APPROVALS 1 12 May XX (1985)

THE FOLLOWING SUBMISSIONS ARE APPROVED:

Kingdom of Ansteorra

Adella Desmond. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Ansteorra, Kingdom of. Award of the Sable Comet (name only).

Ansteorra, Kingdom of. Award of the Sable Crane (name correction from Sable Crane).

Ansteorra, Kingdom of. Sentinel Pursuivant (name only).

Ariana Zsigmondy. Name change (from Sean Zsigmondy).

Arthfael o Fryranawr (submitted as Arthfael ap Brynmor). Name and device. Vert, a sword between two flaunches embattled argent, each charged with a dragon passant gules.

NOTE: It appears that Brynmor is a given name in modern times only, derived from the place name Bryn Mawr 'big hill', so its use as a patronymic is out of period. We have substituted o Frynmawr (Welsh "of Bryn Mawr" ­ the initial B mutates to F), which corresponds to the translation given on his information sleet.

Artorius ap Caradoc. Name and device. Per chevron sable and argent, a hawk's head erased argent and a cross flory surmounted by an annulet sable.

Brianne Hyla. Name change (from Brianna Xylon).

Cliodhna ni Bhriain. Device. Per bend azure and argent, two open penannular brooches palewise, pins to base, counterchanged.

DISCUSSION: "An open penannular brooch has the pin passing through the opening of the ring. A closed penannular brooch (closed is default) has the pin turned so as to work by passing through the garment. In this case, the open part of the ring and the point of the pin are both to base." (WvS, 25 Nov 82, p. 9).

Da'ud ibn Auda. Name change (from Daoud ibn Auda). NOTE: Appeal sustained.

Desiree de Champagne. Name and device. Or, a winecup flower gules, slipped vert, on a bordure gules four fleurs­de­lys Or.

Donecan MacDubhgal of Loch Alsh. Device. Sable, on a pall Or between three bezants a griffin's head gules, beaked azure.

Erik von Wollin. Name and device. Sable, a goat's head caboshed within an orle of annulets argent.

Galen Ambrosius MacIntyre. Name only.

Genevieve Louise Magee. Device. Per saltire azure and Or, in fess an estoile gules and a fleur­de­lys azure.

Genevieve Louise Magee. Badge. Or, on an estoile gules the letter "G" Or.

Gerard MacEnruig. Badge. Azure, a polar bear's head erased argent within a bordure dovetailed Or.

Helena of Owl's Keep. Name only.

Ishikawa Moritake. Device. Gules, a Japanese Iris Or. (Iris kaempferi).

DISCUSSION: According to the Rules for Submissions (X.5), this is clear of the badge of EDEN OF LIONSGUARD, "Purpure, an iris (Iris germanica) argent." (SCA) "Difference of tincture of field and charge is sufficient difference between an SCA badge and device, except when the combination of charges is particularly distinctive.".

János a sovány Barcsi. Badge for the Household of Adlersburg (transfer to Alrick von Baeker).

János a sovány Barcsi. Badge. A horse passant paly of seven Or and gules.

NOTE: The household name (Otzberg) is not acceptable, since it implies lordship over the mundane place of the same name.

Monette de Bordeaux (submitted as Adora Monette de Bordeaux). Name and device. Argent, on a pale gules between two fleurs­de­lys sable, three roses Or.

NOTE: Adora appears to be a very recent coinage; the only sources we could find for it were modern baby­name books (into which category fall the works of Rabbi Kolatch). Withycombe says that Dora (the submitter's mundane name) comes from Dorothea, and is 19th­century. Monet is an apheresis* of Aymonet or Emonet, which are variants of the given names Aymon and Edmond. (Dauzat 439).

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* Var. aphaeresis, "The dropping of a letter or syllable from the beginning of a word." (Webster's Second) Two brownie points to anyone who already knew it; I had to look it up.

Morrow's Keep, Shire of. Device. Sable, a sword and in chief a crescent inverted, all within a laurel wreath argent.

Owen Sherard Trahern. Name only.

Sabia Gunnhild Hunang. Device. Gules, a reindeer statant regardant within an annulet argent.

Stargate, Barony of. Order of the Sentinels of the Stargate (submitted as Order of the Sodality of the Sentinels of the Stargate); name only.

NOTE: The full name of the order exceeds the fifty­character limit imposed by Rule VI.6. We have dropped the "Sodality" in order to register what appears to be the operative part of the name (which, incidentally, removes the redundancy, since "Sodality" and "Order" both refer to groups of people).

Sutan Bloodaxe. Name only.

Wilhelm Finger (submitted as Wilhelm Fingwraz). Name and device. Per bend sinister azure and sable, a bend sinister between a vested sinister cubit arm palewise, the hand in benediction, and an armored and gauntleted dexter arm palewise embowed argent.

