The amaryllis flower has been registered before in SCA armory, to Susana Dunstan (February 1982, Caid). The supplied documentation shows that it was growing in European gardens during our "grey area" between 1600 and 1650, and may have been brought to Europe from the African coast as much as 200 years previously. These "grey area" references regard it as a variety of lily; even now it is referred to as "belladonna lily" in some parts of England. The visual distinctions do not appear to be significant enough to grant a CD between an amaryllis and a lily, though enough to allow the specific blazon where warranted (e.g., for a cant as is the case here). We shall henceforth regard the amaryllis as a possibly blazonable variant of lily.
Nice name!
Nice name!
There was some discussion about whether double surnames were registerable in English. The practice is rare but found on occasion. Laurel wrote in February 2002:
There hasn't yet been much research done regarding double surnames in 16th C England. But from the evidence that has been found, we can say that in cases where both names were inherited, the two surnames indicate the surnames of the child's parents. In fact, Withycombe (p. xliii) dates Robert Browne Lilly to 1593, noting that his father was John Lilly and his mother's maiden name was Browne. In a number of the instances of double surnames in the Dymock parish registers, this construction was an indication of illegitimacy. But considering the small amount of data we have at this time, it would be premature to presume that this is always the case. Indeed, the notation in Withycombe of Browne being "his mother's maiden name" would indicate that some of the time both parent's surnames were given to children born to married parents. [Benedict Saint-Jean Eldridge, 02/2004 LoAR, A-Atenveldt]
Therefore, this name should be registerable as submitted.
This name combines Greek and Arabic; such combinations are one step beyond period practice.
Nice name!
Submitted as Saerlaith the Seamstress, this name is two steps from period practice. First, it mixes English and Gaelic in the same name. Second, there is a more than 300 year gap between the 969 date for Saerlaith and the 1379 date for the earliest form of the Seamstress cited in the documentation. However, Siren found Seamestre in the OED circa 1100. We have changed this name to Saerlaith Seamestre in order to register it.
The motif of Argent, in base two bars wavy azure, overall [something] is grandfathered to the barony.
The use of a bird's toe is a single step from period practice.
This name combines an Old English given name with a Middle English byname; this is one step from period practice. Several commenters stated that there should also be a step for temporal disparity. However, Cerdic is dated to 981 in Searle, and Wlfraven to 1273 in Bardsley; this is under, although just under, 300 years.
Please instruct the submitter to draw the crosses larger, to fill the space.
This name uses a double given name with a Scots rendering of a Gaelic name. This is one step beyond period practice.
The tincture of the swan had been inadvertently left off of the Letter of Intent. Enough commentors, however, researched the device as having an argent swan (which is correct) that we are able to register this without having to pend it for research under a correct blazon.
This is clear of Evan da Collaureo, whose device is Per fess gules and sable, on a mountain of three peaks couped Or a sackbut fesswise, bell to sinister, sable and who also has a badge (Fieldless) On a mountain of three peaks couped Or a fox passant gules. In each case there is one CD for the field, and another for type and tincture of the tertiary charge. Evan is willing to grant permission to conflict but it is not necessary. (Evan, who is Wreath King of Arms at the time of this LoAR, is amused at this issue coming up during his tenure.)
His old name, Michel le Renard, is released.
Submitted as Thorkatla grafeld, the submitter requested authenticity for 900-1300 Scandinavia. Geirr Bassi, The Old Norse Name, has this name as Þorkatla grafeld. We have changed the given name to this transcription to match the submitter documentation and comply with her authenticity request.
Please instruct the submitter to draw the swords and bull's head such that all are more readily identifiable.
Her previously registered device, Gules, a pegasus rampant to sinister within a bordure argent, is retained as a badge.
Submitted as Tara of Dragonwood, this name is two steps from period practice. First, it uses the submitter's legal given name, Tara, which is a name not used as a given name in period. Such names were ruled one step beyond period practice in January, 1996. Second, it uses a name constructed as Dragon+[topographic]. Precedent states about such names
[Dragonhurst] No evidence was supplied that Dragon- was a period element in placenames. Drakehurst would be significantly more authentic. Nevertheless, a cursory search found over 30 SCA names with Dragon-"X" as locatives. Therefore Dragonhurst is SCA compatible. [Anne of Dragonhurst, 02/00, A-Middle]
Luckily, the byname can be changed so that it is constructed using period elements and following period English placename constructions. Dragon is documented as an English surname in Reaney and Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames s.n. Dragon, with Walter Dragon in 1221. By precedent:
When family names, as opposed to given names, are used in English placenames, the family name usually comes after the descriptive feature. However, Mills does have some examples of "family name+topographic", including s.n. Towersey, Turrisey, "of the Tower family, Towers' eg" 1240; s.n. Tey, Great, Merkys Tey, "Tege of the de Merck family" 1475; s.n. Leigh Bessilles Lee, " Leigh of the Bessil family" 1539. Thus, Rivermoor is not correct, because the family name is not in the genitive(possessive) case here. Reaney and Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames cite a John Riuer in 1327, so an appropriate form of a name meaing "Moor of the River family" is Riversmor(e) or Rivers Mor(e) [Rivermoor, Shire of, 05/2004, A-Trimaris]
In keeping with this precedent, we have changed this name to Tara Dragonswood.
The submitter requested authenticity for Irish language/culture. However, the given name was not used as a personal name until modern times, and the locative is constructed using standard English placename themes and patterns. Therefore, we are unable to make this name an authentic Irish name.
This was registered in August 1979 under the blazon Or, on a pile throughout gules a wolf's skull argent. A visual inspection shows that the type and posture of the skull in the original blazon is inaccurate, so we have reblazoned it here.
This was registered in August 1979 under the blazon Sable, a wolf's skull argent. A visual inspection shows that the type and posture of the skull in the original blazon is inaccurate, so we have reblazoned it here.
The submitter indicated an interest in a 10th C English name, although she did not request that the name be changed to make it authentic. No documentation was found for a 10th C form of Whitby. However, the submitter's documentation shows Agnes and de Witebi in the 12th C; Agnes de Witebi is a lovely 12th C form of this name.
This is clear of Ruaidrí Mac Aoidh, Counter-ermine, on a plate a Russian firebird displayed head to sinister gules, with one CD for cumulative changes to the tertiary charges per RfS X.4.j.i and another CD for changes to the field. This is also clear of Alison Gray of Owlwood, Per pale vert and sable, on a plate an owl affronty perched on a branch sable, with one CD for cumulative changes to the tertiary charges per RfS X.4.j.i and another CD for changes to the field. This is also clear of Anne of the Golden Mantle: Vert, on a plate a swan naiant, couped on the fess line, sable. Again there is one CD for the field; to get the second CD one can apply either RfS X.4.j.i for changes to type and posture of the tertiary charge, or RfS X.4.j.ii for substantial change in type of the tertiary charge (per the November 2003 Cover Letter discussion on birds).
