Vols. 18/19, No. 1--1 Hithui 7549
No commoners from the Kingdoms attending, there were no certificates of election
to be presented, though Adanedhel of Esgaroth announced that he had been elected
an Elder of that Commonwealth. The Lady President yielded the chair to the M.
Hon. the Marquess of Mirkwood, Lord Chancellor, who called on His Grace the
Regent for the Speech from the Throne. His Grace explained the circumstances
under which the Council had been summoned, and reported the desire of His Highness
the Duke of Ithilien, Lord Great Steward, to renounce his titles, offices, and
dignities. His Grace drew attention to the statutory provision that when a peer
renounces a title, that title cannot be regranted until after the death of the
first holder; the Dukedom of Ithilien, His Grace pointed out, has historic ties
to the Stewardship.
Turning to the business of the Council, the Chancellor called for motions from
the floor. His Grace the Regent moved that those peers to whom Writs of Summons
had not been sent be excused; a friendly amendment added to the motion those
peers who, having been summoned, had asked to be excused. The motion passed
without dissent.
The Lord Chancellor, as one potentially involved, then yielded the chair to
His Grace the Regent for the discussion of the Stewardship crisis. His Grace
first moved that His Highness's renunciation be accepted with regret, provided,
that the Council-General reserved the right to re-grant the Dukedom of Ithilien
to a new Lord Great Steward. His Grace the Duke of Anorien, Earl Marshal, pointed
out that the Stewardship Act itself drew no direct connection between the title
of Ithilien, which His Highness already held at the time the Act was passed,
and the office of Lord Great Steward; moreover, His Grace pointed out, it was
a principle explicitly enunciated at the First Council-General of modern times
that the Council was not bound by ancient precedent, e.g., no representatives
from H.A.M. elven realms had been summoned to the first Council-General. Other
peers expressing agreement with the Earl Marshal, and the Lady President having
added the idea of a vote of thanks, the final form of the motion was to accept
with regret His Highness' renunciation, to thank His Highness for his quarter-century
of loyal service, and to appoint Their Graces of Numenor and Anorien a committee
to send an appropriate document to the Hon. Dr. Goldman (as His Highness now
became).
His Grace then addressed a point raised earlier by Lord Mirkwood, whether legislation
should be drafted which would provide that, in cases of prolonged incapacity
of the Lord Great Steward, the duties of the office should be executed by an
officer specifically chosen for the purpose, rather than by the Regent acting
as Lord Great Steward's Surrogate. The sense of the house was to delay consideration
of the question until it could be determined whether it would be necessary.
His Grace then brought forward the M. Hon. the Viscount Starkhorn's suggestion,
that no successor to the Steward be chosen until the 25th Council-General. The
proposition met with some support from Their Graces of Anorien and Belfalas,
and after some discussion, His Grace the Regent put the complex proposition
that: 1) The Lady President and the Lord Chancellor continue in office for another
year; 2) The Council-General be summoned to meet in 7550, preferably in the
Royal Precincts in Cambridge around New Year’s Day, March 17; and 3) The
Lady President and the Lord Chancellor be constituted Lords Commissioners for
the Execution of the Office of Lord Great Steward of Gondor and Arnor until
such time as the Council-General should choose a Steward. The motion passed
without objection.
The question of whether to appoint a Nominating Committee to find potential
Stewards was raised; the majority of the peers felt the step was unnecessary.
After the Council, however, the Commissioners appointed His Grace the Regent
and the Rt. Noble the Thain to serve as such a committee. Nominations may be
sent to:
The M. N. Sir John Houghton,
Duke of Numenor, Regent
8012 Kingsbury, #3
Clayton, MO 63105
(jhoughton@micds.pvt.k12.mo.us)
or to
The Rt. N. Sir Alan Walter,
Thain of the Shire, K.B.L., J.D.
631 Edgecliff Rd.
Upper Montclair, NJ 07043.
