Middle-hist-msg

Middle-hist-msg – 8/2/05

Histories of the Middle Kingdom.

KEYWORDS: SCA history Middle Kingdom story Pennsic

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NOTICE -

This file is a collection of various messages having a common theme that I have collected from my reading of the various computer networks. Some messages date back to 1989, some may be as recent as yesterday.

This file is part of a collection of files called Stefan's Florilegium. These files are available on the Internet at: http://www.florilegium.org

I have done a limited amount of editing. Messages having to do with separate topics were sometimes split into different files and sometimes extraneous information was removed. For instance, the message IDs were removed to save space and remove clutter.

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Thank you,

Mark S. Harris AKA: THLord Stefan li Rous

Stefan at florilegium.org

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From: folo at prairienet.org (F.L. Watkins)

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: Blackpowder, you must be kidding

Date: 9 Jun 1994 17:37:37 GMT

Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana

Black powder is not allowed at events in the Middle Kingdom

(black powder weapons are, however). And I know why. I helped

make the law.

Many years ago, there was a gentle who knew nothing of black

powder, brought an oop flintlock pistol to an event and

discharged it. Indoors. The MK curia regis, not wishing to

single out one person, made a law forbidding black powder.

We figured that if someone responsible came up with the

proper authenticity and safety regs at a later date, the

law could be amended (aside: at least two of us who were

then on the curia are now very active in black-powder-

oriented reeanacting). By the time a bunch of us got around

to writing up regulations, the law was so entrenched that

people were telling me, Well, the Board outlawed black

powder, that's why we wrote that law way back when. :)

In coming up with the aforementioned regulations, we were

adament on three points: one, that black powder was never

to be used *on* the field of combat; two, that we would

never use any projectiles beyond carefully restricted

wadding; three, that safety precautions far outweighed any

authenticity concerns.

In brief then, whenever I speak of using black powder at

an SCA events, I am referring only to its use in a

demonstration or as a signalling device. I am now, always

have been and probably always will be opposed to using

any sort of projectiles fired by black-powder ordinance

on the field of combat.

Yrs, Folo

Damin de Folo - F.L.Watkins - folo at prairienet.org

Baron Wurm Wald (MK) - Commander Baldwin's Reg't (NWTA)

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

From: ddfr at quads.uchicago.edu (david director friedman)

Subject: Re: Estrella Compact

Organization: University of Chicago

Date: Mon, 11 Jul 1994 22:33:05 GMT

"I wish I had a nickel for every high-ranker who blythely comments

"How would you like to have my job?"" (Tadhg)

A very long time, not much after we moved back to Chicago, the U of C

group was being run by a lady who was bored with being Seneschal but

did not really want to let go. At one meeting she said something to

the effect that her term was up, that she did not really want to be

Seneschal again, but that she did not suppose anyone else would want

the job. Someone promptly proposed one of the newer members. She went

off with him and explained how difficult a group it was to run. He

replied that the year before he had been an officer of the Gay and

Lesbian Alliance, and he thought the SCA would be easy by comparison.

He took the job, and did it well (until, unfortunately, he moved out

of town).

David/Cariadoc

From: Raven <JSINGLE at MUSIC.LIB.MATC.EDU>

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: Michael of Boarshaven

Date: 03 AUG 94 12:11:46 EST

Organization: Milwaukee Area Technical College

btuck at winternet.com (Ben Tucker) writes:

>Bruce Mills (millsbn at mcmail.cis.mcmaster.ca) wrote:

>: I haven't heard about this before. Was it common knowledge at the time?

>: This would go a long way towards understanding what happened. Was it kept

>: quiet so as to not rock the boat? As things turned out, might

>: it not have been better for Michael to step down right after the incident?

>: Not having been there (or even in the SCA) at the time, I can only

>: speculate on the motivations of those involved.

>Well, it's in the Middle Kingdom history that Baron Daemon de Folo sells.

>The story is pretty well known on this end of the MK.

