January 22, 1980 XIV

To: All Members of the College of Arms

From: Master Wilhelm von Schlüssel, OL, OP, OLM, QOC, Laurel King of Arms

Greetings and Happy New Year:

The holidays are over and its time to get back to work. I have heard that Brigantia is finally getting the paperwork caught up, as is Beacon and Sable Star and Dragon, so it looks like the College of Arms is really getting its act together at last. For my part I enclose the Letter of Acceptances which covers the submissions from October plus a large number of submissions left over from earlier times that didn't make it into the conclave printout or were lost or were appealed. Thus the backlog stands now at three months. Master Renfield Wanderscribe has taken over management of the computerized SCA Armorial and Ordinary and promises to have the first run done by the end of January. Then we will do a massive reblazoning and corrections run, and then send out copies. Later on we will be changing over to the Papworth format, but on a multiple entry basis. If any kingdom has access to computers and wants a copy of the tape so they can generate their own copies send a magnetic tape to me and I will have Renfield copy the file onto the tape. It had better be a good sized tape, as we have outgrown the smaller version.

It has become obvious that there are a number of submissions which have been lost at the Laurel level. There were also a number of submissions which were passed or rejected at the conclave and subsequently filed away, but which were left off of the printout. There is no easy way for me to find these on my own. Each of you must check your files to see what submissions are still outstanding. If any were sent out before October then they have been either lost or not included. Send me a list and I can check them. I will tell you which have been lost so you can send me duplicate forms. At the back of the letter this month there is a list of submissions I know are lost, for which I will need duplicate forms. Where possible I have put the kingdom they went through. If a submission has been lost there will of course be no further fee.

In regards to the Letters of Intent, I really like Baldwin's format for dealing with names, and I would like all Principal Heralds to follow it. What he does is to have a separate sheet which lists the language, translation, and source for each name. For example if it is derived from two Greek words, he will give the two Greek words and their translations so I can see how the name is derived. Now this material should be on each information sheet so I will see these anyway, but by having the extra sheet Baldwin allows the other members of the College of Arms to have this information so they can check out the names as well as the blazons. I freely admit I am a physicist not a linguist, and so I would like to have the names checked out by the College so that those of you who are knowledgeable in the language a particular name is in can tell me if the language is being used right. Of course if you prefer you can put the information on the name into the Letter of Intent along with the blazon, so as to avoid having to type up a separate letter, so long as the information gets sent out one way or another.

There has been some complaining about the size of the College of Arms mailing list, what with the Laurels Emeriti and the Principality Heralds being added as Associate Members. Therefore I think it reasonable that a person should comment on the letters at least every three months to stay on the list. So at the end of March I will check through the correspondence and those who have not sent out anything in the preceding three months will be dropped from the list. You don't have to comment on everything, but you do have to say something to show you are still interested. The Principle Heralds, or their representatives, are required to comment on each and every letter of intent within thirty days.

The following files are lost. Whichever Principal Herald has the file should send copies of all forms to me so I can fill this loss.

Kingdom of Atenveldt

Badge for House Morktorn, Submitted May, 1976, Pending

Learen Nepenthe, Badge, Submitted October, 1976, Pending

Kingdom of Caid

Abdhur Rahman Curron memo Hazara Khan, Pending

Elinore Windemere, Submitted November, 1978, Pending

Flinah Hazara-Khan, Pending

Kevin of the Masked Cat, Submitted September 1978, Pending

Jayme O'Darcy, Badge, Passed

Miranda Douglas of Shiehallion, Resubmitted January 1979, Pending

Order of St. Gunther, Pending

Kingdom of the East

Caprus va Seaghdhe, Pending

Edmina of Timberwicke, Pending

Leonhardt al-Halabi, Pending

Kingdom of the West

Stefan de Lorraine, Badge for Herman of Asher, Pending, submitted January 1975

Susan the Opaque, Submitted February 1978, Pending

Vladimir ap Gwynne, Badge for House Winterhaven, Submitted March 1977, Pending

Kingdom of Meridies

Starkad Maledon, Passed

Unknown

Akataro Minimoto, Passed

All Principal Heralds please check your files for these, and for any others which have not been acted on by now which were submitted before October 1979, XIV.

Triton reports dissatisfaction at seeing household badges born on banners on the field which violate the rule of tincture and other rules of heraldry that do not apply to badges as they do to devices. Triton would like to see the creation of two classes of badges; these being Heraldic Badges and Nonheraldic Badges. The former could be used on banners and surcoats, the latter could not. I would like to hear the opinions of the rest of you on this matter. The Rules of Heraldry as I published them will stand for the next six months. At that time I will review them and consider possible changes suggested during the next six months. I do not want to be in the position of constantly modifying the rules, so I plan to do so only at set intervals. Anyone having any proposed changes should present them to the College and defend them during the next six months. Another possibility to consider is that of sending copies of the emblazon sheets to the principal heralds, so they can see what the submissions actually look like. Virgule and Triton would be included, since they comment as much as most of the rest of the Principal Heralds combined. I would like for us all to become consistent in our blazoning.

Until next time, my Lords and My Ladies, I remain

Your Servant,

Wilhelm von Schlüssel