APPROVALS 1 25 August XX (1985)

THE FOLLOWING SUBMISSIONS ARE APPROVED:

Kingdom of Ansteorra

Anne Marshal. Name only.

Anne Louise of Bluecastle. Device. Argent, a castle triple­towered azure, portalled, crenellated, and pennanted gules, within a bordure azure semy of oak leaves Or.

Armilda Astyages of Lydia. Name change (from Armilda of Lydia) and device. Per pale gules and argent, a swan naiant within an orle counterchanged.

NOTE: Brigantia has said she is willing to withdraw her objection to Astyages. There is a connection between the historical Astyages and the kingdom of Lydia, but it is tenuous enough that I think we can afford to overlook it.

Damien Cameron Ravensthorn. Name only.

Da'ud ibn Auda. Badge. Azure, a dromedary statant distilling from its mouth two gouttes d'Or.

DISCUSSION: On the recommendation of the College, we have blazoned this as a dromedary, rather than an Arabian camel, and have specified that the gouttes are being distilled from the camel's mouth. (No use inviting speculation.) One of the letters of comment suggested spittant, which is bad French ­­ 'to spit' is either cracher or expectorer, the past participles of which (equivalent to the ­ing forms in English) would be crachant and expectorant.

Edmund Marshal. Name and device. Azure, on a chevron inverted Or three hearts gules, in chief on a heart Or another gules.

Isobel des Tourelles de la Seine. Badge. Vert, a bend wavy azure fimbriated, overall a tower argent.

Malachi Delacot. Device. Per bend sinister gules and sable, four lozenges conjoined in cross within and conjoined to an annulet Or.

DISCUSSION: One of the comments suggested that there might be technical conflict with BALIN THE FAIRHAIRED: Sable, a square anvil within an annulet Or. (SCA) This is the sort of thing the point­and­a­half rule was intended to deal with ­ a prominent primary charge in the presence of a peripheral secondary charge, such as a border, orle, or chief. There is thus a major and a minor point for change in type of primary charge (the anvil and the cross are completely different), and an additional minor for change in tincture of half the field. There is no visual conflict, so the two are clear.

Philomeena of Morningscourt. Name correction (from Morningcourt). [February 1985]

Rupert the Unwary. Device. Argent, chapé azure, in pale a mullet of four points and a tower sable, in chief two goblets Or.

NOTE: The mullet should be drawn larger.

Sabia Gunnhild Hunang. Badge (correction). Gules, a reindeer statant reguardant within an annulet argent. [May 1985].

NOTE: This was incorrectly listed as a device.

Sebastian Eton Frobishire. Name and device. Per pall inverted vert, sable and Or, in chief two swords in chevron Or, in base two natural seahorses erect addorsed vert.

Sheelah Lockhart. Name and device. Per bend sinister azure and vert, a bend sinister bevilled between a cross crosslet and a harp Or.

Stargate, Barony of. Sodality of the Stargate. Name change (from Order of the Sentinels of the Stargate).

Kingdom of An Tir

Akayama Yoshitatsu. Name only (see PENDING for device).

Angharad Severn o Glamorgan. Badge. Argent, a natural panther's head erased close crowned within a bordure sable.

An Tir, Kingdom of. Badge for Gamesmaster. Checky Or and argent, a chess rook and on a chief sable three bezants.

NOTE: The Kingdom of An Tir is hereby granted blanket permission to use the field "checky Or and argent" in its official submissions. This is a specific exception to the rule (IX.4) prohibiting checky of two metals.

Edward Ian Anderson. Name and device. Argent, on a cross nowy quadrate couped sable a great helm pierced through the eye­slit by an arrow fesswise point to sinister within a bordure per saltire sable and gules.

Enid de Bohun. Name only.

Eoghan of Wealdsmere (submitted as Eoghan MacGiollaPhadrig). Name and device. Argent, in pale a stag courant gules and a mullet of seven points within a bordure sable.

NOTE: The name conflicts with that of EWEN MACGILLIPADRAIG, approved 22 April 1984. We have substituted the name of his SCA branch, in order to register the device.

Franz of Ratisbon (submitted as Franz von Ratisbon). Name and device. Per pale azure and Or, a sinister eagle's wing terminating in a hand maintaining an axe counterchanged.

NOTE: Ratisbon is the English name for the German city of Regensburg. In general, a preposition should agree in language with the name that follows it. We have substituted English of. He could also be Franz von Regensburg.

Gwilym Moore. Device. Or, a pale bretessed between two moorcocks statant close respectant gules.

Iain MacIoruaich (submitted as Iain MacIoruach). Name only.

NOTE: The noun following the patronymic particle mac is normally in the genitive case: Brigantia believes this should be MacIoruaich.

Margarethe Wessel. Name and device. Azure, a bear rampant Or on a chief invected argent three anchors azure.

Paul of Somerton. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Peregrine de Portico (submitted as Peregrine Portico). Name and device. Gules, a falcon close to sinister within a dolmen argent.

