Squires
lorraine
stddly at SHSU.edu
Fri Nov 3 12:11:39 PST 1995
Though I am a lowly personage I have been chance
to observe many behaviors of (and talk to) knights
from this and other kingdoms and have
read much about the squire subject (mostly in
Thinkwell and the Rialto).
>From what I have seen all your questions would be
answered differently by different knights, but
different liniages of knights tend to use similar
traditions. My lord for the most part chooses his
squires for their heart.( I will let him explain his
processes on his own.) Most of the other knights
I know do also. A few choose theirs for fighting and
trainability. Some because they are friends. Some
knights expect their squires to have great honour,
some to be "winners".
In our kingdom knights usually choose squires that
they are or can be friends with. They tend to hold
their squires to the chivalric ideal of knighthood as
put forth in the front of the Pleasure Booke
(available from the SCA stockclerk). These ideals
include not only fighting ability but ability at courtly
graces, chess, arts and sciences, dance, bardic,
service and heraldry. Their squires are not to step
and fetch but to grow and learn to become a
knight.
I have seen like behavior in other kingdoms and
have also seen the knights that require their
squires to cater to their (the knight's) every need.
Disgusting as it is to watch it is definitely period
practice.
Some Knights make the Squire's belt for them, or
the Knight's lady does it, or the lady or a friend of
the Squire makes it and even sometimes the
Squire makes his first belt to prove his desire for
that path. Some have the Knight's device on the
end or other emblem of that Knight, some are
plain, some are decorated, and a few have bottle
openers on the inside. Some are short, some are
dragging the ground (so much better for belt wars
and stupid squire tricks). The initial belt (and belts
from those dear to the squire) are usually kept as
legacies to be passed down to the next generation
of squires.
As far as ceremonies, I have seen them in court
(recently Sir Karl took his newest squire this way)
, or off to the side (as I have seen Duke Patrick do
on several occaisions), or privately in camp (and even
once by letter). They
can be elaborate or just simple and heartfelt.
All include a swearing of fealty (squire to knight)
and statement of commitment (both parties) (!!!! all
this should be worked out before hand, different
people have different expectations and needs!!!!!).
The belt is presented (no matter who it is made by)
from the Knight to the Squire as a symbol of that
relationship. Most include the proto-squire's
significant other in some way.
Lots of things need to be worked out in the
relationship beforehand and re-worked as the
relationship changes. Does the proto-squire need
lots of physical training from you directly, or will
you send them to train occaisionally (or even
primarily depending upon distance and time
restraints) with other knights for diverse instruction?
Does the P-S need more mental work
and/or behavioral adjustments? Is the P-S a
go-getter and need gentle direction and a voice in
the circle or does that person need attention and
diligent effort all along the way? Lastly or maybe
firstly, what are you willing to give in relation to
your P-S needs? I am assuming of course that you
take the roles of Knight/Squire as those of
Teacher/Student. Not playing Amtgard and
knowing you have many kinds of Knighthoods and
are a LAPG (not many SCAers consider
themselves such) I don't know if this is what you
need.
There are a few knights (Kien, Galen, Conner
-through his lady-) and a few squires (Alisha,
Cynric, Caladin, Corwin, etc.) hopefully more will reply.
Lorraine DeerSlayer,
Raven's Fort, Ansteorra
Amatuer Anthropologist
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