Favors and Tokens ** I did not write all these notes. What I did was gather information from different sources to provide a simple overview in keeping with the theme for this upcoming Beltaine. Because I am lazy, I did not do professionally correct footnotes, but my sources are listed at the bottom of this sheet. Please refer to them for more information and proper credit.
BASIC HISTORY What is the different between a Favor and a Token? Medieval history and SCA history are not always the same thing. In SCA'dom - favors are usually an item given to acknowledge a Significant Other. Tokens may be given to anyone you want to recognize. Historically, " a token of favor" would be an item given to show support or approval, and was not always linked with a romantic liaison. How is the favor used in hisotry? Early historical evidence for the use of favors in tournaments is fuzzy. Most historical sources do not mention favors at all. Many of the ideas we use are tlate period, or even Victorian in nature. In general, it seems that favors were occasionally used since the early days of the tournament, but gifts and largesse, given as a token of esteem and respect, rather than love, appear to have been more common, There expressions were often determined by culture, A lady, wishing to inspire or assist, might provide a fither with the mens of obtaining better armor, as opposed to a symbot to wear. There are two kinds of favors: love tokens and largesse. The former are popular in the romances, and appear less frequently in history. The latter appear in both fiction and fact. Various kinds of love tokens are mention, including sleeves belts, rings, and banners. An example from 1520 telss of Francis I of France and his partners wearing ladies sleeves on their head pieces. Romantic legend tells of ladies, swooning with excitement, might end up nearly in nothing more than their chemises by the time a tournament ended. One needs to consider the source. For largesse, the gifts tend to be more practical, such as arms, armor, and horses.
Christine de Pisan. The Treasure of the City of Ladies. Sarah Lawson, trans. New York: Penguin, 1985. p. 78. PROTOCOL Does a favor have to have the device or arms on it? No. In the Society, often what are seen as favors are embroidered or trimmed strips of cloth that are hung from a fighter's belt. Historical notations show more items of clothing being used for fighters tokens - sleeves, scarves, gloves, or jewelry. Does a favor belong to a fighter once it is given? No. the favor still beltons to the lady who gave it, and so it should be offered back after the tournament. If the giver wants you to keep it forever as a souvenire or an ongoing token of friendship or love, they will let you know. On the flip side - one should not be insulted if the favor is offered back. It's more polite to offer it back than to keep it without permission. Should a lady ask a gentleman to carry her favor? That is a matter of opinion. In the Society as we play it, a favor indicates a romantic involvment. I'm not going there. Should a lady aska gentleman to carry her token? Sure! Under Society conventions, a token is merely and indication of friendship or desire to acknowledge chivalry, honor, or some other worthwhile aspect of the time we are trying to recreate. But be careful - be sure the person you are asking to carry your token understands - especially if they are new to the Society. Prepare a little speech to explain what you are doing and why. A little pomp can't hurt. Should a person carry more than one favor? Under normal circumstances, because of the implication, no. Should a person carrry more than one token? This depends on the situation and the people. Multiple tokens can be worn as signs of friendship, etc., but only one token should be worn as an indication of one person fighting for another in a tournament. A special circumstance might be when friends are entering Crown List together. Example - a long time ago, TRM Uther and Kenna, honored me , as the lady of his Knight, by asking if Uther could fight for me in a Crown List. In that instance, Uther carried my token, but Kenna's favor. Other acceptable instances might be when a man carries his lady's favor and her son does too, or two sones carry the mother's favor. Or a squire with no lady czrries his knight 's lady's favor (maybe the most attractive of the scenarios). Is your peronae that of a Crusader? Perhaps a token representing The Virgin would be appropriate for you. Should the giving of tokens be held strictly to affairs of the Eric? While I have never seen an instance in any historical text where a lady would give her sleeve to a bard or a potter, what does it matter? Giving rings or beads to artisans is not uncommon. About 6 to 7 years ago at a Gulf Wars, Daniel was bout 8 or 9 years old when he offered to help a lady carry a basket. the lady turned out to be duchess Elspeth MacNaughton of Trimaris. To thank him, she gave him and inexpensive silk rose as a token. He carried that flower with him the rest of that event and showed it to anyone who would look at it. The important thing is to show people you appreciate them, and to let them know how you feel. Pepetuate the idea of the "Middle Ages as they should have been." SUGGESTIONS FOR TOKENS Remember - if it is going to be carried on the field, it needs to be sturdy or flexible. It should also not have any sharp oints. I usally discourage things like decorative pins. inexpensive hankies (check out your local 5&10 store) If you want to have an assortment of items, check out your local dollar store, or email sites like Oriental Trading Company. Even a purchased item can be made specialized by hand painting your initials on it. Colyne Stewart, Sep AS XXXVII Bright Ideas by Sandra Dodd, 1991 Favors by Ray Lischner Christine de Pisan. The Treasure of the City of Ladies. Sarah Lawson, trans. New York: Penguin, 1985.
