Nice Touches - VII. Letters of Recommndation

Nice Touches - VII. Letters of Recommndation'

by Angelina Nicollette, [-[Astra Christiana Benedict]], and Bruce Draconarius of Mistholme

"Your new outfit is quite impressive," I told Lord Calderon on meeting him at Coronation. "Especially the blackwork around the collar -- that's Lady Lithie's work, isn't it?"

"Yes," he agreed, but he didn't seem happy about it. I waited a moment, and he finally burst out, "Lithia's the best embroiderer in Neodymia, and she's never gotten the Order of the Faceted Cabochon."

"Hasn't she? I thought she was admitted to that Order years ago -- "

"Everybody thinks that. But it's not so."

"Oh, Well, what are you going to do about it?"

" Me do about it? What can I do? You're the one with the Baron's ear."

"Everybody thinks that," I mimicked him, "but it's not so." He seemed unconvinced, so I added, "My recommendations carry the same weight as anybody else's, including yours. If you think she should be in the Order, tell Baron Petros. No," I amended, "Write Baron Petros. The man has a memory like a sieve."

Well that may not be quite fair to the Baron. But it's a good idea nonetheless, and not just for those who live in the Barony of Neodymia.

In Caid, non-royalty outnumbers the royalty by about 500 - 1. Now, their Majesties like a challenge as well as anyone else does, but those odds can daunt even the staunchest monarch. Their Majesties simply cannot know every Caidan intimately, to properly reward those who are deserving, they must rely on recommendations from the populace. If you are a member of the populace, it is your right to petition the Crown. If you are a Landed Baron or Baroness, a Peer, a Seneschal or other officer, it is your responsibility to recommend those members of the populace that you feel are deserving of award.

Verbal recommendations are generally not worth the paper they are written on. At any given event the Crown may receive half a dozen verbal recommendations. These come at times when the Crown may be otherwise occupied, and lmost invariably without pencil and paper to make note of what you say.

Infinitely better than verbal recommendations are written ones. These vary from quickly scrawled notes to rather lengthy letter containing several recommendations in preparation for local events. The best letters of recommendation are courteous, well thought-out, and typed or legibly written. In general, we feel that several letters, containing one recommendation each, are better than one letter containing several.

A letter has several advantages over a verbal remark. A letter makes you known to their Majesties, which never hurts. A letter gives their Majesties something tangible to hold, to file, to consult. A letter, best of all, can be passed on to their Majesties' successors if its recommendation can't be acted upon during the present reign. If it is your hope that a recommendation be acted upon at an upcoming event, be sure to give the Crown enough time to give your recommendation due consideration.

So what goes into a letter of recommendation? Begin with a courteous greeting, followed by something like, " I would like to take this opportunity to recommend to You, Your subject, Phelan le Blanc, for membership in the Order of the Faceted Cabochon." (Thus in your first sentence you have stated the whole intent of your letter.) Try to spell the name in question correctly, if possible consult the heralds to find out if that person passed a name through the College of Arms (your spelling is probably going to show up on his promissory scroll). Also include the area in which the person resides, their Majesties will probably decide to give the award at a local event.