Re: Sumptuary Laws

[Beth Morris <bmorris@access.digex.net>]

Poster: Beth Morris <bmorris@access.digex.net>

Terry L. Neill wrote:

<snip>

> It's the combination of UNADORNED GOLD chain and WHITE belt with spurs
> that designates a knight.  Non-gold chains, chains with danglies, spurs,
> grey, yellow, blue, black, orange, pink, purple, red, gold, green, and
> multi-colored belts are all OK for anyone to wear.
> That's the law.

You might want to specify "That's the law *here*".  In some kingdoms,
the colored belts for associates of Peers *are* written into Kingdom Law
(which I think is a dumb idea but no one asked me.)

<snip>

> I have found that as some Peers adapt the symbols of their Peerage one
> way or another, busybodies will sometimes tell hapless people.  "You
> can't wear that grey belt, it looks too much like that knight's dirty
> belt over there."
> "That swan carving around your neck looks too much like a Pelican.
> You'd better take it off."
> "Part of your belt is white.  Better take it off."

At least in this particular case, it isn't always busybodies.  A
well-meaning comrade of mine occasionally gets mistaken for a knight
because one section of his belt is white - if that's all you can see,
it's a logical assumption.  I would think that after several of these,
one might simply retire that piece of gear....

Keilyn (speaking as someone who got called Your Majesty and Your Grace
this weekend, as well as Your Excellency, thanks to the truly
ostentatious coronet on my bascinet)
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