[MR] Jewelry sumptuary laws

[Alexandria Stratton]

Oh, I can just see the firestorm of emails hootin' & hootin', should this ever be forwarded to Meridies' Tavern Yard e-list!
(yes, as a former Meridian I know that they DO take those laws VERY seriously.)
 -- Ceara ní Néill
(ducking & running REALLY fast!)




________________________________
From: David Wendelken <david_wendelken at nc.rr.com>
To: atlantia at seahorse.atlantia.sca.org
Sent: Sun, April 18, 2010 6:45:12 PM
Subject: Re: [MR] Jewelry sumptuary laws


> > Are there written Sumptuary laws for jewelry in this Kingdom?  

> Unadorned chains are the badge of a knight.? 

This is not an accurate statement.

A simple, standard jewelry-sized chain will not be confused for a knight's
chain.

The appearance of a knight's chain is more of a hardware store variety of
chain.

In the last 35 years in the SCA, 30 of which have been as a knight, I have
never had the slightest difficulty telling the difference between them.

No knight of my acquaintance has ever bothered a gentleman or lady over a
simple jewelry chain, though keeping non-knights from doing so has been a
(thankfully rare) recurring problem.

Incidentally, the first kingdom-level sumptuary laws (to my knowledge) were
promulgated by King Orlando Cavalcanti of Meridies.  They were intended as a
joke.  I know this for a fact because he said so in my presence.  He pulled
out crazy, historical laws and added them to the lawbooks for fun, because,
as any student of sumptuary laws knows, they were ignored by the historical
populace, too.  Many of them were on the order of real, still-on-the-books
laws from US States, such as "Before an automobile driven by a women crosses
an intersection, it has to be preceded by a man bearing a lantern."  

I've heard rumor that some modern Meridians have lost the good sense of
their forefathers and actually now take the kingdom sumptuary laws
seriously.  I hope it is not true, for we need more whimsy, not less. 

Yours in service,

Andras Salamandra



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