(WALTERA@NJMUG.ORG)
With these matters having been decided, His Grace the Regent then returned the chair to Lord Mirkwood. At this point the Rt. Noble the Thain and his daughters, having been delayed by circumstances related to Hurricane Bertha, arrived in Somerset. After some conversation, His Grace moved that the former Palatine Duchy of Ithilien be added to the Thain's Palatinate; the motion passed without objection.
His Grace the Regent reported on relations with the Forodrim and the Grand Duchy
of Lithuania; nothing new had happened on either front. The Regent also reported
that the book How To Start Your Own Country continued to generate some
mail as a result of its article on the Kingdoms. Lord Mirkwood noted that most
publications of the firm involved [Loompanics, Ltd.] were of the How to Build
Your Own Nuclear Missiles variety.
The Thain moved that war be declared upon the East Kingdom of the Society for Creative Anachronism. Her Grace of Belfalas gave a report on the current state of affairs in the East Kingdom, and pointed out that the East Kingdom and the Realms have drifted so far apart that a declaration of war would probably go unnoticed. His Grace the Regent suggested instead a formal notice to the East that the treaty had fallen into desuetude (the term being suggested by Her Grace). The motion passed in that form, Her Grace abstaining. Esgaroth voted against the motion, presumably because they feared that such an action might someday be directed at them. Lord Mirkwood reassured Esgaroth that the motion was not intended to "send a message" to our other steadfast allies.
The Thain reported that the Accession Council had found no legitimate claimant to the Crown. His Grace the Regent inducted the Lady President and the Lord Chancellor into their offices, and the Lady President declared the session closed and called the Privy Council into session until the Council-General of 7550. The peers in New Jersey sang the Patriotic Air.
The Kingdoms now have a "web site," including descriptions of H.A.M. government, texts of patriotic songs, the calendar, a peerage, and even a brief history of the Restoration, with various photographs. One can reach the pages by going to the home page of Mary Institute and St. Louis Country Day School, at: http: //www. micds.pvt.k12.mo.us. Once there, one clicks on "Students and Faculty"; on the resulting page, one is to choose "John Houghton"; this link will bring the viewer to His Grace’s "home page," from which a link leads in turn to the Kingdoms’ pages. The direct URL is: http://www.micds.pvt.k12.mo.us/stud_fac/faculty/jhoughto/jrrt/ Cover.htm. Subjects are invited to send their own e-mail addresses to His Grace at the address given in the preceding article. The Marquess of Meneltarma, Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal, proposes to set up a list server which will immediately forward news of the Kingdoms to all subscribers. He may be reached at: edin176@indyvax.iupui.edu.
The comital writing team of the Rt. Hon. Dames André Norton, Countess of Forlindon, and Susan Shwartz, Countess of Harlindon, Lady Steward of the Household have produced another novel, Empire of the Eagle (paperback edition, New York: Tor, 1995). Like their earlier collaboration Imperial Lady, the story is a fantasy which begins with a real historical setting, in this case the battle of Carrhae in 43 B.C.E., when the Triumvir Marcus Licinius Crassus was treacherously defeated by the Parthians, losing (according to Plutarch’s Life of Crassus) some 30,000 men, of whom 20,000 were slain and 10,000 taken captive. Their Ladyships, noting that representatives of Han dynasty China were present at the battle and asked for some of the Roman captives as a sort of souvenir, take up the story of those captives, as they follow the "silk roads," leading in this case not to the historical China but to a complex web of myths and legends.