And Folo should know...

he was Michael's advisor from shortly after Michael won Crown.

Folo, would you care to expand on these events?

"Raven" (JSingle at Music.Lib.MATC.Edu) Milwaukee, Wisconsin USA

From: julifolo at ux1.cso.uiuc.edu (watkins julia k)

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: Michael of Boarshaven

Date: 3 Aug 1994 03:31:10 GMT

Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana

This is Folo, posting from his wife's account since his system

suffered a disk crash (right after an extended weekend, so I

haven't read mail for five days; if you've sent me anything,

that's why you haven't heard from me).

Michael was amoral, vindictive and manipulative long before the

attack. His problem *was* commonly known at the time; in fact,

there was a rumor that Rolac (Michael's predecessor) was going

to keep him from being crowned due to the amnesia. Michael

suffered from his amnesia for, possibly, a couple weeks; it's

impossible to tell because a) he was still having problems

for some time afterwards and b) he was faking it quite a bit

(I remember the evening that I was over at his place, and his

girlfriend turned to him and said, bluntly, "Folo's your friend;

why don't you just tell him the truth?").

Any problems that Michael suffered from after the attack were

there, in spades, before the attack.

Remember, though, that Michael could be incredibly charming and

sweet...when it served his purposes. He had said, when he was

tanist, that he would leave the MidRealm a better place, even

though he might be hated; and the changes that came about in

response to his...actions...would certainly fill that bill.

BTW, Richard d'Alsace, who was MidRealm Seneschal at the time,

once noted that Michael was probably the most authentically

medieval monarch he had ever seen: when he entered an event,

every eye in the room turned to him. He was regarded with

the same awe and fear that medieval monarchs were regarded,

although it was not because he held power of life or death

over his subjects but because he could very easily ruin the

entire weekend for his subjects (Richard's opinion, not

mine).

Yrs, Folo

From: mchance at crl.com (Michael A. Chance)

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: We're having *what* for dinner? (Was: Kosher Locusts)

Date: 3 Aug 1994 20:52:34 -0700

Organization: CRL Dialup Internet Access

Auntie Signy writes:

> Long long ago in a kingdom much too close for comfort (the Middle,

>actually) there was "June Bug Chili." The original came about because

>someone forgot to put the cover on the chili; nowadays we just add whole

>almonds.

Ah, yes, the Barony of Illiton's famous June Bug Chili, served every

year at the Olde English Fair at Jubilee State Park. There's

something... "special"...about eating crunchy chili as you watch the

junebugs flitter about the lanterns in the kitchen...

Mikjal Annarbjorn

Michael A. Chance St. Louis, Missouri, USA "At play in the fields

Work: mc307a at sw1stc.sbc.com of St. Vidicon"

Play: mchance at crl.com

mchance at nyx.cs.du.edu

From: folo at prairienet.org (F.L. Watkins)

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: Freaking the Mundanes? But why?

Date: 18 Oct 1994 21:55:16 GMT

Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana

As I understand it, Scadian was originally a derogatory term

applied to members of the SCA by some of the members of Markland.

As in all groups with strong cultural identities, the SCA has a

tendency to take derogatory terms and turn them on their ears.

I think Scadian is a wonderful term and shall continue to use

it no matter what its origins (sort of like "Skah" in the

MidRealm, which was originally a derogatory term coined by

disgruntled local skiffy fans who saw the SCA siphoning off

their members; the full phrase was something like "Skah, the

Thing That Devoured Fandom...")

Yrs, Folo

Damin de Folo - F.L.Watkins - folo at prairienet.org

Baron Wurm Wald (MidRealm) - Commander Baldwin's (NWTA)

From: David Schroeder <ds4p+ at andrew.cmu.edu>

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: REALLY REALLY old timers needed

Date: Mon, 10 Apr 1995 12:15:15 -0400

Organization: Sponsored account, Graduate School of Industrial Administr., Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA

Excerpts from netnews.rec.org.sca: 10-Apr-95 Re: REALLY REALLY old

timer.. by Henry Troup at bnr.ca

> In the Heraldic Precedents books, there's an early remark:

> "The Board believes xxx is the Dragon Herald because they have a newspaper

> clipping that says he is"

> or words to that effect. I think the name was Bran something,

> but I'm not going to commite myself.

