Sergeant
From MiddleWiki
A member of the Order of the Red Company that has not been elevated to the Chivalry may style themselves and be announced as Sergeant of the Red Company. The proper usage would is for this to come after the name. Example: Lord John the Smith, Sergeant of the Red Company. Common casual usage is to use just Sergeant in front of the name. Example: Sergeant John the Smith.
The Order of the Red Company was created during the reign of Finn and Garlanda, and Duchess Garlonda later wrote a complete history of the Order's foundation and design. What follows is the section related to the naming of the members:
"About the time we made the decision to create the award, it was also time to send out a written chivalry poll. In that poll we told the chivalry about our decision to create the award. We talked a little about what we hoped to accomplish with it. Brannos and Rebekah also talked about throwing open the Crown List. I asked the chivalry to make suggestions and recommendations for the name of the order, its regalia, titles, and first members. We told them we planned to initiate the award at Pennsic. And then we sat back to see what ideas would come in."
"Sir Stephen Edgermont suggested the name "Red Company," based on the red pale that is the heart of the arms of the Middle Kingdom. Another member of the Chivalry from Michigan - Sir Ranthulfr? Sir Einarr? - suggested calling the members "seargeants." He also recommended that seargeants be allowed to wear a red cloak as a symbol of their rank. Another knight - Sir David de Kunstenaar? - suggested that members not be allowed to pariticipate after elevation to the chivalry so that the chivs would not come to dominate the unbelts in the future. And so many members of the chivalry mentioned the Hyrd and Fyrd of Calontir that we decided to look to those orders as examples of what we hoped to accomplish with the Red Company."
Note that the use of Sergeant is not restricted, only the use of the styling, Sergeant of the Red Company.