This name does not conflict with Jamie Oliver, the Naked Chef. Although he holds a certain current celebrity, particularly among fans of the Food Network, few commenters even recognized the name. He is not important enough for his name to be protected.
Submitted as Jörgen von Unruh, this was an appeal of the return of this name in February 2004. At that time, the name was returned for lack of documentation of the given name and for using the locative preposition von with a descriptive byname. The submitter and the College have provided substantial documentation for Jorgen and Jörgen as a given name. Therefore, the given name is registerable.
The submitter provided modern scholarly geneological works showing a member of the Dutch Royal family bearing the name von Unruh dated to the late 16th C. As genealogy sources routinely normalize spellings, they are not suitable for documentation of SCA name submissions on their own. In this case, the form von Unruh is the form of the name of this family popularized and used since the 18th C, when it became the fashion to add von to names as a sign of good birth. There is no evidence that this is the actual form used at that time, and the etymology of the name as a descriptive byname strongly suggests that this source uses standard modern names for these people instead of forms found in contemporary records. Therefore, we have dropped the preposition and registered this name as Jörgen Unruh.
Nice name!
Please advise the submitter to draw the rhinoceros better.
This was originally registered in September 1983 with the blazon Vert, a dexter arm erased palewise embowed proper grasping a needle bendwise argent, which left it unclear as to whether the needle is co-primary with the arm.
The roundel on the armory form was, in at least one dimension, smaller than the size specified in Administrative Handbook IV.C.1.d for submission forms by more than one-half inch, which is the usual variance allowed. However, Laurel has elected to use a more generous allowance until the current revisions to the standards for forms now under way are completed, and thus this armory can be registered.
The byname, de Fairmont, is grandfathered to him. Bhalter de Fairmont is the registered name of his father.
There was some question whether the byname Incorrigible was registerable; it appears to be one of those literary, overly abstract words that had previously been ruled unregisterable:
[returning the nickname Arronious] (Aurelius the Arronious of Bikeleswade) Period nicknames tend to be straightforward and to use common words: Thynnewyt `thin [of] wit, stupid', le Wis `the wise', Badinteheved `bad in the head', le Wilfulle, le Proude `the proud', le Hardy `the courageous', le Sour, le Cursede, le Deuyle `the devil', Blaksoule `black-soul'. The learned erroneous simply doesn't belong in this company. Although the adjective in question is not a past participle, we do not consider this case to be significantly different from those of Adam the Unexpected (East, returned 2/96) and Deirdre the Distracted (Ansteorra, returned 4/94), whose bynames were returned partly for being too abstract. Similarly, erroneous is too far from the common tongue to be at all believable as a period byname. (Jaelle of Armida, LoAR October 1996, p. 8)
However, while Incorrigible is not a straightforward descriptive, it is found in its earliest definition as a descriptive of a person and his/her actions, not to ideas or things. Therefore, we will give the submitter the benefit of the doubt and register this byname.
This name combines German and French forms in the same name; this is one step from period practice.
Submitted under the name Elena Woods (which was returned in March 2004).
Submitted as Elizabeth of Anglesey, the submitter requested authenticity for 15th C English. A line from the Middle English poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, written between 1375-1400 (J.R.R. Tolkein and E.V.Gordon, editors, (http://www.hti.umich.edu/cgi/c/cme/cme-idx?type=header&idno=Gawain) mentions "þe iles of Anglesay." By the 15th C, the preposition was typically dropped from locative bynames. We have changed the name to Elizabeth Anglesay to comply with her request for authenticity.
Please advise the submitter to draw the cross somewhat smaller and the bordure wider.
Please advise the submitter to draw the flames more outward and upward, not downward.
Nice name!
This name combines Arabic and Italian in a single name. To register names combining forms from two cultures, documentation of substantial contact between two cultures must be demonstrated. Siren provides such documentation:
Arabs ruled over Sicily from the 9th to the 11th century. Goitein, p. 215 quotes a writer from 11th century Egypt who writes that in one year 10 ships came from Sicily, each carrying some 500 passengers; in what seems a normal year, some 5000 travellers went back and forth. "Sicily" here may include some points between, such as Tunisia, but the numbers are still large.
Arabs and Italians were both deeply involved in the medieval Mediterranean trade. A Muslim traveller, Ibn Jubayr, in 1184 commented on the many Muslims serving in the court at Palermo; this is over 60 years after Roger was crowned king of Sicily in 1130. (Holmes, p. 200). The discussion of Frederick II (1194-1250) says "He made the cosmopolitan culture of Sicily his own, and his court was rich in scholars of Islam, astrologers, exotic animals... (p. 223). Goitein, S.D., A Mediterrranean Society: The Jewish Communities of the World as Portrayed in the Documents of the Cairo Geniza. Vol 1: Economic Foundations. Berkeley: University of California Press. 1967. Holmes, George (ed.), The Oxford History of Medieval Europe. New York: Oxford. 1988.
Therefore, names combining Arabic and Italian are one step from period practice, but registerable. We note that names combining Arabic and Italian forms in a single name are highly unlikely. The name would have an Italian version used in an Italian context and an Arabic version used in an Arabic context.
This device conflicts with Gwenlian Catharne: Per saltire sable and azure. There is one CD for transposing the tinctures on the field but that is all. (Gwenlian's device was registered in July 2004.)
A letter of permission to conflict from Gwenlian Catharne to Laurel so this device is registered.
Please advise the submitter to draw the raven a bit larger.
Nice name!
Submitted under the name Constancia Ælfwine.
There is a more than 300 year gap between the date for Draco, 1060, and le Blanc, 1421. This is one step from period practice.
This name mixes a French given name and a German byname, which is one step from period practice.
The elements Drake and Oranwood are grandfathered to the submitter.
His previous name, Robert Drake Oranwood, and previous device, Azure, a wolf rampant and on a chief nebuly argent three trees eradicated proper is released.
This does not conflict with Aileann inghean Chathail. Ó Corrain and Maguire give the pronunciation of Aileann as "al'an " and the pronunciation of Failenn as "f{i-}-l'an". The addition of the consonant sound at the beginning of the name and the difference in the first vowel sound is enough to prevent conflict.
Please instruct the submitter to draw the field division more identifiably (with more equal sized traits). We have an example from an armorial of period Swedish devices showing a gyronny arrondi field similar to this, though standard SCA practice has appropriate lines of division issuing from the corners.
We note in Raneke's Svenska Medeltidsvapen several instances of a demi-mullet of varying numbers of points. These mullets are always exactly half of a full mullet. While most of these examples feature half-points on one or both ends, the arms of Forsa{a:}tten (vol. 2, p. 831) have a demi-"mullet of six" issuant from a per fess wavy line of division sporting three full points. Raneke's nomenclature system for this category of charge is not consistent; we have chosen to blazon the actual number of points drawn (and whether they are half-points or full points) for better clarity, though a demi-mullet of three full points would not get a CD from a demi-mullet of two full points and two half-points (to cite one example).