Bran Kernow (or Kiernow) was the 1st Dragon Herald (from Tree-Girt-Sea)

My best -- Bertram

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: REALLY REALLY old timers needed

From: morgenstern at blah.bsuvc.bsu.edu (The Morgenstern Under the Mountain)

Date: 11 Apr 95 10:43:10 EST

Organization: Ball State University

In article <hwt-1004950820160001 at 47.187.224.125>, hwt at bnr.ca (Henry Troup) writes:

> In article <D6sxBs.831 at midway.uchicago.edu>, ddfr at midway.uchicago.edu wrote:

>> I cannot speak for the East Kingdom, since it was several years old

>> when I moved there. But when the Middle was being started, the Known

>> World Handbook was a major source for what we knew about the SCA.

> In the Heraldic Precedents books, there's an early remark:

> "The Board believes xxx is the Dragon Herald because they have a newspaper

> clipping that says he is"

> or words to that effect. I think the name was Bran something,

> but I'm not going to commite myself.

Bran was in fact the first Dragon Herald. In fact, he actaully coined the

name and was rather surprised when the Board accepted that as the actualname

for the office. He was a member from very nearly the beginning, but as I

recall, he wasn't at the first Middle Kingdom event.

I don't know about the newspaper clipping story, but it sounds

interesting...

Anybody remember some of those EARLY anti-BoD songs? "Lie, Lie, Lie to

the council, Lie to the heads of state..."

Reb Azrael Morgenstern

(No, I wasn't there...I just recall what I read in the "Brief History of

the Midrealm.")

> Henry Troup - hwt at bnr.ca disclaimer - as usual

From: tmcd at crl.com (Timothy A. McDaniel)

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: Longest-active SCA members

Date: 22 Jun 1995 01:56:34 -0500

Organization: CRL Dialup Internet Access (415) 705-6060 [Login: guest]

In article <3s2og5$2pp at newsbf02.news.aol.com>, Annejke <annejke at aol.com> wrote:

>There are many OLD folk around, all over 20 years. In the Middle Kingdom

>I know that ... Baron

>Caradoc of the Bow are still active.

It's a bit debatable, but we seem to have a new member of the SSS.

Could someone prod Justin du Coeur, please? I don't have his address.

This is from e-mail from His Grace, Duke Cariadoc, Knight, et cetera

(a fudge because I can't remember whether he's a Laurel, a Pelican, or

both):

Date: Wed, 21 Jun 1995 23:58:32 -0500

Message-Id: <199506220458.XAA14324 at midway.uchicago.edu>

To: "Timothy A. McDaniel" <tmcd at crl.com>

From: ddfr at midway.uchicago.edu

Subject: Re: Baron?

In the very early years, when things were less organized than they

now are, Diana and I used the titles "Baron and Baroness

Tregirtsea," Tregirtsea being the capital province. Indeed, we

were sometimes referred to as the "Tregirtseas." My memory is that

we, or our herald, had asked some relevant person out west if we

could be Duke and Duchess of Tregirtsea, and this was suggested as

an alternative. On the other hand, I do not remember our ever

being officially made court baron and baroness, and Tregirtsea is

not a barony.

David/Cariadoc

David Friedman

ddfr at midway.uchicago.edu

I dimly recall reading a history of the early days of the Midrealm in

which "the Barony under the Mountain" was mentioned as a very early

name for the Middle. The arms had a dragon flying about a mountain,

and the later Middle arms changed the mountain into a pale. However,

I don't have the source to hand, so this is just an assertion.

