Awards

PTM2792 at UTARLG.UTA.EDU PTM2792 at UTARLG.UTA.EDU
Wed Mar 22 05:16:00 PST 1995


I was trading e-mail with Sir Ches, who was recently knighted in Amtgard
(in the SCA she's Lady Chiara), and she asked my opinion of a question
that was asked her at her vigil.  It seems a couple of Amtgard knights
had asked her "why do you want to be a knight".  She was not satisfied
with her answer, and asked me what I thought.

I told her that I no longer have any particular wish to be a knight.
On the other hand, I do still want to live up to the ideals of knight-
hood as best I can.  Wearing the belt & chain, much as I enjoy it
sometimes, is less important to me than knowing that I'm still doing
my best to be as chivalrous, honorable, courteous, puissant, etc. as
I can.

At the party for Sir Conor's knighting, Earl Kien and I were sitting
out back with someone who is not a knight, and Conor's lady stuck
her head out the door to suggest that the non-knight go inside, and
Conor come outside so it would be a belted circle.  I laughed and 
assured her that we had only to slap a white belt on the non-knight
and then he'd be a knight.  It was a great opportunity for him to
say something modest like he wasn't ready for such a thing, but
he just laughed and agreed.

I really feel that while knights cannot always be the most chivalrous,
courteous, honorable, etc. people around, knights _can_ be the ones
trying the hardest.  And my most common complaint about my felow
trying the hardest.  And my most common complaint about my fellow
knights is that some of them seem to think that, having been knighted,
they are therefore now certified "chivalrous enough".

- Viscount Galen of Bristol
  "noblesse oblige"



More information about the Ansteorra mailing list