Listed on the LoI as Iain McWalter, the name was changed at kingdom from Iain MacBhaltair. This changed the language of the byname from Gaelic to English, a major change which the form indicated the submitter would not accept. We have changed the name back to the originally submitted form. We note that this name uses the modern Gaelic Iain, an SCA-compatible name, which is one step from period practice.
The submitter requested authenticity for Scottish culture and accepts minor changes. Because Iain is not found in period, we are unable to comply with the submitter's request for authenticity. If the submitter is interested in an entirely Scottish Gaelic name, we suggest Eoin mac Bhaltair; Sharon Krossa, "Scottish Gaelic Given Names", dates Eoin to the 14th, 15th, and 16th C. If the submitter wants an all Scots form, then we suggest Johne McWalter, Krossa, "Early 16th C Scottish Lowland Names", lists several examples of Johne, while Black, The Surnames of Scotland, s.n. Mac Walter, dates McWalter to 1526.
The tincture of the mullet is divided in such a way as to split the tincture of two of the points in half. Questions were raised in commentary about the propriety of doing so. This appears to be the period way of dividing such a mullet's tincture. Examples in Raneke's Sveriges Medeltidsvapen support this; the submission's emblazon appears to be directly modeled on Plate XXII (p.48) of Nyul{a'}azi-Straub's {O:}t {e'}vsz{a'}zad c{i'}merei (Wappen aus f{u:}nf Jahrhunderten).
Nice armory!
His previously registered device, Azure, on a cross formy throughout Or in chief an eagle displayed sable, overall two boar-spears in saltire argent, is released.
Nice name!
Submitted as Lijsbet van Hortogen bosch, this form is not a correct grammatical form for Dutch. Nebuly notes, "The issue is that it is a contracted genitive form of the obsolete kind that modern grammars don't deal with. The name literally means 'the Duke's wood.' I'll keep looking, but I haven't found an example of a byname that used the whole phrase. After all, Hieronymous Bosch didn't use the whole name, and he was from that city." However, the "Oisterwijk, Judicial Archives, inventory number 144, 1422-1423" (http://rhc.tilburg.nl/studiezaal/naderetoegangen/otw/prototw144-5.htm) shows an address formed from this placename, although it does not show the placename as the byname. Forms include van den Bosch, van tsHertogen Bosch and van tsHertogenbosch. We have changed the name to Lijsbet van tsHertogen Bosch, which is the smallest change that matches this new documentation.
Nice name!
Submitted as Mathew Undrell de Warewic, the submitter accepted only minor changes. The spelling Undrell dates to 1656. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames s.n. Undrell, dates the form Underell to 1625. We have changed the name to Mathew Underell de Warewic to make it registerable. The form of the locative de Warewic dates to 1196; combining it with the 1625 form of Underell is one step from period practice. If the submitter is interested in a late 16th/early 17th C form of this name, we suggest Mathew Underell of Warwick. Aryhanwy ferch Catmeal, "16th C Gloucestershire Names", lists Mathew, and Warwick is found in the title of a pamphlet by Thomas Churchyard printed in London in 1593: "A reuyuing of the deade by verses that foloweth vvhich makes worthy men knowen, by the examples of King Henry the eight: King Edward the sixt: Sir Walter Mildmay: the last Erle of Warwick: and Sir Christofer Hatton, lately L. Chaunceller of England. VVith a declaration of the names of all the most honourable counsellers, that haue dyed since the beginning of the Queens Maiesties raigne."
Submitted under the name Medb ingen Loingsigh.
Submitted under the name Sadaqat Salas.
Please instruct the submitter to draw the wings more or less straight out from the body.
Please advise the submitter to draw the flames more outward and upward, not downward.
Submitted as Gwir Coleshill, the submitter requested authenticity for pre-14th C Wales, wished to retain the sound and meaning of the name, and wanted a locative close to the Northen Welsh coast. The 13th C form of this given name found in Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn, "A Simple Guide to Constructing 13th Century Welsh Names," is Wir. The byname Coleshill is a header form; Mills, A Dictionary of English Place-names, gives the form Coleshulle in 1279. We have changed the name to Wir Coleshulle to partially comply with the submitter's requests. While a Welsh given name combined with an English locative would be expected for a border dweller, Coleshill, in Warwickshire near the southern border of Wales, is an unlikely locative byname for someone from the northern coast of Wales.
Submitted as Adelindis filia Gotefrid, the patronymic appears in the nominative case, meaning "Adelindis daughter Gotfrid." We have changed this to Adelindis filia Gotefridi, which puts the patronymic in the correct genitive case.
The submitter requested authenticity for 12th C. Flemish. This is a nice documentary Latin version of a 12th C. Flemish name.
The submitter has a letter of permission to conflict with Duncan Fearmac MacLeod: Barry and per pale sable and argent, chausse gules.
Nice armory!
The tincture of the bear was inadvertently left off the LoI. Fortunately, enough commentors checked this for conflict with the bear's correct tincture that we can register this without having to pend it first.
Submitted as Finndabhair inghean ui Mheadhra, no documentation was provided and none found for the name Finndabhair. The cited documentation was for Finnabair/Fionnabhair. Because the patronymic is an Early Modern Irish form, we have changed the given name to Fionnabhair, the Early Modern Irish form.
The documentation for this submission was not adequately summarized. It is not sufficient summarization of documentation to say a particular name appears in a particular source without giving any information such as the page number, header listing, dates or descriptions of relevant text. In this case, the College kindly filled in the missing information. However, had they not done this, we would have been forced to return this submission for lack of adequate documentation.
The submitter requested authenticity for 16th C Normandy. The name Magdalena is found in this form in many languages in the 16th C, including English, Italian, Flemish, German, Polish, and Hungarian. However, no documentation was submitted and none found for this particular form in Normandy. The second given name is documented as Italian or Latin, and the byname is English. While the combination of Italian/Latin and English is registerable, we are unable to make it authentic for the submitter's requested place and time.
Submitted as Rhodri ap Tewdwr Awenydd, several commenters questioned whether Awenydd, which was documented as meaning soothsayer or medium, was a claim to supernatural powers. Such claims are forbidden by RfS VI.2, which says "Society names may not claim divine descent, superhuman abilities or powers that the submitter does not actually possess." The dictionary definition of the word awenydd is simply "poet"; for example, the word is found with that meaning in the title of a book of Welsh poetry, R. S. Thomas, Y Caer Awenydd (R. S. Thomas, the Great Poet). However, a Web search shows a great number of English language sites that believe and use this word in the way defined by the submitter's documentation -- as a soothsayer, magician, or medium. As such, then, the use of Awenydd as a byname is a claim to superhuman abilities and is not registerable. We have dropped the problematic element and registered the name as Rhodri ap Tewdwr.
The submitter requested authenticity for 14th C English and accepted minor changes. As submitted, this name mixes the English form William with an otherwise Latin for of this name. A fully Latin form of this name is Williamus filius Willelmi de Wyke. However, this would require a language change (from English to Latin), and the submitter will not accept major changes.