Eric, The -- The markers around the List field, hence often used by extension for the area within the markers. Camping "on the Eric" is not "balanced upon the markers", but is phrased in the sense of a "cabin on the lake" (i.e., at the shore). Historical Note: The following quote is from Sir Robert of Dunharrow: "Marynel [of Darkhaven] did indeed make the fabric portion of the first Royal Pavilion and all of us who gave $4 or $5 toward the materials got to put our devices on one of the dags. She cut & sewed the leftover scraps into long strips and dyed them red for a field marker to replace the clumsy stakes & ropes I used to haul around. Master Beverly [of Hodghead], who also invented portable holes for banner poles, devised the little wires with loops on top that went thru sewn pockets in the red cloth strips and were pushed into the ground to hold up what came to be called 'Eric' since it was RED!" (As in "Eric the Red" of Viking fame ...) This dates to approximately May of AS IV (1969). The use of the term "The Eric" is mostly found in the West Kingdom.
Asking For a Token/Favor The least understood of favors is the "for the nonce" favor. The meaning of long-term favors is easily understood, as is the meaning of "loyalty" favors. However, if a fighter seeks to honor a lady by asking to carry her favor in the Lists (though in fact it is she who honors him), he must realize that what he is doing is paying her a formalized compliment, and that by bestowing such a favor the lady is paying him a similar and greater compliment, and nothing more. Bestowing a favor on a fighter for the day's tourney or battle does not obligate the lady to anything. She need not sit with him at the feast, or accompany him to a post-revel, or anything of the kind ... In fact, she is not even obligated to allow him to wear the favor for the duration of the day, for if he displeases her in some way during the day she has every right to demand its return. And a fighter who loses a favor that way ought indeed to be ashamed. Let us assume that there is a fighter at a tourney who has no lady, or perhaps whose lady is not at the event. (As I said earlier, this can work either way. My lords, keep in mind that a lady fighter may approach you in this way someday!) Wishing to keep in the spirit of things, he looks about him for a lady to compliment by asking her for a favor. He ought to look for a lady who appears to have no lord there. He goes to her and salutes her. Now, she may decline to give a favor, and she may or may not tell him why. It matters not, though. If a lady declines to give you a favor, always assume that it is because she has a lord, or that she just doesn't give "for the nonce" favors, or she just doesn't understand, or maybe she doesn't like to watch tourneys or has plans to do something else during the tourney. Do not haggle or cajole. If you do, you've spoiled the gallantry of it! Simply rise, bow, and say something to the effect of "As you wish, m'lady," then bow again and take your leave. Even if your feelings are hurt, keep a lid on it! It ends there. The fighter, having returned the favor at the end of the day's fighting, has no more claim on the lady's time. This does not prevent him from inviting her to sit with him at the feast, or continuing to flirt with her, nor does it prevent her from inviting him to stay and chat with her . . . but I repeat very strongly, that bestowing a favor for the nonce does not obligate a lady to anything else! I have heard of cases where a fighter assumes that receiving a lady's favor implies that he will receive her favors. That is not so! One who is chivalrous never makes such assumptions. The giving and receiving of favors can add a wonderful aura of romance and gallantry to the Current Middle Ages. Many a lady has recounted how wonderful it was to have a fighter kneel to her and ask for her favor. And it is very much in keeping with the admonition all who were at the Coronation of Stephan and Niobe saw:
"Love ladies and maidens, And serve and honor them In thought, word, and deed . . . Edward III Complete Article can be found at http://www.florilegium.org/files/ACCESS/On-Favors-art.html |