More recently, Lady Harlindon published Shards of Empire (New York: Tor, 1996). Shards returns to the Byzantine world which has provided the setting for several of the Countess’s other works, including Byzantium’s Crown, The Woman of Flowers, and Queensblade; in this case the jumping-off place is the disastrous Battle of Manzikert in August of 1071 C.E., at which the Emperor Romanus IV Diogenes was taken prisoner by the forces of Alp Arslan. Her Ladyship adds to those present at this battle a young man named Leo Ducas, otherwise unknown to students of that noble house. The novel follows Leo on his return to Constantinople after the battle, and on into the border province of Cappadocia, a territory Lady Harlindon visited some six years ago (a photo of Her Ladyship riding a camel appears on the dust jacket). There in an ancient underground city Leo and a Jewish magician named Asherah discover a long-forgotten but newly-active power.
The Rt. Hon. the Baron and Baroness Hunnewell-of-Tuckborough, Secretary of State and Mayor of Caras Anduinad, respectively, and His Grace the Regent played hosts last Hithui to the second annual Bree Moot, an overnight gathering of those associated with the Mensa Tolkien Special Interest Group and its newsletter, Beyond Bree, published with indefatigable regularity by Dame Nancy Martsch, D.E.
Though the principal events of the conference took place at the Cheshire Inn and Lodge, a faux-British hotel on the border of Caras Anduinad’s huge Forest Park, activities began with a reception at the Hunnewells’ home on Friday, 11 Hithui. In addition to a suitably Tookish array of foods, conference members had the tantalizing opportunity to survey parts of the Hunnewell collection of Tolkieniana.
The conference itself began after lunch on the Saturday, and heard papers by Christopher Mitchell, Director of the Wade Center at Wheaton College, on "The Literary Value of the Metaphysical and Theological Constructs in Tolkien’s Silmarillion"; Prof. Michael Foster on a late Tolkien essay; the Secretary of State on Durin’s Day; Mr. Todd Jensen, "A Tale of Two Rings"; Mr. Ron Hyde, "Geography of the Shire"; His Grace on "Tengwar Paleography"; and Mr. Steven Deyo, "Tolkien and the Internet." After the Saturday evening banquet, featuring the presentation of a Dragon’s Tail cake, the guest of honor, Prof. Tom Shippey, gave an address on "Tolkien and King Edward’s School." The Secretary of State presented Prof. Shippey with the Pin of Merit of the Tolkien Society Unquendor.
Other events included an exchange of mathoms, Golfimbul and other games in the park, a lore tourney, a masquerade, a market, and a session of His Grace’s Palatine Court. Recent issues of Beyond Bree report that a third Bree Moot is being planned for the spring in the Minneapolis area. Those interested are invited to contact Mr. David Lenander, 293 Selby, St. Paul, MN 55012. His e-mail address is: d-lena@maroon.tc.umn.edu.Beyond Bree is available at US $10 per year ($13 overseas) for 12 issues from Dame Nancy Martsch, P.O. Box 55372, Sherman Oaks, CA 91413.
R (A delayed notice) Sir Richard Stanley Platt, Bart., and Dina Weissberg were married in New York City on 28 Ivanneth 7547 (11 September, 1994), adopting the new surname Tarah. Sir Richard and Lady Tarah were graduated from the Institute of Integral Studies in California in Norui of 7548.
R Sir William Roller Mendelsohn, Bart., and his wife, Lorie Kram, are parents of a son, Nicholas Kram Mendelsohn, 9 lbs. 15.6 oz., 20 ¾ in., born 11 Ivanneth 7548 (Aug. 25, 1995). Sir William recently joined Ms. Kram in the legal profession, and has a paper, "In Camera Review of Classified Environmental Impact Statements: A Threatened Opportunity?" in the Boston College Environmental Affairs Law Review.
R Philip Edward Cicero, N.O.M., and Kerry DeMay were united in matrimony by the Rev. Lisa Presley on 16 Narwain 7548 (Dec. 31, 1995) near Minas Isildur in metropolitan Detroit, Michigan. His Grace the Regent was among the guests. His Grace reportedly remarked afterward that he was only briefly puzzled by the notice that an impersonator of the King would visit the post-nuptial celebration at midnight.