The question was raised whether the byname Halvedievel is a violation of RfS VI.2, which says "Society names may not claim device descent, superhuman abilities or powers that the submitter does not actually possess." If we were to take the name literally (as, for example, one would in a Japanese anime), then yes, this name would be a claim to be of non-human descent. However, it is a common practice in English to call a naughty child a "little devil"; it is a common analogous nickname. Just like the naughty child, it is extremely unlikely that the nickname Halvedievel refers to the descent rather than the behaviour of the person so named. Therefore, the name is registerable.
Submitted under the name Kira Samariax.
Submitted as Connor mac Lommán, this name is two steps from period practice. First, it combines English and Gaelic in the same name. Second, it combines a post-1200 Anglicized given name with a Middle Gaelic byname; as with Old and Middle (pre-1200) and Early Modern Gaelic (post 1200), this is also one step from period practice. Ó Corrain and Maguire show Lomán as the Early Modern Irish Gaelic spelling of the patronymic. We have changed the name to Connor mac Lomáin, which puts the patronymic into the genitive case and uses the Early Modern Irish Gaelic spelling, to make the name registerable.
Originally submitted as Elizabeth Horseman, the name was changed at kingdom to Elizabeth Horsman to match period documentation. Although the header spelling Horseman is undated, it is consistent with period spelling. The OED has the spelling horseman in 1583. We have, therefore, changed the name back to the originally submitted form.
Submitted as Ellen DeLacey, the submitted documentation that contained the article had the de with a lowercase D and separated from the locative with a space. We have changed the name to Ellen de Lacey to match the submitted documentation.
Nice armory!
Submitted as Guy de peu Egypte, the submitter requested authenticity for 1420 Roma in France. Combining the byname's intended meaning of "of little Egypt" with the submitted name, we assume he wishes to be a Gypsy in France around this time. The byname de peu Egypte is not a proper descriptive for such a person. Although the words translate literally to "little Egypte", this sense of "little" is "few in number" rather than "small", which is the usual meaning of this term. Instead, the appropriate period French term appears to be du petit Egypte. Philippe Corbière has transcribed the document "Inquisitions faictes par la court ordinaire de Monestiers à la requête du procureur juridictionel (ayant entendu) sur certain exes et bateries faictes par les egipsiens estans lotgés audict Monesties lesquels auroient batus et frapés les consuls dudict lieu et faictz autres exes" (http://membres.lycos.fr/corbiera/prevote/monesties.htm), a judicial deposition of a group of Gypsies taken in Monesties in 1563. It lists a Jehan Gaspar egyptien habitant du petit Egypte, Jehan Baptista egyptien du petit Egypte, and Serge de Palma egyptien du petit Egypte. Therefore, we have changed this name to Guy du petit Egypte to match the available documentation and to partially comply with his request for authenticity.
As documented, this name combined a Spanish given name with a Scots byname. However, no documentation was included and none provided by the College for substantial contact between Scotland and Spain in period. Mara was documented as a Biblical name from a Spanish translation. The name appears in Ruth 1:20. The Wycliffe translation of the Bible into Middle English, which appeared in 1395, gives this passage as "To whiche sche seide, Clepe ye not me Noemy, that is, fair, but `clepe ye me Mara, that is, bittere; for Almyyti God hath fillid me greetli with bitternesse." Mara is, therefore, also a valid Middle English spelling for this Biblical name.
Registered as Per pale gules and sable, a pile inverted ployé throughout argent in July 2004, the device is being reblazoned at the request of the submitter. After consideration, we conclude that either blazon is as likely to reproduce the picture, so we have granted the submitter's request.
Please advise the submitter to draw fewer towers on the bordure and enhance their identifiability.
While there was concern that the drawing was overly modern and not reconstructible (both separate causes for return), the problematic element is an exact match (modulo flipping around to sinister) of the same element in the previous (returned) design, for which this is a resubmission. Those concerns were not mentioned in the previous return, so they cannot be applied to this submission as they would to a completely new submission. Please instruct the submitter to draw the hawk in a less modern and more recognizable fashion.
Originally submitted as Cynwrig ap Llywelyn, the name was changed at kingdom to Kynwrig ap Llywelyn to better comply with period Welsh naming practice. Although not noted on the LoI, the submitter had requested authenticity for 13th C Welsh language/culture, but accepted only minor changes. The documentation used for the given name, Tangwystyl ferch Morgant Glasvyn, "A Simple Guide to Constructing 13th C Welsh Names", shows Cynwrig as the modern (post 14th C) form with Kenuric and Kenneric as the 13th C forms of this name. Simply changing the K to a C does not make this name more consistent with 14th C Welsh naming practices. An examination of the names in the article shows that the modern sound represented by the letters cy is consistently written ke in the 13th C forms. In addition, the same data shows that the sound represented by wr consistently appears as ur or er in the 13th C forms, so changing the initial sound without changing the middle sound merely produces a name that is inconsistent with both 13th C Welsh and any later form of the language. Lewelyn is a 13th C form of the patronymic found in the article mentioned above. Based on this information, Kenurig ap Lewelyn or Kenerig ap Lewelyn would be authentic 13th C forms of this name. Because the 13th C form of the given name looks significantly different, we feel changing to one of these forms would be a major change. Therefore, we have changed the given name back to the originally submitted form, and we have changed the patronymic to use the 13th C form Lewelyn in order to partially comply with his request for authenticity.
Her previous device Ermine, three fir trees couped within a bordure vert is released.
Originally submitted as Jaret of Coventry, the name was changed at kingdom to Jaret Coventry, but no reason was given for dropping the preposition. The name form given + of + locative is a valid English name form. We have changed the name back to the originally submitted form.
Please advise the submitter to draw the phoenix and compass star closer to the same size.
This was originally registered in August 1976 under the blazon Per chevron vert and gules, a dexter arm embowed erased at the shoulder, fist clenched, armed argent, which (by current standards anyway) would imply the arm to be palewise (elbow to dexter). A visual inspection shows that Wilhelm's arm is fesswise (elbow pointing to base), and we are changing the blazon to reflect that.
Please advise the submitter to draw the waves of the chief more boldly.
Nice name!
This name is not a conflict with Lake Windermere, which is the largest lake in England. Although Lake Windermere is notable for its size, and is well known in England as a resort area and for the many literary figures who made their homes in villages nearby (the Lakeland poets, Beatrix Potter), it does not appear to have played any great historical role nor have a large recognition factor amongst SCA participants. Therefore, it is not important enough to protect.
The submitter requested authenticity for Irish language/culture. Unfortunately, the given name is an Old or Middle Irish name name, while the byname is Early Modern Irish. Such combinations are one step from period practice. The given name is a rare early name and not found in Early Modern Irish. According to the submitted documentation, the byname is not recorded before the 12th C. Therefore, we cannot change the name to make it temporally consistent.
The submitter has a letter of permission to conflict with Elaisse de Garrigues: Gules, on a chevron fimbriated five fleurs-de-lys Or.
Please advise the submitter to draw the chevron more steeply. We note that Elaisse's chevron would not be a bad model to follow.