NOTE: According to Brigantia, "Ablatives of origin in Latin virtually inevitably are expressed with a preposition." We have amended the name accordingly. Please ask the applicant to draw the stones in the dolmen thicker.

Roland the Savage. Name only.

Rosamund MacMurrough of Wexford. Name only.

Sophia de la Mer. Name only.

Wolfgar of Tyrone. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Kingdom of Atenveldt

Aubry du Bolduc. Device. Azure, a bend cotised Or between two alembic flasks, spouts crossed in saltire, and a thimble argent, all within a bordure Or.

Elon ben Moshe. Name and device. Or, an oak tree vert, fructed argent, issuant from a ford proper, between in fess two acorns inverted, and on a chief azure an open book scroll fesswise argent.

NOTE: This is rather complex. It could be improved by removing the acorns; the result would still be clear of either of the potential conflicts cited in the correspondence.

Errica de Creau. Name and device. Pean, in bend a decrescent and a peacock close contourny pavonated to base argent.

DISCUSSION: "Pavonated means the tail feathers are closed and lowered in a smooth curve." (WvS, 26 Oct 81, p. 6; in Prec III:76).

The dictionary definition of pavonated is "Coloured like a peacock's feather, as peacock copper­ore." (OED 574) Linguistically, it means roughly "peacock­like." (A peacock is by definition pavonated.) I haven't been able to find any references to pavonated in mundane heraldry, and suspect that this application is unique to the SCA.

The term is used in SCA heraldry to refer to the peacock's tail, that part of his anatomy that is quintessentially 'peacock.' Master Bruce Draconarius of Mistholme, who brought the mundane definition to my attention, has suggested that the term requires some sort of directive: e.g., "pavonated to base" or "a peacock vert, pavonated gules." This seems reasonable to me. I have therefore reblazoned this submission from "a peacock pavonated to sinister close" to "a peacock close contourny pavonated to base.".

Eurion ap Gruffyd. Device. Per pale and per chevron sable and vert, a cross crosslet fitchy within a bordure rayonny argent.

Hans Makler. Name only.

Kerensa of Willowmere. Name change (from Willow Mire) and change of device. Or, springing from a fracted stump, a field daisy stalked and leaved proper.

NOTE: This is actually a change, not a correction; what was registered to her is what is shown on her original forms. The changes are minor enough that I've no objection to making them, although we would appreciate a new emblazon, just to keep the files straight.

Lester Westrodwin. Device. Vert, a pall Or semy of pommes, in chief an eye Or.

NOTE: Please draw the eye in the conventional fashion, not in imitation of CBS.

Wilhelm von dem Bajwarishen Berg. Device. Purpure, in pale two chapels de fer between as many flaunches Or, each flank charged with a spear purpure.

NOTE: In the absence of specific documentation for the term "Bohemian military hat," I have blazoned the charges using the more general term chapel de fer: "An open helmet worn from the 12th to the 15th century and, in its modified form of the pikeman's pot, until the 17th. As the name implies it is merely an iron hat. It varies considerably in shape but in all of its modifications it has a distinct crown and a rather wide brim turned down at the sides." (Stone 173).

Kingdom of Caid

Angeline Marie le Chat du Coeur. Name and device. Argent, a cat couchant guardant within a double tressure, all between three paw prints vert.

Anton de la Mer. Name and device. Per saltire sable and gules, a unicorn's head cabossed argent, armed Or, between in fess two wings displayed, all within a bordure Or.

Arwen Mildthryth Dafydd. Badge. Or, a pale gules surmounted by a cat's paw print purpure.

NOTE: The paw print should be drawn larger, to avoid conflict with INIGUEZ: Or, a pale gules. (Rietstap).

Brendal Bartholomew. Name and device. Gules, a ram rampant guardant between in chief two mullets of six points and issuant from base three chevronels braced argent.

Cei Myghchaell Wellinton. Device change. Per pale Or and bendy gules and ermine, a label sable. NOTE: His old device is released.

DISCUSSION: A number of heralds objected to this submission, saying that it appears to be marshalled arms. It's a borderline case, but I feel that, within the meaning and intent of our rules, this submission is legal.

The Rules for Submissions (IX.8) provide several remedies for per­pale and quarterly divisions: using a complex line of partition, placing a charge (other than a standard mark of cadency) overall, putting the same charge in each compartment, or leaving half the compartments uncharged. (There is also an assumption, expressed in one of the Laurel rulings but not echoed in the RFS, that none of the compartments has the strong appearance of being an independent coat ­ there should be no more than one charge in a quarter, for example, and it can't be an ordinary.).

The objection to the use of a label as the "overall" charge is valid, but it's on shaky ground. The exception for standard marks of cadency is mentioned in conjunction with quartering, not impaling. The same supporting arguments apply in both cases, though, and they are borne out by the visual effect; so I think this is an oversight, rather than an intentional omission. However, throughout the history of SCA heraldry, it has been the presence of charges that has made us cry "shields upon shields!" and "marshalling!" Both halves of this coat consist of uncharged fields, and one of these is a plain tincture. "The College of Arms does not consider a single tincture field to be a protected entity." (WvS, 21 Jul 80, p. 10) This is an important point in our philosophy; and in my judgement, it outweighs the presence of the label.

