5 February, 1973 CE 7 AS;

The Imperial College of Arms
418 W. Hermosa Drive
Tempe, AZ 85292

IOSPEH, LORD LOCKSLEY, O.L., LAUREL KING OF ARMS (ACTING)

TO:THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE SCA, INC.
KARINA OF THE FAR WEST, OL
VESPER PRINCIPAL HERALD

AND HIS MAJESTY OF THE WEST

Your Serenities, Your Majesty, and My Lady:

In view of the mention, in the Minutes of the College of Heralds of the West Kingdom, that His Majesty of the West contemplates making the Order of the Seraphic Star a non-armigerous order. . . .

I must stick my nose in and caution against this. I suggest that the phrase be used "that the Order of the Seraphic Star be given an Award of Arms at the discretion of the King (of the West)" and that no statement be made that would impede the giving of an Award along with the Order.
I realize that a King would be loath to give Arms for services that he has not personally seen; and more, to be, seemingly, forced to give Arms to a person because a Baron had invested him with some Order would rankle most foully.
But these Orders Minor serve a good purpose, to my mind. Can the King of a Kingdom be everywhere at once? No! Thus, it should, by process of logic, be up to the local Premier Noble to give the recognition of service, and the King, by giving Arms ex post facto, legitimatize it.

I further petition the Imperial Electors that a decision be made that each Branch of the Society having a Premier Ruling Noble, that is to say, Principalities and Baronies, may establish their own Order(s) Minor, to rank slightly above Awards of Arms, if Arms are given, but that the actual Award of Arms shall be up to the King. The Kingdom Order Minor (probably bad Latin, but. . .) shall take precedence over other Branch Orders, of course.*

Until a decision is made, however, I direct the Vesper Principal Herald to obey the wishes of the Crown of the West in the matter, but to advise this Office on all creations of Companions of the Seraphic Star and Leaf of Merit, that they may be listed in the Imperial Order of Precedence, soon to be published.**

In hopes that my opinions on the matter help,

I Remain:

IOSEPH, LORD LOCKSLEY, O.L.
LAUREL (ACTING)

*of course, if there is no Baron of a Barony, then the King of that Kingdom assumes the title, and also the right to grant the Order of that Barony.

**So send me an updated O.P., damnit!

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