ANST - Awards and such

[Dennis and/or Dory Grace]

Salut Cozyns,

Lyonel aisai.

Daniel de Lincolia proposes:
>3) I thinka p. should be *very* restrained in its awars
>structure -- maybe two, or maybe even zero.  Being
>pessimistic on the matter, I'd guess probability zero here
>too, but I can try.  (When I get home and get to writing my
>proposals.)

to which Tyrca counter-proposes:

>Ok.  You are coming through a little more clearly.  I can agree with
>some of it.  But I like Principality awards.  I don't think we need a
>lot of them, but I like the idea of awards mirroring peerages.  That
>makes 3.  Can you live with that?  ;D

Actually, no matter what we decide now, that's probably what we'll get--as
a minimum.  

I know this will look like my heraldic roots are showing, but I agree with
Daniel (though my reasons differ).

Personally, I have a problem with creating yet another layer of
peerage-emulating awards.  One of my least favorite experiences in peerage
circles in my former kingdom was the standard practice among some
peers--when a candidate was suggested for discussion--of asking, "Does she
have the kingdom level award yet?"  The worst possible answer to this
question wasn't a simple no; it was, "Oh, I don't think she even has the
*principality* award, yet."  In such a case, the individual in question
would probably be given a p-level award, followed by a six month period of
"But she just got her p-level award," followed by a k-level award, followed
by another six-month-to-one-year wait followed by a re-opening of discussion.

I have three problems with this pattern.  One:  peerages are not awards but
recognitions of a set of attributes.  This stairsstep porgram makes the
peerage look like just another merit badge in a line of succession, which I
think cheapens the peerages.  Two:  this stairstepping creates a false
sense of expectation.  ("Wow!  You just got your Star of Merit.  That means
your less than two years away from being a Pelican!")    Three:  justice
delayed is justice denied.  If Lady X deserves recognition as a knight or
laurel or pelican, we should recognize her, not wait a few more months
because she just got such-and-such award.

Now, what can we do about this?  Can we do *anything* about this?  Perhaps
not.  Frankly, no matter what plans we make, each successive Prince and
Princess have the right--with the approval of Crown--to add new awards to
the list.  I was Principality Herald for Artemisia, and it seemed every
other Prince added a new award to our list.  We started with just the three
basics (service, fighting, and arts), but another prince added a personal
service award, and another prince added an award for former Prince's
champions, and another prince added a children's award, and yet another
prince added an all-around chivalry award, und so weiter.   We *can*
however, nip this thing in the bud (or in the butt, as my four-year-old is
fond of saying) by carefully including a statement of incipient custom in
our principality laws.  We already have two levels of fighting awards and
two levels of arts awards at the Kingdom level, so I really don't think we
need any more of these.  I think we're going to need at least a
principality service award because service to the principality will
certainly be a different creature from service to the kingdom or service to
a barony or shire.  

I suggest we word our draft laws such that future Princes and Princesses
are discouraged from creating extra awards.  All we need do is add a
passage saying something like:

The Kingdom of Ansteorra is generous in recognition of the endeavors of its
people in all fields save one:  service to the principality.  For that
reason, the principality of XYZXYZXYZ elects to award service to the
principality by creating companions to the Order of the Golden Pride [or
whatever], the sole award order of the principality.

my deux sous

lo vostre por vos servir
Sir Lyonel Oliver Grace
_____________________________
Dennis Grace
University of Texas at Austin
English Department
Recovering Medievalist
mailto:amazing at mail.utexas.edu

Micel yfel deth se unwritere.
                           AElfric of York
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