Ceinwen y Griffwn ferch Cynan (submitted as Ceinwen y Gryffyn ferch Cynan). Name and device. Argent, a dolphin haurient vert, on a chief embattled sable three hawk's bells argent.

NOTE: The Welsh for 'griffin' is griffwn, not gryffyn. (Evans 125).

Daniel of Starkhafn. Name and device. Argent, a fess wavy sable between in chief three fox's masks gules and in base a rose sable.

Edmund Graham. Name and device. Or, a saltire argent fimbriated sable, surmounted by a griffin sejant vert.

Ella of Mistley in the Blue Mountains. Name and device. Or, three chevronels braced and on a chief invected azure, three chamomile flowers argent, seeded Or.

DISCUSSION: The chamomile flower is heraldically indistinguishable from a daisy.

Emmaline Bonneville de la Mer. Badge. Vert, a bat­winged sea­horse naiant, wings elevated and addorsed, grasping its tail in its mouth argent.

Helmut Wolfgang von Drache. Device. Gyronny argent and gules, a dragon segreant to sinister sable, winged and bellied Or, maintaining a halberd azure, within a bordure counterchanged.

Karl von Alpenwald. Device. Per fess indented of two points azure and Or semy of fir trees vert, in chief a dragon courant, wings addorsed, Or.

Keradawc an Cai. Device change. Sable, three crescents conjoined in pall inverted, horns outward, within three scimitars in annulo argent. NOTE: His old device (Sable, three pheons and on a chief embattled argent an arrow sable fletched and nocked at both ends gules) becomes a badge.

Keradawc an Cai. Release of badge. Argent, a sinister gauntlet fesswise sable grasping by the neck a duck palewise to sinister, wings addorsed, gules, in base a key fesswise sable.

Magen of the Golden Unicorn. Device. Purpure, a wolf's head erased to sinister argent, and on a chief nebuly Or three compass stars gules.

Milo del la Rose Noire. Name and device. Per chevron sable and argent, two great helms respectant and a garden rose, all within a bordure embattled, all counterchanged.

Shawn of Stagira (submitted as Iona of Stagira). Name and device. Per bend sinister, bendy sinister gules and Or, and azure, a horse passant to sinister sable and a sword argent.

NOTE: Iona, or Icolmkill, is an island in the Hebrides. (NCE 1357) We have used the applicant's mundane given name to form a holding name, in order to register the device. Brigantia has noted that the older name for Aristotle's birthplace is Stagirus, although I note that Stagira appears to be an accepted anglicized form. (NCE 147, s.v. Aristotle).

DISCUSSION: According to the letter of intent, "Iona is a Greek flower name. (Choosing a Name, by Kitchin, p. 109)" In the absence of a more reliable source than a baby­name book for the use of Iona as a given name, I must consider the documented use as a place name to take precedence.

One of the commentators asked, "Does Crescent know something about possible emendations to the rules for submission that I do not? When I last looked, flower names were specifically banned save for those few which were demonstrably period (e.g. Rose).".

1) The ban on flower names took place in one of the Laurel letters. (WvS, 28 Jan 83, p. 6) To the best of my knowledge, the matter is not specifically addressed in the Rules for Submissions.

2) I've quoted the amendment to the ruling on a couple of occasions. "On a case by­case basis we will allow the use of plant names as female given names. The basic criterion will be whether the College feels a specific plant name is reasonably consistent with period usage, even though it wasn't actually used in period." (WvS, 22 Apr 84, p. 3) This loosening of the earlier ruling followed one of Master Wilhelm's questionnaires to the College of Arms.

Thorvald Isaacson of Firepit. Name and device. Per chevron enhanced sable and argent, two towers and a sea­unicorn naiant counterchanged.

Zenobia Naphtali. Badge. A stag springing to sinister reguardant sable.

Kingdom of the East

Alycanna Morgaine. Device. Gyronny argent and sable, three quatrefoils counterchanged.

DISCUSSION: Several of the commenting heralds asked if this conflicted with WOYNNE: Per bend sable and argent, three quatrefoils counterchanged. (Papworth 867) There is a major point of difference for the change in the field; what is not clear is whether it is possible to obtain any additional difference for the change in the charges.

This is a borderline case: it could legitimately be called either way. The argument that the two conflict is based on the principle that, since the tincture of the charges is derived directly from that of the field, the two should be treated as a unit; and that one can therefore obtain no more than a single point of difference by changing the two. This is consistent with Rule XIII.2.c, which deals with total counterchange.

The argument that the two do not conflict is derived from the fact that the change in the field has brought about a separate, visible change in the charges. Two of the quatrefoils are now divided, half dark and half light, and the tinctures of the third quatrefoil have been interchanged. This provides an additional "delta" ­­ the smallest unit of recognizable change ­ resulting in the "more than a full point of difference" required between SCA and all but the most famous mundane arms. This is consistent with Rule XIII.2.d, which deals with counterchange by a line of partition.

