[MR] opinions on peerage

[Sandi Rust]

Please forgive me as I do a "back in the day" posting... 
 
When I was a Newcomer, back so many eons (ok decades) ago, I was taught and shown examples of The Peerages. I was taught that a Peer was an example of everything Good and Right in the SCA. They were the teachers and inspirations of those striving to achieve "greatness" in whichever "field" they were drawn to. Pelicans showed the Sacrifice of service and many were also artists and warriors, Laurels showed the grace of the Arts and also aerved, some showed the exquisite arts of martial combat, the Chivalry showed the prowess in battle and the arts and service. 
I once was going to squire to a knight.  He told me that a knight was more than a great fighter, they had to be versed in the other peerages as well - he encouraged the art of music or drumming, but he also loved the art of the dance, and he was big into SERVICE and more to *just* the household, to everyone who needed assistance. The 7 Chivalric virtues were to be followed.. he felt that they should be followed by all, but ESPECIALLY the Peerages: Courage, Justice, Mercy, Generosity, Faith, Nobilty and Hope. I wasn't able to squire to him because of difficulties with his wife.. oh well, I was soon not going to be able to fight Armored combat anymore either.  But the lessons and example is still there. As I grow older in the SCA, I see a sad few of these examples - sure, we have knights that are the greatest on the field, but fall short of non-fighting related things. Too many Laurels who are resting and very few Pelicans who are getting down and dirty
 in the serving. I can understand burnout... I can understand needing to be of a compatable mindframe, I can understand not having the time;  but I remember the days when someone would ask for teaching and if that person didn't feel up to it, they passed the person on to another in the field of interest (not what I was told a few years ago: "You don't have to be under the tutelage of a Laurel of the same interest.").  Maybe I'm just hoping for a return of the days of my "youth".. when a household gave support, but wasn't necessary to be with the "right people", When politics took a second seat, to helping another to achieve "The Dream".
 
Lady Marie Hélène of the New Forest (San)

--- On Mon, 5/2/11, Murienne l'aloiere <dragonfly78 at gmail.com> wrote:


From: Murienne l'aloiere <dragonfly78 at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [MR] opinions on peerage
To: "Jim/Mathias" <jsfrodo at gmail.com>
Cc: "atlantia at atlantia.sca.org" <atlantia at atlantia.sca.org>
Date: Monday, May 2, 2011, 12:52 PM


Actually there is a place in Corpora that has definitions of the Patent
Orders...

VIII.A.4.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.


basic weapons of tournament combat....
I do not recall ever having heard of rapier or bow being part of these.
I may be very wrong in this so please be gentle with your correction if I
am.

Lady Murienne