Daniel de Lincoln

Tim McDaniel

tmcd at crl.com

Sometimes mcdaniel at dfw.net, sometimes tmcdanie at unicomp.net

Was tccg at netcom.com, was mcdaniel at convex.com, was mcdaniel at adi.com, ...

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: Longest-active SCA members

From: morgenstern at blah.bsuvc.bsu.edu (The Morgenstern Under the Mountain)

Date: 24 Jun 95 18:00:43 EST

Organization: Ball State University

In article <3sb472$7da at crl12.crl.com>, tmcd at crl.com (Timothy A. McDaniel) writes:

> I dimly recall reading a history of the early days of the Midrealm in

> which "the Barony under the Mountain" was mentioned as a very early

> name for the Middle. The arms had a dragon flying about a mountain,

> and the later Middle arms changed the mountain into a pale. However,

> I don't have the source to hand, so this is just an assertion.

This sounds like Orlando Ambrosius' "Brief History of the Middle

Kingdom", in which he makes precisely that statement. I always liked the sound

of it, which referred to (I believe) Wilmot Mountain, at which one of the

Midrealm's eariest events (first coronation?) took place. Personally, I

prefer the mountain on the arms to the pale, but times change, I suppose.

"Baron Under the Mountain" is still used as a title for the King of the

Midrealm. At the Better War Through Archery event in January, I heard the

heralds announce the Queen as, among a half-dozen other titles, "Baroness Under

the Mountain", so I suppose the tradition has still stuck.

Azrael Morgenstern

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

From: DDFr at Midway.UChicago.edu (David Friedman)

Subject: Re: Longest-active SCA members

Organization: University of Chicago Law School

Date: Sun, 25 Jun 1995 04:15:40 GMT

In article <1995Jun24.180043 at blah.bsuvc.bsu.edu>,

morgenstern at blah.bsuvc.bsu.edu (The Morgenstern Under the Mountain) wrote:

Timothy A. McDaniel writes:

> I dimly recall reading a history of the early days of the Midrealm in

> which "the Barony under the Mountain" was mentioned as a very early

> name for the Middle. The arms had a dragon flying about a mountain,

> and the later Middle arms changed the mountain into a pale. However,

> I don't have the source to hand, so this is just an assertion.

It was the principality under the mountain, to the best of my memory and

belief. I do not remember any such banner. Wilmot "mountain" is where the

first (and last) coronet tourney was held.

David/Cariadoc

DDFr at Midway.UChicago.Edu

From: Pat McGregor <PatriciaX_O_McGregor at ccm.fm.intel.com>

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: Teens in the SCA???

Date: 29 Sep 1995 16:45:51 GMT

Organization: Intel IT Tech Pubs

Bill McNutt <McNutt at gateway.ce.utk.edu> wrote:

>Like I said, I think that five years old is premature. I'm not so sure >about 15, and I'm SURE about 17.

>I think we need to rethink our national policy.

I was around when Sir Alen did a great deal of research through his law

firm about these sorts of laws, and I read his report (not officially

an "opinion") carefully. This was in the 1984-ish time frame, give or

take a year or so.

One of the problems was a great number of states who defined child abuse

so narrowly (and required reporting by hospitals, physicians, etc)

that an adult bruising a minor (even if that minor was 17) as child

abuse. Certainly the Middle didn't want to risk it, and the Board,

neither.

We probably need to have a similar survey done today.

siobhan

From: normteck at frontiernet.net at frontiernet.net

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: SCA Mythology part 3

Date: 21 Feb 1996 02:50:54 GMT

Organization: Frontier Internet Access

>: That evening at court, Hugo also received a 'Dragon's tooth', the

>: Midrealms highest fighting award for his feat. Not to mention that he

>: made it to the quarter finals in his first coronet.

>The Mid has always been "funny" about awards. I know a guy who got his

>lordship for "writing" a filk, "Takin Care of Kingdom."