The first approach has the advantage of being simpler, in that it reduces the number of special cases in the rules of difference. The underlying principle may, however, have undesirable side­effects that are not obvious at this time. The second approach allows more submissions to be approved. The eyeball test shows that the two coats belong to different people, but it doesn't give us much feeling for the degree of difference.

I have decided to give the submitter the benefit of the doubt, and approve the submission. I feel slightly more comfortable with the immediate implications of this argument than with the other. Please note that this does not represent a firm precedent. If anyone discovers an important point or effect that I've overlooked, it should be brought to the attention of the College of Arms and Laurel, so the ruling can be adjusted accordingly.

Andre of Branswatch. Name only.

Andrew MacAlistair. Name only.

Angharad Chy a tyr Sterrenow. Name and device. Azure, on a fess between four mullets of four points, three and one, argent, two roses azure, barbed and seeded proper, all within a bordure embattled Or.

Anna Herold von Ossenheim. Name only.

Annora Coffyn. Name correction (from Coffin). [April 1985].

Aric Arundel of the Mist. Name and device. Per fess vert and argent, in chief a mullet of four points and in base three oak leaves inverted in fess, all counterchanged.

Arwen Evaine ferch Rhys of Gwynedd. Name change (from Arwen Evaine merch Gwynneth).

Batsheva Slonimska. Device. Per chevron throughout argent and sable, two menorahs and a wolf statant ululant, all counterchanged.

Belle Rive, Shire of. Badge. An ox yoke, beamed vert, bowed argent.

Cambria Keep, College of. Name only.

Catherine Berylia of the Silver Whistle. Name only.

David Davidson of Renwick. Device. Quarterly azure and argent, a raven's head erased and sinister facing sable, in chief two mullets of eight points counterchanged.

Elena de los Dragones. Name only.

Elinor Annora ferch Llewelyn. Name and device. Vert, two quills crossed in saltire within an orle argent.

Elspeth FitzHugh. Name only.

Eric Bentbow. Name only.

Fiona Duncan. Name only.

Franz Mare. Name only.

Frederick of Beltzhoover. Name only.

Gudrun Thorvaldsdottir. Name only.

Gunther Muller. Name only.

Ina Rowena of the Mist. Name only.

Jael Aldis Devona. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Jehanne Urchurdan. Device. Argent, two wingless sea­dragons erect addorsed, tails entwined, vert.

Johannes von Schwoykau. Name and device. Azure, four lions rampant combattant, two and two, argent, on a chief embattled Or, a lion passant azure.

Katherynne Driscoll. Name only.

Keilyn Elwyn Fartraveller. Name only.

Kurt Michael Meyer Wittman von Altenstein. Name only.

Lazar ben Yoal. Name only.

Lucien of Bath. Name and device. Per chevron throughout Or and vert, two chaplets of thorn vert and a man­serpent bowed, embowed, tail torqued Or, the head erect and guardant proper, crined gules.

DISCUSSION: The religious symbolism in this device is strong enough to make us uncomfortable, but I do not find it "excessive" within the definition given in Appendix II.3 of the Rules for Submissions.

Megan Douglas. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Melisande of the Flames. Name and device. Vairy Or and gules, a goose courant, wings elevated and addorsed, sable.

DISCUSSION: I feel this is sufficiently different from CYNAGUA: Quarterly argent and Or, a swan rousant, wings elevated and addorsed, sable, maintaining in its sinister foot a laurel wreath vert. (SCA) There is a major point for the field, a minor for the laurel wreath, and an additional minor for the type of bird. An heraldic swan has a characteristic curved neck, and Julian Franklyn seems to feel there is a recognized difference between the two: "It is apt to be disastrous when a heraldic swan is so poorly represented as to appear like a heraldic goose." (Shield and Crest, p. 117) Given the underlying simplicity of the two coats, and the unlikeliness that the two will be confused, I am willing to accord Melisande the benefit of the doubt.

Olaus Simone Silvano. Name only.

Rauchenderberg, Shire of. Name only.

Richard the Indefinite. Name and device. Vert, a sword, inverted and wavy­bladed, argent between two hounds sejant affronty Or.

DISCUSSION: A potential conflict was cited between this submission and CHANDRABALA: Vert, a kris reversed above a crescent argent. (SCA) When we pulled the latter, however, we found that it is actually: Vert, a crescent and in chief a kris inverted argent. I count a major point for change in type of primary charge, plus a major and a minor for the differences (type, number, tincture, and arrangement) in the secondaries.

Robin Saint Michael. Name and device. Purpure, a bend bevilled between two recurved bows palewise addorsed, each drawn and nocked of an arrow, Or.

Roland of Tullibardine. Name only.

Sarolta Hunyadi. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Simon Karlsson. Name only.

Sulieka MacGregor. Name only.

Susan MacGregor. Name only.

Taliesin ap Gwythur. Badge. Azure, a pale argent, overall a griffin dormant Or.

Tibor of Rock Valley. Name only.

