Order of the Laurel
The Order of the Laurel is a Society-wide order. It is one of the four major peerages. Holders of this award are recognized for significant skills in the arts and/or sciences.
Awarded by the Crown, the order bestows a Patent of Arms and the members are titled "Master" or "Mistress" or other ethnic or linguistic variation. In addition, they are entitled to wear a badge of a laurel wreath. Some Laurels choose to take on associates who are known as apprentices.
The badge of the Order:
http://badger.cx/heraldry/roll/images/laurel.gif
See also a listing of Members of the Order of the Laurel
(A "keeper" posting from the Steps, posted Mar 2006.)
It seems that everyone thinks everything about the laurels is a great secret, so I will enlighten people to what the Laurels are all about, since it is in Kingdom Law, and widely published it's not much of a secret.
the only definition of what it means by "Arts and Sciences" are is in Kingdom Law in the section about the Minister of Arts and Sciences. ( ME )
(b)The Minister of Arts and Sciences shall: (...)
(i) Encourage the research and development of historically
accurate period art forms, technologies, and philosophies.
"The research and development of historically accurate period art forms, technologies, and philosophies"
and the (Kingdom) law about Laurels is:
"Membership in the Order of the Laurel may be offered to individuals who meet the general criteria for the peerage and who have demonstrated great skill in one or more of the arts and sciences at least equal to the level commonly found among existing members of the order."
So people who meet the PLQ issues and "Demonstrate great skill in one or more of the arts and sciences ( The research and development of historically accurate period art forms, technologies, and philosophies ) at least equal to the level commonly found among the existing members of the order."
I believe this resolves all issues concerning the following.
- The bar keeps getting raised. (yes, based on Kingdom Law, it must.)
- The Laurels look down on SCA specific crafts. (by Kingdom Law we do not consider them)
- The Laurels look down on people who do medieval things using modern methods. (by Kingdom Law inclusion is for "accurate period").
- They do a lot of great work, pretty things, that make our game better! (but by Kingdom Law are they doing "The research and development of historically accurate period art forms, technologies, and philosophies"??? If not, see Kingdom Law.)
- People who do pre-period art forms are looked down upon by the Laurels. (Well another rule says something about "Pre 1600" but no where does it say "post..." or "after..." and many laurels do early period work.)
I, the Minister of Arts and Sciences, am the chief of "The research and development of historically accurate period art forms, technologies, and philosophies". It's my job, it's the law.
OK?
Gordon Ellis
SCA: Gordon Redthorn
Kingdom of An Tir Minister of Arts and Sciences.