P.O. Box 1646

Dallas, TX 75221-1646

February 1992

Unto the members of the College of Arms and all others who may read this missive does Da'ud ibn Auda, Laurel King of Arms, send Greetings!

The February 1992 Laurel meeting was held on Saturday, February 22, 1992, and considered the following Letters of Intent dated November, 1991: Outlands (11/10), East (11/12), Atenveldt (11/14), Trimaris (11/15), Caid (11/22), Middle (11/24), Caid (11/25), Atlantia (11/26), and Calontir (11/30).

The March Laurel meeting is scheduled for Saturday, March 21, 1992 (PLEASE NOTE THE NEW DATE), to consider the following Letters of Intent: An Tir (dated 11/9, but the packet was not received until mid-January), Ansteorra (dated 11/23, but not mailed until December 9), Caid (12/15), Outlands (12/20), Calontir (12/22), Middle (12/22), Atlantia (12/23), and Atenveldt (12/27).

The April Laurel meeting is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, April 25, 1992, to consider the following Letters of Intent: Ansteorra (12/15), Ansteorra (12/26), East (1/5), Meridies (1/5), An Tir (1/6), Trimaris (1/15), Calontir (1/20), Atlantia (1/21), Caid (1/22), Meridies (1/30), and Atenveldt (1/31).

The May Laurel meeting is tentatively schedule for Saturday, May 30, 1992, to consider Letters of Intent from February, 1992 and West (11/14/91, 11/27/91, and 12/30/91, which packets arrived in mid-February).

ROSTER CHANGES AND CORRECTIONS

Lord Dragon asks that you add the Pale Herald, Thorvald Redhair (Ron Sargent), 608 Carroll Square, Apt. 2W, Elk Grove Village, IL 60007, to your mailing lists (he is already on the Roster).

Lord Vesper notes the following changes in the West:

Lady Juturna di Parma is now Brachet Herald. Viscountess Kathrine of Bristol, former Brachet, is taking a sabbatical from the College of Arms. Please remove her from your rosters.

Iulstan Sigwealding is resigning as Latimer Herald. Please remove him from your roster. The office of Latimer Herald will be filled by Duke Frederick of Holland, who is also Leveret Pursuivant.

Lord White Stag asks that you add the following to your mailing lists:

Palmer Herald: Mistress Fiachra ni Ciardubhain (Wanda Strickland), 18156 East Atlantic Drive, Aurora, CO 80013; (303) 752-3392

Golden Heart Herald: Lady Faustina von Schwarzwald (Nan Silvernail), 424 Columbia SE #5, Albuquerque, NM 87106; (505) 268-3126

SENDING ALL THE FORMS (or, Documentation, Documentation, Who's Got the Documentation?)

There were a discouraging number of submissions reviewed this month where the name forms stated something to the effect of: "See attached page(s)". The discouraging part was that the submitting herald did not include these attached pages for Laurel. Now, admittedly, most of the time I only need these sheets in order to verify the client's documentation, and not because of any particular problem with the name. On the other hand, if I do not receive all of the documentation, a client may be short-changed because perfectly acceptable documentation was not included and the name returned because corroborating citations were not found (or at least noted) by the commenting heralds of the College. So please, if a name form says "see attached page(s)", attach the pages in the copy sent to Laurel.

FORCENY (or, Horsing Around Again?)

It has been suggested by Lord Codex that the College's ban on "forceny" may no longer be reasonable because: (1) it was (in Period) simply the special "horse" name for rampant, similar to the special "monster" name for rampant, "segreant"; and (2) we no longer allow any difference for rampant versus salient, so a "halfway" position like forceny no longer is confusing. Certainly Lord Laurel has no objections to rescinding the ban on forceny and applying it to horses in a rampant or something like a rampant (salient, "forceny") position. Please consider this proposal and give me the benefit of your research and opinions. I would like to consider this at the May Laurel meeting.

HERALDIC EDUCATION (or, I've Said It Before and I'll Say It Again)

I will repeat earlier offers that I have made: If you or your kingdom is putting on a heraldic symposium, collegium, "Little Shop of Heralds", or whatever you want to call it, if you let me know in advance I will try to attend it if I can, either to teach or answer questions or whatever. This offer will stand even after I step down as Laurel. Heraldic education has always been very important to me, and I believe it to be one of our best but most underused tools. I have several basic classes which are more or less "pre-packaged" that I can present on very short notice, and which have been well-received.

I believe that there are many benefits to be gained from inviting heralds from outside your kingdom to help teach at heraldic symposia. You get a wider range of ability and experience than you might otherwise, and it helps local heralds to "see over the wall" into what some of the other kingdoms are doing heraldically, as well as build a greater feeling of collegiality among us all. (Besides which, it's fun!) I highly recommend that anyone hosting a heraldic collegium or symposium consider following the examples set by the West (two other kingdoms that I know of), Meridies, the Middle (at least two other Principal Heralds), and the Outlands, each of whom has invited heralds from outside their borders to attend and help teach (and learn!). I'm available, and so are many other members of the College, for this sort of combined effort to help us all learn more of our "tradecraft". Let's make use of these resources.

MISCELLANY

"A USE FOR TABARDS!

A glint of recognition will light the eye of any heraldically informed visitor to one of the state rooms of Longleat [England]. Here, in the Wiltshire seat of the Marquess of Bath, is a pair of luxuriously decorative firescreens made from the chest and back panels of a Hanoverian herald's tabard. With their present replacements costing around £10,000, this may strike one as a trifle extravagant in a building equipped with central heating."

From The Heraldry Gazette, December 1991, p. 3

Until next month, I remain, as ever,

Your servant,

Return to the LoAR Index Page