ANST - Relationships

[Tim Lozos]

Greetings!
 
Talking about student/teacher relationships......

There are as many reasons to become a student (squire/apprentice/protege) as
there are people out there. Speaking from a squire's standpoint, most
squires want to become knights, therefore that is usually the prime
motivation to squire.. There are also many out there who want to be knights
that are *not* squires.  I can think of a few who are way up there on the
fighting scale that arent squires. There is no regulation that one must be
squired to be knighted, so what's the point?? Why bother?  As I said, there
are many reasons. Some want a redbelt for respect or some kind of trophy,
some take it in friendship or to formalize a relationship.  Most, if not
all, want to be knights.

I squired for many reasons, first and formost is that I want to be a knight.
I dont mean just bleaching my belt, but really *be* one. Honor and Chivalry
and Fealty and Service and Truth and Grace and all those things that mean
much to me, but still muddle around my brain as I try to understand them and
apply them to my life. Secondly, to learn the arts of combat and the gentler
pursuits. That may sound kind of canned but it's true. Third, to learn of
our kingdom and our game, how it's run and how it's played, from a man whose
been-there-done-that (tm).

Getting back to the question "why bother?", well, let's look at the
advantages and disadvantages of squireship.  

Advantage- Representation.  I wear my knight's (and my "grandfathers")
device on my belt. I am his man on and off the field. I try to do well and
right for my lady and my knight.  On the other hand, he is my advocate
within the circle. He will speak for me when the time is right.
Disadvantage- You wear that belt, you are watched. All the time.  There is
no time out . If I do badly or dishonorably, it will be noted, and he will
hear about it.

Advantage- Acknowledgement. The peerage knows who you are. They may only
know that you are Sir So-n-so's squire, but they know you.
Disadvantage- Again, you are a squire 24-7-365. If you do wrong, it will be
noted. I dont mean to say that non-squires/students can get away with being
dishonorable, just that there is a person to directly speak with reguarding
a squire's behavior.

Advantage-Training.   To have someone to go over the nuts and bolts of
combat  with is great. 
Disadvantage- Sometimes your tired and sore and hot and  *he* wants to get
some practice in.  :>)  

 I feel that a person who wants to squire/apprentice/protege should consider
these points before they jump right in. 
timo
darnedfashionablefeelprivaledgedtobealefty



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