Baron Stephen Ironhand, at that time from the Mid, received the order of the

Dragon's Breath for his enthusiastic rendition of Happy Birthday, sung (if you're crazy enough to call it that) to the tune of the William Tell Overture (The Lone Ranger theme).

The scroll was done in Hatchet Hand by (since made Master) Pavel Iosovitch. I

understand Pavel destroyed 19 nibs making the scroll which couldn't be viewed

by women passing water in our bathroom, but the men could see it while

performing the same task.

If anyone can add to this one I'm sure the story could only improve.

Raphael Tempovaloroso, OGS, OCL

Thescorre, Regnum Orientalis

From: ianengle at freenet.columbus.oh.us (Ian Engle)

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: Middle broke away?

Date: 3 Jul 1996 10:58:19 -0400

Organization: The Greater Columbus FreeNet

Hmm.

Well, as Cariadoc noted and as is recorded in Orlando Ambrosius'

History of the Middle Kingdom, there was a period of some six months when

we were a "principality" of the East. But then things were much looser in

those days. We were never a principality in the "modern" sense of the word.

--Sion

Subject: Re: ANST - Principality petitions/seccession war

Date: Fri, 20 Feb 98 14:42:19 MST

From: "Galen W. Bevel" <galenbv at ix.netcom.com>

To: ansteorra at Ansteorra.ORG

Scot Eddy wrote:

............................Coronation has a battle and the Prince

> "banishes" the old King and steps up. He then chooses a champion from

> those that distiguished themselves in the battle. Lots of persona

> play, a medieval reality (overthrowing the King) and lots of fun.

> Again no dishonor to Ansteorra is meant, just a cool stepping up idea.

> Jovian Skleros

> Ansteorran

Actually, this sort of thing has been done in the past in other

Kingdoms, tho' it isn't our custom. Let me see if I can get a great

story straight as it was related to me.

When Edmund first stepped up as King of the Middle, he wanted a cool

Coronation. Having met and been befriended by Edmund (and my self, from

Ansteorra as fate would have it)at Gulf Wars V, Bjorn, King of the East

thought it would be fun to show up at Edmunds Coronation. He marched in

with several of his knights and claimed that they were there to

"protect" the Middle throne during the interegnum, following the recent

demise of the Middle soveriegn. Of course, this interegnum might end up

lasting several years. Edmund, totally caught off guard, valiantly

proclaimed his right to the throne and he and the knights of the Middle

went off to seek their armor and trounce these invading Easterners. A

royal melee (literally) ensued, with Edmund of course coming out

victorius and going on to ascend the Mid-Realm throne. Bjorn told me at

the 30year Celebration that at one time during the battle, the knights

got so enthusiastic about the battle that they left Edmund standing

alone, beside Bjorn...and two or three Eastern knights. Bjorn said it

was almost more temptation than he could handle, but he was good and

went off to join his other knights in battle, and left the Middle its

Crown Prince.

I make no claims for the veracity of this story, as I am telling it from

memory after several years, and of course feel the need for a bit of

poetic license to make it more enjoyable, but any variations from the

basic truth are accidents and entirely the fault of my leaky memory. In

such a case..my apologies to both Edmund and Bjorn.

Graf Galen K.

Subject: Re: BG - principalities else where..

Date: Tue, 09 Jun 98 11:17:06 MST

From: dca1-hub1.news.digex.net!digex!cpk-news-hub1.bbnplanet.com!news.bbnplanet.com!newsfeed.internetmci.com!204.238.120.130!news-feeds.jump.net!jumpnet.com!not-for-mail at at dca1-feed1.news.digex.net

To: bryn-gwlad at Ansteorra.ORG

Hello, this is Raito.

I'd like to comment on Nicolaa de Bracton's message on Ealdomere as I was living

in the Middle Kingdom at the time all this happened.

Much has been deleted from the original.

