Exchequer
An Exchequer handles the finances of a branch of the SCA. Every branch must have an exchequer, from the Kingdom down to each canton and shire. As an officer, the Exchequer must be a paid member.
Job Description
- Bank Account - The exchequer is responsible for everything pertaining to a branch's bank account. This includes all communication with the bank, writing and depositing cheques, and ensuring the security of the account.
- Paperwork - The exchequer must submit four reports each year on the finances of the branch. The exchequer is also responsible for the financial paperwork for an event.
Exchequer in History
The Exchequer was named after a table used to perform calculations for taxes and goods in the medieval period. The table was large (10 feet by 5 feet) with a raised edge or “lip” on all sides of about the height of four fingers to ensure that nothing fell off it, upon which counters were placed representing various values. The name Exchequer referred to the resemblance of the table to a chess board (French: échiquier) as it was covered by a black cloth bearing green stripes of about the breadth of a human hand, in a chequer-pattern. The spaces represented pounds, shillings and pence.
The Exchequer was responsible for revenue collection, managing debt, and, in some areas, for administrative and legal proceedings related to taxation.
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