His previously registered device, Quarterly embattled vert and Or, in bend two wolves salient argent and in bend sinister two Celtic crosses vert, is retained as a badge.
Nice name!
Her old name, Ceara inghean Ghallchobhair ui Chionaith, is retained as an alternate name.
Her previously registered device, Or, a dolphin vert finned and beaked and in base two bars wavy purpure, is retained as a badge.
The submitter requested authenticity for Welsh language/culture. The given name, Rhiannon, is SCA-compatible; using it in an registered name is one step from period practice. There is no evidence that Rhiannon was used as a name for humans in period. Therefore, we are unable to make this name authentic as she requested
Please instruct the submitter to provide contrasting internal detailing for the lotus flower, to improve its identifiability.
(This submission was item 14 on the Outlands LoI of November 27, 2003, and was pended on the March 2004 LoAR which was issued in June 2004.)
Nice name!
Submitted as Tama Katerina Evstokh'eva, the name Tama is not formed according to documented Russian practice. Nebuly explains:
The addition of an -a will rarely create a feminized form in Slavic languages, and more often creates a masculine diminutive of a given name, e.g. Antip/Antipa, Dorosh/Dorosha (Dorofei), Kharko/Kharka (Khariton). For each pair of names, both forms are listed as masculine by Wickenden. I was able to pull all three of these example pairs from Wickenden in less than a minute by opening to random pages, which should show evidence that this pattern is common.
Adding an -a is only a general pattern of feminization in Slavic names in certain special cases where the root name is a standard old dithematic name, like Borislav, Borimir, Svetislav, Svetimir, etc. Of the three examples presented in the LoI, only one is of this type (Rostislav/Rostislava), and is legitimately a feminization. However, since the submission uses the proposed masculine root Tam, which is not a dithematic name in Russian, such examples do not apply toward justifying this submission. They represent a different specialized case.
We have, therefore, registered this name as Katerina Evstokh'eva.
Please advise the submitter to draw the chevronels higher.
- Explicit littera accipendorum -
This device conflicts with a badge of Vargskol Halfblood: Sable, a lizard's skull fesswise argent (as reblazoned elsewhere on this LoAR). There is one CD for changing the posture of the primary charge. The other CD must come from type, and the following precedent applies:
[Returning Azure, in pale a heart distilling gouttes d'Or and a stag's skull caboshed argent within a bordure embattled Or] The device conflicts with ... Vert, a heart Or between the attires of a stag's head cabossed argent, attired, within a bordure embattled Or. There is only one CD for the tincture of the field. The gouttes, the tincture of the horns, and the difference between a stag's skull cabossed and a stag's head cabossed are insufficient for the necessary CD. [12a/93, p.16]
The body and head of a heraldic dragon is typically drawn as those of a batwinged lizard, and as we generally give no CD between a head and its skull, there is no CD for type between Vargskol's skull and this dragon's head, leaving just a single CD for the change of posture of the primary charge.
This conflicts with Kiena Munro, Vert fretty argent, a butterfly Or, and with Thomas Archer, Vert, fretty argent, a pale vert, fimbriated argent. In each case there is one CD for adding the overall charge, but this current submission is indistinguishable from Vert fretty argent so adding the overall charge is only worth one CD. By the same interpretation this also conflicts with Meredudd Brangwyn, Per saltire gules and pean, a fret argent, with the only CD for changing the field.
On the full color emblazon, the charges are orange, neither Or nor gules.
This device conflicts with Riocárd Ó Donnghaile: Per fess azure and argent, a tyger rampant counterchanged. There is one CD for the field. There is no CD for type of charge per precedent:
[Returning Sable, papelonny argent, an alphyn passant Or] Visual conflict with ... Vert a heraldic tiger passant Or mane and tuft of the tail argent. There is clearly a CD for the changes to the field, but the visual similarities of the primary charges, combined with the lack of a clear heraldic difference in period, is too strong to grant the necessary second CD. [12a/93, p.18]
To determine whether there is a CD for tincture of the charges in cases like this, a visual comparison is generally necessary. This is in keeping with our standard practice. When set palewise, skinny charges such as swords do not get a CD for tincture between per fess X and Y and per bend X and Y, whereas fat charges, such as hearts, do. Charges such as the two in question, which fall in between the obvious extremes, should be compared visually, as in the following precedent:
[Per bend Or and azure, a Celtic cross counterchanged vs Per pale azure and Or, a Celtic cross counterchanged] Visual conflict with [N]. While it is true that the line of division of both the field and the cross have been changed, in fact less than one-half of the tincture of the cross has actually been changed, and a visual comparison of the two emblazons demonstrated that in fact the only apparent change has been to the field. (Gregory of Saint Albans, 1/96 p. 23)
In the case of this submission, a visual comparison of the two devices shows that the difference in tincture between the two heraldic monsters is not sufficient for a CD. Therefore, this is a conflict.
This conflicts with Gro Torstendotter: Gules, three crescents argent. The only CD is for changing the field. (Gro's device was registered in June 2004, after this Letter of Intent came out.)
This violates RfS VIII.3, Armorial Identifiability: "Elements must be used in a design so as to preserve their individual identifiability. Identifiable elements may be rendered unidentifiable ... by being obscured by other elements of the design." In the case of this submission, the interaction of the roses and complex bordure make it impossible to tell that the bordure is actually embattled.
In order to be registerable as a heraldic title, the name of a heraldic charge must be found in period. Unfortunately, this is not the case for octofoil. The earliest date that the OED has for this term is 1844.
Although a foil of eight leaves is a period charge, the best evidence we have is that it was called a double quatrefoil in period. Leigh, The accedens of armory, in 1562 says of this charge "the double Caterfoyle ... He beareth the quaterfoyle double ... because he is the viij from the heire", while Guillim, A display of heraldrie, 1610, calls it "the Double Cater-foile." We would change the title to match this documentation, but the submitter will only accept minor changes.
The title Octofoil Herald was returned; therefore, it cannot be transferred.
This is returned for a redrawing. The "flames" that are not attached to the sword are each of a single tincture; those that are gules break the Rule of Tincture. Objects that are enflamed should have small gouts of flames emerging from, but still touching, the object at random intervals. Each flame proper should generally consist of alternating bits of Or and gules.
The title, Octofoil Herald, was returned; therefore, it cannot be transferred.
This conflicts with Grania Buchanan: Sable, on a bend between two suns Or three triquetras inverted palewise gules. There is one CD for adding the charges on the bend, but no difference for type between a sun and a mullet of eight points.
This is returned for identifiability and lack of documentation of the yak tails. The charges on the chief were not identifiable as yak tails; in addition there are no currently registered examples of yak tails, and the only prior registration of the charge (since released) was registered with a note to draw them more recognizable as yak tails. This should be redrawn so the yak tails recognizably match a documented form, and the documentation should be supplied.
This device conflicts with the device of Morgan Morfydd (October 1982): Pean, a phoenix displayed gules, issuant from flames, maintaining in its beak a dexter hand couped proper. The field difference is clear, but the tincture of flames proper on the pean field are primarily Or, so less than half of the tincture of the charge has been changed or only about a quarter of the whole charge.
