[Ravensfort] Rights and Duties of Members of the Peerages

[aodhfionn at unforgettable.com]

Links to the Organizational Handbook and Kingdom Law have been included.

<From Corpora  http://www.sca.org/docs/OrgHandbookApril2001.pdf >

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.
- They shall have been obedient to the governing documents of the Society and
the laws of the
kingdom.
- They shall have consistently shown respect for the Crown of the kingdom.
- They shall have set an example of courteous and noble behavior suitable to a
peer of the realm.
- 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.
- They shall have shared their knowledge and skills with others.
- They shall have practiced hospitality according to their means and as
appropriate to the
circumstances.
- 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 participate in Society recreations of several aspects of the
culture of the Middle Ages
and Renaissance.

(
)

4. Patent Orders:
The following institutions are established for all kingdoms in the Society. A
Patent of Arms may be
conferred only upon a person being admitted into one of these orders. Each
candidate for a patent order
must satisfy the general requirements listed above in A.1., as well as the
specific requirements listed here.
a. The Chivalry: The Chivalry consists of two equal parts: Knighthood and
Mastery of Arms. No
one may belong to both parts of the order at one time. When a member is admitted
to the Chivalry by
the Sovereign, the choice of which part of the order to join is made by the new
member. The
candidate must be considered the equal of his or her prospective peers with the
basic weapons of
tournament combat. To become a Knight, the candidate must swear fealty to the
Crown of his or her
kingdom during the knighting ceremony. Masters of Arms may choose to swear
fealty, but are not
required to do so.
The duties of the Chivalry are as follows:
- To set an example of courtesy and chivalrous conduct on and off the field of
honor.
- To respect the Crown of the kingdom; to support and uphold the laws of the
kingdom and Corpora.
- To enrich the kingdom by sharing his or her knowledge and skills.
- To support and uphold the Crown of his or her kingdom.
- To enhance the renown and defend the honor of the peer's Lady or Lord.
- To advise the Crown on the advancement of candidates for the Chivalry.
- To bestow the Accolade of Knighthood upon a candidate for the Order of
Knighthood, as the sole
right as Sovereign or acting directly for the Sovereign, for only a Knight can
create a Knight.

b. The Order of the Laurel: Members of the Order of the Laurel may choose to
swear fealty, but are
not required to do so. The candidate must have attained the standard of
excellence in skill and/or
knowledge equal to that of his or her prospective peers in some area of the Arts
or Sciences. The
candidate must have applied this skill and/or knowledge for the instruction of
members and service to
the kingdom to an extent above and beyond that normally expected of members of
the Society.
The duties of the members of the order are as follows:
- To set an example of courtesy and chivalrous conduct.
- To respect the Crown of the kingdom; to support and uphold the laws of the
kingdom and Corpora.
- If in fealty, to support and uphold the Crown of his or her kingdom.
- To enrich the kingdom by sharing his or her knowledge and skills.
- To advise the Crown on the advancement of candidates for the Laurel.

c. The Order of the Pelican: Members of the Order of the Pelican may choose to
swear fealty, but
are not required to do so. The candidate must have attained the standard of
service to the Society or
any of its branches equal to that of his or her prospective peers, which is
above and beyond that
normally expected of members of the Society.
The duties of the members of the order are as follows:
- To set an example of courtesy and chivalrous conduct.
- To respect the Crown of the kingdom; to support and uphold the Laws of the
kingdom and
Corpora.
- If in fealty, to support and uphold the Crown of his or her kingdom.
- To enrich the kingdom by sharing his or her knowledge and skills.
- To advise the Crown on the advancement of candidates for the Pelican.

d. Royal Peerages: The titles assumed by former Crowns and Coronets may convey
Patents of Arms
if the laws and customs of the kingdom so provide. However, in order to receive
a patent with the
title, the recipient must meet the general requirements listed for peerage.

e. The Order of the Rose: The Order of the Rose consists of former Royal
Consorts of a kingdom.
It is specifically charged with encouraging chivalrous and courteous behavior
among all members of
the Society. It may be non-armigerous, or it may be defined as a Patent Order
according to the laws
and customs of the kingdom. In the latter case, the general requirements for
peerage must be met.

<From Kingdom Law  http://www.ansteorra.org/publications/law/ >

ARTICLE III: RIGHTS AND DUTIES OF THE NOBILITY AND PEERS

Section 2: Peers
1.	The Peerage of Ansteorra shall consist of the Orders of The Chivalry,
the Laurel, and the Pelican. The Kingdom of Ansteorra shall recognize foreign
Patents of Arms as equal to its own.
2.	Any Peer of the Realm shall have the right and duty to petition the
Crown on their own behalf and at the request of the people.
3.	The members of any or all Orders of Peerage may be called into counsel
at the pleasure of the Crown.