Grant-of-Arms-art - 12/26/09 ਀ഊ"Stuck in the Middle or, On Being a Grant of Arms Recipient" by HL Hucbald ap Urp, JdL. ਀ഊNOTE: See also the files: Baronial-Lead-art, Bng-an-Officer-art, Guid-f-Barons-art, SCA-royalty-msg, The-Peerage-msg, Seneschal-101-art, A-Peer-Within-art, Qual-f-Peerag-art. ਀ഊ************************************************************************ ਀一伀吀䤀䌀䔀 ⴀഊ ਀吀栀椀猀 愀爀琀椀挀氀攀 眀愀猀 猀甀戀洀椀琀琀攀搀 琀漀 洀攀 戀礀 琀栀攀 愀甀琀栀漀爀 昀漀爀 椀渀挀氀甀猀椀漀渀 椀渀 琀栀椀猀 猀攀琀 漀昀 昀椀氀攀猀Ⰰ 挀愀氀氀攀搀 匀琀攀昀愀渀✀猀 䘀氀漀爀椀氀攀最椀甀洀⸀ ഊ ਀吀栀攀猀攀 昀椀氀攀猀 愀爀攀 愀瘀愀椀氀愀戀氀攀 漀渀 琀栀攀 䤀渀琀攀爀渀攀琀 愀琀㨀 栀琀琀瀀㨀⼀⼀眀眀眀⸀昀氀漀爀椀氀攀最椀甀洀⸀漀爀最ഊ ਀䌀漀瀀礀爀椀最栀琀 琀漀 琀栀攀 挀漀渀琀攀渀琀猀 漀昀 琀栀椀猀 昀椀氀攀 爀攀洀愀椀渀猀 眀椀琀栀 琀栀攀 愀甀琀栀漀爀 漀爀 琀爀愀渀猀氀愀琀漀爀⸀ഊ ਀圀栀椀氀攀 琀栀攀 愀甀琀栀漀爀 眀椀氀氀 氀椀欀攀氀礀 最椀瘀攀 瀀攀爀洀椀猀猀椀漀渀 昀漀爀 琀栀椀猀 眀漀爀欀 琀漀 戀攀 爀攀瀀爀椀渀琀攀搀 椀渀 匀䌀䄀 琀礀瀀攀 瀀甀戀氀椀挀愀琀椀漀渀猀Ⰰ 瀀氀攀愀猀攀 挀栀攀挀欀 眀椀琀栀 琀栀攀 愀甀琀栀漀爀 昀椀爀猀琀 漀爀 挀栀攀挀欀 昀漀爀 愀渀礀 瀀攀爀洀椀猀猀椀漀渀猀 最爀愀渀琀攀搀 愀琀 琀栀攀 攀渀搀 漀昀 琀栀椀猀 昀椀氀攀⸀ഊ ਀吀栀愀渀欀 礀漀甀ⰀഊMark S. Harris...AKA:..Stefan li Rous ਀猀琀攀昀愀渀 愀琀 昀氀漀爀椀氀攀最椀甀洀⸀漀爀最ഊ************************************************************************ ਀ഊYou can find more articles by this author on his website at: http://www.hucbald.ramst.ca ਀ഊStuck in the Middle or, ਀伀渀 䈀攀椀渀最 愀 䜀爀愀渀琀 漀昀 䄀爀洀猀 刀攀挀椀瀀椀攀渀琀ഊby HL Hucbald ap Urp, JdL ਀ഊMuch has been written on how to become a Peer of An Tir. Many documents explain in great detail how to become a Knight or a Laurel or a Pelican and certainly this is appreciated because you can be directed to the Internet and learn enough to start to form questions. But what are the steps before becoming a Peer? ਀ഊOh, we have heard the answer to questions such as, "What is an Award of Arms?" and have even probably asked this at one time. It's the question that usually follows, "How do I get an Award of Arms?" that can be answered in so many ways that it brings about confusion. Chances are you won't get a Grant of Arms without getting your Award of Arms (AoA) first so let's start with that. ਀ഊWhat is an AoA? Personally, I always answer this question with a simple, "It's an Award of Arms." Knowing that the next question is at the heart of what the person is really wanting to ask, I wait or just go on into the preamble. ਀ഊAn Award of Arms is a piece of paper that essentially says, "Thank you for joining our nutty band of medievalists." I have never forgotten how the first line of mine reads and quote this even thou I understand other AoA scrolls may have different wording. ਀ഊ "Where as it has come to our notice, through great and diverse methods you have greatly enriched the Kingdom . . ." ਀ഊFor me, that is more than just a "Thank you". It's recognition that an AoA recipient has value and is sharing that with the rest of us, even if compared to other people their experience may be limited. It means that