ANST - Re: ansteorra V1 #2064

[C.L. Ward]

Mahee asked:
>It looks like a Laurel, acts like a Laurel, and talks like a 
>Laurel, but uses a weapon of war as a tool for their art.
>It looks like a Pelecan, acts like a Pelecan, and works(having 
>noticed many pelecan work more than talk)like a pelecan, but 
>with weapons of war and the people who use them instead of 
>working events, holding office or the thousands of other 
>services they do.

OK, first, let's stipulate that no matter how many peerages there are, they
are all supposed to meet the minimum requirements for the peerage as set out
in Corpora:

VII. PERSONAL AWARDS AND TITLES
  A. PATENTS OF ARMS
    1. General Requirements: Candidates for any order 
       conferring a Patent of Arms must meet the following
       minimum criteria. Additional requirements may be set by 
       law and custom of the kingdoms as deemed appropriate and 
       necessary by the Crown.
       a. They shall have been obedient to the governing 
          documents of the Society and the laws of the kingdom.
       b. They shall have consistently shown respect for the 
          Crown of the kingdom.
      c. They shall have set an example of courteous and noble 
         behavior suitable to a peer of the realm.
      d. They shall have demonstrated support for the aims and 
         ideals of the Society by being as authentic in dress, 
         equipment and behavior as is within their power.
      e. They shall have shared their knowledge and skills with 
         others.
      f. They shall have practiced hospitality according to 
         their means and as appropriate to the circumstances.
      g. They shall have made every effort to learn and 
         practice those skills desirable at and worthy of a 
         civilized court. To this end they should have some 
         knowledge of a wide range of period forms, including 
         but not limited to literature, dancing, music, 
         heraldry, and chess, and they should have some 
         familiarity with combat as practiced in the Society. 
         They should also participate in Society recreations of 
         several aspects of the culture of the Middle Ages and 
         Renaissance.

Now, from here, if the candidate is doing costuming and/or research for their
field of specialization to such a degree that their practice of their particular
discipline is peerage-quality, chances are very good that they are eligible
for a Laurel.  For instance, look at Master Leon Dunne, a peasant archer who
ended up a lord.

If they don't fall into that group, but are working at organizing and facilitating
and improving their field of specialization, then they are doing the work of
a Pelican.  Service doesn't necessarily mean cooking in the kitchen, nor necessarily
dealing with forms and red tape...  all the effort that goes into promoting
archery, setting up competitions, shooting in them, teaching others to shoot
-- that's service to the SCA and specifically to the archery community.

This is why I don't see a clear need for a fourth peerage -- anyone who is in
all other respects a peer and who is doing whatever they are doing at a level
comparable with the arts of a Laurel, with the fighting of a Knight, or with
the service of a Pelican, is going to fall into either the Laurel side of the
fence or the Pelican's side of the fence.

I have yet to have anyone show me a candidate who would qualify as a peer, but
who would not qualify for one of either the Laurel or Pelican.

::GUNNORA::
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