Uulfgar Uulfric. Device. Per pale azure and Or, a chevron between two wolf's heads cabossed and a caltrap, a bordure overall counterchanged.

Veikr of Wales. Name and device. Or, a falcon displayed guardant, wings elevated, sable, maintaining two swords inverted in saltire argent, all within a bordure invected gules.

Kingdom of the West

Agaricus, Canton of. Name and device. Sable, a laurel wreath Or between five mushrooms, two, two, and one, argent.

NOTE: If I understand Brigantia's argument correctly, they may want to be Agaricum, rather than Agaricus, the latter being a modern adjective form: see the explanation in the OED under agaric.

Agaricus, Canton of. Badge. Sable, two mushrooms in fess argent, caps conjoined and spotted gules.

Allyn of Grenhold. Name and device. Or, on a bend sinister cotised vert, an owl close statant to sinister guardant Or.

Andrei the Wanderer. Device. Per chevron embattled sable and argent, in chief three mullets in fess argent and in base a pine tree eradicated proper.

Artemas Maximus. Name and device. Per pale purpure and argent, a bear statant erect affronty counterchanged argent and sable.

Aurelle du Ciel Emeraude. Name only.

Bjorn of Wolfs Hold. Name only.

Canale, Shire of. Name only.

Chandrabala. Device (reblazon). Vert, a crescent and in chief a kris inverted argent. [January 1974]

Cloondara, Shire of. Name change (from Floating Castle); appeal.

SYNOPSIS: The original submission was returned in March of 1985 for conflict with the town of the same name in Ireland, found in O'Connell, The Meaning of Irish Place Names. Vesper has appealed this decision, stating that Cloondara is presented "as an example of the way the Irish joined elements to make place names and noting further that they were unable to locate the place in any of the atlases available to them.

DISCUSSION: Cloondara occurs in the body of O'Connell, in the company of some 2300 other names which we have no reason to believe the author invented. There is certainly nothing on the page cited to indicate that the name is spurious. The stated grounds for the appeal are invalid.

A couple of the commentators did note, however, that the absence of ' Cloondara from any major atlas means that it is not a place name "of any significance," as defined in the text of Rule VIII.5. I am willing to approve the name on these grounds.

I should probably point out, for the sake of completeness, that the interpretation of Rule VIII.5 given in Master Wilhelm's letter of comment, and echoed in the comments of Treblerose, is at odds with the interpretation given in the discussion of the rule. It is stated explicitly that "For minor towns and places, the requirement is that the names not be identical, or that they differ only by a minor spelling variation." [emphasis added] Since the names are identical, without spelling variation, they are, according to the published rules, in conflict. I am accepting the text of the rule over the published interpretation because I believe, in this case, that the text more accurately reflects both the intent of the rule and the manner in which it has actually been applied.

Damaris la Charmante. Name and device. Argent, three bendlets sinister enhanced above a garden rose gules, slipped and leaved vert, a bordure sable.

DISCUSSION: This is actually a reasonable use of the term above in blazon.

Donal Winterwolf. Name and device. Argent, on a fess between a wolf's head erased and another erased, reversed and inverted azure, a snowflake argent.

Donna la Rubia (submitted as Donna la Rubio). Name and device. Purpure, on a saltire between in pale two pairs of scissors open to sinister and in fess two escallops argent, a finger ring sable, gemmed gules.

NOTE: The Spanish adjective rubio 'fair' becomes rubia when it is applied to a feminine noun. We have corrected the grammar of the name accordingly.

Eden of Lionsguard. Device change. Per chevron Or and gules, in base a griffin dormant Or.

NOTE: Her old device is released.

DISCUSSION: Vesper has asked what became of Eden's original device (Gules, a griffin dormant Or), which was changed in April 1980, and which she thought had become a badge.

I can find nothing in the Vesper LoI of 16 Jan 80, the minutes, the LOAR, the folder, or on the original submission forms to indicate that Lady Eden wished to retain her old arms as a badge. Maythen of Elfhaven submitted a change of arms at the same time, and the fact that she wished to retain her old arms as a badge was noted on both the LoI and the LOAR. The option to retain one's old device as a badge is just that ­ an option. If nothing is said on the forms or in the LoI, then we have to assume that the old device is to be released. I am forced to conclude that the omission of Eden's original arms from the Armorial was not accidental.

Under the circumstances, I feel that Lady Eden should resubmit her original device as a badge if she wishes to retain it. We would be doing the people who have registered submissions since that time a disservice by not checking for potential conflicts. If the College agrees, however, I would be willing to consider lessening the difference requirements, in view of the circumstances.

Etain la Gamine. Device. Gyronny of twelve Or and azure, a monkey rampant guardant gules.

Enenne d'Argent. Name and device. Or, a mullet of twelve points pierced gules, a chief triangular sable.

Fanchion Mountaintamer of Skyehaven. Name change (from Mountainrider).

NOTE: This was apparently overlooked when the appeal on the given name was processed at the December 1982 Laurel meeting.

Gabrielle de l'Ambrosia. Badge. A Bengal tiger rampant to sinister guardant, tail coward, proper.

