[Artemisia] Fw: [ChivalryToday] Voting and the Right of Council

[Laurlee Harbig]

I thought I would pass this on. The gentleman is a member of the SCA and was 
King of Caid (twice, I beleive). He is also a wonderful author.

God Bless all here...    Enneleyn Lilje

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Scott A. Farrell" <scott at ChivalryToday.com>
To: <ChivalryToday at yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, November 04, 2008 11:14 AM
Subject: [ChivalryToday] Voting and the Right of Council


> The Right of Council: A Vote for Chivalry
> By Scott Farrell
> ©2006, Shining Armor Enterprises
> www.ChivalryToday.com
>
> One of the actions expected of a “knight in shining armor” back in the
> Middle Ages was to swear an oath of homage. To do this, the knight
> would appear before the lord of the land — a baron, an earl or
> possibly even the king or queen in person — then the knight would
> kneel down, place his hands between those of the lord, and swear an
> oath of loyalty and service.
>
> To our modern minds, this may seem rather demeaning or tyrannical.
> After all, the word “homage” comes from a term meaning “to be
> someone’s man.” Expecting somebody to assume a servile position, both
> socially and physically, seems very unenlightened to us in our world
> where “all men are created equal.”
> Today, however, it is worth remembering that this oath of homage was
> not a one-way street. While swearing homage certainly imposed various
> responsibilities on a knight, it was also in the act of swearing
> homage that a knight secured certain rights, and one of those was
> known as “the right of council.”
>
> The right of council meant that a knight had the liberty to give
> advice to the baron, earl or even to the king, on what to do in
> matters of important policy. Before going to war, before raising
> taxes, before building a new castle or before appointing new officers
> of the court, the ruler was expected to summon the knights who were
> “in homage” and grant them their right to parlay with the king and
> give their council. (This is where the modern institute of Parliament
> began.)
>
> Of course, life in the 21st century isn’t quite like living in the
> days of knights and castles. It can be discouraging to think about how
> hard it is for one person to make a difference in today’s world. We
> overlook the fact that today everyone can make a difference because
> everyone has a voice. Every adult has the right of council — an
> esteemed liberty once reserved for the noble few. Today of all days,
> every man and woman has the opportunity to become a “knight in shining
> armor,” simply by casting a vote.
>
> It’s worth remembering on Election Day that the right of council was
> one of the most valued and respected rights of a knight. Knights took
> this right very seriously, and knights who felt their right of council
> had been violated might even consider raising arms in protest.
>
> So today there’s a simple and powerful way to be a knight in shining
> armor. Go to the polls, express your opinion, let your voice be heard
> and exercise your right of council. Election Day is a knightly
> tradition that reminds us of the rights and responsibilities contained
> in the Code of Chivalry.
> =====
> What’s New at the Chivalry Today Website?
> - Episode 25 of the Chivalry Today Podcast, featuring an interview
> with Peter Brears, author of Cooking and Dining in Medieval England,
> and Dugald Steer, bestselling author of the children's book Knight: A
> Noble Guide for Young Squires;
> - "Standing for Chivalry" - an article by Dick Meyer (author of "Why
> We Hate Us") about the importance of a sense of dignity and honor, and
> passing those qualities on to the younger generation.
>
> Come check out all the new stuff at www.ChivalryToday.com – as always,
> no subscription or premium fee is required to read our articles or
> access any part of the website. The Chivalry Today educational program
> operates solely through the generous donations of visitors like you.
> =====
>  PASS IT ON! — Readers are permitted and encouraged to share this
> article with others as a way of furthering the understanding of the
> Code of Chivalry in the modern world. Scott Farrell’s live
> presentations, “Meet King Arthur” and “The Making of a Knight” are
> available to schools, libraries and youth groups throughout the
> Southern California area; more information can be found on our
> website. Please include all copyright statements and attributions when
> forwarding Chivalry Today articles. Copyright 2008 Scott Farrell and
> the Chivalry Today Educational Program. Visit our website at 
> www.ChivalryToday.com
>  .
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