[MR] A Question of Protocol

[MaddNancy at aol.com]

I have been reading this thread with great interest.  Before stepping  up as 
Windmasters' baronage, we tried to learn as much as possible about our new  
responsibilities, one of which is arranging for the toasts. We were  instructed 
to ask the highest ranking peer first if they would like to  do the toast and 
arrange the others as Baron Llwyd has described.
 
Our first few months the barony was very busy - Ymir in February, KASF in  
March and ToC in April.  At ToC Geoffrey approached Duke Paul of Bellatrix  to 
ask him to do the first toast to Their Majesties.  He graciously  declined and 
suggested a different way of doing the toasts.  Instead of  asking the highest 
ranking peer, ask the newest peer to do the toast.   His Grace recommended 
this as being the tradition in the military (lowest level  officer does the 
toast) as well as giving all peers the opportunity to do the  toast at some point. 
 We liked the suggestion and have adopted it for use  in Windmasters'.  We do 
let the peers who would usually make the toast know  what we are doing.  In 
general I think it has been fairly well  received. 
 
In addition to the toasts to TRM, TRH, any visiting royalty and ourselves,  
we also toast those who cannot be with us.  This toast is personally very  
important to us as we have members of the barony serving in the military.   It is 
our small way of honoring the sacrifices they make for all of us.
 
One of the weirdest and most humbling experiences we had at our investiture  
was suddenly having people bowing to us.  After more than  25 years in the SCA 
it was very odd and wonderful!  
 
Maddalena Salutati
Baronessa of Windmasters' Hill
 
(who having grown up in the SCA in Meridies, bows to empty  thrones)