NOTE: The source cited for fingwraz was the section on Indo­European roots in the old (New College) edition of the American Heritage Dictionary. The preface states, "According to regular linguistic convention, an asterisk is placed before every reconstructed form (a form that is not attested in documents)." (p. 1496) The entry for fingwraz is so marked, meaning that it is a linguistic fiction, and not a word in the normal sense. We have substituted the German word for 'finger' (which is Finger) in order to register the device. DISCUSSION: Woodward refers to a hand in this configuration (with the thumb and two first fingers extended) as a blessing hand. (p. 204) The style of the device could be improved by using a pair of identical charges (two arms embowed or two blessing hands) instead of two very similar charges.

Kingdom of Atenveldt

Aleron of Eagle's Reach. Name and device. Per saltire azure and gules, four bendlets and four scarpes abased and fretted in base and in chief an eagle displayed Or.

Andrew of the North Shore (submitted as Andrew of Yorkshire). Name and device. Per fess raguly argent and vert, in saltire a wooden­handled spade and a two­pronged mowing fork sable, hafted proper.

NOTE: The name conflicts with that of ANDREW OF YORK. We have used one of his suggested alternatives; he might also want to consider the name of a specific place in Yorkshire. The hafts of the garden tools should be done in light brown, to improve the contrast with the lower half of the field.

Cathlin of Morecombe Bottome. Device. Per chevron inverted wavy sable and erminois, a swan statant to sinister, wings addorsed argent, gorged and chained Or.

Constance le Royer de la Tour. Name and device. Azure, within the center quarters of a cross treble parted, four hearts, points to center, Or.

NOTE: We have corrected Tours (which is the plural form) to Tour, so it agrees with the singular article la.

Constance MacCallum of Hoghton. Name change (from Constance of Hoghton).

Frithjof Tryggvason. Name only.

Mirhaxa av Morktorn. Badge. Per pale Or and vert, a tower sable and in chief two mullets counterchanged.

Myghal mab Siarl an Gernow. Device. Or, semy of suns in glory and on a chief indented gules, two wolves' heads caboshed Or.

DISCUSSION: In medieval heraldry, dancetty was a treatment of a two­sided ordinary which caused it to zig­zag or "dance" across the field. This definition has been adopted by the SCA College of Arms. The chief, being single­sided, is said to be indented.

Outlands, Principality of the. Badge for the Order of the Promise of the Outlands. Vert, a fawn lodged gardant within a bordure embattled Or.

Serlo of Litchfield (submitted as Serlo von Litchfield). Name only.

NOTE: In general, a place­name should agree in language with the preposition it follows. German von is really not appropriate here.

Thaddeus the Wandering Friar. Name and device. Gules, a staff bendwise sinister between a Celtic cross and an Irish harp, all Or.

Wilhelm von dem Bajvarishen Berg. Name only.

William de Boreaux. Name and device. Quarterly argent and sable, a lion's face Or jessant­de­lys between in bend two fleurs­de­lys, all within a bordure counterchanged.

Kingdom of the East

Aaron O'Connor. Name and device. Argent, chaussé ployé sable, a sword palewise inverted gules, on a chief sable three mullets argent.

Aell Aethelwita. Name and device. Per pale argent and azure, two tygers sejant erect counterchanged and on a chief sable, three scrolls unrolled argent.

Aesc of Northumbria. Device. Vert, a bend wavy azure, fimbriated, in sinister chief a dagger bendwise sinister inverted argent and in base a bezant.

Anton Winteroak. Badge. On an oak leaf sable, a mullet of four points argent.

Ardelf Hrothling Belhaven. Device. Lozengy azure and argent, a delf sable.

Astrid av Attsidenfjord. Name and device. Or, on a pile gules, a quill pen Or, all within a bordure sable charged with three annulets Or.

Coill Tuar, Shire of. Name only.

Constance of Purneos. Name and device. Gules, on a sun Or a crescent inverted sable, in base a chevron inverted Or.

Edana Aldys Haukyns. Name and device. Gules, an antelope salient erminois between in bend sinister two crosses pommy Or.

NOTE: Very nice.

Edward Dragonslayer. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Elrad of the Barony­Marche. Name and device. Argent, three piles in point issuant from base sable, the center one charged with a pheon inverted argent, and in chief two eagles rising respectant sable.

Gwdiauwen ferch Gwdolwyn. Name and device. Purpure, an owl argent within a bordure argent semy of mice tergiant purpure.

Kathryn Goodwyn. Name correction (from Goodwin).

Mara Kolarova (submitted as Mara Tudora Kolarova). Name (appeal) and device. Azure, a sprig of three morning glories palewise Or, leaved of flames proper.

NOTE: "A name conflicts with another name if it looks or sounds enough like the other name to cause confusion, or if it appears to be an alternate name for a famous individual or group." (RFS VI.4) Mara Tudora both looks and sounds enough like Mary Tudor to conflict, and we have held in previous cases (v. Leonora Simonetta d'Este) that the addition of a second byname to a recognizable given name­plus­byname is not necessarily sufficient.

