From: WILLIS%EIVAX@ualr.EDU (Braendur)
Subject: (none)
Organization: The Internet
Date: Thu, 12 Nov 1992 21:55:00 GMT

Greetings Good Gentles of the Rialto,

Arval et al have asked for Meridian Kingdom Law on the subject of Patents
of Arms.  At the time the Patent was awarded the Kingdom Law Of Meridies
stated
  II-203 Patent of Arms

   (a) General minimum requirements for candidates for the Peerage shall
       include:
       1.  They shall have been obedient to the Corpora, the By-Laws of the
           Society, and the Laws of Meridies.
       2.  They shall have consistently shown respect for and support of the
           Crown of Meridies.
       3.  They shall have set an examle of courteous and noble behavior
           suitable to a Peer of the Realm.
       4.  They shall have demonstrated support for the ideals of the Society
           by being as authentic in dress, equipment and behavior as is
           within their power.
       5.  They shall have shown willingness to share their knowledge and
           impart unto others their skills.
       6.  They shall have practiced hospitality according to their means
           and as appropriate to circumstances.
       7.  They shall have made every effort to learn and practice those
           skills worthy of a civilized Court such as literature, dancing,
           heraldry, chess, and be familiar with fighting as practiced in
           the Society.
       8.  They shall have attained at least the standard of accomplishment
           achieved by existimg Peers of the Order for which they are
           candidates, as determined by the members of the Order.
       9.  They shall maintain an active membership withing the Society
           and they shall maintain all the above standards of accomplishment
           and behavior.

   (b) The Orders of the Peerage are held to be of equal predence and shall
       be considered as one group.

   (c) Members of the Peerage are bound by specifics as defined by Corpora.
       Further:
       1.  It is douty of a Peer to advise the Crown upon the admission of
           worthy candidates to their Order.
       2.  It is the duty of a Peer to make available his/her knowledge and
           skills to the greater weal of the Kingdom and Society.
       3.  It is the right of the Peers present to be invited to participate
           in the elevation process.
       4.  As is tradition, Peers of Meridies are expected to swear or affirm
           their support of the Crown of Meridies.

   (d) Resignation/Degradation from the Peerage
       1.  Any memver of an Order conferring a Patent of Arms has the right
           to resign as a member of that Order by sending a written
           resignation to the Crown, the Principal of the Order and the
           Board of Directors.
       2.  The Board of Directors reserves the right to degrade a person
           from the Peerage.  A recommendation to the Board for degradation
           may be made when a member of an Order consistently fails to
           show those Peerly qualities that caused their elevation.  This is
           to be determined by a consensus of the Order and the Crown as
           specified in Corpora.

After the decision came down from BOD, the above Law was changed.  The change
is listed below.  As you can see the change now allows a Royal Peer to be
given a Patent of Arms.  I therefore decided that this was the reason for
the BOD's decision.  I may have heard that around the shire to but there
was never any discussion of it which involved me.  The change to the Law
was:
 II-203 Patents of Arms (add)
 a.  Patents of Arms are given to members of the Order of Chivalry, the
     Order of the Laurel, and the Order of the Pelican (Orders of the Peerage)
     upon their elevation, in keeping with the laws and customs of the
     Society.
 b.  Patents of Arms may also be given, at the discretion of the Crown, to
     persons who have been elevated to the Royal Peerage (ducal, County and
     Viscounty rank) within the Kingdom of Meridies, who are not otherwise
     members of a Peerage order.  Such Royal Patents of Arms do not affect
     the precedence of the recipient, as they shall rank immediately after
     the Orders of Peerage, which are in all cases below the precedence
     rank of any Royal Peerage.
 c.  (Renumber d) and change)
      c)     General minimum requirements for candidates for the Peerage
             Orders and for Royal Patents shall include:
             Items 1-7 (no change)
             Item 8 (add to end): This requirement applies only to
                                  candidates for Peerage Orders.

-----------------
Confused, etc.

Brandr
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