William Coeur de Boeuf, RIP

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Sir William Coeur de Boeuf. Photographer unknown.

Full name with preferred title here

• Pronunciation guide:
• Alternate/former/use names:
• Armorial - http://armorial.calontir.org/Pages/populace.htm
• Order of Precedence - http://op.calontir.org/

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• Guilds, Households, etc: squired to Aethelred the Jute, of Caid

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Other Information

Calontir Legends 9 - William de Couer de Boeuf

Argent's Song by Master Andrixos - "See you the road, the awful road, and think of long lost friends. We have none been there but recalled it oft, how Couer de Boeuf met his end."

When Calontir populace sings "The Old Dun Cow," it shouts "Fesselmeyer!" during the last verse and raises a cup in honor to William de Couer de Boeuf, Baron and Knight (mka Brian Fesselmeyer).

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Remembrances

Our first major event after we joined SCA was the first Calontir Crown Tournament - and Coeur de Boeuf was the first "brass hat" we met as the feast hall was so crowded they had brought in one more table...and Willian sat there alone (we thought he was somebody so important that no one was supposed to crowd him) - as we stood with our makeshift feast gear (rinsed-out McDonalds takeout container and 2 paper cups - we were so new, nobody told us to bring our own feast gear), looking helpless, he motioned us over and invited us to sit with him. When he found out we were newbies, he was so warm and welcoming - we relaxed, and shared good dinner conversation - after that, we were friends (and were never afraid again...until the first time we were called up in court...). We were in the courtyard waiting for the Coronation to begin when the news came about the terrible accident - people had been bustling around, happy conversations...then suddenly hushed silence - we were devastated. - Zenobia of Rebelswood

Although I had not officially joined yet I was in the SCA Dell at Renfest the morning that everyone was called together and told about the accident and deaths. I saw the grief that I could not share and decided to make myself scarce. IIRC the accident was caused by a drunk driver. I do not know what became of that person or if they even survived. For a while Calontiri were kinda touchy about drinking and driving. I was told at the time that Rosalind and Boeuff were buried in garb and Boeuff was buried in his armor. -Jenna of Southwind

The funeral was here in KC, as Boeuff had family here. Visitation was in the evening with at least one other visitation going on as well. Several folks attended in garb, at least one in full armor (I was thinking that was you Halidar?). The armored individual was standing just outside the door and apparently some of the attendees of the other visitation thought it was a statue as they really jumped when he moved. There was a lot of talk of liberating the remains and sending them down the Missouri River in a Viking funeral. - Catherine Kinsey

I remember him vividly. He was larger than life. One of my favorite camping events was a Valor Tourney, at which he and a few others spent an evening, singing around near the front of my tent (I had a portable loo in the tent so it was popular lol). On the day of the accident, we had just arrived at the event when we heard the news. Hadn't even gotten out of our vehicle yet. Many tears were seen that day. - Candy Williams Kroupa

I knew him for such a short time. At the time chivalry meetings were held after the feast and often went into the late night hours. If a candidate was passed they were summoned to the circle to ask if they would accept the accolade. It was at an event in Standing Stones when Ternon and Ethelred buttonholed a drunk Pavel and Valens and demanded that we find William, wherever he might have wandered off to and regardless of what he might be engaged in. We found him but he was reluctant to stop what he was doing until we explained about the whole chivalry thing. - Mike Jackson

Beouf, Roz and I shared a house together for a while. Oh, the stories I could tell, but, one of the conditions I swore to was secrecy. - Caoimhin McKee

Photo courtesy of Akitsuki Yoshimitsu

I have fond memories of Coeur de Boeuf hanging a spoon off his nose and saying everybody had seen a helm without a nasal, how about a nasal without a helm? And Roz introducing herself as Baroness of Coeur d'Ennui and then (switching her coronet out for a pair of bunny ears) Protectress of Deodar. Very good times. (IIRC Roz was very well liked by the folk in Deodar and they presented her with a set of bunny ears (see der rabbits?). It became a small running gag.) - Lisa Mohr

Boeuf's sense of heraldic fun/mischief was not confined to just the Barony's name, arms, etc. The heraldry he used himself was a play on his modern surname - Fesselmeyer (never registered, so the blazon is my own.) Azure a fess between an an elm tree and a human eye Or. Yup. Fess-Elm-Eye-Or. You can see his handiwork in the arms of one of the ladies in the car with him that day - Elizabeth of Lymond. Her arms were registered as 'Or, in cross two lizards tergiant displayed respectant vert and two wrens close respectant proper.' Her modern name was Elizabeth (Beth) Neutgren (SP?). If you start with the animal at the top of the arms, you could 'read' it as 'Lizard-Bird-Newt-Wren.' - Nikolai/Ambrose

The first time I remember meeting William was at an event in Lonely Tower. I had been in the SCA for about 6 months; I was just 15 at the time. I was in awe. Later I would become one of his squires. It was an honor to know him. He is missed. Here are two pictures from that day. I think they were taken in A.S. XIV at a Twelfth Night I believe. - Hobbs Drake

