On Bards, And Bardic Circles

(Excerpted and annotated from LOCKSLEY'S E-Z HARP METHOD) -Ioseph
of Locksley, OL, Pel, &c. (c) 1989, 1990 W. J. Bethancourt III

In the SCA, in written Fantasy, in too many instances the word "bard" seems to
be bandied about in a rather loose manner, being applied indiscriminately to true
Bards, trouveres, troubadors, jongleurs, poets, playwrights, actors...in short,
anyone who entertains. 

I hope to clear up this misconception, though to hope that the usage of the word
will be corrected may be a forlorn hope.... 


Bards are found in Celtic cultures (Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Manx and Brittany)
and a rough equivalent can be found in Norse culture, too, where they were
known as "scops." 

There is no real equivalent to the Celtic Bard in Anglo-Saxon England, however.

In Ireland and Scotland, the use of the word "Bard" apparently fell into some
disrepute, as the records we have show that the Bard was simply a minor poet,
while the "filidh" (seer) or the "ollave" (master poet) occupied the former status
and functions of the Bard. 

In Wales, the Bard was not so lucky. There, the traditions ossified, and the
Bards, after the advent of Christianity, became Court Poets, known as
"Gogynfeirdd," or "Prydydd," limited in subject matter and form, and with
rigidly structured rules. 

The word that corresponds with the irish "filidh," in Welsh, would be
"derwydd," (oak-seer) the word from which "druid" is derived. 

The "hedge-Bards" were the ones that carried on the real traditions of the Bard.
These are the people that gave us the "Cad Goddeu" and the "Hanes Taliesin,"
and who -may- have passed the "Matter of Britain" on to the French troubadors
and trouveres, thus giving us Arthur and Camelot. 

The word "Bard," in Wales, denoted a master-poet. In Ireland it meant a poet
who was not an Ollave, one who had not taken all the formal training.
Apparently even the lower-status Irish Bard was on a level with the Welsh Bard
in knowledge and poetic education, however, and these were what I have termed
"hedge-bards," above. 

In the Celtic cultures, the Bard/Filidh/Ollave was inviolate. He could travel
anywhere, say anything, and perform when and where he pleased. The reason
for this was, of course, that he was the bearer of news and the carrier of
messages, and, if he was harmed, then nobody found out what was happening
over the next hill. In addition, he carried the Custom of the country as
memorized verses...he could be consulted in cases of Customary (Common)
Law. He was, therefore, quite a valuble repository of cultural information,
news, and entertainment. 

Bards were part of the Druidic hierarchy, though this may or may not
(depending on who you talk to!) be period for the SCA. 

A true Bard must know the following: music (and the playing of a period
instrument, preferably Harp), poetry (original, and other people's), song
(original and other people's), the History, Law and Custom of his/her Kingdom
and of the SCA, as much knowledge of mundane medieval history, Law, and
custom as they can possibly learn, and at least a very basic knowledge of
linguistics and alphabet/cyphers. Some training in Folklore, and in the arts of
Sociology and Semantics would help, too. A reasonable amount of heraldic
knowledge would not be out of place, either. See the list of suggested College
courses at the end of this article. 

The Bard should investigate the "Matter of Britain" very thoroughly, paying
special attention to Sir Gawain, and to Arthur's Queen. Do a little reading in the
Robin Hood cycle, too, with special attention to the village festivals in Britain
that mention him. 

Bards do -not- just sing songs! They recite, and write poetry, stories, tell myths
(both historical and SCA...), but the operative word here is that they -speak-.
Just playing music does not entitle you to be called a Bard. 

Some Bards are "titled," that is, someone, be it another Bard, or whoever, or
sometimes (very seldom) the Bard himself, has given them a bardic "name" or
"title," that serves to identify them. Thusly, I am known as "y bardd Gwyn,"
"Bard Ban," or "the Whyte Bard." Another was known as "Derwydd Prydain,"
while even another has no title at all, and does not want one. Be wary of taking
such a title yourself. Allow the giving of such to happen on its own, and do
NOT take it from a King of any kind, unless you wish to be the "King's Bard"
in the Welsh sense of the word. 

Each individual Bard will have certain perogatives that they have developed over
the years. I, myself, tend to interrupt a Coronation court, or other Courts, at any
time with a poem, or a song, relating to the event. Other Bards will have other
perogatives. Don't try to set yourself up with these; let them happen naturally. 

A Bard should remain as neutral as possible in matters of SCA politics, though
the expressing of his/her opinion -in verse- about such things is quite acceptable,
and is traditionally "non-challengeable," but maybe answered -in verse,- and
ONLY in verse. 

The other classes of period musical entertainers include Minstrels, Troubadors,
Trouveres, Jongleurs....and, believe it or not, Heralds!