In addition, I have strong reservations about permitting either Tudor or Tudora. No matter how harmless or common these may have been in period, I'm afraid that most SCA members will see only an association with the House of Tudor, which they will perceive to be a claim "that one is a member of a royal family or is of royal birth." (RFS VII.4).

We have dropped the byname Tudora in order to register the device. She might want to consider the Russian form Fyodora.

Mord Hrutson the Green. Device. Per pale vert and Or, a drakkar in full sail between three skulls counterchanged.

Myfanwy ferch Rhiannon. Badge. Erminois, a dragon passant to sinister reguardant gules, maintaining in dexter foreclaw a fountain.

Nemoralis Noctua, Shire of. Name only.

Northpass, Canton of. Name only.

Rhiannon the Curious. Name and device. Ermine, on a pale vert two cinquefoils Or, overall a domestic cat couchant, tail sufflexed, sable.

Robert de la Mante. Device. Gules, a demi­mantis rampant guardant between three bickerns (anvils) Or.

DISCUSSION: A bickern* is a specific type of anvil, having two horns (bi­ 'two' + cornu 'horn'); the term can be found in Webster's Second and the OED. I have used both the generic and the specific terms in the blazon ­ one for the herald who must understand it, and the other for the artist who must draw it.

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* "You can talk, talk, talk, talk, bickern, bickern, bickern, you can talk all you want to but it's different than it was!" ("No it ain't, but you gotta know the territory!")

Samirah al Mansur. Name only.

Theresa Hume. Device. Sable, semy of thistles, a unicorn rampant to sinister within a bordure, all Or.

Thorgrim Olesson. Name only.

Viktor von dem Kleinflüsse. Name and device. Vert, on a chevron inverted between two coronets embattled Or, two thistles slipped, leaved and crossed at the base sable.

Wulfgang von Altmühl. Name and device. Per bend azure and Or, an apple, slipped and leaved, and a wolf's paw print counterchanged.

Kingdom of the Middle

Alrick von Baeker. Badge for the Household of Adlersburg (transfer from János a sovány Barcsi). Gules, ermined Or, an eagle displayed argent charged on the breast with a castle sable. [approved August 1983].

Alyssa Blundel of Castle Bolton. Name and device. Gules, issuing from chief a demi­sun and in base on a pair of wings conjoined Or a human heart gules.

Amala Sand die Sanfte. Name only.

Anastasia Vladimirovna. Name and device. Sable, two bendlets sinister Or, and in bend three mullets argent.

Anton de Winton. Device (appeal). Per chevron azure, and Or scaly sable, in chief a herring naiant embowed argent.

DISCUSSION: Appeal sustained. Although there is a strong similarity to the arms of JEAN DE LA GRAND 'ANSE, we feel this is both visually and technically clear.

Aurelius Forgan. Name change (from Fredrick Aurelius).

Bardolph Odger Windlaufer. Device. Azure, semy of crescents argent, a dexter gauntlet reversed maintaining a rose slipped and leaved Or.

Beotram of the Northwinds. Name and device. Argent, a beaver rampant to sinister and on a chief azure a portcullis between two mullets argent.

Beotram of the Northwinds. Badge for the Household of the Golden Lodge. Barruly wavy azure and argent, a demi­bezant.

Caolbhach MacCostello. Name change (from Caolbhach MacOisdealbhaigh); appeal.

DISCUSSION: The original submission included no documentation for the surname, and all of the comments we received in time for the meeting questioned or objected to MacCostello as being modern. (Costello is a known surname, apparently derived from a place name: Bardsley 207.) The appeal cited Irish Families as its source, but did not include a copy of the pages in question. According to Batonvert, "MacLysaght's implications cannot necessarily be taken as proof that a name was used in period in its cited modern form." She has opined, however, that in general, modern forms of medieval surnames ought to be acceptable (MacCostello being the accepted modernization of Mac Oisdealbhaigh). The problem isn't glaring, so I am approving it on these grounds. [A subsequent trip to the UCI library provided the opportunity to consult their copy of Irish Families. MacLysaght says:

"The first reference to [the Costelloes] in the Four Masters is in the year 1193 when they were called the sons of Oistealb ... whence was formed the surname Mac Oisdealbh, later Mac Oisdealbhaigh, anglice ["in the English form"] MacCostello. Curtis calls their eponymous ancestor Gocelin (or Jocelin) and gives the Irish form as Mac Goisdelbh."

He goes on to note that the Mac was later dropped, and that the barony of Costello was named for the family. He mentions a Dudley (or Dubhaltach) Costello in 1642, which implies that the name had been anglicized and the patronymic particle dropped prior to this time. This does not "establish the use of MacCostello as such in period," as the LoI stated, but it does strongly suggest it.].

Cassandra Frederikdötter. Name and device. Or, semy of hearts gules, a rose within a bordure wavy azure.

DISCUSSION: I would have expected the patronymic to be Frederiksdötter, to reflect a change to the genitive case ­ or are patronymics formed according to different grammatical principles in Swedish than they are in Old Norse?.