> > I can tell you a little why we chose that route. I think it was in the back

> > of the mind of the first group members up here to someday have a Northern

> > Kingdom. Round about 1986 or so, we decided to select a regional

> > champion--this is the route Calontir had taken towards becoming a kingdom

> > some years before. But things had changed; the Middle Kingdom decided that

> > regions could not have champions or even names. This was decided without

> > consulting us here in Ealdormere, so we felt crushed. However, two years

> > later, we became a Crown Principality (that's a principality in name, but

> > without Royalty) and about 2 1/2 years after that, in 1990, we advanced to

> > full Principality status. Last January, we were approved to advance to

> > Kingdom status, which we will do next October.

The Regional Debacle was an example of the wrong (though very Middle) reaction

to a problem. As I understand, the reason Regions (capital R) were banned was

because some clueless person thought that they were more than they were, and

was demanding status based on it. Instead of quietly dragging said individual

into a corner and beating some sense into them, the Middle made a Law (which

is their tendency. If you've been around long enough, you know which laws were

made as a result of whose troubles). This led to the age of 'independently

administered geographical areas'. Later, there were regions again.

> > One of the driving reasons why we became a Principality was the size of the

> > Middle Kingdom. It's huge. We also thought we had a somewhat different

> > culture here (being all Canadians, for one thing, and tending towards lots

> > of smaller groups instead of fewer huge groups). We also, as I mentioned,

> > wanted to see our own folks as Royalty--the King and Queen were people we

> > saw once a reign, if we were lucky, at that point.

In fact, the Middle Kingdom is so big that it makes some of the arguments about

Principalities in Ansteorra a bit amusing to me. It still stretches from Manitoba to Kentucky. Those of you who think that Ansteorra is too big should try getting to Winnipeg from anywhere. Actually, Castel Rouge (Winnipeg) was placed into the Principality of Northshield against its will.

Having lived through the creation of 3 princilaplities in the Middle (Calontir,

Ealdomere, and Northshield), I can say that the successful ones had some

important items in common. They were already acting like Principalities, and

had very active desire to become Principalities. In those cases, it was not

done to ease any burden on the Kingdom, and had nothing to do with the Kingdom.

They already had their own culture. The less successful one did not have these

items. I had visited all 3 while they were Principalities. It was obvious to me

which had been done for the right reasons, and which for the wrong.

The largest problem that I have seen with the formation of a Principality is

the politics. I have seen persons, both for and against, lie outright to

advance their causes. Calling it to their attention didn't make me very

popular. I have had my honor personally called into question because of the

question of Principality (semi-quote 'Obviously Raito will rhino his way

through the coronet so that he can dissolve the Principality because he

voted no on the ballot' [as if the Prince can dissolve it]). I have had to put

up with persons discussing the 'loyalty' of others. I'd rather not go

through that again.

Kitakaze Tatsu Raito

Neil Gilmore

npg at wesson.com

From: "Drew Nicholson" <anicholson16 at comcast.net>

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: Baby Barons

Date: Sun, 23 May 2004 21:17:08 -0500

"Terri/Hrothny" <nothingbutadame at inthe.sca.org> wrote

> I heard a rumour this weekend that some King and Queen had created Court

> Barons of their three children - one a baby in diapers. Surely this is just

> a silly rumour? The folks mentioning it (as so often happens with stupid

> Urban Legends) didn't know which Kingdom it "happened in just this month".

> I can't imagine that anyone would be that cavalier with honour awards but

> figured that if anyone would know the truth of how the rumour got started,

> it'd be someone here.

> Where is this story coming from?

Midrealm. Yes, it did indeed happen. While there have been varied

reactions to this within the kingdom, the general consensus is that They are

the King and Queen, and have the right to bestow this most personal of

awards upon anyone they see fit. The award/position of Court Baron is one

that has highly varying "standards" (at least in the MidRealm), and that

might be taken into account when reacting to these awards.

Below are the words of Their Majesties Midrealm.

> "It is truth that We made unto Our sons Barons of the Court. There are many

> other rumors that are not true but such is the burden of Royalty. We

> do not let such base gossip darken Our days. Many have cheered at Our

> boldness and others have criticized Our giving these and other

> awards to children.

