Eleventh Moon: the Gracemoon

 

I haue a gentil cock,
Crowyt me day.
He doth me rysyn erly,
My matyins for to say.

The eleventh moon, the Gracemoon, has 31 dawns. It is named for the grace shown by Our Lord Carneius in bringing us safely through another winter. 

This is a moon of gentle warmth that awakens passions. Leaves sprout and flowers blossom. The air is filled with birdsong, especially that of the nightingale.

When the nightingale sings,
The trees grow green,
Leaf and grass and blossom springs!

The hunting season resumes with this moon: especially for our nobles, who return to their falconry during this moon.

 

The Feast of the Nativity

The 24th and 25th dawns of this moon see another of the great quarter days of the year: the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord Carneius and Saint Orthia (or, the Feast of the Nativity, for short). 

The festivities begin with the first Sunday before the 24th dawn, known as Fig Sunday, which marks the first return to farming the land. The first-fruits of the earth are blessed in a token of thankfulness to Carneius for His grace in providing for our sustenance (hence, grace-moon). And prayers are offered to Him for the bestowal of His grace for a successful farming summer to come. The clerics bless fig branches for the common folk, who then hang them from the doors of their homes to ensure a fertile summer to come.

It is also the time for paying of the tithes to Mother Church, making it the most important moon for the Church's coffers.

Servile work is traditionally forbidden during the Nativity. Instead, the common folk throughout Hellot often hold Fig Fairs, with much ale, and dancing, and musical contests in celebration of Carneius. Some such fairs can turn riotous with excessive drink and many vagabonds.

A Fig Fair!

While the law courts do not sit during Fig-tide, there is an ancient custom adhered to in many parts of Hellot whereby those condemned since the last Nativity of treason, heresy, sorcery and crimes against nature (such as sodomy or bestiality) are taken out to a Fig Fair to be burned or to be thrown from heights to their deaths. On their procession to their place of execution, an old custom is for spectators to beat the condemned with fig branches.

Burning criminals at Fig-tide!

It is not unheard of for kin of the condemned to attempt unlawful rescues, or to hire mercenaries to effect the same, often emboldened by ale.