The worth of Peerage

[Mark Wallace]

Master William Blackfox sends greetings to the listmembers and craves to
respond to Lady Gunnora's comments on the worth of Peerage in the SCA:

On Monday the 3rd you posted in part;
>There is one, sole and solitary good thing about being a peer, and that is
>that the Crown is required to listen to your advice.  But they not only do
>not have to take your advice, they can totally ignore it.  But at least you
>got to tell them what you thought.  

	For all you wrote otherwise about the joy, fun, duty and responsibilities
of all SCA members, is this the only characteristic inheirant in the entire
institution of Peerage in the SCA that you can perceive?  "The Crown is
required to listen to our advice"?
Please look again, my Lady, and you will find that we have the right and
duty to present our advice to the Crown.  T'aint nothing that says he has to
listen to one syllable.
	In the realm of elevating people to the Peerage, the Crown is required to
consult us but may make their final decision with or without the benefit of
our advice.  
	One well-meaning Crown  spent the entirity of their reign going from Pel
circle to Pel circle seeking council on a candidate and swearing to
faithfully abide by our council.  In the end, they did what they wanted to
do against the solid disapproval of the vast majority of the order.   Well,
excrement occurreth.

	I would have hoped that you had perceived both the priviledges and the
happy burdens that we have accepted when we accepted our accolades.  Yes,
the accolade is properly an acknowledgement of a person's status as a peer
among his/her fellows.  The emblems may be, as Burns put it, "the
guinea-stamp", but it is still the fact that those who hold peerage are
Peers still.  
	And once again I say that you cannot understand what it is to hold a
Peerage until you get it.  The Peerage orders are like the Senate, you have
to belong.
	This is not lost on the populace. When you find yourself being stopped by
someone every 10 steps as you cross a field by people who respect your
wisdom, judgement and experience, you find yourself providing the fruits of
your long labors and varied efforts to an ever-expanding group of SCA
members, some of whom may someday sit by me in that private litte circle
which begs the ear of the Crown.

Gunnora . . .how do I put this?

Lady Gunnora:  I desperately hope that a person of your status in the SCA
would take a much, much closer look at the nature of what membership in a
Peerage order means.
	As a Pelican who attends at best one circle a year,  I have found that my
duties, priviledges and responsibilities pertain VERY MUCH to my
relationship with every SCA member that I encounter.   This is a burden that
I bear with relish.
	I would wish that you will look again at what Peerage really means.

Yours in service, I remain,
H.E. William Blackfox, O.P.