
One White Hart incident I wanted to note down...
The "Marines" came to visit (many of you know who I mean) last weekend' two of them, anyway. Great guys and loyal playtrons, hard-drinking but loyal, tippers and CD buyers and lots of fun. Bruce arranged for them to camp which was a good thing.
They approached me on Saturday regarding this Letter of Marque that they've been requestion for a long time. I said that I supposed I could grant them one; I should've known that they'd run with it!
On Sunday, as I was returning to the Royal Glade, I noticed that Gerard of the Lord Mayor's Company was sitting in the chair at the table, hard at work writing something. I saw the Marines standing there grinning, so I knew something was afoot. I thought, "Well, I'll walk slowly and see what happens!" Being the smooth courtier that he is, Gerard arose as if he'd not noticed a thing, moved the chair back to 'throne' position and moved to the other side of the table to continue writing.
I sat in the 'throne' and looked meaningfully at the two pirates who were waiting expectantly to speak with me. Guy took himself to the back haybale and sat grinning to watch the proceedings. The two made formal presentation of their desire, to have me sign this letter of marque so that they might be elevated to Privateers.
Lord Walsingham and Sir Walter Raleigh and Sir Richard were all there; the document got passed around and then read by Raleigh, if I'm not mistaken. It was quite humorous as well as exceedingly well-written which of course, came as no surprise to me. I only stopped the reading at one point; that of my percentage. 10%! "Only ten percent?" I said. "You expect me to sign such a document only retaining 10%?" *Grin* They cringed and said, "What percentage do you think fair, your Majesty?"
I pondered. I said, "Oh, let us see...how about...Fourty percent?" They gulped. I actually expected them to dicker. But they said, "Why, yes, of course, your Majesty; whatever you think, your Majesty!"
"Very ewll, then, gentlemen." And I signed the document and handed it back to them.
*chuckle* I fully expect to see more copies of this floating around for some time to come...