This name does not follow a demonstrated placename pattern for Old Norse. In addition, it uses the mistranscribed stadir in place of the correct transcription from Old Norse, staðir. Although the name was submitted using the deuterotheme stadir, we have substituted the corrected form in the discussion below. The name Reistarástaðir is formed using the pattern "rivername+stead". The submitter notes Reistara, meaning "twisted river." She compares the construction to the farm name Holtstaðir, which is conjectured to mean "wooded farmstead." However, the protheme Holt(i) has two possible derivations: one is as a topographic, Holt, the other is as a given name, Holti. In this case, this particular farm name derives from the given name Holti as demonstrated by the line from the Landnamabok where the farm is mentioned: "Holti hét maður, er nam Langadal ofan frá Móbergi og bjó á Holtastöðum/There was a man named Holti, who settled Langdale out from Moberg, and dwelt at Holti'sstead." An analysis of the ninety-five farm names in the Landnamabok using the deuterotheme -staðir shows seventy-one are derived from the given name of the owner, twelve are derived from the owner's descriptive byname, and nine are called Breiðabólstað(ir) (broad cultivated stead). The remaining three are Blessatðir, named after a famous horse; H{o,}fstaðir, "temple stead", and Orrastaðir, "battle stead." This analysis would support Reistarástaðir if the descriptive element Reistar was found as a descriptive byname. However, the College of Arms has been unable to locate it so used.
This name uses a feminine given name with a masculine Gaelic patronymic. In Gaelic, the patronymic particle must match the gender of the given name. We would change the particle to inghean, but the submitter will not accept major changes. While conceptually the change from mac "son of" to inghean"daughter of" is minor, it significantly changes the sound and appearance of the name, which is the hallmark of a major change. If the submitter is interested in a Scottish version of Davidson, we suggest Davidson. Black, Surnames of Scotland s.n. Davidson, shows this spelling in 1426.
None.
The badge conflicts with William of Hoghton: Sable, two towers joined by a bridge Or. There is one CD for adding the annulets. There is not a CD for type between a bridge and two towers joined by a bridge; many period and SCA depictions of bridges show two towers joined by some sort of crosspiece, often arched.
This name does not follow a pattern of period order names. Several arguments were presented that this name should be a single step from period practice:
There are orders named after people who are not saints. There is, in fact, one unambiguous example of this: the Order of Maria-Eleanora founded in 1632 and founded by Maria-Eleanor, the wife of Gustavus Adolphus. There is a second potential Order named after a non-saint -- the order which may be called Ordine Piano, the Pian Knights, or the Knights of Pius. This Order was founded by Papal Bull in 1559 by Pius IV. However, several things about this Order are unclear. First, it is unclear whether this Order was named for its founder, Pius IV or for Saint Pius I, whose name was adopted by this pope, or wheter it just uses the word "Pius" or "Pii" (meaning pious) in the Order name. In fact, the original name of the Order is unclear. Neville, Early Orders of Knighthood and Chivalry suggests "Order of Pius" (Ordine Piano), while other sources suggest "Devout Knights" might be a better translation. Even if we assume that Pius is used as a given name, two Order names, one of which is in the gray area, suggest, at best, that Orders named after the person who created the Order might follow a legitimate pattern, although rare enough to be a step from period practice. However, it is not enough to suggest that naming an Order after an admired third party is a pattern found in period Order naming practice.
That there are Order names of the form <given>+<byname>. Examples included Saint Thomas of Canterbury and Saint John Lateran. However, this uses syntax while ignoring semantics. When a Saint's name is used with a second name in period, it is because this is the usual way of identifying this particular saint. Thus, semantically a name form this is still Order of Saint's name, even if sytanctically it is "Order of <given>+<byname>. Therefore, this does not really support order names using secular people's names.
Some period Orders that use Saint's names without the word Saint. Four examples are given: Orders using the name of the Virgin Mary, Orders using the name Jesus, the Order of Madelaine, and the Order of Catherine of Mount Sinai. Neville gives the name of the Order of Madelaine as The Order of St. Mary Magadlen. I strongly suspect that the lack of "saint" in the Order of Catherine of Mount Sinai is an errata in Neville, as all examples of this Order name I have found outside of Neville show it as Order of Saint Catherine of Mount Sinai. While Orders dedicated to Jesus and Mary do not use the word "saint", the still follow the semantic pattern [Order of "holy name"]. In Christian literature, Jesus is never referred to as a Saint Jesus, and Mary is a special case from which we cannot draw a conclusion that could be applied to other saints. We are unwilling to extrapolate a pattern from these two name.
Religious style order names are offensive to many people. This is true. However, this is an argument against registering saint's name, not an argument for opening order names to patterns that the available data does not support.
The kingdom stated that the Order of William would be acceptable if the Order of William Marshal was not acceptable. This name would have the benefit of the doubt that it follows the two possible examples of Orders named after regular people. However, in this form the name conflict with the Military Order of William, the highest award for bravery in the Netherlands. The phrase Military Order in this Order name is the designator and is, therefore, transparent for purposes of conflict.
The primary charge is not readily identifiable; it is somewhere between a generic fish, a heraldic dolphin and a natural seahorse. This therefore violates RfS VII.7.a which says that "Elements must be recognizable solely from their appearance." This is in itself cause for return.
The field also has issues. To quote Black Stag: "[T]he ermine spots on the ermine field should be palewise, not bendwise. There are many ermine fields in Maister Iago's extensive handout from his An Tir Kingdom Heraldic Symposium 2002 class, 'May the Furs be With You.' Without exception, the ermine fields in the handout show the ermine spots palewise." While the diagonal orientation is not in itself cause for return, it is a definite step from period style.
As drawn, this violates RfS VIII.3, Armorial Identifiability, which states in part: "Identifiable elements may be rendered unidentifiable by ... being obscured by other elements of the design." The way the cloak is draped, combined with the fact that the cloak and body are the same tincture, obscures the identifiability of the body too much. Also, the maintained snake is not readily identifiable as such due to its position relative to the woman and cloak.
We suggest that, on a possible redraw, identifiability would be enhanced by: draping the cloak differently; making the cloak a different tincture than the person wearing it; and making both ends of the snake visible. Making these changes cannot guarantee registerability, for that would depend on the specific drawing submitted as well as re-checking for conflict; but they will greatly improve the resubmission's chances.
(This submission was item 24 on Drachenwald's LoI of September 25, 2003 and had been pended on the March 2004 LoAR, issued in June 2004.)
Aural conflict with Anna de Byxe. Byxe is pronounced "Beks", making the two names too close in sound.
This is being returned for redrawing. The dandelion blossom was not recognizable as such, nor could it be easily identified as another type of charge. RfS VII.7.a states that "Elements must be recognizable solely from their appearance."