Cecily Chamberlaine. Name and device. Per fess azure and Or, in chief three chalices in fess Or, and in base three mullets of six points azure.

Charles Bender the Deliberate. Name only.

Charles Stewart O'Connor. Badge. A triquetra gules.

DISCUSSION: Brooke­Little defines the triquetra as "Three interlaced arcs. Normally used as a symbol of the Blessed Trinity." (An Heraldic Alphabet, p. 209).

Corin du Soleil. Badge. A dragon passant atop two swords in saltire surmounted by a harp Or.

NOTE: This is more complex than a badge ought to be, but no mention of this was made when it was returned (due to an error in the LoI) in June of last year.

Debra of the Shattered Crystal (submitted as Tasaldi Stove). Name and device. Barry wavy argent and vert, on a bend sinister purpure three hawk's bells Or.

NOTE: According to The Old Norse Name, tasaldi 'gab, chatter, gossip' is a nickname, and apparently not a given name. The closest given name we could find is Tassi, which is masculine. (pp. 29, 15) We have used her mundane given name and SCA branch in order to register the device (which is lovely).

Fleur du Lac de Cristal (submitted as Fleur de Cristal Lac). Name and device. Azure, in pale three dogwood blossoms argent, tipped gules, between two flaunches Or each charged with a fleur­de­lys gules.

NOTE: Cristal is a noun (Dubois I 177), not an adjective; the French for "Crystal Lake" is Lac de Cristal. We have amended the name accordingly. DISCUSSION: Dauzat notes that Fleur occurred frequently as a feminine baptismal name in the Middle Ages; it is a popular form of the name of Saint Florus. From the shape of the flower, this appears to be a Flowering Dog-wood (Cornus Florida), the bracts of which may be white or pink (Handbook of Natural History, p. 269), so the tinctures should be specified explicitly.

James Fitzgarth. Device. Vert, semy of buttercups Or, a griffin segreant, and on a chief argent, three mullets azure.

Klaus der Klugste aus Geheimenländer. Name only.

Olga Handt. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Middle, Kingdom of the. Fenris Herald (name only).

Middle, Kingdom of the. Badge. A demi­dragon rampant argent.

Middle, Kingdom of the. Badge. A dragon's gamb couped erect main­warning a roundel argent charged with a pale gules.

Osric Morwensonne. Name only.

Rhiannon of Wye. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Timothy Garraghan o Leitrim (submitted as Garraghan o Leitrim). Name change (from Timothy of Northwoods).

NOTE: Master Wilhelm returned the name GARRAHAN MCLEITRIM in October 1983, saying, "Garrahan is a surname and out of period at that. Leitrin is a place and thus cannot be used in a patronymic. I have therefore substituted the submittor's mundane given name and the local branch name so I can register this nice device." Pale has appealed this decision, citing Edward MacLysaght's The Surnames of Ireland, p. 119, (Mac) Garrahan, Garanhan.

According to MacLysaght, the surname Mac Garrahan is derived from Mag Aracháin. The root given name is not Gar(r)a(g)han, but Arachan or Arrachtad (Aracháin is the genitive form). The initial G in Garaghan comes from the end of the patronymic particle mag, and appears to occur only in the surname form.

Patrick Woulfe discusses this particular "corruption in the spoken language" in Irish Names and Surnames:

"C or g attracted over to the name of the ancestor. This happens when the name of the ancestor commences with a vowel or h or with l, n, or r or with a consonant aspirated after mac or mag. The name of the ancestor is then treated in all the forms of the surname as if it commenced with c or g."

(Patrick Woulfe. Irish Names and Surnames, page 31. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1969.) This is doubtless a reprint of an earlier edition, but my photocopied excerpts do not include the title page. The underlined letters should be regarded with extreme suspicion; they are improvised transliterations from the Irish alphabet, which I do not know. We have used the replacement holding name suggested by Mistress Graidhne.

Kingdom of the West

Aislinn de Valence. Device (reblazon). Barry dancetty azure and argent, a mascle Or. [approved August 1984].

Alicianne de Montfort of Sprucewood. Name change (from Alicia Anne de Montfort of Sprucewood).

Angela de la Torricella Peliga. Device. Per fess gules and azure, in chief three fleurs­de­lys, and a sun issuant from base Or.

Aoibeann of Arran. Name and device. Or, a chevron cotised purpure between three thistles proper. NOTE: Classic heraldry.

Aoibheann Caoilfhionn Aine O'Ceallaigh. Name and device. Vert, a unicornate pegasus passant to sinister, and on a gore sinister argent, a harp sable.

Asta Wulfmaer. Name and device. Per chevron argent and gules, two ermine spots and a wolf's head cabossed counterchanged.

Baldwin Einarsson. Name and device. Gyronny purpure and Or, a castle within a bordure gules.

Caia du Lac. Name and device. Sable, a winged cat rampant Or within an orle wreathed vert and Or.

Cassandra Cernakova. Name and device. Purpure, six crescents in annulo argent.

