Recognizing Skill and Good Works

[harry billings]

>On 21 Oct 96 23:52 , Aodhan Ite an Fhithich wrote:
>
> 
>> Dia duit!
>
>God and Mary to you!
>
>> It was rare in the Middle Ages for one to receive recognition (by
>> way of titles or land) from the Crown; it was *extremely* rare to
>> receive such recognition more than once in a lifetime.  Yet, we have
>> a system in which people actually expect to get such recognition
>> several times over the course of a few years. >From the records of
>> the last few reigns during which I served as Zodiacus Herald, the
>> Crowns of Ansteorra have been giving out, on average, over 500
>> armigerous awards per year.  That's about 10% of the Kingdom being
>> called up and formally recognized in Court.  Did 10% of England or
>> France ever see their King in person, much less receive recognition
>> in His Court?
>
>Your point remains the same, your excellency, but a small quibble 
>about the math: What percentage of English or French NOBILITY ever 
>see their King in person? Would this not be a more accurate 
>expression?
>
>> We have too many awards and they are given out too freely.  What we
>> have resembles, more than anything, the Boy Scout merit badge
>> system. Is it really necessary to have awards and titles in order to
>> recognize those who have done well?  Is not public acclaim from the
>> Crown enough?
>
>Amounts to the same thing in most cases: an award to put on the 
>"brag wall." So public acclaim from the Crown with a scroll saying so 
>would accomplish the same purpose and ease the burden of the 
>precedence heralds. 
>
>Next question: How do we change horses in the middle of the stream?
>
How do we change horses in the middle of the stream and not fall in and get wet?
>Larkin
>===
>If you have a friend you trust well,    | Lord Larkin O'Kane
>        go often to see him;            | Trelac, Ansteorra
>for brush and high grass will overgrow  | Charlie Cain
>        the road on which no one walks  | San Angelo, Texas, USA
>-- Havamal                              | larkin at webstar.net
>
>
Plachoya Sobaka a most insignificant archer in Ravens Fort