Don’t Take Their Money! As a local or a pursuivant-at-Large, you have the financial responsibility to not accept money.

But wait a minute! this is a very contradictory statement, we have monetary responsibilities but we aren’t supposed to touch money. How does that work?

Where Does the Money Go?

First, you have to understand that the money for the submission process is a contractual agreement between your submitter (your client) and the Society’s College of Arms, who provide a service.

A portion of the money from the submission fees pays for all the photocopying, envelopes and postage that is required for all the internal and external commentary by the Kingdom of Ealdormere. Also the Society’s College of Arms also charges a fee to our Kingdom per submission to recoup the costs of filing, microfiche, photocopying and postage as well.

As a significant part of the submission process deals with money, the Society requires a warranted officer to track the money for taxation purposes and hence submissions heralds must be warranted exchequers as well. If you really want to have an additional report to complete, then the College of Heralds and Kingdom of Ealdormere can arrange for you to be warranted as an exchequer, but it is not recommended or generally approved of.

So How Do I Handle Submissions?

How do you avoid the problem of being a local herald that consults on submissions, does not handle money, and still assists their client effectively?

Over a period of time of weeks, months or even years, you will have worked with a gentle to obtain a reasonable and passable submission. As the local representative, you should ensure that the submission package is ready (proper copies, legible writing, an attempt at blazon, etc.) for money to be added to it prior to being sent to Green Mantle. At this point, sign the form that you have seen and consulted on the submission, and give it to your client with instruction on how to send it to Green Mantle.

Several things are accomplished by this:

1. You have seen the submission to add to your quarterly reports to Trillium (for further tracking). The submitter will be glad of this as then you can track it through the system.

2. You have checked the number of copies and taken one of the copies for your files in case it does become Absence Without Leave (AWOL). These copies also assist when the client receives a letter or notification about their submission being returned and you can then translate the “heraldese” into normal English.

3. You have checked that the submission does not have a glaring error that will prevent registration and have conducted a conflict check of some sort. If you have found a problem, you have done it prior to the submitter even issuing funds and can try again without frustration at the submission time schedule.

4. You have informed the submitter who is the current Green Mantle Herald and his/her address. As an officer and member, you should be in the receipt of the Kingdom newsletter in which the Green Mantle Herald address is listed.

Part of doing this puts the onus on your client to address the envelope, attach the money order or cheque (made payable to “SCA-Ealdormere”) and put it in the mail. The client is in complete control of when it was sent, and can to track their funds. Sometimes, pursuivants spend a significant amount of time working with a client but they never seem to get around to giving them a cheques or finalizing their submission. Now the clock starts once the client themselves has submitted the package to Green Mantle of their own accord.

5. Never should you have to touch money throughout this process.

6. If the client would like a receipt, then they should also include a SASE (self addressed stamped envelope) so that Green Mantle can send a receipt to them.

7. Do Not Touch Their Money.

Submission Tables at Events

At some events, a table is coordinated by the College of Heralds (or you) to help people work on their submissions and directly input their submission into the process at an event. So as stated before, you should not touch money. Now what do you do?

If your group is holding an event where a submissions table is going to accept packages, there are two ways you can handle this:

- Request that the Green Mantle Herald attends the event. The common practice for Green Mantle is to give the submitter a receipt (particularly important if the client is paying in cash).

- Have an exchequer collect the money. Again a receipt system should be used for all money collected and then the group the exchequer belongs to can send a cheque made payable to SCA-Ealdormere to the Green Mantle once the event is over.

If you have any problems understanding the monetary requirements for this, please contact either Green Mantle or Trillium for further information. Do not accept money without being a warranted exchequer.

Money Presented in Court

On a related note, you may find yourself as a court herald having to be involved with money at events in forms of presentations to the Crown.

The Crown by definition cannot accept money and/or assets in any form. As the court herald, you should be aware of any presentation that involves either money and/or assets, to ensure that there is an exchequer present to accept the funds.

Money given to the Crown can only be received in court to a warranted exchequer. Do not accept or touch this money since this transaction has to be recorded as a legal “Within Kingdom” or a “To Society” funds transfer. Only warranted exchequers know all the ins and outs of this accounting process, and really we are just the ceremonial adjunct that coordinates and adds decorum to this financial transaction, and our role is to ensure that the transaction is in court, public, and recognized.

Please note that any monies gifted in Court MUST be included in your Court Report - the person/group making the donation, the amount, which fund it was given to and the name of the Exchequer who collected it on behalf of the Crown.

Other Gifts in Court

Assets are another problem. They can be handled and accepted by the Crown without an exchequer, but two things first need to be clear – is the gift to the Crown and Kingdom or is it a personal gift to that specific King and Queen? As the court herald asking for any incoming business, you have to ask the people presenting the gift to choose the Crown or Individual as the recipient.

If it is specifically for Queen X or King Y, then the presentation should probably be at feast and be announced that it is a personal gift to them. These gifts should include consumables, garb that will only fit this set of royalty (as long as it doesn’t have the kingdom arms on it), humourous gifts, and the like.

If the gift is for the Crown, then you need to ask how much they estimate their gift is worth. Your court report should provide this information, and a copy should go to the Kingdom exchequer, as they must track the Crown’s Regalia and Assets. The type and description of the asset should be included in your court report.

Please note that any gifts donated to the Kingdom in Court MUST be included in your Court Report - the person/group making the donation and the value of the donation. (this information will eventually need to be reported to the Minister of Regalia)

Summary Final word, don’t touch money. Unless of course, you really like twice as many reports, you really like accounting, and you are an Exchequer…

Of course, you could consider the Green Mantle Herald position for the future.

Here’s to seeing the money but never touching it!