With the first writs for the newly created Order of Defense expected to be issued this weekend at Coronation, the Gazette is grateful to Lord Yehuda ben Moshe, Elmet Herald for submitting this article clarifying the regalia for the new order.
Many questions have arisen regarding the regalia of the forthcoming Order of Defense. Lord Yehuda ben Moshe, Elmet Herald (East Kingdom Education Deputy) answers some of the most common questions
A red livery collar. The regalia of the Order of Defense is a white livery collar.
Q: What, exactly, is the regalia of the new Order?
A: A white livery collar.
Q: Where does it say that?
A: The SCA College of Heralds April 2015 Special Letter of Acceptances and Returns
Q: What, exactly, is a livery collar? Is it the same as a collar of estate?
A: “Livery collar”, “collar of estate”, “chain of estate”, “chain of office” all seem to be fairly synonymous. There is a wide variety of forms found in period, though most seem to fall into two categories – a leather or fabric strap with fittings and mounts, or a metal “chain” made up of plaques, “S” shapes, or other elements. A variety of period livery collars can be seen here and here.
Q: So which of those is reserved to the Order of Defense?
A: No particular form is specified. The relevant text from the decision:
In acknowledgement of the diverse forms and ornamentation that livery collars may possess, we decline to specify a type for the Order, just as we do not specify anything beyond a white belt for the Order of the Chivalry. In order to be considered regalia, the collar itself must be white.
Q: White? Heraldic white is the same as silver. Does that mean that all metal livery collars are now reserved for the Order of Defense?
A: No. While the heraldic term “argent” is used to specify both “white” and “silver”, that applies to armory, not regalia. The registration specifically states that only white-colored collars are reserved for the Order, not metal-colored ones. The relevant text from the decision:
Much like the superprotection of the white belt as regalia for the Order of Chivalry does not prevent the populace from wearing belts of other colors or metal, the superprotection of a white livery collar for the Order of Defense does not mean that members of the populace cannot wear livery collars of another color or metal livery collars, including those made of silver.
So just as a silver-colored belt isn’t reserved for knights, a silver or pewter colored collar isn’t reserved for Masters of Defense.
Q: What about a shirt with a white collar? Or an Elizabethan-style white ruff collar? Can I no longer wear these? Can I not have a white collar on my dog if I bring her to an event?
A: No. The regalia is only for livery collars, not any other kind of collar. Shirt collars, ruffs, dog-collars, etc. can all be white. Only white livery collars are protected.
Copyright 2015 Juliean Galak. Permission is hereby expressly given to republish this article in its entirety in any non-commercial publication, as well as any publication of the SCA, Inc. or its subsidiaries, provided the article is not altered except as to formatting and this notice is retained.
