April 23

Upon this April 23rd, Sir Alured Brattleby, recently returned from the campaigns in Maine and Anjou, processed to the village church to fulfill a vow made during the siege of Cravant. Clad in a surcoat of Brattleby blue but bearing the red cross of Saint George upon his shield, he offered a silk pennant twelve feet in length, painstakingly embroidered by his sisters. This banner was hoisted to the highest rafter of the nave, symbolizing the family's enduring fealty to the Crown and the celestial patronage of the warrior saint who protected the House during the thunder of French cavalry charges.

The ceremony was attended by the entire tenantry, who watched as Alured struck his blade against the stone font, an ancient Brattleby tradition signifying that the steel of the knight is but a tool for the defense of the faith. Lady Eleanor, his mother, distributed silver groats to forty-four paupers—one for each year of the Baron’s life—ensuring that the feast of the Patron Saint was felt as keenly in the bellies of the poor as it was in the hearts of the nobility.

On the Feast of Saint George, the hierarchy of the Garter and the broader chivalric order must be observed with scrupulous precision. When the Baron receives guests, those who have seen service in the field are to be seated according to the date of their first commission, rather than their inheritance alone. It is a day where the commonality of the sword supersedes the mere antiquity of the bloodline, though a Brattleby must never forget that his blood is the primary vessel of his honor.

At the evening board, the first toast is always 'For the King and the Saint,' delivered standing, with the right hand resting upon the hilt of a ceremonial dagger. No guest may sit until the Baron has broken the bread of the first course. To neglect these small gestures of martial deference is to invite a coarseness of spirit that ill-befits a House established by the Conqueror’s side.

Begin by roasting the capon over a steady fire of applewood, basting it frequently with a mixture of butter and verjuice to keep the flesh moist and the skin golden. While the bird turns, prepare the sauce in a silver skillet by simmering the dried currants with a splash of wine and the cinnamon. Once the currants have plumped, add the rose petals and the grated ginger, stirring until the aroma fills the kitchen.

Carve the roasted capon into elegant joints and arrange them upon a pewter platter. Pour the warm spiced sauce over the meat, ensuring the rose petals are visible as a nod to the floral bounty of April. Dust the entire dish with a fine powder of mace and sugar to provide a delicate crust that balances the acidity of the verjuice. Serve immediately with manchet bread to soak up the juices.