NOTE: Nice going!.

Daniel Hidefox. Name and device. Per bend Or and sable, a goose close, head lowered, sable, and a fox rampant reguardant, maintaining a dagger, Or.

Demetri the Greek. Device. Per pale argent and vert, two bridges throughout counterchanged, a bordure gules.

Edwin von Elsass. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Emmerich of Vakkerfiell. Device. Or, three hammers, and on a bordure gules, six bezants.

Francis Goodfellow of Saxony. Name and device. Vert, in cross four lutes affronty, necks to center, Or, between in chief two mullets pierced argent.

Galen of Greybough. Name and device. Per bend sinister azure and checky argent and azure, a crescent Or and a cross patty gules.

Henry William of Oxeneford. Name and device. Vert, on a bend sinister wavy between two ox heads erased affronty argent a scarpe wavy azure.

Jade of Starfall. Device. Vert, on a pile wavy throughout ermine, a double­headed eagle sable, a bordure ermine charged with three compass stars sable.

DISCUSSION: It should be noted that the compass stars are visually insignificant, and contribute no heraldic difference.

Keridwen o'r Mynydd Gwyrdd. Badge. Argent, two hawk's bells dependent from a Hungerford knot vert.

Krysta of Starfall. Device. Per chevron inverted wavy ermine and purpure, in pale a sword inverted gules and a mullet of six points argent.

Morgan Darkhunter. Name only.

Regulus of Vinhold. Name and device. Or, two gores sable.

Richard Blackbury. Name change (from Richard Coney Tighe).

Robert Fletcher. Name and device. Or, in bend an arrow between two strung bows, all bendwise sinister, sable.

Rosalie of Burgundy. Name and device. Gules, on a pile invected argent, a rose azure, slipped and leaved vert, on a chief engrailed Or, three arrows inverted gules.

Rowena von Siebensterne. Device. Per chevron dovetailed argent and azure, a pair of wings conjoined and inverted purpure and a demi­sun Or.

Sara of Foxhaven. Name and device. Purpure, a sinister gore and in dexter chief a thistle argent.

Sariya al Mus'ad. Name change (from Brighid ni Roane).

DISCUSSION: To quote the seal of the Vesper office, Semper Literis Mandate.*

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* "Always get it in writing."

Sven the Stormdriven. Name and device. Per bend sinister vert and gyronny argent and gules, in dexter chief a griffin's head erased Or.

Tanara of Drakeswood. Name and device. Quarterly argent and Or, a cat's head erased between three cat's pawprints azure.

Tarnmist, Barony of. Device (correction). Azure, a blonde mermaid erect proper maintaining in both hands a goblet, and on a chief embattled Or a laurel wreath vert, [approved August 1981]

Thelic of Darktide. Name and device. Sable, a bend sinister argent charged with another gules, on a chief Or, a demi­sun gules.

Thomas of Foxhaven. Name and device. Argent, in pale a fox's mask and two thistles conjoined in base gules.

Timon Graham of Drakeswood. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

West, Kingdom of. Crux Australis Herald (name only).

THE FOLLOWING SUBMISSIONS ARE RETURNED:

Kingdom of Ansteorra

Adella Desmond. Device. Pean, on a saltire Or a rose gules, barbed and seeded vert.

NOTE: This conflicts with SUSANNAH GRIFFON, "Pean, a saltire Or, overall a griffin passant gules." (SCA).

Kingdom of Atenveldt

Bartholomew of Wolfetwein. Badge (appeal). Gules, a triskelion arrondi Or, overall a grey wolf's head erased to sinister proper. (Canis lupus)

NOTE: This submission was returned in January for conflict with ERRYK BLACKWOLF, "Gules, a wolf's head erased reversed sable orbed and fimbriated Or." (SCA) Solar Herald has appealed this decision, saying she counts a major point for the addition of the triskelion and a minor point for the difference in tincture of the wolves' heads.

The fur of a gray wolf "is usually gray mixed with black and brown, but may be nearly black or, in the Arctic, nearly white." (NCE 2998) This implies that the norm is a dark gray, rather than a light or silvery gray, so there is visually little difference in tincture between the two charges; and since Bartholomew's wolf could legitimately be emblazoned as sable, there is also no technical difference.

Ian mac Brian. Device. Per pale azure and vert, a sword argent between in chief two arrows in saltire inverted Or and a pair of wings conjoined argent.

NOTE: This conflicts with BENSON OF STANNINGTON, "Per pale azure and argent, a sword proper embrued." (SCA) There is a minor point for change in tincture of half the field, and a major point for the addition of a group of secondaries; the partial changes in tincture of the sword are not sufficient to raise this to two full points.

Naomi von den Katzen. Device (correction). Per saltire sable and sable goutty d'eau, a saltire azure fimbriated between in pale a goblet and a heart fracted argent.

NOTE: Withdrawn at Solar Herald's request.

Saerlaith as an Fhasaich. Device. Sable, three batwinged snails displayed affronty Or, shelled gules.

