About the KOJ
Who are we?
The noble Order of the Knights of Jubal traces its origins back to the Year
Two Thousand C.E., when a group of distinguished persons of good and true
character, founded the order to promote chivalry and honour.
The order takes its name Alexander Jubal McRae, who on two
occasions has been seriously injured, in one case fatally, defending an
innocent woman from attackers.
Membership
Membership of the Order is open to any person regardless of race, colour,
sex, religion or polical persuasion. The single requirement is that they will
swear and uphold the Oath of the Order. This oath
may be sworn
by private e-mail to any Knight, or via our Message Boards. Links to the message
boards may be found on the resources page.
The order is organised into various "cells" where members with particular interests
or strengths may do the most good.
Emblem
Our emblem was designed by Lady Anne Moloney,
KI.
The proper blazon for the emblem is:
Or; in chief bends gules and argent charged the glasses of jubal proper; in
base vert charged eagle argent displayed affrontée reguardant.
It depicts:
Foundation of Or (gold) - Generosity and elevation of the mind
Sea of red Bends - Scarf or shield suspender of a knight commander;
signifies defense or protection
Field of vert (green) - Hope, joy, and loyalty in love
Eagle - Person of noble nature, strength, bravery,
and alertness; one who is high-spirited, ingenious, quick-witted, and
judicious; wings signify protection
Motto
The motto of the Order of Jubal is "Probi Immotiqve Este",
which literally translates as "Be virtuous and cool." The abbreviation
for this is P.I.Q.E.
Structure
The Order of the Knights of Jubal is divided into four
levels. In the tradition of the knights of old, members may progress through the
ranks by fulfilling a quest, great deed or service, and then being ennobled by
the Conclave of Knights. To learn more about the structure of the Order, click here.
About Jubal McRae
Jubal is a character in the comic strip "Clan
of the Cats", by Jamie Robertson. Jubal is in love with Chelsea, the
main character of the strip. On two occasions, he has jumped in front of her and
taken a bullet in order to save her life.
This caused quite a stir on the message boards, and one particular reader,
GoldWolf, raised the question of whether Chivalry has died out or not.
All of the follow-up postings and discussions made two things clear.
- Chivalry is still valued
by people in today's society
- Despite this, it is dying out.
One of the readers, Silver Adept, suggested an "Order of Jubal".
The idea was developed a bit further and, with some artistic help and a good
deal of borrowing from myth and legend, this web site and the noble Order of
Jubal was born. Greg Bromage originated the website. Timber Bram compiled the information on Heraldry and quickly became one of the driving forces behind the Order.
At this point, you may be tempted to ask, "So, this came from a comic strip. Are you serious?"
That's a very good question. Jubal is a fictional character, we don't deny
this.
However, that does not prevent him from being a good role model. Indeed, much
of the role models we look to today are either fictional, or are a greatly
romanticized ideal from an historical character about whom we know very little
facts. King Arthur and the Round Table, Charlemagne, the Musketeers, Ivanhoe -
we hold them up as examples of proper behaviour.
The character of Jubal is human. He is not a genius, he doesn't have a magic
sword, he isn't the ruler of a country. But what he does have is a good and
honest heart. When he thinks something is wrong, he says so. He risks his life
to save the innocent. He doesn't always to the smart thing, or say the right
words, but he tries his hardest.
On the opening page of this web site is the Oath of the Order of Jubal. In
case you missed it, here it is again:
I, full name, do solemnly swear and commit to:
- Uphold the right, even at the cost of my life;
- Meter even handed justice, tempered with mercy;
- Assist and defend others;
- and to strive to act with honour at all times.
Read carefully these words. At the heart of the oath are principles of
Justice, Mercy, Service and Honour. Ask yourself, "Are these good things,
or bad things?"
Most people would consider these four basic principles as the core of any
moral code, whether it is based on personal feeling, religious grounds,
corporate values or whatever.
Whether of not this is a serious site, or merely "another comic
strip spin-off" really depends on how you, the reader, feel about it. You
can dismiss it as just a fan site, and move on, no-one will stop you.
But if you feel that there are not enough "good" people in the
world, that Justice, Mercy, Service and Honour are important things that should
be preserved and promoted, then consider joining the Order of Jubal.
The titles are honourary. You won't gain any social status for being a
member. There's no profit in it. Nobody will check up on you to see if you are
always doing the right thing. Because you will know, in your heart, whether you
are upholding the Oath. And if you do so, then you are a Knight of Jubal.
