Eastmarch

3 Las Palomas

Orinda, CA 94568

16 June XI (1976)

Karina of the Far West, Laurel Queen of Arms

to the Heralds of the Four Kingdoms,

Greetings.

Before starting the list of acceptances and rejections, I would like to explain a little of the history and function of the College of Arms to the newer heralds.

In the first year of the SCA, fighters put whatever they liked on their shields, and members who knew a little heraldry advised them after the fact. Need I say that this didn't work very well?

The first members of the College of Arms were Harold of Breakstone, Laurel King of Arms; Randall of Hightower, Clarion Herald; Karina of the Far West, Banner Pursuivant; and Hugh ap Llewellyn, Green Cloak Pursuivant. Dorothea of Paraval (now Caer-Myrddin) was our recorder and Johanna von Griffenhurst our artist.

As outlying branches were added, so were local heralds and pursuivants; but every submission was discussed and acted on by the above-named.

The burden of work was beyond the capacity of this group of officers, and in March V (1971) the offices of the four Kingdom Heralds were separated from it, with the intention that they should screen out the obviously unacceptable applications: names of famous persons; devices too close to SCA or real-world arms already existing; out of period charges; and so on. They were also to check submissions of other Kingdoms within thirty days of submission. Lord Brigantia has been most punctilious about this.

Most of the applications here rejected should have never reached my office.

Each Kingdom Herald, should, ideally, own copies of Papworth's Ordinary, the Oxford English Dictionary, and a good edition, such as the 11th (1910) of the Encyclopedia Britannica. He should certainly be able to consult them in a library. If an application contains something the herald cannot readily check, he should ask the applicant to provide documentation.

Master Harold of Breakstone, O.L., Laurel Emeritus, now holds the long-vacant office of Clarion King of Arms. Decisions on the following acceptances and rejections were made after consultation with the Lord Clarion, and represent our joint conclusions.

Heralds of the all Kingdoms should pay careful heed to the notes, whether for their Kingdom or others, as they contain statements of policy both old and new. A compendium of such statements is being made, but I don't know how long it will take.

WEST

Aaron Elvenspeed. Per pale vert and Or, two dragons serpentine combattant counterchanged.

His own design--age ten! Never too young... This dragon is also found in the arms of Duchess Marynel of Darkhaven, and is so blazoned on her original application.

ART WORK HERE ART WORK HERE

A. Salient (Marynel) B. Combattant, 1 of 2 (Aaron)

Bela of Eastmarch. Badge for Free Company of Mariners. Gyronny sable and argent, a dragon rampant gules, armed and webbed vert.

Note: "Webbed" refers to the webs between the toes.

Colin of Duntamknackan. Gyronny gules and argent, a merman, bow in dexter and arrow in sinister hand, tail raised to sinister, counterchanged.

We are checking a possible error in the badge.

Daniel the Silent. Per chevron gules and Or, three descrescents with flames issuant from the upper cusp of each, counterchanged.

Handsome and striking.

Edward of Stonehaven. Gules, a bend ermine, overall an hourglass proper sanded Or; a bordure engrailed Or.

Reblazon as requested by Lord Vesper for greater accuracy. Bordure not invected as Lord Vesper said.

Edwin of Svart Elder. Sable, on a saltire argent two swords Or hilted and enflamed sable.

Black fire? O well . . . .

Eoin macChlurain of Northmarch. Per pale sable and argent, two sea-horses couped behind the forefin and conjoined, a mullet above the head of each, all counterchanged; upon the line of division a sword inverted of the field, fimbriated counterchanged.

Simpler than it sounds.

Fiona MacGregor.[in pen, "alt to Conegorovna" ?sp] Azure, a lion couchant, its head a sun in splendor, Or.

Good!

Fritha. Vert, between two catamounts sejant rampant guardant Or, as many gules.

A new position. ARTWORK HERE

Gabrielle nicChlurain. Argent, in saltire two pussywillow (Salix cinerea) branches proper within a bordure counter-ermine.