R Adanedhel, Elder of Esgaroth and Governor of the Central Bank and his wife, Maryanne, are parents of a daughter, Christina Elizabeth Hussar, born 8 Lothron 7549 (April 24, 1996), at 8 pounds 4 ounces. His Excellency remarks, "I am looking forward to the day (still a few years down the road) when I can read her The Hobbit."
R Ms. Jackie Dana, sometime Mayor of Caras Anduinad, having been graduated from the University of Missouri with an M.A. in Irish history, is now advisor to the undergraduate sociology majors at the University of Texas, and is a founding member of the Austin Gaelic League. She maintains an extensive web site at: http://wwwvms.utexas.edu/~jdana/index.html
R The M. Hon. Sir Danny O Snow, Marquess of Meneltarma, Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal, is continuing his long theatrical career with productions of Dylan Thomas’s Under Milk Wood performed by Danny O Snow and Associates. The company appeared in various venues in 7548, and the Lord Privy Seal is currently in New York preparing for the 7549 season.
R The Rt. Hon. Sir Mitchell Raps, Viscount Erelas, Lord High Treasurer, and Ann McBride, Viscountess Erelas, entertained His Grace the Regent for dinner in Manhattan on 28 Cerveth 7549. The numerous police barricades in the neighborhood of the Treasurer’s upper-east side apartments at first suggested that news of what was supposed to be a private and unofficial visit had been leaked; investigation revealed that the officers and bomb-sniffing dogs had been called out for the protection of a certain Mr. Netanyahu, who was staying at a hotel nearby.
R Stuart Burns, to be an Esquire of the Order of Valandil, by His Grace the Regent, founder of the Order, 12 Hithui, 7548. The Rt. Hon. the Secretary of State administered the Oath of Recognition, while Dame Nancy Martsch, D.E., and Sir Eric Hadley-Ives, K.E., presented the candidate for admission to the Order.
R His Highness, the Most Noble Sir Alan Peter Goldman, Duke of Ithilien, Marquess of Emyn Arnen, Earl of Anduin, Viscount Dagorlad, Baron Eilenach, Master of Cair Andros, High Captain of the White Tower, Fellow of the Galadhrim, Prince of Gondor, Prince of Arnor, Prince of Laurelindorinan, G.C.F.A., K.B.L., F.S., Q.O.C.R., A.B., A.M., M.D., Lord Great Steward of the Kingdoms of Gondor and Arnor and Bearer of the White Rod of the King’s Faith and Her Highness the Most Noble Dame Mona Bender Goldman, Duchess of Ithilien, G.C.F.A., Representative of the Palatine Duchy of Ithilien, Colonel-in-Chief of the Duchess of Ithilien’s Own Dragoons, to be the Hon. Dr. and Mrs. Goldman, by His Highness’s act of renunciation under the terms of the Peerage Continuity and Officer’s Incapacity Act, 29 Cerveth 7549.
R The Most Noble Dame Elizabeth Ann Cain, Duchess
of Belfalas, Marchioness of Lamedon, Countess of Lamedon, Baroness Ethring,
Chatelaine of Dol Amroth, D.F.A., F.S., A.B., A.M., Ph.D., Mistress of the Robes,
Arthedain Herald, and Governor of the Central Bank, and The Most Honourable
Sir Eugene Theodore Pappas, Marquess of Mirkwood, Earl of Enedwaith, Viscount
Calenhad, Baron Calenhad, Baronet; K.F.A., K.C.E., K.B.L., F.S.; A.B.; Lord
Great Chamberlain of Gondor and Arnor, Governor-General of the Fourth Administrative
Area, Shirrif of the Shire, to continue in office as Lady President of the King’s
Councils and Lord High Chancellor and Keeper of the Great Seal, respectively,
and to serve jointly as Lady and Lord Commissioner for the Execution of the
Office of Lord Great Steward of the Kingdoms of Gondor and Arnor, all until
the Council-General of 7550, by the Council-General of 7549.
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