NK - Proposal for a fourth Peerage(long)

[Christopher Merle]

I received this today. Interesting proposition. Let the commenting begin.

Kostia

Date: Thu, 30 Sep 1999 10:41:23 -0700 (PDT)
From: John Edgerton <sirjon at netcom.com>
Subject: Proposal for a fourth Peerage(long)
MIME-Version: 1.0
Status: OR

Greetings

I am putting together a proposal for a fourth peerage to be sent to the
SCA BOD for their January meeting. It will be for skill in the related
fields of non tournament martial activities, such as: Archery, equestrian,
fencing, thrown weapons and war combat. War combat would include: Missile
combat, siege engines, scouting, etc.

I would hope that a proposal that includes a larger section of the SCA would
have a better chance of acceptance by both the members of the SCA and the BOD.

I have set up a mailing list for discussion of this topic on Onelist. If
you are interested in discussing this topic please subscribe to the list.
This way, the discussion will all be on a single list rather than split all
over the sca archery, equestrian, fencing, missile combat, thrown weapons
and siege lists.

To subscribe to the list, all you have to do is send a blank message to:
sca-4peerage-subscribe at onelist.com

If you know of others that would be interested in participating in this
discussion, please pass this information on to them.

Please take formal discussion of this to sca-4peerage, so that your
opinion can be shared with all those interested and not be limited to just
this list.

One point I would like to have discussed is: If non tournament heavy
weapons such as pikes, should be included under war combat as well.

Please hold off discussion of this until Oct 4th. This will allow more
people to join before the discussion starts. Also, I will be gone for the
weekend for West Crown Tourney.


Thank you, I hope that you will join in this discussion.

Sir Jon Fitz-Rauf, O.L.,O.P., etc
West, Esffen


The following is not official policy of the office of the SCA Archery or
Earl Marshals.

*************************************************




                               PROPOSAL FOR
                                    A
                              FOURTH PEERAGE
                                   FOR
                              THE ART OF WAR
                             (draft #2 9/27/99

   There is a gap in the SCA peerage system. It is the area
including those involved in the arts of war, such as: Fencing, target archery,
equestrian, and non tournament war combat.

   The Order of Chivalry covers tournament combat. The laurel covers
the arts and sciences. The Pelican covers service. But, those people
whose skills lie outside of these areas have no society wide recognition
at this level. This is an imbalance that should be corrected.

   The arts of war are uniquely important in the SCA because they are the
basis for the most common interaction between kingdoms - the interkingdom
wars and the multikingdom wars (Pennsic, etc).

   Yes, you can get a Laurel if you make the equipment for these
activities, or a Pelican if you train others and organize these
activities. But, unlike the Order of Chivalry, which is awarded for skill
with the basic weapons of tournament combat as practiced in the SCA, you
can not get recognition for your high skill in these areas. It would be
as if, in tournament combat, you could only get a knighthood for making
armor or weapons, marshaling, teaching fighters or writing papers on
medieval combat, but not for your skill on the field of combat.

   The intent of this proposal, to be sent to the BOD, is for a new peerage
order to provide recognition for those whose outstanding skills lie outside
the current peerage orders. This is in the areas of: Equestrian activities,
fencing, target archery, thrown weapons and war combat. War combat would
include non tournament martial activities such as: missile combat, siege
engineering and scouting. All of these can be placed together under the
heading of the arts of war.

   A suitable name and badge for this order has not yet been worked
out, that will come later.

   The new order would have the same general requirements as the
other peerages. The following is from the Corpora, section 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.


   As taken from the Corpora the duties of the members of the order
would include:

		a. To set an example of courtesy and chivalrous conduct.
		b. To respect the Crown of the kingdom; to support and
    		   uphold the laws of the kingdom and the governing documents
                   of the Society;.
		c. (If the member has sworn fealty to the Crown) To
                   support and uphold the Crown of his or her kingdom.
		d. To enrich the kingdom by sharing his or her knowledge
 		   and skills.
		e. To advise the Crown on the advancement of candidates
                   for the (name of the order).


   The specific requirements (adapted from the Corpora) for the order would be:

		a. The candidate must have attained the standard of
		   excellence in skill equal to that of his or her prospective
                   peers in some area of the art of war.

	The definition of the art of war would be included in the Corpora as:

		Non tournament martial activities include the following
		areas: Target archery, fencing, equestrian activities,
		thrown weapons and war combat. War combat includes: combat
                missile weapons, siege engines and scouting.

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Christopher Merle		| "When in danger, or in doubt,
merle at webzone.net		|  run in circles, scream and shout."
http://www.webzone.net/merle	|			--Lazarus Long
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