Galina de Kari. [in pen, "alt to Keri" ?sp] Sable a cat's ear lily (Calochortus tolmiei) eradicated proper, within an annulus enflamed of many colors.

A delicate and lovely Wester wildflower, related to the mariposa lilies. Flower is light bluish lavender. ART WORK HERE

Gilbert of the Glens. Azure, an eagle displayed grasping a sun in both claws, Or.

Very striking.

Hal Ravn. Badge for House Ravnsgaard. The letters M and X, the latter with a bar above it; or the Roman numerals for nine thousand.

One of the first badges ever registered. First accepted 2 December 1970, but inadvertently omitted from later lists.

Hedgia du Loup. Gules, a bend sinister between a wolf counter-courant and a long-tailed bat displayed, all sable fimbriated Or.

Jacinth [of the Lion's Gate] ALTER SURNAME. Vert, a fess bretessee counter-ermine, overall a cross of St. Anthony Or.

Handsome. The name of a branch should not be used as a surname, as it could not be used with the title of (Court) Baron or Baroness.

Josette de Chanteeler. Per pale gules and sable, a cock crowing Or, on a chief argent three goblets Or fimbriated sable.

Ka:the von Munchausen, badge for Draco Ridiculus. Gules, between six piles, four in chief and two in base, a rustic rampant vested proper.

Also: "within a dragon's mouth, a george, all proper".

Kathleen the Forgetful. (Alteration). Argent, a turtle statant contournee vert.

Altered to avoid conflict with Frederic of Feolildwyn.

Kenneth the Unknown. Argent, three pallets couped gules; overall a narwhal (Monodon monoceros) embowed proper.

Koryu- (change of name from Valgar Dracomnus). Sable a crescent debruised in pale with a Ken blade. (Registered 2/75) without tinctures as badge.)

Handsome. A Ken is an ancient Chinese sword used in mon rather than a katana. ART WORK HERE

Koryu-. Badge. Sable, three chevronels vert fimbriated argent. (Registered 2/75 as device.)

Leila (Bjornberg). Sable, a Bowen knot in cross fretted Or.

Very nice when neatly done. We will use the mundane surname until an SCA one is chosen. ART WORK HERE

Loran Redbow. Azure, three fire-arrows bend sinisterwise in bend argent, enflamed proper.

Can he alter name to avoid confusion with 20th-century LORAN? Medieval forms of Lawrence include Laurent (Fr.), Lavrans (Nor.), Lorenzo (It., Sp.), Lorenz (Ger.), Laurentius (Lat.).

Michael the Black. Badge for House Houghton. Or, between two wings displayed sable a hammer argent, all conjoined by a crescent inverted vert.

Note: House Houghton is not connected with William of Hoghton.

Motley, Order of (An Tir). Badge: Vert, the letters X, L, C, two and one, Or.

They want a banner with a strange badge. Letters of the alphabet are permitted on badges. Motley is a chartered entertainers' association in Madrone.

Patrick of Innisfree. Vert, a sun Or charged with a dexter hand couped at the wrist vert.

Handsome. The sun is not "in splendor", as submitted, since it lacks features.

Ragnar Ulfblod. Or guttee de sang, a wolf's head erased sable.

Tincture altered, with applicant's consent, to avoid conflict with Ellick [Pap. 912].

Robert Godwin of Markmeer. Gules, a gauntlet sable, fimbriated argent, holding a cross argent and a book sable, fimbriated argent.

The Church Militant, I presume?

Roland of Falcondale. Argent, a falcon displayed sable, its wings encirciling an estoile gules; a border engrailed sable.

Ruatha Anne. Purpure, a harpy between four roundels argent.

Striking.

Sean Gealt. Argent, a saltire azure voiced, overall a chough, wings elevated, proper.

Nice. The chough is heraldically defined and genus and species can be omitted. It resembles a crow but has red beak and feet.