> To this We simply say that children are just as important a part of the SCA as

> adults. Often they work as hard or harder than the adults and their service

> is in need of recognition. And if an individual would be so selfish as to

> deny the recognition of another then they should examine their actions

> and heart. For by stating their selfish nature it has shown that Our

> actions in rewarding children and adults alike are good and just. If you

> hear dissent please pass on Our words to them or have them seek Us out and

> have them voice their displeasure to Us and We shall tell them in person.

> We had the courage to do it publicly in the highest profile event and at the

> beginning of the reign so that all may see. We leave people to judge Us as

> they like. No matter if they judge Us good or bad We will lead and do what

> We think is right.

> King Felix

> trm at midrealm.org"

I suggest that if you have issues with this, you simply contact them.

Purple

From: "Anthony J. Bryant" <ajbryant_NOSPAM at indiana.edu>

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: Baby Barons

Date: Tue, 25 May 2004 11:53:45 -0500

Organization: Indiana University

Okay. I'm a court baron. I used to be Baron of the Far West. But that was ages

ago, in another kingdom.

People may ask "What is your Laurel for?" -- but I've never heard anyone ask

"what is your court baronage for?"

Court baronies are, for good or ill, one of the few really totally discretionary

awards the Crown can make. There are official standards for just about

everything else. The Crown *can* ignore those standards, if they wish, of

course, and elevate whom they will -- but the fact is, there are standards.

There is no such standard for the Court Barony. The Crown can give it for

exemplary and long service for which no other award seems suitable; the Crown

can give it for a retirement "job well done" (esp. to stepping-down baronial

coronets); the Crown can even capriciously give it to someone for exemplary acts

of friendship. Any and all of these are, in fact, historically viable reasons

for making someone a great lord or baron.

Kings may do as they will, as long as they don't violate the Laws.

No laws have been broken.

Had I been asked, I would have advised against it -- but Their Majesties are my

King and Queen, my Liege lords, and I am their subject and a loyal peer. Though

I would have advised against it, I will support them in what they have done as

they have not done anything illegal, immoral, indecent, or improper.

They have made personal decisions about personal awards which, according to our

Laws, is theirs to give as they will. And to me, that is an end to it.

Effingham

Date: Wed, 01 Jun 2005 11:51:55 -0500

From: Martinsen at ansteorra.org, Kerri"

<kerrimart at cablespeed.com>" at ansteorra.org

Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Re: Creative Supplimentation

To: Cooks within the SCA <sca-cooks at ansteorra.org>

On Wed, 1 Jun 2005 09:11:36 -0700 (PDT) Pat <mordonna22 at yahoo.com> wrote:

> I started in the SCA in Atenveldt (Greater Phoenix, AZ).

> There are three baronies, a College, and a Shire all

> within an hours drive, but the rest of the Kingdom is

> spread out over a huge area. (There are nearly 5 million

> people in Arizona, but 3 million of them live in the GPA

Hum. Interesting differences. I started playing in

Northshield when it was part of the Middle. In the 2

years I played there, I saw royalty once, at my first

event and I didn't know what to do. (Nothing like getting

called in front of the King during feast when you have no

silverware and are eating steak with your fingers).

Most events were camping, except in the winter. A 3 hour

drive to an event was considered daytripable. Feasts were

standard (and cheep cheep cheep!) at camping events,

although they were usually small (50-60 was standard)

Leftovers were used for breakfast. I wasn't paying

attention to what kind of food was being served at feasts,

as long as I didn't go away hungry I was happy.

The one thing that I miss in Atlantia is Crash space. In

Northshield, you could always call the autocrat (or the

crash-o-crat) and they would have a list of people willing

to take folks in for the night. Made day events possible.

Don't here about that out in Atlantia. Maybe I'm just in

the wrong circles.

Kerri Martinsen

Hrosvitha von Celle

kerrimart at cablespeed.com