I Frederick P. Burckle Archbishop of the Episcopal Wesley Synod of St. Thomas-a-Becket.Canterbury. England..and Archbishop of the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul of France, following the ancient custom of the Western Churches in England, France and the Netherlands, during the Carolingian times and the Middle Ages, in accordance with Article 50 of the Council of Mayence (813A.D.) and the Canon :Laws:
Article 1: The Most Reverend Dr. F. P. Burckle, Count von Aarburg, can and will grant the hereditary or life titles of Vidame or Vadamesse with the perfix of "Right Honorable Lord or Lady" respectively, the prenomial title being Rt. Hon.
Article II: This hereditary title of nobility is trensmissible to all the ligitimate male or female descendants in the male lineage.
Article III: Thus the wife and the children of a hereditary Vidame bear legitimately the same title of Vidame or Vidamesse hereditary alone for their sons.
Article IV: the title of nobility is awarded to the desserving defenders of the Church of Christ Jesus and the Christian Religion. These persons are chosen "Motu proprio" by the Most Reverend Dr. Frederick P. Burckle, Count von Aaburg.
Article V: The title of nobility of Vidame or Vadamesse is attached to the patronymic surname.
Article VI: As Armiger, the Vidame or Vidamesse have the right to use and to bear their coat of arms the traditional coronet of Vidame: A gold circle decorated with pearls and precious stones, surmounted by crosses,
These coronents of rank did not come into use until the 16th Century.
The Lord Vidame is a direct vassal of the Lord Bishop to whom he takes the oath, by the presentation of a ring or in the case of the Order of Saint Paul a medal, given to the new officer.
To provide testimony of this Decree, I have affixed my seal as an Archbishop of the Episcopal Wesley Synod of St. Thomas a Becket Canterbury England, and the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul, registered in the city of Menen. Kingdom of Belgium. on the 31st day of July in the year of our Lord 2004.
The Most Reverend
Dr. Frederick P. Burckle Count von Aaburg.
The Episcopal "fons honorum"
Indeed, in accordance with an ancient tradition now older than a millennium the Bishop's and Archbishop's possess a real "ius honorum", which is exercisd only partly.
The "ius honorum" is the prerogative and the right of a sovereign (and/or spiritual) power, authorized by law and/or the custom to create and to grant the nobility noble titles, the knighthood, coat of arms, and the honorary decorations and distinctions of merit.
The "fons honorum" (source or fountain of honors) rests within the person, the assembly or the elected body entitled to the "potestas" or to the public powers as materialized by the politcal or spiritual sovereignty, and sometimes both.
The "fons honorum" is within a reigning or abdicated monarch (in exile) or the head of a royal houses.
Usually the latter ones don't grant nobility and noble titles, but only chivalric dynastic orders and honorary decorations. The "fons honorum" finds also it's source in an organized and instituted religion.
It is just simply confided to the supreme or local head of such Church. The Pontiffs, Bishop's etc., who are by tradition and by historical right have held in past times all the "ius homorum" and thus retain still some of it's prerogatives.