Stephen von Behrend. (Alteration). Azure, a lightning bolt bendwise argent between in chief a star of eight rays and in base a dagger inverted Or.

The field was previously gules.

Thomas the Merciless. Argent gutte de sang, a dexter hand couped at the wrist vert; a bordure sable.

Note: Sir Thomas is the brother of Patrick of Innisfree; hence their common use of one charge.

Timothy Montgomery. Argent, in saltire two swords enflamed proper.

Una of Shannon. Vert, a tripled-headed unicorn counterpassant Or.

Valency Quicksilver. Sable guttee d'eau, an apple tree eradicated argent, fructed of live apples vert.

Wilowen of Stuarts. Sable, within an orle a Bengal tiger passant upon a Lochaber axe all argent, the tiger striped sable.

EAST

Ferderic of Feolildwyn. (Alteration of blazon). Or, a tortoise passant vert, charged upon the shell with a fret Or.

Blazon altered from Or, a tortoise tergiant in fess proper charged on the shell with a fret or. It now corresponds with the emblazon.

Salamander Pursuivant. Badge: A salamander tergiant in pale.

May be used as a seal, but not on garments. A herald wears the crossed trumpets, and may wear the arms of the King, Prince or Baron whose voice he is, but no arms or badge of his own.

ATENVELDT

Conroy der Rote. Gules, on a sun argent, a falcon's leg couped a-la-quise proper.

Not a sun in glory. Query: shouldn't a fourth claw be visible? Note: a-la-quise (i.e. a la cusse, "with the thigh") means that the entire leg is shown.

Echegaray of Shadow Valley.

Should add given name: Echegaray is a surname. Eche- means "house".

Echegaray of Shadow Valley. Argent, a sun gules charged with a lion's head cabossed.

Striking. Note: not affrontee erased; the mane covers the neck.

Fenwick of Gloster. Vert, a water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) passant proper.

Nice and simple. Should add a first name: Fenwick is a place name.

John the Bearkiller. Gules, a sword argent hilted bendy sinister sable and Or; overall a bear's head sinister facing erased, eyes closed, proper, langued sable.

John Shark the Wanderer.

Surname "Halfelven" REJECTED without proof of parentage.

John Shark the Wanderer. Azure, a shark's tooth point downward proper.

Note: there is no default position, as tooth could be from upper or lower jaw.

Jonathan the Younger. Per pale gules and azure, a cross argent griffee-de-loup, pierced, therein an acorn Or, capped vert.

Griffee-de-loup means "wolf-clawed". Pierced means there is a round opening through which the field appears, unless otherwise specified. An acorn "proper" would be all one color. ART WORK HERE

Marie du Lys Argent. Badge for Bayt Aldebaran. Or, four piles conjoined in cross gules, vert, sable, and azure, overall a mullet of four points argent.

Very pretty. It looks like a simplified version of "Chips and Whetstones" as shown in Romance of the Patchwork Quilt in America, p. 182.)

Tertius the Nameless. Badge: Argent, the Roman numeral three within [in annulo seven torteaux].

Information in [] from 5th Edition Armorial, original not shown in copy provided typist.

William Colquitt. Vert, a rampant, tail sufflexed, Or.

Note: "Sufflexed" means "bent under". If it were "coward" the tail would be between the legs. This was submitted as "a male rat" but the emblazon has no visible indication of sex.

SOCIETY

Chronicler of the Society for Creative Anachronism.

Conflicts with the badge of Poets, Essayists, and Novelists International, In saltire a sword inverted fracted debruised by a pen, between the letters P.E.N. It's also in bad taste: the Chronicler of the Society should praise the deed of the sword.

WEST

Ceantyre Province.

I will need full documentation on the appearance of knorrs.

Dafydd Lyn O'Seachnasaigh.

It looks like an impaled coat; there are a few registered in the Society but we don't want any more.

David of Castlwhyte. Badge.