this person should be encouraged to stay. "We like you." ਀ഊUnfortunately, some people may be forgotten or lost in the cracks. These people are no less deserving but for themselves they should take comfort that they have friends in the SCA, that they offer help and jump in regularly and just like the Scarecrow in the Wizard of Oz, all they are missing is a piece of paper. ਀ഊOk, on to the next rung of the ladder, the Grant of Arms. Generally those of us that become exceptional as AoAs will be recognized once again. The Grant of Arms is the next level and is given to those that have started to excel in one of the main areas of SCA interest. When I first started out in the SCA there were only two Grants. These were the Jambe de Lion and the Goute de Sang. Now there are five; Goutte de Sang, Grey Goose Shaft, Jambe de Lion, White Scarf, and the Hasta Leonis. These are considered to be one step away from being Peerage. If you talk to a Grant level recipient you will find out that the "one step" is a very long step indeed. It may take years and a lot of work. ਀ഊSo, what does it 'mean' to be at the Grant of Arms level? Welcome to the middle of the pack. You'd think it should be nice and calm here but you'd be wrong. Most people who have gotten to this rank are creating wonderful Arts and Sciences, running events, contests and even mucking out biffies. This is the core of experience making the SCA run. They sit in council to ensure your branches run easily. They organize large, medium and small events. They come up with the wild ideas that add to the fun that is part of recreating the medieval age. ਀ഊI can hear it now, "WAIT! Not everyone that sits on my branch's council is at the Grant level and there is some Peerage there also!" Good, that means your branch is most likely moving forward and has varied guidance. There is no reason why someone with no award or just an AoA cannot become a prominent person in your branch. Watch them. One day the rest of your branch and people outside of your branch will notice what these people are doing. These people are on their way and there may be more. The Peerage is probably lending their experience to your group. ਀ഊBeing at the Grant level for me means taking on all of the duties of my aspirations as duties to be carried out now. If I am to be recognized for what I am doing and elevated to the next level I must become that next level now. One duty that exists for all peerage is to be an inspiration for the populace. For obvious reasons no one Peer can inspire all the populace. Should I wait till I am made a peer to inspire those around me? No. It's said that awards of any kind are recognition of what one does and is. Therefore