THE FOLLOWING SUBMISSIONS ARE APPROVED:

KINGDOM OF ANSTEORRA

Adele of Moondragon. Name only (see PENDING for device).

Note that she Tivar Moondragon's lady and thus it is only reasonable to allow her to share his registered name.It is true that she is using it in a slightly different form, but there is a good case for allowing this, based on the period name "de Mondragon".

Aeruin na Cantaireachet Sreagan. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Aimee de Valerien. Name only.

Catherine of Dover the Scholar. Name only.

The name was submitted as Catherine the Scholar of Dover. In similar cases in the past Laurel has ruled that the occupational name followed by a place name of origin was too similar to a claim of title. To avoid such problems we have reversed the epithets.

Christian Richard Dupre. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Daria de Tabriz. Name only (see RETURNS for device and badge).

The name appeared on the letter of intent as Daria al-Tabrisi, but the forms had the French form of the byname. Note that Daria is the name of an early saint (her feast day is October 25).

Drusilla of Northumbria. Device. Vert, a ring of three keys inverted and on a chief argent a coronet azure.

Elric Mounteney. Name only.

Frederick Rug. Device. Azure, semee of annulets, a hammer argent.

Note that on the letter of intent and on his forms the last name was spelled "Rugg, but his registered name only has one "g".

Gairovald Eburhard. Device. Sable, issuant from dexter chief a demi-sun argent.

Jacinth Aldith de Warwick. Name and device. Argent, a yale rampant sable, armed and attired Or, within a bordure compony erminois and vert.

Note that Jacinth is an English form of the ancient Greek name Hyacinthus.

James of Holland. Name only.

Jocea of Anglesey. Name only.

Jocea is a period spelling of the submittor's mundane name of Joyce (Withycombe, p. 182).

Jonathan Grantham. Device. Per chevron throughout sable and argent, two caltraps and a catapult counterchanged.

Please tell the submittor to draw the caltraps properly with all four points showing.

Robert of Middleford. Name and device. Per fess embattled sable and argent, in chief a chalice Or between two daggers inverted proper and in base a paw print sable.

KINGDOM OF ATENVELDT

Armand le Papillon. Name only.

Although the letter of intent had "papillion", the submittor's forms had the correct French spelling: "papillon".

Caomghin Liccere. Device. Azure, a pile wavy, cotised wavy, Or between two columbines argent.

Casamira Jawjalny. Name and device. Azure, a jester's hat lozengy gules and Or and a chief Or.

Catherine of Gordonhall. Name only.

Cherie Ruadh MhicRath of Locksley. Blazon change. Vert, on a tree eradicated argent a cat herisonny guardant gules.

Patrick Shannon of Newhall. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Ragnar Shorthair. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Rhodri Longshanks. Name and device. Per pale azure and gules, two ferrets combattant argent, a base embattled Or.

Sayf al-Qamar Tarik ibn Abdul. Badge. Pean, a saltire gules, overall a stag's head cabossed Or.

Note that in AR1d the combination of gules and pean is specifically permitted.

KINGDOM OF ATLANTIA

Anna Munro. Name and device. Quarterly argent and sable, in bend two corbie's heads erased sable.

Cathanar, College of. Device. Vert, a sinister hawk's wing argent and in canton a laurel wreath Or.

Ceridwen ferch Owain. Name only.

The name was submitted as Ceridwen merch Owayne. "Ferch regularly mutates when used as a feminine patronymic particle. Since "Owayne" is by the submittor's own documentation a form from English romances, we have substituted the usual Welsh spelling of Owen.

Dirk MacMartin. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Donal FitzMorgan. Name only.

The name appeared on the letter of intent as Donal fitz Morgan, but the forms gave the spelling shown above.

Elien Rosamond. Device. Per pale raguly argent and azure, to dexter three gillyflowers gules, seeded Or, slipped, leaved conjoined to one stem, vert.

Jerome l'Ami du Chat. Name and device. Sable, on an escallop inverted argent a domestic cat rampant sable.

Justin du Bois Noir. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Lerben of Cambion. Change of name from Leannon of Cambion.