Geoffrey of Carrick. Name and device. Or, two swords in saltire, and on a chief engrailed gules, a griffin passant Or.

Gregory of Grand Sea. Badge. A pitcher with spout to sinister barry wavy argent and azure.

DISCUSSION: "The handle (fr. corniers) should be sinister, and the lip dexter." (Parker 244, s.v. ewer) The pitcher could also be blazoned reversed.

Guy d'Argonne. Name and device. Per pale Or and purpure, three ankhs counterchanged.

DISCUSSION: The plural of crux ansata turns out to be cruces ansatae, which seemed likely to baffle herald and scribe alike. KISS* prevailed, and we blazoned these as ankhs.

An acronym for "Keep It Simple, Stupid."

Gwyneth of Glenstrae. Name and device. Per chevron azure and Or, two unicorns combattant Or and a thistle proper.

NOTE: Unicorns have beards. Please correct the emblazon.

Jocelyn Holyer. Device. Or, a sprig of holly fructed proper within an annulet wreathed argent and gules conjoined to four hawk's bells in cross gules.

Johann Lorinson. Name correction (from Johan). [January 1985]

Kassandra Skysword. Name and device. Tierced per pall purpure, gules, and azure, a sword inverted between two ankhs argent.

Lawrence of Redforest. Name and device. Erminois, a hurst of three pine trees on a mount couped gules.

Magnus Birchleg. Name and device. Gules, a drinking horn bendwise sinister argent.

Marit the Wanderer. Name only.

Meryk Haraldsen. Badge. Argent, a ram's head erased to sinister sable.

Nikolaus von Sachsen. Device (correction). Argent, a sinister wing displayed within a bordure sable. [April 1983]

Oertha, Principality of. Device (correction). Azure, a wolf sejant, head erect, between in chief two compass stars and on a base argent, a laurel wreath azure. [March 1985]

Randal of Kings Hammer. Name only.

Raonaild Ruadh. Name only.

Richard the Steadfast. Device. Argent, in bend a thunderbolt inverted gules and a tower sable.

DISCUSSION: This is close to FREDERIC OF THE WEST TOWER: Argent, a tower sable, on its base a cross patonce voided argent. (SCA) I count a major point for the addition,.of the thunderbolt, and minor points for the displacement of the tower and the removal of the cross. Given the underlying simplicity of the two coats, and the shift from a single primary to two primary charges of equal importance, I am inclined to let this squeak through.

Rodrigo de los Lobos. Device. Argent, a wolf's pawprint and on a chief indented sable, three crescents argent.

DISCUSSION: This is clear of EILEEN O'KITSPA (Argent, a cat's pawprint sable, on a chief embattled purpure a lion couchant Or), although the two are similar enough to make us a tad uncomfortable.

Roger de Peregrine. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Silver Desert, Province of. Device change. Per pale azure and argent, a ram's head cabossed within a laurel wreath, all counterchanged.

NOTE: Very nice! Their old device is released.

Suderland, Shire of. Change of device. Gyronny of six Or and sable, a laurel wreath argent surmounted by a wyvern displayed gules.

NOTE: This is actually a change, not a correction; the emblazon in the files shows a legless dragon (one without fore or hind legs), rather than a wyvern (which lacks only the hindquarters). The change is minor enough that I've no objection to making it, although we would appreciate a new emblazon, to keep the files straight.

Sven the Stormdriven. Badge. Sable, a quill bendwise sinister within a bordure invected argent.

Tabitha MacTeage. Name and device. Argent, a pale purpure, overall a phoenix displayed counterchanged.

Torold of Hawkhurst. Badge. Argent, a hawk displayed gules, on a base indented sable a hurst of pine trees argent.

Trystan Latimer of Sidanswood. Name and device. Vert, a swan naiant and on a chief argent, an open book between two quills palewise sable.

Vlasta Ulvaeus of the Wildhair. Device change. Sable, a pall between a sun and a pair of gauntlets, all within a bordure argent.

NOTE: His old device (Per chevron inverted argent and azure, a sun sable and a pair of gauntlets argent) becomes a badge.

Wynflaed of Hawksmir. Name and device. Per pale azure and argent, a tower and in chief two hawk's heads erased addorsed counterchanged.

THE FOLLOWING SUBMISSIONS ARE RETURNED:

Kingdom of Ansteorra

Everything passed!

Kingdom of An Tir

Llawddu yr Anghymeradwy. Name change (from Erold of Lithostone, called Blackhand).

REASON FOR RETURN: According to Batonvert, llawddu (llaw 'hand' + du 'black') would make a fine byname, but it is no more a given name in Welsh Eh­an Blackhand is in English. I'm sorry, but even in Cymric, the name is still anghymeradwy 'unacceptable'.

Paul of Somerton. Device. Vert, a chevron between a sword fesswise and an open scroll Or.

REASON FOR RETURN: This conflicts with STERLING OF TOAD HALL: Vert, a chevronel Or between two bulldogs statant respectant argent, each gorged of a collar sable, studded argent, and in base a squirrel sejant erect Or holding in its forepaws an acorn argent capped Or. (SCA) All the changes take place in a single group of secondary charges.