This may have been rejected earlier; it is in conflict with several real-world arms with three castles argent (Papworth, p. 370). Try Argent, four castles vert, or try to find a really different way to use castles argent.

David de Cockburn.

Conflicts with Simler zu Ebermansdorf.

Dea Devra Dhabiaya.

"Dea" means Goddess. The hand of Fatima with an eye symbolizes All-seeing God. Taken together they are inadmissible. Change one or the other.

Dietrich von Kriegsheldenburg.

Opinicus was first attested in 1780; probably a corruption of Ophiuchus, "serpent". "War-hero-city" sounds unlikely.

Elite Marie-Louise de la Loire.

Elite is not a name. The literal translation from French is "choice, best". The field is France ancient. Blaze the charge "an arm vested of a maunce"; the sleeve is more commonly empty. Not correctly drawn in emblazon; unless the lady has three elbows.

Ilona, Debreceni.

Conflicts with Miller (Papworth, p. 644).

Ka:the von Munchausen.

Counter-vair is out of period (first attested 1766, O.E.D.). Try the kite alone.

Katherine of Lueckshire.

Conflicts with Overton (Papworth, p. 216).

Kiera ap Gwilym of Caer Priddydd.

Conflicts with Gravelle, Argent, an owl azure. "Ap Gwilym" means son of Gwilym (applicant is female). Caer Priddydd means "fortress of the poet". Welsh poets were considered magicians. This, combined with owl and black stars, suggests a stronghold of black magic. No.

Margaret of Blay.

Conflicts with Biberach, Bishop of Albany (see Lord Alfgar's letter of 29 September 1975). Suggest three beavers and a different field.

Patrice du Coeur Fidele.

Conflicts with Douglas et al. (Papworth, pp 945-6).

Paul of Hameldone.

Conflicts with Matthew of Brierwood.

Sean a Claidheamn.

Tinctures and primary charge are the same as Gwynaeth Math O'Ddylluan. Alter tinctures or substitute annulus for roundel.

Tober Thorsen.

In medieval Scandinavian usage, this means that his father's given name was Thor, which was not the practice. Compounds such as Throgeir, Therokild, etc., were used. Mordon Thorson is a contraction of Throgeirsson, Thorkildsson, etc. Note that the s is doubled.

Trey N'Iurge ar Glanabred.

The chief is not sufficient difference.

Trixie la Tush.

The name is offensive.

EAST

Giliniel Silmeline.

Change the name: with its multiple meaning of "starlight" it sounds too Elvish; unless she can prove that a mortal could have used the name. The device is badly balanced and looks much better inverted; we suggest it be turned 180 degrees.

MIDDLE

Alexis Megaera of Darkheim.

Conflicts with Cuthbert of Bloodstone.

Tuiren de Lisle.

Conflicts with Oberon, King of Amber, Vert, a unicorn clymant argent. (N.B. this was rejected by Lord Ioseph on July 31, 1974, if it's the same device.) The addition of a mullet merely indicates that it is the third lineal male heir, e.g. third son, as specified in the Book of St. Albans (1486).

ATENVELDT

Aleana of Dunsae.

Much too busy. Remember, Society arms are supposed to be recognizable across a tourney field.

Angeline the Huntress.

The flower color is out of period; in any case the emblazon resembles a 16-petal Imperial chrysanthemum, not a carnation. Consult Kerr and Dowden, Shakespeare's Flowers (Crowell, 1969) for paintings for carnations of the period, with their relatives, pinks and gillyvors. "Four triangles braced" does not accurately describe two Stars of David.

Aren of Rivenhorn.

This is identical to Downes of Chester (Papworth, p. 59). Somebody really should have caught this.

Britomart the Adamant.

The name will not do; it is used by the Embodiment of Chastity in Spenser's Faerie Queene and the Maiden aspect of the Triple Goddess.

Cassandra of Khiva.

Conflicts with Sheryl of Thespis. In altering, watch out for Cassandra of Padua. Try a different bird than a swan--no one has an egret in Society or English arms, though some are found in French.

