[MR] Re: [AtlantianHeralds] Triton Speaks on the GoA of the OHM

[Judy Gerjuoy]

On Tue, 22 Apr 2003 Batcok at aol.com wrote:

> Greetings to all who read these words from Baron Michael Batcok, Triton
>Principal Herald.

<snip>

> I must disagree with you on this point.

<snip>

> In my investigation I have also searched the Precedents and the Cover
>Letters of the Letters of Acceptance and Return of the Laurel Sovereigns
>of Arms (a compilation of heraldic decisions available on the Laurel
>Herald's section of the Society Web Site). In searching these documents I
>have found nothing referring to this type of issue.  As I do not claim
>perfect observation skills, I invite any who wish to please search them
>also to ensure I have not missed anything.  As this is such a heated
>issue with strongly differing opinions, I am addressing a letter to the
>Laurel Herald asking his opinion on this issue.  When I hear from him I
> will relay his answer to these lists.

Well, I am afraid you missed the ruling. From the November 1982 cover
letter:

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

"Another question concerns multiple awards. There are three levels of
arms in the SCA: arms by Award, Grant, or Patent, in increasing order of
precedence. Once you receive a particular level of arms, you cannot later
receive that same or lower level, as such action would have no meaning or
effect. Thus, a person who receives an Award of Arms is an armiger. If a
King incorrectly later gives that armiger a second Award of Arms, that
second action is null and void because it has no effect: the person was
already an armiger. The ceremony of the presentation of the second Award
of Arms did serve the purpose of expressing the King's desire to reward
the armiger, and so was of some effect, but the second Award of Arms
should not be listed in the Order of Precedence.

Similarly, if a Grant of Arms holder receives a later Award of Arms or
Grant of Arms, the later action is of no effect and should not be listed.
If a holder or a Patent of Arms later receives an Award of Arms, a Grant
of Arms, or another Patent of Arms, then the later action is of no effect
and should not be listed. You can only receive one Patent of Arms. A man
who is a Knight, a Pelican, a Laurel, a Viscount, a Count, and a Duke has
exactly one Patent of Arms, not six."
******************************************************************

There are other rulings from that cover letter that we use today, such as
the fact you only recieve one patent (as is made clear in the Atlantian
scribal handbook).

I hope this makes matters clear.

Jaelle