The submitter argued that the byname was plausible as an unmarked patronymic contemporary with the given name, which Withycombe dated to 1199 and 1346. However, none of the dated forms of the patronymic from her period retained the "Æ", meaning that Ælfwine must be an Old English form. Name phrases must be consistent with the grammar and practice of a single language/culture. There is no evidence that unmarked patronymics were used in Old English. As the submitter will not accept changes, we can neither add the patronymic marker to the byname, nor can we change it to an appropriate Middle English unmarked patronymic.
If the submitter is interested in keeping the Old English Ælfwine, then we suggest Constancia Ælfdwinesdohter. If she is interested in a fully Latin form of this name name, we suggest Constancia filia Ailfwini, Reaney and Wilson, s.n. Alwyn, list a Robertus filius Ailfwini in 1214.
Her armory was registered under the holding name Constancia of Owl's Rest.
This conflicts with Liudmila Vladimirova doch', registered April 2004: Per pale Or and gules, a sun in splendour counterchanged. There are no CDs between the two pieces of armory. This also conflicts with Ajax Thermopylokles: Per pale Or and gules, a Gorgon's head cabossed counterchanged. Liudmila's armory was originally returned for conflict with Ajax, and registered on the second try with permission to conflict. Liudmila's original return (September 2002) is relevant here, and we excerpt it here:
The particular stylization of the gorgon's head in Ajax' armory leads it to be visually very similar to a sun in splendor. The snakes are evenly arrayed radially about the gorgon's face, rather than just issuant from the top of the head as one might expect of a gorgon with snakes for hair. The gorgon's face is also very stylized, more like a mask than a face. Thus the face resembles the disk of a sun more than one might expect of a standard woman's face. Overall the visual similarity is so overwhelming that we have no choice but to call conflict under RfS X.5. In ordinary circumstances we would expect there to be X.2 difference between a variant of a human head and a sun.
The lack of a face here reduces the similarity, but the particular stylization of Ajax's design does not allow for X.2 to apply. While there may be a CD between them, that would still be only one CD. We decline to rule on whether a CD actually exists in this case.
The device conflicts with a badge of Moriel Arenvaldsdochter of Raven's Fort: Per pale sable and vert, a maunch Or. There is one CD for the field. The flame, however, gives the overwhelming appearance of being maintained by the hand. Its separation from the hand is minimal, and the fact that the flame is drawn as disjoint tongues adds to the impression of maintenance.
In addition, the hand is depicted edge on, which has been cause for return in the past:
[Gules, a dextrochere Or semy of hearts gules, the hand cupped proper maintaining a plate] ... the hand was depicted edge on. This has been disallowed for arms (see the April 2000 LoAR, p. 18), and the standard references do not show this position for dextrocheres either. [Diana of Llanberis, 01/01, R-Outlands]
[(Fieldless) A cubit arm fesswise reversed palm to chief argent sustaining flames Or] The cupped hand is neither a documented nor a recognizable position. Furthermore, the cubit arm is neither fesswise, nor particularly bendwise sinister, and therefore cannot be accurately blazoned. [Katrine Eberly, 04/00, R-Artemisia]
Various reference sources give rather different definitions for the term "dextochere," many of them not involving maunches at all. Therefore we will refrain from using the term in SCA blazon, as there is an alternate blazon which accurately describes the charge.
Blazoned on the LoI as Per chevron ployé throughout Or and sable, an alquerques board Or and in chief two flowers gules slipped and leaved vert, we have reblazoned it to reflect the unmistakable impression of three co-primary charges.
Under this interpretation, the device conflicts with Sine Ealasaid Leanora Kyntire: Per chevron Or and sable, two roses gules, barbed and seeded proper, and a cup Or. The only CD is for changing the type of the basemost charge from a cup to an alquerques board.
There is no difference for slipping and leaving the roses: "there is no CD for removing the slipping of a rose-like flower." (September 2000 LoAR) There is no difference for making the per chevron line ployé, much as there is no difference for making the charge of a chevron ployé: "[a chevron ployé vs. a chevron] Conflict ... there is only a single CD for the type of the secondary charges. [implying no CD for ployé vs. plain]" [Adriana Kavanaugh, 04/00, R-Atenveldt] (Thanks to Black Stag for saving us time by supplying these precedents.)
Conflict with the registered name Kolfinna in kyrra, registered August 2003 in Caid.
There are two issues with the identifiability of the charges on this device. Firstly, the proportion of each triangle is rather tall and thin when compared to the usual heraldic triangle. The heraldic triangle is normally depicted as equilateral which would prevent eight to be arranged in this manner. Secondly, the assemblage might be seen as some sort of a flower rather than a group of distinct conjoined charges.
This submission is therefore returned for violating RfS VII.7.b, which states, "Elements must be reconstructible in a recognizable form from a competent blazon."
This violates RfS VII.7.a, which states in part: "Elements must be recognizable solely from their appearance." As drawn, the feather was not identifiable as such. It may be possible that a redrawn feather in this position might be identifiable, but it may also be the case that there is intrinsic unidentifiability of the position. Making the feather bendwise or bendwise sinister (and concomitantly larger) would solve this problem if drawn in an identifiable manner.
The device conflicts with Elvira the Invisible: Per chevron Or and vert, in chief three trefoils in fess and in base in saltire a viol surmounted by a bow, all counterchanged. There is one CD for changing the number of primary charges from four (or five) to three, but nothing for changing the type of the charge(s) in base since they constitute less than half of the charge group, and the already registered armory has more than three charges in the group.
It was suggested in commentary that since the submission has only three charges in the group, there could be a separate CD for changing the type of the bottommost of three charges two and one. However, the following precedent is directly applicable:
In addition, it should be recalled that the SCA protects REGISTERED armory. Because of this, the SCA considers changes to have been made from the registered armory to the armory currently under submission, and has interpreted the Rules for Submission in the manner that gives the greatest protection to the registered armory, and allows the fewest possible differences for a change to armory. This implies a certain lack of symmetry to the ruling, because the interpretation of a change from "registered" to "considered" does not necessarily match the change from "considered" to "registered". [Siridean MacLachlan, 12/03, R-Calontir]
Thus in this instance, we count the change in type first, not worth a CD, and then the change in number, giving us a total of only one CD.
Conflict with the registered name Meadhbh ni Loingsigh, registered August 1995. Meadhbh is an Early Modern Irish Gaelic form of Medb and both names have the same pronunciation. According to the Cover Letter of April 2004, the particle inghean or ingen conflicts with the particle ni, because the pronunciation is nearly identical.
Her armory was registered under the holding name Medb of Rusted Woodlands.
The combination of the unusual posture and unusual arrangement of the frogs renders the design unidentifiable.
This name is two steps from period practice. First, it mixes Arabic and Spanish in the same name, which is one step from period practice. While we know that combinations of names from the two naming pools occurred, the names were rendered in forms appropriate for one or the other language. Second, there is a more than 300 year gap between the 10th C date for Sadaqat or Sadaqah and the 15th C date for Salas.
