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