I should be the best Peer I can be even though I am only a Grant level. This is aspiration. ਀ഊThis brings me to a phrase I have adopted over the past few years, "Into the breach!" This phrase is typically thought of as a command given to troops when a castle wall is broken or breached. The troops then charge forward into the break in the wall with the hopes of winning the day for their Lord. Well, in an area that Peerage is lacking or perceived to be lacking, it is the Grant level that must rise to the occasion and inspire those around them. They must set the example of chivalry and courtesy that is needed. The Grant level becomes inspiration while aspiring to become a Peer. ਀ഊInspiration, aspiration and "Into the Breach", this is what being a Grant level is about. Inspiring those around you by what you do and who you are to set the example. The Grant level aspires to the next level while honing those skills that will make them a Peer of the Realm. It is said that true aspiration is never met; we can only get closer to it. Lastly, "Into the Breach", means that a Grant Level is to stand proud yet humble, to be teacher and student and to do what is needed and what is wanted. ਀ഊSo, here we are. The Grant level is laboring up the ladder of rank. Grants want to look forward and climb higher but still have a lot of contact with what got us here. Grants are surrounded by those that need our help, guidance and examples on one side and those that we learn from and follow and make proud to the best of our ability. ਀ഊHow to be a Peer can be written in many forms in many documents but can be summed up by saying, "Peerage is excellence." To be an Award of Arms level you don't need documents or teaching; Just a, "Thank you for enriching our little group, we finally noticed." To be a Grant level we also don't need documents and teaching but we also do. The Grant level means . . . everything. ਀ഊApprentice to Master Cathal Sean O'Conlin, ਀䤀渀 猀攀爀瘀椀挀攀 琀漀 琀栀攀 瀀攀漀瀀氀攀 漀昀 䄀渀 吀椀爀Ⰰഊ ਀䠀䰀 䠀甀挀戀愀氀搀 愀瀀 唀爀瀀Ⰰ 䨀搀䰀ഊ------ ਀䌀漀瀀礀爀椀最栀琀 ㈀　　㘀 戀礀 刀漀渀 匀栀愀爀挀漀琀琀Ⰰ ㄀㠀㜀㤀 䬀椀渀最猀 刀漀愀搀Ⰰ 嘀椀挀琀漀爀椀愀 䈀䌀Ⰰ 䌀愀渀愀搀愀 嘀㠀刀 ㈀倀㈀⸀ 㰀栀甀挀戀愀氀搀 愀琀 爀愀洀猀琀⸀挀愀㸀⸀ 倀攀爀洀椀猀猀椀漀渀 椀猀 最爀愀渀琀攀搀 昀漀爀 爀攀瀀甀戀氀椀挀愀琀椀漀渀 椀渀 匀䌀䄀ⴀ爀攀氀愀琀攀搀 瀀甀戀氀椀挀愀琀椀漀渀猀Ⰰ 瀀爀漀瘀椀搀攀搀 琀栀攀 愀甀琀栀漀爀 椀猀 挀爀攀搀椀琀攀搀⸀  䄀搀搀爀攀猀猀攀猀 挀栀愀渀最攀Ⰰ 戀甀琀 愀 爀攀愀猀漀渀愀戀氀攀 愀琀琀攀洀瀀琀 猀栀漀甀氀搀 戀攀 洀愀搀攀 琀漀 攀渀猀甀爀攀 琀栀愀琀 琀栀攀 愀甀琀栀漀爀 椀猀 渀漀琀椀昀椀攀搀 漀昀 琀栀攀 瀀甀戀氀椀挀愀琀椀漀渀 愀渀搀 椀昀 瀀漀猀猀椀戀氀攀 爀攀挀攀椀瘀攀猀 愀 挀漀瀀礀⸀ഊ ਀䤀昀 琀栀椀猀 愀爀琀椀挀氀攀 椀猀 爀攀瀀爀椀渀琀攀搀 椀渀 愀 瀀甀戀氀椀挀愀琀椀漀渀Ⰰ 䤀 眀漀甀氀搀 愀瀀瀀爀攀挀椀愀琀攀 愀 渀漀琀椀挀攀 椀渀 琀栀攀 瀀甀戀氀椀挀愀琀椀漀渀 琀栀愀琀 礀漀甀 昀漀甀渀搀 琀栀椀猀 愀爀琀椀挀氀攀 椀渀 琀栀攀 䘀氀漀爀椀氀攀最椀甀洀⸀ 䤀 眀漀甀氀搀 愀氀猀漀 愀瀀瀀爀攀挀椀愀琀攀 愀渀 攀洀愀椀氀 琀漀 洀礀猀攀氀昀Ⰰ 猀漀 琀栀愀琀 䤀 挀愀渀 琀爀愀挀欀 眀栀椀挀栀 愀爀琀椀挀氀攀猀 愀爀攀 戀攀椀渀最 爀攀瀀爀椀渀琀攀搀⸀ 吀栀愀渀欀猀⸀ ⴀ匀琀攀昀愀渀⸀ഊ ਀㰀琀栀攀 攀渀搀㸀ഊEdited by Mark S. Harris Grant-of-Arms-art Page 3 of 3 ਀ഊ