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

The January Laurel meeting was held on Saturday, January 15, 1994, and considered the following letters of intent: An Tir (9/12), Calontir (9/20), Outlands (9/20), Atlantia (9/20), West (9/20), Trimaris (9/20), East (9/22), Middle (9/26), and Ansteorra (9/29).

The February Laurel meeting is scheduled for Saturday, February 12, 1994, to consider the following letters of intent: Caid (7/27), Caid (8/25), Meridies (9/27, mailed 10/8), Atenveldt (9/30, mailed 10/7), Drachenwald (9/30), An Tir (10/16), Middle (10/17), Caid (10/19), East (10/20), Outlands (10/20), Ansteorra (10/20), Atlantia (10/23), Calontir (10/24), West (10/25), and items pended from the September and October Laurel meetings. Commentary on these LoIs should have been in the College's hands no later than December 31, 1993. Responses and rebuttals to commentary on these LoIs should have been in College's hands no later than January 31, 1994.

The March Laurel meeting is scheduled for Saturday, March 12, 1994, to consider the following Letters of Intent: Meridies (10/25, mailed 11/5), East (11/10), Middle (11/11), Atlantia (11/14), Outlands (11/20), An Tir (11/21), Calontir (11/21), Ansteorra (11/24), Trimaris (11/25), Meridies (11/27) and Atenveldt (11/27). The Letter of Intent from the West (11/15) will be considered at a "roadshow" Laurel meeting to be held the weekend of March 19-20, 1994, in Vancouver, British Columbia. Commentary on these LoIs should have been in the College's hands no later than January 31, 1994. Responses and rebuttals to commentary on these LoIs must be in College's hands no later than February 28, 1994.

The April Laurel meeting is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, April 23, 1994, to consider the following Letters of Intent: Caid (11/25), An Tir (12/10), Atlantia (12/12), West (12/13), East (12/15), Caid (12/18), Calontir (12/19), Middle (12/21), Ansteorra (12/24), Outlands (12/24), Meridies (12/28). Commentary on these LoIs must be in the College's hands no later than February 28, 1994. Responses and rebuttals to commentary on these LoIs must be in College's hands no later than March 31, 1994.

Not all Letters of Intent may be considered when they are scheduled on this Cover Letter. Date of mailing of the LoI and date of receipt of the Laurel packet may delay consideration of certain Letters of Intent.

ROSTER CHANGES AND CORRECTIONS

I need to remind several members of the College to send all correspondence for the Laurel Office to the Post Office Box address listed above. I have continued to receive some mail for the Laurel office at my home address. Please, I can stay better organized if all correspondence for Laurel goes to the P.O. Box.

The office of the Black Lion Principal Herald (An Tir) has changed. The new Black Lion is the former Queue Forchee Herald, Eric Ward of Winchester (Dean Schnurr), 1630-228th Street SE, #M302, Bothell, WA 98021; (206) 486-3316. Please add him in his new office to your mailing lists.

The former Black Lion, Drogo the Forgetful, may be removed from the mailing list. He has served well in that office, and we thank him.

Black Stag Herald, Mistress Zenobia Naphtali, has resigned from that position, and will be commenting as the Couronne Rouge Herald for An Tir.

The Orle Pursuivant of Ansteorra has a new address. It is Erc FitzMungo (Roy A. Heath), 3100 Independence Parkway #311-113, Plano, TX 75075; (214) 494-6494. Please change your mailing list accordingly.

Enclosed is an updated Roster which should have all of these changes made on it. If you see any items which need correction, please let me know as soon as possible.

LAUREL OFFICE UPDATES

The files, having survived the earthquake, arrived safely from southern California on Sunday, January 30, 1994. Fortunately for Baron Bruce and crew, the predicted two to three inches of snow in west Texas never appeared. Local members here are now busy catching up the filing, and we should be back on track shortly.

SYMPOSIUM UPDATES

The autocrats for the Known World Heraldic Symposium to be held in Orlando, Florida at the end of June of this year are looking for classes to be taught at the symposium and/or papers to be published in the proceedings. If you have something which might be of interest to heralds or scribes in the SCA, even if it is currently in rather embryonic form, I strongly encourage you to get in touch with them to discuss either teaching at the symposium or having it published in the proceedings.

MORE SYMPOSIUM UPDATES

The Laurel office has already received a bid to host the 1995 Known World Heraldic Symposium, from the Kingdom of the Outlands. A copy of the bid is attached to this Cover Letter.

As a reminder, bidding to host the 1995 Symposium remains open until March 1, 1994, to allow consideration and commentary by the members of the College before a decision is made and announced at the 1994 Symposium.

MISCELLANY

Q: Collins Dictionary defines 'fleshpots' as 'places, such as striptease clubs where bodily desires are gratified or titillated'. How, with all due modesty, might an artist depict the arms of Montbocher: Argent, three fleshpots gules?

A: In heraldry a fleshpot is a large cauldron, the sort of vessel once shown in children's books to illustrate the oven-to-table ware legendarily used by cannibal tribes.

From "The Heraldry Gazette", December 1991, pp. 2, 12

Until next month, I remain, as ever,

Your servant,

Da'ud ibn Auda

Laurel King of Arms