NOTE: As much as this appeals to my sense of the perverse, I'm afraid that the charges really aren't recognizable without a blazon. This seems to be true of a great many charges affronty. Please choose another charge.

Kingdom of the East

Edward Dragonslayer. Device. Per bend sinister azure and argent, a bend sinister counterchanged between a horse rampant to sinister argent and a dragon dormant vert, all within a bordure per bend sinister argent and azure.

NOTE: I'm afraid this pushes the limits of heraldic style in too many places. The device is structurally complex and difficult to blazon. Please simplify. DISCUSSION: There is recent precedent for a divided bend­and­bordure combination, in the device of ARLIN THROCKMORTON ("Argent, a bend per bend wavy sable and gules between two crosses moline sable, all within a bordure per bend wavy sable and gules"). Edward's device has a simpler line of partition, but it has a divided field and two unlike secondary charges (in different tinctures), which pushes it over the limit.

Scorched Earth, Shire of. Device. Gules, a tower within a laurel wreath, all within a border rayonny Or.

NOTE: The name of the branch was returned in March for conflict with TERRA TORRIDA. The device appears acceptable.

Thorvald the Indomitable. Device (appeal). Azure, on a pile bendwise sinister indented Or, a hammer palewise sable.

NOTE: This submission was returned by Master Wilhelm in August 1984, with the statement, "The combination of Thor­ plus the hammer plus the lightning­flash-looking pile is too evocative of Thor, the thunder god." Brigantia has appealed this decision, noting in particular that a device containing a Thor's hammer was registered to THORBJORN GUNNARSON in June 1983.

Master Wilhelm's ruling invoked the principle of not allowing a name and device both to allude strongly to the same literary or historical character, together with a value judgement to determine whether or not the allusion was "too strong." I find myself in agreement with this ruling. In addition to the points cited by Master Wilhelm, my staff has noted that Thorvald is derived from roots meaning "Thor's power," and that the Indomitable, a term redolent of power, is not at all inappropriate for a god. While I agree with Brigantia that a Thor­ name plus a hammer (even a Thor's hammer) is not a claim to divinity, the pile (which emanates from the hammer) is reminiscent of modern depictions of electricity, and the additional references in the name serve only to strengthen the association.

Kingdom of the Middle

Decrease Mather. Name only (appeal).

NOTE: This name was originally returned by Master Wilhelm in December 1982. "This is a joke name on Increase Mather. Joke names are not allowed. The Puritan practice of using qualities as names appears to be out of period. Within our period, the Puritans appear to have used Old Testament names." Pale Herald has appealed this decision in light of my ruling on the "offensiveness" of joke names. (16 Dec 84, p. 4) He has also presented information on Puritan naming practices.

According to E. G. Withycombe (pp. xxxvii­xl), the Puritan "quality" names were most rife between 1580 and 1640. The practice was late in our period, and it was uncommon, even among the Puritans. Nonetheless, if we assume that occurrences of such names were evenly distributed over the years named, fully a third of the high period lies within the scope of the SCA. This seems to me a significant enough fraction to permit documented Puritan "quality" names, or names formed on this pattern, to be registered within the SCA, at least on a case­by­case basis. Although Pale's argument for Decrease is not conclusive, it is plausible, and I am willing to give it the benefit of the doubt.

The question of offensiveness is a knottier one, and it is not helped by Master Wilhelm's unfortunate use of the term "joke name" in this context. Joke names may take many forms. Miles Long is a period name embodying an obvious pun. John Of Somme Whyre is less blatant and requires some willingness to suspend disbelief, but is not altogether implausible. Thomas for the Interim makes sport of the process of choosing a Society name. Names such as these may startle on first hearing, but are soon accepted, and the fact that they are "jokes" remembered only when a shift in perception, such as the reaction of a newcomer, causes them to be reexamined.

Ting­nye­'dzin­gyi­seng­ge McPhee, with its anticlimactic byname, burlesques cross­cultural personas. This falls on middle ground ­ it is jarring enough to be disruptive, but it is also a logical consequence of a permitted practice, and so can neither be passed nor rejected without evoking a legitimate complaint. Kathleen Erin­go­burne­the­Bragh, on the other hand, is ungrammatical, and embodies an obvious, out­of­period, and (if you will pardon the expression) inflammatory reference, which is reinforced by the burning cup in the accompanying device.

It is my contention that "joke" is necessarily a pejorative attribute only to those whose perception of the SCA is straitened and humorless. If a name is offensive, or otherwise unacceptable, then it should be returned on those grounds, not simply because it has the capacity to entertain. The problem with Decrease Mather is not that it is a "joke" name, but that it is a parody of the name of the famous Puritan clergyman Increase Mather. It could legitimately be ruled offensive on these grounds. (This, in fact, is how I interpret Master Wilhelm's earlier ruling.) In any case, the name alludes strongly enough to the historical character to constitute infringement (just as "Marvin Luther" would infringe on the German leader of the Protestant Reformation). I am returning the submission for these reasons, with the suggestion that the submitter change his given name or byname to remove the problem.