Fergus MacRuarie.

Conflicts with Echlin (Papworth, p. 1089). Somebody should have caught this too.

Francois Duvent (or Duvont).

Remove the fleurs-de-lis, which conflict with France. The remainder conflicts with Barbara Fitzhugh de Brandhard, Azure a sword inverted proper entwined of a poppy. Why a fur snake? the rule of tincture doesn't require it. Try to avoid anything too reminiscent of the staff of Aesculapius. (Barbara wasn't allowed one either; her poppy replaces a snake.) The blazon is unclear as to the position. Better start over.

Harryld Berserk.

Redo the emblazon: that isn't rampant. Can't you just have a broken chain and omit the damaged wall?

Jeffrey of Spirit Valley.

The pentagram is forbidden, and the griffon far too cramped inside the center. Between the name and the design the intent is clear. We don't register magic.

Julie of Blackwater. Badge

We have no form on this, but it was submitted by Aten march 17, 1974, as Argent, a heart gules, a border invected sable. This was in conflict with Herzen. Presumably Lord Ioseph rejected it and it was subsequently lost. We reject it again just in case.

Kristjan Olavsson Ankastjerne.

Conflicts with Dorothea of Caer-Myrddin, badge, a raven rising from flames proper. Use heraldic position when re-submitting.

Orlando Cavaleanti.

Neatly drawn, but very badly blazoned. Must it look this way, anyhow? It doesn't look very heraldic. Why not just a greyhound (levrier)? If you redesign, why not Gules, the fourth quarter argent, therein a a greyhound (or levrier) couchant reguardant with dexter paw raised all vert, langued gules?

Peregrin Hawkwood.

Conflicts with Middletown, Rhode Island, Vert, three windmills argent.

Qestor de Anderria.

Why is the name spelled without a u? If it's intended for Questor, be advised that's a church office, equivalent to "pardoner". And the device is a landscape.

Queen's Grace, Order, of Atenveldt.

The white rose and sun are both Yorkist badges. A pity, because that's just what you'd expect the QOG of Atenveldt to have, but we'd have to prove each queen's direct descent from the House of York.

Stephan den Falk.

Give genus and species, also a citation for the black coloring. The Encyclopedia Britannica says all gyrfalcons have barred plumage.

Tertius the Nameless.

The same star polygon has already been rejected for Andros ap Anlawdd (letter of 19 April 1976, page 6).

Tetsuo, Sakura.

Conflicts with existing mon. Change the name and try another flower.

Valiant of the South Bank.

The name conflicts with Prince Valiant of the comic pages. Valens or Valentius would be all right--or cite another example (in period) of Valiant as a first name.

William of Isher.

Empress Innelda Isher and the Weapon Shops of the Isher Empire are far in the future, but may not be infringed upon; can you show independent existence of Isher as a place name? Find a better [way] to blazon the device, and if possible a better way to arrange it. Is William a member of the Order of the Aspen of Caerthe?

Willow d'Wisp.

Name conflicts with Will the Wisp.

Ylyssor aldor Valdin of Ravenswaard.

Explain the name; it looks too much like "Elfstone prince of the Silent Angels".

Ylyssar, etc., badge for Veiled Council of Valadin.

Explain this too. Obviously Tolkien, when taken with Ylyssar, etc. It looks like "Silent Angels", or, worse yet, "Angels of Silence". Is this a chartered group?

Of 93 items here reported, 46 were rejections. This is not due to overstrictness on my part. I would have passed some doubtful applications, but rejected them on the Lord Clarion's advice. He confirmed all my own reasons for every rejection, and in some cases added other reasons. I would like the Kingdom Heralds to review applications still outstanding and withdraw any they find unsuitable.

This office will be closed briefly, but will reopen for business on 7 August.

I remain at your service,

Karina of the Far West

O.L., Pel., Baroness

Laurel Queen of Arms

KFW:dem

cc: Clarion

Laurel Emeritus

Steward