DISCUSSION: In the Fall of 1982, the College of Arms adopted the convention that the diminutive names of ordinaries are used only when there is more than one of the ordinary in question. Artistic convention allows a certain amount of latitude in the width of an ordinary; it will tend to be wider when it is charged, and narrower when there is more than one, or there are other surrounding charges. One charge is thus a chevron, no matter how wide it is, while two or more are called chevronels.

Unspeakable Name, College of the. Name only.

REASON FOR RETURN: This is an unsuitable name for a branch of the Society. Please choose another.

DISCUSSION: The most obvious candidate for "the unspeakable name" is the 'sacred tetragrammaton' or 'ineffable name' ­­ the four­lettered name of God (represented in English as Jehovah) which the Jews considered too sacred for utterance. While I hesitate to brand a single reference as excessively religious," I think the connection is inescapable; it can easily be perceived as sacrilegious, and the likelihood of people taking offense is too high.

The name is also reminiscent of the writings of H. P. Lovecraft, which Mistress Karina characterized as "at the same time fictional, nonhuman, magical, AND offensive"; and the reference to the name of the Shire of Shittimwoode is clearly, if indirectly, scatological.

Wolfgar of Tyrone. Device. Vert, three eagles displayed, heads to center, between as many wolves' heads erased, necks to center, all in annulo, Or.

REASON FOR RETURN: This arrangement of charges is difficult to blazon clearly, the individual charges are not recognizable, and the overall design is visually confusing. I'm afraid this really isn't heraldic. Please choose a more conventional design.

Kingdom of Atenveldt

Everything passed!

Kingdom of Caid

Antara al Abbasid. Name change (from Antara Dawntreader of Dawn Haven) and device change. Sable, a lion dormant Or between in chief two mullets and on a base argent a mullet sable.

NOTE: Her old device is released.

REASON FOR RETURN: ' Abbasidrel turns out to be a dynastic name: "Any member of the dynasty (750­1258) of caliphs claiming descent from Abbas, the uncle of Mohammed." (Webster's Second) Virgule and Brigantia have also noted that the term is an Anglicization, and so would either take the English article the or else be placed in the Arabic form (which, unfortunately, none of us knows). We would suggest the applicant use a patronymic formed on Abbas.

The device conflicts visually with HEINRICH ALTMARK: Per fess sable and argent, a lion dormant Or, a sword inverted gules, and a key fesswise sable, one and two. (SCA) All the changes appear to take place in a single group of secondary charges.

Kingdom of the East

Jael Aldis Devona. Device. Argent, a chevron between two garden roses purpure and a garden rose sable.

REASON FOR RETURN: Conflict with MARLER: Argent, a chevron purpure. (Papworth 373) There is a major point of difference for the addition of a group of like secondary charges.

DISCUSSION: There are two schools of thought on this submission. One allows a major point of difference for the addition of a group of three purple roses, plus a minor point for changing the rose in base from purple to black. The other school asks, "How can one 'change' the color of something that was not there before?"

We have held previously that the addition of a modified charge (such as a roundel engrailed ermine) contributes no more difference than adding an unmodified charge (e.g. a roundel gules). This gets us away from absurdities such as the following: to "Azure, a fleur­de­lys Or" we add two bars Or and a bordure argent. We engrail the bordure, change the bars from Or to argent, and then delete the bordure. Depending on how creative you are at counting, you could get anywhere from two to five points for the addition of a pair of silver stripes. Not bad for a couple of minutes' work ...

We have also held, however, that the addition of a group of charges of different types may contribute up to a major and a minor point of difference ­ for example, "Argent, a bend gules" differs from "Argent, a bend between a sun gules and a fleur­de­lys azure" by a point and a half for the secondary charges. This is supported by Rule XIII.4, which allows a major point for the addition of a group of identical charges. (The rules are unclear on how the remainder of the group is to be treated ­ some people regard it as a second group of charges, others as "part of a group of secondary charges." [XIII.8])

There is a certain amount of justification in allowing a group of dissimilar secondary charges to contribute more than a single point of difference. They do carry more visual weight than a group of identical charges. A similar argument can be made in the present case, but the effect is nowhere near as strong. The eye is led to expect the rose in base to be the same tincture as the two in chief; it perceives (1) "three purple roses", (2) momentary confusion, (3) "oh, two purple roses and a black one." The distinction is clearer when there is a difference in type, and­clearer still when both type and tincture are changed.

CONCLUSION: While the change in tincture of the bottom charge adds some visual weight to the group, this is not sufficient to bring the device clear of the mundane conflict. The two are visually too similar.

Megan Douglas. Device. Per bend azure and argent, a serpent glissant bendwise gules between a breadloaf Or and a domestic cat dormant sable.

