Richard Clitherow’s Pelican

Award: Order of the Pelican

Recipient: Master Richard Clitherow of Marcaster

Kingdom: Trimaris

Inspiration Source: Tres Petites Heures d’Anne de Bretagne

Time: 40-ish hours

Text: Written by Master Octavio de Flores

Receive these words of Lorcan and Grainne, newly crowned King and Queen of Trimaris and Cry these tidings known throughout the land:

Upon Our celebration of the founding of the Kingdom of Trimaris twenty-five years ago, it gives us great pleasure to acknowledge a Gentleman of our Realm, Richard Clitherow.

He Stands with Humility, Leads with Service, Defies Tyranny with a Smile, and Challenges Complacency with Courage. His Worth is beyond measure and His Integrity is beyond Question.

And So it Our Right and Privilege to accept the many recommendations proffered, affirming the will of the people of Trimaris, and Grant him this day a Patent of Arms as a member of the Order of the Pelican. Witness Our hand and Seal on this 4th day of September, a.s. XLV

Lorcan, King

Grainne, Queen

About this piece: Richard is a wonderful gentleman and I very much agonized over something that would suit him just so. His colors are blue and gold so I  started by searching for something that heavily used those colors. I came across the Tres Petites Heures d’Anne de Bretagne which is a tiny volume of lovely and understated illumination that seemed just right for this project.

The miniatures were changed entirely and only the blue border with gold acanthus leaves and the gold boarder with architecture are derived from the original page. The major illumination of a bridge hung with pennants is taken from Master Richard’s favorite poem, The Bridge Builder. The bridge is hung with pennants that include the arms of Don Alain, Richard Clitherow and Mistress Columella. A Pelican in its piety has been included in the gold architectural border and several triskeles were incorporated into the design.

Special thanks to Mistress Finneadan who added some of her immense drawing skill to this task. What she does in moments can often take me several agonizing hours. Finneadan created the base drawing for the bridge miniature based on some designs I sketched on scrap paper.

About the Original: Anne of Brittany was Duchess of Brittany and was Queen to two successive French Kings, Charles VIII and Louis XII. Anne was one of the richest women in Europe and commissioned many fine manuscripts for herself and for her children.

• Les Grandes Heures d'Anne de Bretagne: Executed by Jean Bourdichon between 1503 and 1508.
• Petites heures d'Anne de Bretagne: Executed by Jean Poyer 
• Tres Petites Heures d’Anne de Bretagne: Executed by the Master of the Très Petites Heures d'Anne de Bretagne
• Prayer Book of Anne of Brittany: Executed by Jean Poyer  and commisssioned by Anne Of Brittany to teach her son Charles Orlando, Dauphin of France, his catechism. The child died of measles around the time the book was completed.
• The Prayer Book of Claude de France: Executed by Master of Claude de France.
• The Gradual of Louis XII and Anne of Brittany