No subject

East of the Steppes
Kingdom of Ansteorra
This the 10th of February, 2003 in the common reckoning.

Greetings unto the Crown of Ansteorra and all to whom these letters come.

It is with great pleasure that I announce the forming of the Ansteorran
Coursing Guild and the Royal Pack of Ansteorra.  Our focus will be on the
study of the Arts of the Hunt in the Middle Ages and Renaissance.  We will
also be working with the placement of retired racing hounds (fosterlings)
into suitable accommodations within the Kingdom.  It is our sincere hope
that Ansteorra will take its place amongst many Kingdoms of the Knowne World
with a strong presence of hounds upon the local fields and those of Gulf
Wars.

To further this end, we now have a web page available for making information
available to all.  This can be found at:

http://ansteorracoursing.tripod.com

The web site welcomes submissions and information concerning not just the
Hunting Arts, but those of Animal Husbandry as well.  We welcome all to
participate--and will accommodate all with interest.  This includes those
wishing to own packs, braces, leashes, or those who merely wish to be
handlers, spectators, or researchers.

To this date we have three fosterlings within the Guild:

	Chocolate Sauce is a fawn brindle ex-racer that is currently becoming
acclimated to a family who may wish to adopt her.

	Two more are due to arrive today from racing lands East.  They are both
intact females. One is a fawn and the other a black.  They will be initially
living at The Cats' Lair to make the transition from a kennel lifestyle to
that of a family home.  I will be posting their pictures to the web site
under "Fosterlings" as soon as I can snap some pictures.  If you are
interested in greyhound adoption, please contact either myself,
pat at adtelusa.com, my Ladywife/ Mistress Ronna (Steppes) at
womrn at hotmail.com, or the Society Houndsmistress/ Mistress Elizabeth Curry
(in Brad Leah) at charmchase at earthlink.net.

Below you will find the text of our Charter, which can also be found on the
web page with the Guild by-laws (parts still under construction).

May the beauty and grace of our hounds mirror the glory that is Ansteorra.

I remain, In Service unto the Crown of Ansteorra
Maestro Petruccio Alfonso Maria Cuccieri de Cataluna
Acting Guild Houndsmaster, Ansteorra Royal Pack.

*********************************
	Charter for the Ansteorran Coursing Guild

	May it be known to all to whom these letters come that by this Charter we
make our declaration before heaven to honor and exalt the Art of Coursing
within the noble Kingdom of Ansteorra.  To this we bind our Honor and
Talents to form the Ansteorran Guild of Coursing and the Royal Pack of
Ansteorra.

	In this we declare the beauty and grace of the world embodied by the
Creator in the joyful running of our hounds.  For only the hand of the Maker
could fashion the perfection of form that is a hound in flight.  With that,
no greater gift can be given unto the Crown of Ansteorra and Their Heirs
than to provide them a Pack for ceremony, pageantry,  education and the
entertainment of visiting Nobles and Their Populous.

	That our humble Guild undertakes to advance  the cause of the coursing
hound; which cause we shall strive to further by pursuing excellence in the
research, care, and demonstration of the breeds gentleness and nobility.
This will include the study of Period hunting techniques, the care and
maintenance of the medieval hound in the Noble manor, and the historical
role of the hound in the Ancient, Medieval, and Renaissance world.  In
furtherance we shall strive to place fosterlings who may come available in
those homes who have shown themselves to have the disposition, dedication,
and ability to care for retired hounds.

	With this in mind, the Guild shall be recognized  by our graceful
companions who accompany us in our travels through these the current Middle
Ages.  These shall be organized into individual packs, for those owning
three or more hounds.  Individual packs are encouraged to register Heraldic
badges for identification and livery upon the field, providing a pleasing
pageantry for the Crown and its Nobles.  To this we pledge our sacred Faith
and Honor-- unto the Crown of Ansteorra and unto our faithful charges and
companions.