Lion of Ansteorra

[Mitchell, Paul T]

Galen of Bristol here!

Leaving Baron Hossein to reconcile naive ideas of "courtesy" with
his experience as a counsellor to the Crowns of Ansteorra, I wanted
to revisit this post from Mistress Aquilanne:

 ----------
From:  ansteorra at eden.com
Sent:  Sunday, June 29, 1997 10:12 PM
To:  Mitchell, Paul T; ansteorra
Subject:  Re: Lion of Ansteorra

Speaking of the Lion of Ansteorra, I've read in some postings that this
award, which can only be awarded once in a reign, cannot be awarded in
absentia. Some folk have tried to explain why, some even citing that that   
is
the "rule" (I'm still not sure about that; I don't always remember   
precisely
what I've read).  I'm a little confused; if the crown has labored long   
upon
this decision and chosen a worthy recipient--say, towards the end of the
reign--and the potential recipient isn't able to make it to that event,   
then
they're just SOL? It would seem to me, apart from the obvious desire of   
all
involved that the recipient be able to accept such a wonderful   
recognition
in person, that the *recognition* being expressed is at least as   
important
as having the recipient present; not to mention that it doesn't seem fair   
to
just deny the recipient this possibly once-in-a-lifetime honor just   
because
the crown's decision may have been made late in the reign and/or   
something
came up to prevent the recipient from making that event. I mean,   
traditions
can be nice, but this scenario just doesn't seem quite fair to me. Am I
missing some information here, perhaps?

Aquilanne

There is no rule that the Lion cannot be awarded in absentia.  In the   
three
reigns that no award has been given, I am aware of two cases in which
it wasn't given because the intended recipient did not attend Coronation,
where the award was intended to be given.

The Crowns in these cases opted not to make the award in absentia, nor
to grant the award to someone present.  That's a precedent, but I decline
to grant it status as a rule or as a tradition.

In at least one of the above cases, I know that the intended recipient
subsequently received the award.  In the third case above, I asked
the recently-stepped-down-king why no award was made, and was
told that they felt no one had reached the level of achievement they
wanted to honor.

I also know of one case in which I was herald for the final court of a   
Crown,
and during preparation, I asked who would receive the Lion.  The Crown
had not made a decision, and so made their choice from the available
candidates at that event, consulting no one but myself so far as I know
(and no, I won't say which one that was -- I've heralded several final
courts).

The Lion of Ansteorra certainly could be awarded in absentia, although I
would be very surprised to see it.  It would be like making a peer by
proxy -- you could do it, but the award will happen sooner or later
anyway.  Justice delayed may be justice denied, but SCA honors
will usually come sooner or later to those who are truly worthy.

 - Galen of Bristol
pmitchel at flash.net
http://www.flash.net/~pmitchel/galen.htm