If the submitter wishes to resubmit, we note that the given name Sadaqat is from an outdated article on Arab names. This problem has been reason for return:
Semeeah was documented from Da'ud ibn Auda's article "Arabic Women's Names" (http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/daud/arabicwomen.html). However, this article has been superceded by Da'ud's article "Period Arabic Names and Naming Practices" (http://www.sca.org/heraldry/laurel/names/arabic-naming2.htm). There are some names that appear in the "Arabic Women's Names" article that do not appear in the newer "Period Arabic Names and Naming Practices". Da'ud explained that these are names which he "was not able to find [...] again, and thus I cannot cite a source for them or vouch for their accuracy." As a result, we do not have evidence of Semeeah as an Arabic name during our period. Lacking such evidence, this name must be returned. [Semeeah bint Qadir al-Aqsur, 02/2004 LoAR, R-Atlantia]
The newer version of the article has dropped names that cannot be documented to period, and this name does not appear in the new article. Sadaqah is the form of this name that appears in the new article.
His/Her armory was registered under the holding name Michael of Carillion.
This conflicts with the naval ensign of Japan: Gyronny of thirty-two gules and argent, a torteau. There is one CD for the number of roundels. There is no difference for the number of divisions of a gyronny field, nor is there any CD for adding four white and three red roundels, and the change of arrangement is subsumed under the change of number. To quote Crescent: "Generally there is no difference for the number of division in a gyronny field, though there may be in this case (for 8 vs. 32). If not, there is a single CD for adding seven roundels."
Conflict with the city of Saint Augustine, Florida. This place is the first European settlement in the New World, and its longest continually occupied European settlement. This place is instantly recognizable by most people in the United States. We would drop the Saint and register this name as Augustine College, but the group will not accept major changes.
St is a scribal abbreviation for Saint. If there were no conflicts with this name, expansion of the abbreviation would still be necessary to make the name registerable.
As the branch's name is being returned and we cannot form holding names for groups, the device must be returned also. Please advise the group to draw the laurel wreath with a smaller gap at the top on a resubmission.
The wolves on the emblazon are an exact match for those in the following return:
The wolves are not clearly postured. They are in some posture between salient, courant and passant. Salient is a heraldically distinct posture from courant and passant. This submission must therefore be returned for violating RfS VII.7.b, which states, "Elements must be reconstructible in a recognizable form from a competent blazon." [Nov 2003, Ret-Meridies, Rúnólfr orðlokarr Úlfsson]
This submission likewise violates RfS VII.7.b and thus is returned for that reason.
Additionally, Crescent notes a conflict with Cuán MacDaige: Checky azure and Or, three mastiffs courant in annulo argent each gorged of a coronet gules. There is a CD for changes to the field but nothing for the type of canine and nothing for gorging an entire beast (as opposed to a beast's head).
The name means "ruler/mistress of Samarina." While Kira is a given name, it is also a word meaning "ruler/mistress." Its combination with a placename implies that the bearer is the ruler of that place. RfS VI.1 says:
Names containing titles, territorial claims, or allusions to rank are considered presumptuous. Titles like Earl and Duke generally may not be used as Society names, even if the title is the submitters legal name. Names documented to have been used in period may be used, even if they were derived from titles, provided there is no suggestion of territorial claim or explicit assertion of rank. For example, Regina the Laundress is acceptable but Regina of Germany is not.
Her device is registered under the holding name, Carolyn of An Dun Theine.
The device conflicts with Peregrine the Wanderer: Azure, a compass star argent and on a chief Or a feather vert. There is one CD for cumulative changes to the tertiary charge group (on the chief), but none for type of the primary charge:
There is no type difference between the compass stars and the mullets of six points. Because of the unusual (and non-period) design of compass stars, with their four greater and four lesser points, they are considered as variants of both mullets of four points and mullets of eight points. There is no type difference between mullets of six points and mullets of eight points and, hence, no difference between mullets of six points and compass stars. [Brian Sigfridsson von Niedersachsen, 07/03, R-Atenveldt]
The somewhat odd drawing of these mullets (they look like mullets of eight points missing two points) further contributes to the visual confusion between them and compass stars.
On the full-size emblazon, the waves of the wavy pall are much too small and too numerous, which hinders identifiability. This is in itself cause for return. On the miniature emblazon there are fewer cycles (about half as many), so it was impossible for commentors to comment on this. Such discrepancies between the mini and the full-size emblazons are also independent cause for return per Administrative Handbook V.B.2.e, Miniature Emblazon: "An accurate representation of each piece of submitted armory shall be included on the letter of intent." In this case, the miniature is not a sufficiently accurate representation of the full-size emblazon.
No documentation was provided and none found for the name or name element Kiho-. We would have dropped this element, but the submitter will not accept major changes. In addition, it is not clear where the submitter found the õ character used in this submission. The documentation for the yobina, p 198 of Solveig Throndaradottir, Name Construction in Medieval Japan, shows the elements used to construct this name as Hiko- and -jirou. Both parts of the name are found around 1600.
Several commentors cited the precedent of February 2002 forbidding the element "no" on written Japanese names. This precedent has been partially overturned:
Given that no is included in furigana glosses in classical texts, though not in the original texts (and so it is not appropriate for those submitters desiring authenticity), no can be viewed as a modern transliteration standard. As such, it is registerable, so long as it is not used in a construction that could be viewed as presumptous. [Fujiwara no Aoi, 05/02, A-East]
The primary charges and the tertiary charges both violate RfS VIII.3, Armorial Identifiability: "Identifiable elements may be rendered unidentifiable by ... being obscured by other elements of the design." As drawn, the ram's horns and the fleur-de-lys interfere with each other such that the identifiability of both is compromised. (Their placement on a complex field doesn't help either.) Likewise the inversion of the center cup makes one look at least twice to confirm the identity of the charges on the chief.
None.
This conflicts with Heinrich von Stuttgart: Per bend azure and checky Or and azure, a cross of four lozenges Or. There is one CD for changing the field, but nothing for placement of the charges on the field since the move of Heinrich's charge(s) is forced by the field. Neither is there a CD for the minor change in arrangement of the lozenges:
[Four fleurs-de-lys conjoined in cross bases to center] Conflict with Katlin von Kappel, Per saltire sable and gules, four fleurs-de-lys bases to center Or. There is one CD for fieldlessness. The four fleurs-de-lys in Katlin's device are placed by default into the four sections of the per saltire field, which arranges the fleurs-de-lys in cross. The two groups of fleurs-de-lys are arranged identically except for the conjoining. We do not give difference for conjoining the charges, although it is necessary to specify the conjoining in the blazon. [Otelia d'Alsace, 08/02, R-Æthelmearc]
The same interpretation applies to lozenges as it does to fleurs-de-lys. Black Stag notes that a different result might be obtained if documentation had been supplied showing a cross of four lozenges as having an independent identity in period armory from four lozenges in cross, but none was supplied, and it does not appear to have had such an independent identity in period. Thus the small difference in the arrangement is not significant.
- Explicit littera renuntiationum -
- Explicit -
Created at 2005-03-03T22:16:15