[MR] Proposed symbols of rank law

[Tom Justus]

To the Monarchs, Their Heirs, and the citizens of Atlantia, do Baron Eldrid
Tremayne and Baroness Clare de Crecy, both of the order of the Laurel, give
greetings.

The Monarchs have asked for comment on their proposed new law (
http://atlantia.sca.org/rank.php) regarding symbols of rank. We were asked
our opinions by friends at Tournament of Friends. For that reason we make
this response both to Their Majesties and to our friends, so that it may
stand in the public record.

We believe that this proposed law is bad for the Kingdom of Atlantia and the
SCA.


 *This proposed law is unjust to the citizens of Atlantia*: It makes second
class citizens of those barons and baronesses who serve Atlantia from this
date forward by limiting their choice and style of court coronet to
something so heavily regulated as to be non-medieval and strips away their
badge of noble rank on the field at great tournaments and war. The law *
mandates* a post-17th century heraldic rank structure. In a survey we did of
20 surviving medieval coronets, 17 have fleurons (“tri-lobed motifs”), 2 had
no projections of any sort and only one would have been suitable for an SCA
rank below ducal. Essentially the proposed law prevents anyone below the SCA
rank of duke from wearing a medieval-looking coronet.

 Privately we have been told that there are just too many of us (barons and
baronesses) as an unintended consequence of baronial term limits. We observe
that the minimum time a territorial baron can serve to honorably fill his
term of office is the same time that one serves to become a duke. Oh what an
embarrassment of riches, that we have so many who would serve, and so many
whose contribution to the kingdom of Atlantia has been so great as to have
the monarchs see fit to make them barons of the court! Yet this law forbids
the display of their rank on the field and seeks to diminish their display
in court, in the name of preventing confusion in newcomers.

 *This law seeks to unmake court Barons and Baronesses visually at
tournament and war *by denying them the right to display their symbols of
rank in the same manner as any other person of station.  Despite what the
FAQ (http://atlantia.sca.org/rankfaq.php) says, Atlantia has had a 29 year
history of NO sumptuary laws. Atlantia has had a long tradition of allowing
baronial coronets on helmets. We ourselves have made coronets for helmets
for over 15 years and can remember barons Eldon Ungol and Arkheim and others
wearing coronets on their helmets over 20 years ago. This proposed law
breaks SCA tradition:  no kingdom in the SCA forbids baronial coronets on
helmets by law. By restricting coronets to royals, royal peers, and
territorial barons it prevents Laurels (a bestowed peerage) from wearing
wreaths on their helmets. Laurel wreath coronets (as worn by many members of
the Order of the Laurel) would be problematic, as a simple wreath would have
more than the prescribed number of points. It has long been a point of pride
for Atlantia that she has had no sumptuary restrictions beyond that which
the SCA has established for the Known World.

As written, the law does not grandfather in existing coronets. That clause
is in the FAQ.  By outlawing all non-conforming coronets the law would
deprive current and future citizens of Atlantia of the use of thousands of
dollars of personal property in the form of coronets. All of the coronets of
territorial barons that we have seen would likewise be illegal. If existing
coronets are grandfathered in it would make a two-tiered social system:
those with pre-law coronets and those with post-law coronets. In either case
this is manifestly unjust and 30 years too late.


*Kingdom Unity:* Lastly and most importantly, this law would do great harm
to the fabric of Atlantia. It is not lost on anybody that SCA has been in
decline for some time. The court barons and baronesses of Atlantia are the
glue that binds our Society together: we are the ones who cook the feasts,
fill the local offices, find the sites, plan and autocrat the events. Those
recognized as court barons have served the Kingdom for many years. For most
of us the award of court baron is the highest title of nobility we will
achieve in the Society. To disenfranchise us of long held privileges is to
alienate our affections to the Crown and loyalty to the Kingdom just at a
time when Atlantia and the SCA need us most. We would expect all future
barons and baronesses to be treated with justice by Atlantia’s law and be
able to enjoy all the privileges that the barons and baronesses of Atlantia
have enjoyed for the last thirty years.


We rejoice in Atlantia’s diversity and would not see her travel this
proposed path. As peers and former barons of Windmaster’s Hill we urge to
Monarchs and Their Heirs to abandon the codification of this proposed law.



Baron Eldrid Tremayne, OL and Baroness Clare de Crecy, OL

Tom and Tracy Justus