As for the use of the name as an example in Appendix II of the Rules for Submissions, it is hereby struck from the record.

Ellencwen Aergod seo Freothuwebbe. Name change (from Ellen Aergod seo Freothuwebbe); appeal.

NOTE: Master Wilhelm altered the given name from its submitted form in August 1984, saying, "You cannot use the title Cwen (= Queen) as a part of an SCA name." Pale has appealed this decision, submitting as documentation a letter from a Professor of Medieval Studies showing "that in fact Cwen does not claim royalty, as it was used by the Anglo­Saxons as we would use the word woman or wife."

Professor Baird's letter states:

Cwen in Old English does not ­ or does not necessarily ­ mean "queen." It is commonly used in Old English in the sense of "woman" in general, glossing, for example, the Latin word femina. A good instance of this usage in Old English is the phrase "Ealdra cwena spell" which is scarcely to be translated as "Old queens' tales," but rather "Old wives' (or old women's) tales," and in fact, glosses Aelfric's Latin phrase "anilis fabula." The word can, of course, mean "queen." but is by no means restricted to that sense.

Granted, cwen has a common non­royal meaning, but the royal connection is still present, and more important, it is recognizable. Cwen meant 'queen' (as well as woman') to the Anglo­Saxons, and it is the root of modern English queen. (Batonvert has noted that the Old English and Modern English forms are identical "in practical pronunciation.") The term is also the Anglo­Saxon variant authorized by Laurel in "Alternative Translations of SCA Titles," published in the Proceedings of the Caerthan Heraldic Symposium. This gives it the appearance of a claim "that one is a member of a royal family or is of royal birth," which is unacceptable. (RFS VII.4).

Giles Devon. Badge. A double­tiered Japanese pine tree proper surmounted by a ken palewise argent.

NOTE: This sort of combination of Japanese and European design is not acceptable. According to Monsho, "the motif of a Japanese pine has only one tier." The charge is unrecognizable by both Occidental and Oriental standards. There is also no defined proper for a Japanese pine. Please choose another design.

Jack Alan Hartson. Name and device. Vert, on a sun Or eclipsed vert, a hart statant to sinister argent.

NOTE: A patronymic is formed from the father's given name, not his surname; the son of William Hart would be called Wilson, not Hartson. The device conflicts with PATRICK OF INNISFREE, "Vert, on a sun Or, a dexter hand appaumy couped at the wrist vert," and with KOUROST BERNARD OF THE EAST WOODS, "Sable, a sun eclipsed Or." (SCA) The sun does not appear to be consistent with SCA usage of eclipsed.

Janos von Ratisbon. Name change (from Janos of Ratisbon); appeal.

NOTE: In general, a preposition should agree in language with the noun which follows it. Von is German, and so would take the German name of the place, which is Regensburg. Ratisbon, the English name, is derived from Rathaspona or Radaspona, a Celtic village which earlier occupied the same spot, and calls for the English preposition of. Ratisbon may be an older name than Regensburg, but this does not make it German, nor does it indicate that Regensburg is out of period. Being older does not necessarily make something more period ­ in an organization whose focus is the European Middle Ages, a draft horse is far more period than an Eohippus.

Middle, Kingdom of the. Badge. Gules, a dragon salient argent.

NOTE: This infringes upon SCHONAU, "Gules, a winged dragon argent," and BOURGES, "Gules, a dragon argent"' (Rietstap) Salient is at best a minor point of difference from rampant, the assumed position of the charges in Rietstap.

Olga Handt. Device. Azure, a sinister hand couped fesswise maintaining a crescent argent,

NOTE: This conflicts with LUCE, "Azure, a crescent argent." (Papworth 594) There is a point of difference for the addition of the hand.

Rabiah of the Misty Mountains. Name and device. Vert, three chevronels interlaced, and in chief a fir tree Or.

NOTE: Brigantia and Virgule have both questioned the accuracy of the entry for Rabiah in Muslim Names, noting that Rabia is the name of two months in the Moslem calendar. I would like to see some confirming documentation. The device conflicts with ALLESLEY, "Vert, three chevronels braced ... a chief Or." (Papworth 551) There is a point of difference for replacing the chief with a tree. DISCUSSION: This was a difficult call to make, and the grounds for my decision were as much subjective as objective. If the ellipsis masks an and, then no additional difference is possible; if it hides an overall charge, then the two coats are clear. The only visible difference is the type of a single secondary charge, which seems too small a hedge against the possible conflict. Perhaps another source can yield a more complete blazon.

Rhiannon of Wye. Device. Vert, a pair of wings conjoined argent within a bordure Or.

NOTE: This conflicts with DAEGAN OF RAVENSWOOD, "Vert, a pair of wings conjoined argent, in chief three estoiles Or." (SCA) There is a point of difference for type of secondary charges.

Robert I'Eveque. Name only.

