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====== Sumptuary Law ======
**Sumptuary Law** was the medieval legal practice of maintaining social order by regulating the outward display of wealth and station. Violating these laws, or “dressing above your station” could be a considerable infraction, although enforcement varied considerably throughout Europe and throughout Period.

In the [[scaism:society for creative anachronism|SCA]] sumptuary laws are relatively simple, determining mostly what crowns and coronets can be worn, as well as restricting white belts and baldrics to the Order of Chivalry. Restrictions of heraldic display, particularly of the badges of various orders and Peerages, also fall under the aegis of sumptuary law.

It is worth noting that many customary usages in the SCA, particularly the colours of belts for squires, apprentices and proteges, are not officially covered by SCA Sumptuary Law but instead by the laws and customs of individual Kingdoms.

Note that in [[branches:kingdom:Ealdormere]], there are very few true sumptuary laws. Instead, Ealdormere has customs, largely in keeping with our time as a vassal of the Middle Kingdom.

===== Society-Wide Sumptuary Laws =====
  * The [[activities:service:offices:King]] and [[activities:service:offices:Queen]] may wear crowns of gold.
  * The [[activities:service:offices:crown prince|Prince]] and [[activities:service:offices:crown princess|Princess]] may wear coronets of silver. 
  * [[awards:duchy|Dukes and Duchesses]] may wear coronets with strawberry leaves. 
  * [[awards:county|Counts and Countesses]] may wear embattled coronets. 
  * A wreath of roses is reserved for members of the [[awards:Order of the Rose]].
  * An unadorned circular chain is reserved for the [[awards:Order of Chivalry|Knighthood]].
  * A white belt is reserved for the [[awards:Order of Chivalry|Knighthood]].
  * A white baldric is reserved for [[awards:Order of Chivalry|Masters and Mistresses of Arms]].
  * A laurel wreath is reserved for members of the [[awards: Order of the Laurel]]. In addition, laurel wreaths are used to denote branch heraldry in the SCA. The arms of all branches in the SCA are required to have this charge.
  * A pelican in its piety (vulning itself) is reserved for members of the [[awards:Order of the Pelican]].
  * A chapeau (Cap of Maintenance) is reserved for members of the [[awards:Order of the Pelican]].
  * A white livery collar is reserved for members of the [[awards:Order of Defense]].
  * A pair of white white vambraces or bracers is reserved for members of the [[awards:Order of the Mark]].

===== Ealdormerean Sumptuary Customs =====
  * The coronets of [[awards:county|Counts and Countesses]] are traditionally gold, while those of [[awards:viscounty|Viscounts and Viscountesses]] are silver. In kingdoms not descended from the Midrealm, Viscounts wear a silver coronet with twelve pearls (spheroids).
  * Landed [[awards:territorial barony|Barons and Baronesses]] may wear coronets of gold with six pearls (spheroids).
  * Court [[awards:court barony|Barons and Baronesses]] may wear coronets of silver with six pearls (spheroids).
  * A [[awards:Order of Chivalry|Knight's]] chain is traditionally gold, and it is custom that [[scaism:squire|squires]] wear unadorned chains of silver.
  * Gold spurs are reserved for use by the members of the [[awards:Order of Chivalry|Chivalry]], while it is custom that [[scaism:squire|squires]] wear spurs or silver.
  * It is custom that red belts are reserved for [[squire|squires]] of a [[awards:Order of Chivalry|Knight]].
  * It is custom that red baldrics are reserved for [[squire|squires]] of a [[awards:Order of Chivalry|Master or Mistress of Arms]].
  * It is custom that green belts are reserved for [[apprentice|apprentices]].
  * It is custom that yellow belts are reserved for [[protege|proteges]].
  * It is custom that blue belts are reserved for [[man at arms|men at arms]].
  * It is custom that purple belts are reserved for [[page|pages]].
  * Members of the various Kingdom Orders may wear the badges of their respective Orders.

=====External Links=====
  * [[http://www.thetudorswiki.com/page/Chart+of+Tudor+Sumptuary+Laws| A chart of Sumptuary Laws in Tudor England]]