Laurel Scroll

Text:

Hail! Prosperity! May the sun which delights the lotuses, the ocean

where the multitude of gems, all virtues, has its birth, the supreme

ruler of all royal races —the house of Lochleven—rule for ever the

circle of the earth, redressing the grievances of all!

The letters of the alphabet are only twenty-six, whereas the virtues

of the Kings and Queens of this House are resplendent beyond number.

How can I describe these with so little? O Mother Sarasvati! Secure

for me the help of other letters!

In the first year of his reign, this king Edward, whose enemies are

not sufficiently numerous to allow the full display of his heroism,

who is pleased to be seated together with his queen Marguerite on the

throne of heroes which is made of pure gold, asked his wisest

councilors, his preceptors of deities, by what gift does one succeed

in coming to Heaven and attaining to beatitude? O foremost of

speakers, do thou tell me of that gift which is productive of high and

inexhaustible merit.

They replied: that ruler who desires to have prosperity and who wishes

to win happiness for himself, should always make gifts of the three

peerages, with due rites, unto deserving persons. And as those who are

deserving of the recognition of the Laurel continually multiply the

ranks of the learned and the skilled, the merit that attaches to a

gift of the Laurel increases every time the scholar teaches and

provides exemplars for the benefit of the kingdom, even as a drop of

oil, falling upon water, is seen to extend on every side, and cover

the watery surface.

Indeed, they who hurl themselves into battle, fighting without any

regard for themselves to secure the benefit to their masters, even

they are unable to transcend the merit of those that make gifts of the

Laurel and the Patent of Arms. Flowers of excellent perfumes, an

excellent conch and excellent seat, an umbrella and excellent steeds

with excellent vehicles, are always ready for the person who makes

such a gift.

The King and Queen, so advised, then turned their sun-bright gaze on

the person of Irayari Vairavi, the spotless white parasol of her

blooming fame, and her mastery of courage, wisdom, love, ingenuity and

learning. With the tumultuous sounds of the war-drums, rows of bells

and bugles, kettle drums, tambourines, and conches, they made known

their gift of the Laurel.

It is known that by denying such a gift, one hurls oneself into hell

and casts ten generations of both one’s paternal and maternal lines

into the same place of misery. And the tears that would fall from the

eyes of one so denied are capable of destroying the ancestors and

descendants to the third generation of the denier. The wise heed these

warnings.

Therefore it has come to pass in the first year and xxth day of this

reign, which is Anno Societatis 45, at the Thirty-Ninth Pennsic War,

that by the inspiration of their hearts and by the advice of their

wisest councilors, Edward and Marguerite, King and Queen of the East,

who are the embodiment of the boundless joy of their subjects, do

command this edict, conferring upon their servant Irayari Vairavi the

rank of Laurel and Peer, be read aloud and borne forth on the

glittering jewels of the rows of royal diadems.

Text by Seigneur Lucien de Pontivy and Lady Aldreda de Tamwurthe

Translation into Tamil by Arvind Neelakantan

Seal created and Carved by Master Luke Knowlton, cast by Kestrel of Carolingia

Copper plates created and engraved by Master Luke Knowlton