REASON FOR RETURN: There are several style problems with this submission. (1) The serpent, which is by its nature a skinny object, obscures and is obscured by the line of division, making both difficult to recognize. (2) The conventional heraldic representation of bread is as a round cake, or manchet, usually borne on a baker's el. (Parker 450) The charge depicted in the emblazon is essentially a naturalistic representation, and is difficult to identify. (3) The use of three unlike and unrelated charges is poor practice. Please redesign.

DISCUSSION: A couple of the commenters asked if bread was ever baked in a pan in period. I don't know about rectangular pans, but my lady wife found a reference to circular bread molds used in both Rome and Pompeii in pre­medieval times. (Alexis Soyer, The Pantropheon, p. 38 and Pl. 7)

Sarolta Hunyadi. Device. Per fess embattled grady azure and argent, a horse's head argent and a horse's head inverted and sinister facing sable conjoined at the neck.

REASON FOR RETURN: Inverting an animate charge is at best poor practice, as is the use of rotational symmetry. With the two heads conjoined in this fashion, the charge is difficult to identify; like Brachet, we thought at first that this was a sea­horse. Please redesign.

Shoshonnah Jehanne ferch Emrys. Device. Paly bendy azure and argent, a falcon rising, wings elevated and displayed, maintaining in its dexter talon a lily, all within a bordure Or.

REASON FOR RETURN: The field is visually indistinguishable from BAVARIA (lozengy bendwise argent and azure), which has, alas, been proscribed. "As in the case of France ancient, I am forced to agree ... that the Bavarian field should be reserved." (WvS, 17 Jan 84, p. 9)

Kingdom of the West

Ambre d'Avignon. Device. Argent, on a chevron between two couple­closes azure, three garden rosebuds argent, a bordure azure.

NOTE: This conflicts with RHIANNON AP LLYR: Argent, on a chevron cotised azure, a raven displayed Or between two ravens displayed argent. (SCA) There is a major point for the border, and a minor for the changes in the tertiary charges.

Bhalter de Fairmont. Badge. Vert, a fleur­de­lys Or.

NOTE: This is identical to CLERCY. (Rietstap)

Donal Winterwolf. Badge. Azure, on a snowflake argent, a wolf's head erased azure.

REASON FOR RETURN: This conflicts with the U.S. ARCTIC TEST CENTER: Azure, a snowflake points in pale argent. (MilOrd #1195)

Lleu ap Macsen. Name only.

REASON FOR RETURN: The only instance of Lleu of which we are aware is the demigod Lleu (or Llew) Llaw Gyffes, whom Charles Squire equates with the Gaelic sungod Lugh Lamhfada. I have disallowed it previously in the case of LLEW[ELYN] GOF. (November 1984) We will need to see some documentation demonstrating use of the name by humans.

Roger de Peregrine. Device. Argent, a falcon's wing displayed sable within a bordure gules.

REASON FOR RETURN: This conflicts with BERGIUS OF GLEN KIN: Argent, a wing displayed and elevated sable. (Lyon Ordinary II­6026) There is a single point of difference, for the addition of the bordure. (The slight differences in the orientation of the wing, if any, fall within the bounds of artistic license.)

Westermark, Barony of. Badge. Two piles palewise throughout argent, and in base five plates in annulo, all within a bordure argent.

REASON FOR RETURN: Fieldless badges may not have bordures, nor may they use charges (such as piles) which issue from the edge of the field. Please specify a field or choose an enclosing charge (such as an annulet), the shape of which is defined. The design is also complex, particularly for the badge of an SCA branch.

DISCUSSION: "Fieldless badges may not use charges that issue from the edge of the field, like a pale, gore, flaunches, chief, etc., because there is no edge and so the shape is unspecified." (RFS XI.7) "The College will not register a badge without a field that has a division of the field or an ordinary or subordinary that depends on the shape of the field for its own shape. This means that you cannot register a fieldless badge with a pale, because if a pale is on a lozenge it is pointed at both ends, while on a heater it is straight at both ends. A badge with a field has the field in the shape of a roundel. A badge without a field is just the charge(s) it contains. If you want just a mullet on a pale for a badge, blazon it as a mullet on a billet." (WvS, 24 Feb 81, p. 5)

Unlike a device (or one of the secondary devices we register as tinctured badges), which is expected to fill (and therefore conform in shape to) the background on which it is displayed, a fieldless badge is free­standing. The shape of its outer edge must be fixed. In the present case, the bordure defines the shape of the upper edge of the piles, but it does so in terms of its own shape, which isn't defined. Defining one unknown in terms of another still leaves you with an unknown.

THE FOLLOWING SUBMISSION IS PENDING:

Kingdom of An Tir

Akayama Yoshitatsu. Device. Sable, issuant from base a rising sun of five rays argent eclipsed sable, the center ray a ken blade all within and conjoined to an annulet argent.

NOTE: This submission has been deferred to the September meeting, so it can be considered in light of the ruling on IGRAINE TORR DE VALERE.

Kingdom of the West

Oertha, Principality of. Seal for Stellanordica Herald. Two straight trumpets in saltire, bells in chief, surmounted by a compass star enhanced and elongated to base.

NOTE: See enclosed letter for details.