Date: Fri, 27 Feb 1998 11:30:04 -0800
Subject: Re: Requiring rank?

Greetings to the List from THL Catrin ferch Dafydd--

[Much snippage of very well thought out proposal]
> Completion of the exams should be recognised in such a way as to
> identify a heralds qualifications. Heraldic "titles" such as "pursuivant"
> are confusing and historically inappropriate for this purpose. Using
> "titles" would only encourage the "merit badge" approach to
> qualification and run counter to the spririt of the colleges own rules
> against assuming titles (unless of course the king signed all the certificates).

I believe there needs to be some clarification of Heraldic Titles vs. Heraldic Ranks.

The two are not one and the same in the SCA.

A Rank is a grade of official standing, a position in a group.

Period Heraldic Ranks are: Pursuivant, Herald, King at Arms.

"...the follower or messenger attendant upon the superior officers at arms was regarded as a novitiate, and candidate for the offices of herald and king, and called the Pursuivant." [James Parker's A Glossary of Terms Used in Heraldry.]

"The heraldic fraternity was divided early on into three grades: Kings of Arms, heralds, and pursuivants. Kings of Arms controlled a given province and heralds acted under them, with pursuivants as followers learning their profession." [Heraldry, by Henry Bedingfeld-Rouge Croix Pursuivant; Peter Gwynn-Jones -- Lancaster Herald]

SCA Heraldic Ranks were established sometime between 1980 and 1984 by the then Laurel King at Arms, Wilhelm von Schlussel. They were to be used in every kingdom Society Wide. At that time they were:

These _Ranks_ are Society wide, not just An Tir specific. Luckily, a number of kingdoms have dropped the completely non-period 'Cornet' rank over the years.

> I would suggest using simple designators of achievement such
> as: Certified [Book/Voice] Herald - Level [I/II/...]

My personal 'designator of Achievement' is Pursuivant at Large. Laurel Sovereign at Arms granted me that _rank_ when I stepped down as Crescent Principal Herald. It was, in essence, an earned _rank_ not a title.

A Title is a claim, a right, an appelation of honor, rank or _office_.

An example of Period Heraldic Titles are:

Please note the combination of Rank with the Title. Each one of these titles are offices.

An example of An Tir Heraldic Titles are:

Note the combination of Rank with Title. This title is an office.

My appelation of Rank is not a Title. It is not an office. But it does denote accomplishment. That accomplishment is that I survived my 'time' as a Principal Herald. And still had half-a brain.

In service to An Tir,
THL Catrin ferch Dafydd
Pursuivant at Large