewing and bead embellishment)

October 2005-present: Painting award charters for Principality and Kingdom

August 2008-August 2010: Lionsdale Scribe

September 2008-September 2009: Event steward for Odin's Playground 2009

September 2008-February 2011: Lionsdale largesse coordinator

October 2008-August 2009: Coronet Scribe for Raknar & Chiara

May 2009: Completed an appliquéed and embroidered device for the Principality banner project

August 2009-present: Tir Righ Chief Scribe

September 2009-present: Lionsdale deputy Chatelaine

September 2009-February 2010: Coronet Scribe for Ulfgar II & Renée II

September 2009-July 2010: Charter Packet coordinator for TRM Owain II & Wrenn II

November 2010-February 2011: On event team for Lionsdale Winter Tourney

February 2011-present: Lionsdale Chamberlain