NOTE: L'Evêque is French for 'the bishop', which is not allowed. (Dubois I 297) Bishop is one of the titles specifically proscribed by Rule VII.4.

Vladimir Nachtkind. Name only.

NOTE: Perhaps we are being overly sensitive, but we find the combination of Vladimir (a given name commonly associated with Dracula) and Nachtkind (German 'night child') excessive. ("Listen to them ­ the children of the night. What music they make!") We also did not receive any forms for this submission.

Kingdom of the West

Calvinus Sinister. Name change (from Craig of Westermark); appeal.

NOTE: Lord Wilihelm located a copy of the edition of Yonge cited by Vesper in his letter of intent. The pertinent passage, taken from a section titled Cognomina, is as follows:

"In contrast to the hairy Caesar, we proceed to the opposite title that the great Julius might have borne, if he had not figuratively, as well as literally, hidden his baldness with a wreath of bays. Calvinus, the diminutive of Calvus (the bald), is worth mentioning, because it probably was the origin of the surname of Jean Chauvin, the Reformer; and was re­Latinized again by him into the Calvin by which he is known to controversy. The father of the Cid regarded as his great enemy one Lain Calvo, who is supposed to be, by one of the great Spanish corruptions, formed from Flavius Calvus."

This supports Brigantia's argument that Calvinus is a Latin cognomen (a personal nickname), not a given name.

Edwin von Elsass. Device (appeal). Per fess argent and azure, three round buckles counterchanged.

NOTE: This submission was returned (EDWIN VON REINHESSEN, Dec 1984) for conflict with WHISELFORD, "Per fess azure and argent, three annulets counterchanged." (Papvorth 5) Vesper has appealed this ruling, citing Rules XIII.A.1.c ("Two fields that have the same partition but differ in the tincture of each section differ by one major point") and XIII.A.2.c ("Counterchanging the field and charges counts as one major point").

The example given for XIII.A.l.c shows both halves of the field being replaced by tinctures that were not in the original field. Rule XIII.B.l.c limits the difference to a minor point if the tincture of one of the halves is retained, and XIII.B.7 allows only a minor point for permutation of tinctures between field and charges. I don't think there is any question of awarding a major point on the basis of XIII.A.l.c.

The example given for XIII.A.2.c involves a complete exchange of tinctures between an undivided field and an undivided charge. XIII.A.2.d ("counter-changing by a line of partition") divides a previously undivided field and charge. The term counterchange is obviously ambiguous, but the discussion for each of the rules gives a pretty good idea of the intended meaning, and neither of these meanings applies to the present case.

Visually, I feel this sort of counterchange carries more weight than an exchange of tinctures between the two halves of the field (for which I have been allowing a minor point), but less weight than the two types of counterchange enumerated in XIII.A.2, so it is at best a strong minor.

Marija Villen Oughten. Name and device. Argent, three hearts bendwise in bend purpure.

NOTE: Villen Oughten does not appear to be Welsh. Would it be possible to obtain photocopies of the documentation cited? The applicant has asked that we make no changes to her name without consulting her. The device appears acceptable.

Stephen Villen Oughten. Name and device. Or, a lion rampant to sinister guardant within a cloth belt in annulo knotted in base sable.

NOTE: Villen Oughten does not appear to be Welsh. Would it be possible to obtain photocopies of the documentation cited? The applicant has asked that we make no changes to his name without consulting him. The device appears acceptable.

Timon Graham of Drakeswood. Device. Or, a sinister gore sable, and in dexter chief a bear's head erased close to sinister gules.

NOTE: This conflicts with REGULUS OF VINHOLD, above. There is a point of difference for replacing, one of the gores with the bear's head.

THE FOLLOWING SUBMISSIONS ARE PENDING:

Kingdom of the Middle

Ragnarr Arnbjornsson. Name only (appeal).

NOTE: According to Geirr Bassi Haraldsson,.."The Patronymic is constructed from the genitive case [emphasis added] of the father's given name... Men's given names in ­bjorn and ­orn make their genitives in ­bjarnar and ­arnar." (The Old Norse Name, pp. 17­18) The genitive form of Arnbjorn is Arnbjarnar, so the patronymic would be Arnbjarnarson.

The only documentation provided with the appeal was a statement in the LoI that "According to Mistress Brynhildr Kormaksdottir (newest Laurel of the Middle Kingdom and mundane PhD in Old Norse), either form is all right depending on how late period he wants to be." While Mistress Brynhildr may very well be correct, I need something substantial in order to disregard the categorical statement of Dr. Jere Fleck (whose mundane Ph.D. is in Medieval Germanic Studies).

I am holding this pending receipt of documentation to support the appeal.

Kingdom of the West

Algernon Blacksword. Device (appeal). Or, three swords sable, a bordure sable bezanty.

NOTE: This submission has been deferred to the June meeting, so it can be considered in light of the rulings on ADRIAN BUCHANON and the ORDER OF THE HAWK'S BELL.