I met Coeur de Boeuf on the day of before his knighting, the day I got my AOA. He was at least three sheets to the wind when he took my face in his hands, peered intently, said "my god, you have the face of an angel!' then sang a song so reprehensible and bawdy that I blushed to my toes. The next day he came up to me again, dropped to one knee, and said 'My lady, last night a very drunken squire swore that you had the face of an angel. Today, a very sober knight affirms it." - Elspeth Modlen ferch Daffyd

While I have memories of William's knighting, and of him singing at revels, those memories have faded by the years. But I have crystal clear memories of pulling into the parking lot at Coronation, and being met just as I pulled into the lot to share the news of the tragic accident. I remember seeing some others who had gotten the news before me still sitting in their vehicles in shock. The post revel that night was a weird sort of a wake, with people growing quiet, then as suddenly seeming to grow determined to sing loud - for Boeuf? for themselves? for their friends? who knows. For me it was sureal - I was young and had been sheltered by having little to do with death in my life. My friends weren't supposed to die, and I didn't know how to react. - Fernando Rodriguez de Falcon

I have one memory from that postrevel. In one silence Brom (I think) said something like "We've sung lots of songs for Boeuf, and we'll sing a lot more. But there's one song we have to sing for a man who could fight, and could drink, and ended his life a Knight. Erich?" And as apparently planned, Erich led us in singing The Knight's Leap. - Harald of Bears' Haven

I learned from Mistress Luciana, not long before she passed, that she was originally supposed to be in the car that night. William asked if she could find another ride, as one of the Elizabeths didn't attend many events due to a husband who didn't play, and didn't have any other options for a ride. - Alexandra Vazquez de Granada

I was a fairly new member and had met all of them briefly before the tragedy had struck. I was devastated. That was the first time that I realized that all our traveling could put us in danger. Those were dark days for a little while... - Briana MacKorkhill

Richard of Wolfwood introduced me to Syr William when we went up to my first Twelfth Night. We were riding together when I started singing the moose song. William turned to look at this young kid and got an evil grin, like, 'this kid's my kinda guy,' and joined right in. I went to Shaden's coronation in Three Rivers and found out like everyone there what had happened. That morning, before leaving Crescent Moon, I broke a sword pendent I had bought at that Twelfth Night. I wrapped it in a black ribbon the trolls were giving out as I recognized the first fall from Camelot. Only having met the man for a brief period, I understood what he meant to so many people, and attended his funeral. The minister read the passage about 'the Armor of God' during his service. I wept for a great man I would never know. An interesting note to follow-up. During my first reign, coming back from the Couer d'Ennui remembrance event, Stout Heart, I was pulled over for speeding. The officer asked about the gear in my car, and I explained about the SCA, and how we had had some friends die in a traffic incident a few years back and were attending a memorial event for those who passed. When he gave my license back to me, he exclaimed to the effect of, "I worked that incident. I'm sorry for your loss. Drive safe." Master Chidiock wrote a poem that he read (at the funeral or shortly thereafter) - William Coeur d'Beouf, where are you now?" I looked, but can't find a copy. I recall it was published in the MEWS that next month. - Kensor

At Our first Calontir event as King and Queen in Bois D'Arc, Chepe and I were holding many, many meetings with our officers, orders, and baronage, trying to get their input on issues and needs. At one point in the afternoon, we needed Coeur de Boeuf, so I sent one of the Royal Guards (probably Fernando or Franz) to ask William to join Us at his earliest opportunity. Three minutes later, he arrived -- dripping wet from head to unshod feet, his only clothing a towel held around his waist. Upon the (wet) spot I christened him "Coeur de Buff." Edited to add: He tried to appear "that way" a few more times during our reign, but not (surprisingly) in Court or in public. - Arwen

Sir William's accolade. Photo courtesy of Master Harald of Bears' Haven

A picture from Boeuf's knighting by Chepe and Arwyn (and ?? holding the sword, Chepe not being a knight), May 26 1984. - Harald of Bears' Haven
The Knight holding the sword is Alan Springer, known as Aathilred the Jute. He and Chepe were finalists in the first crown tourney of Calontir. - Hroerekr Jarl, Calontir
Aethelred the Jute was Beouf's knight. - Caoimhin McKee

I met Boeuf and Roz as a member of the newly forming Shire of Deodar. We saw them often, well, Boeuf a lot more as his mundane job brought him through on a regular basis. I came to love them both as an Aunt and Uncle to me. I hold in my heart many wonderous memories. The bruised butt from Boeuf smacking it during fighter practice to get me to tuck in, the songs, traveling to Pennsic with Boeuf and Jonathon on the Mag Mor bus. They were the last I saw before heading off to Army Basic Training. Guinness, Taco John's Taco Tuesday and Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Boeuf dropped me off at MEPS... 12 September 1984😥. When I called home and found out. The news devastated me. - Robert Olsen

I also have fond memories of Boeuf in the early days of Deodar. As apprentice to Luciana, I would help goad him into singing those 'foul detested things' and try to add new verses with which to torment the populace. Boeuf never thought he was worthy of a feast; when he came to visit he'd often find our household assembled in garb, only to say 'I thought we were grabbing pizza!' - Jaye Kaspar