The name was submitted as Lerben O Cambion, as a "variant" of "of Cambion", but no documentation was provided to support the usage of "o" with no punctuation to indicate elision as an alternative for "of". Note that the original name "correction" to Leannon of Cambion, when Lann of Cambion was ruled inadmissible, was made to preserve the original sound of the name (the submittor's forms permitted such changes and her mundane given name is LeeAnne). In such situations, this is not technically a name correction (that term should be reserved for correction of inadvertencies).

Thomas of Cathanar. Holding name and device (see RETURNS for name). Per pale argent and azure, a bend between a spur and three arrows palewise inverted counterchanged.

The device was submitted under the name Thomas de la Pont. Note that it is not necessary to specify that the arrows are in bend since that is the default position for three charges beneath a bend.

KINGDOM OF CAID

Actaeone Courtney of the White Meadow. Change of name from Cordelia Actaeone of the White Meadow.

Alexander Drake. Change of name from Devin Faol-lonn.

Alisha von Froschheim die Turnerin. Name only.

The name was submitted as Alisha von Froschheim der Turner. With the approval of Crescent, we have modified the occupational byname to the proper German feminine form.

Arthur FitzGerald of Salisbury. Device. Azure, two dolphins hauriant to sinister argent and a triangle of three swords conjoined proper.

Aurora Panthera. Name only.

Ceinwen Haele Cynwyth. Change of device. Quarterly vert and purpure, a cross parted and fretted with an annulet Or.

Dreiburgen, Barony of. Badge for Order of the Illuminated Tower of Dreiburgen. Or, on a pile inverted throughout gyronny from base azure and argent, a tower Or.

It should be noted that the essential reason for the original return of this badge in October, 1986, was the informal "rule of excessive anomaly", otherwise known as the "twitch factor". Gyronny from any point other than the center of a field or charge is definitely an anomaly, that is the reason that the visual complexity added by the use of two colours has been limited (nowhere was it ever claimed that gyronny from the edge per se is "banned"). The poor contrast with the field was felt to be another anomaly. For a group badge, two anomalies were felt to be excessive. We are still of the opinion that the use of gyronny from the edge on charges is extremely poor style, but we bow here to the opinion of the majority of those commenting on the appeal who felt that the "twitch factor", although present, was bearable.

Jonathan Lyon d'Or. Name only.

Juliana FitzWilliam. Badge. Sable, a unicorn's head erased within a bordure embattled Or, charged with an orle sable.

Maritsa Milovich. Name and device. Chequy gules and argent, on a lozenge azure a sheep's head cabossed argent.

Michael the Eccentric. Name and device. Gyronny Or and sable, a triskelion gammadion in annulo within a bordure gules.

Richard Cristofre. Name and device. Ermine, a gore gules and a chief embattled purpure.

Rouland Carre. Change of name from Rolland de Montcerf.

Tezar de Aeolis. Name and device. Sable, a winged lion courant to sinister, wings elevated and addorsed, between three mullets of four straight and four wavy points argent.

Note that the acceptance of the given name should not be taken as a precedent. It is not compatible with the either of the languages which could be taken to be the primary language (i. e. , Latin or Greek) and has dubious linguistic support. However, since Master Baldwin specifically promised to accept the name, we feel bound to honour that promise.

Wilihelm Roderick FitzLovel. Addition of designation of Redwulf Kerr to previously registered badge. Chequy argent and azure, a bend Or and overall a wolf rampant gules.

KINGDOM OF THE EAST

Macha ni Phadraiga. Device. Per fess wavy argent and gules, three ravens volant sable and a mare courant argent.

Malachi Plumekiller. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

The name was submitted as Malakie Plumekiller, the given name being indicated as a variant spelling of Malachi. Period spellings were derived from pronunciations not pronunciations from spellings, as sometimes happens in the modern world. Since this spelling changes the pronunciation significantly, it must be assumed to be non-period lacking evidence to the contrary. Therefore, we have registered the name using the "normal" spelling of the Biblical name.

Marria Theresa LeCalm. Name and device. Or, in pale two swords in saltire and a catamount sejant guardant to sinister, all within a bordure sable.

The appearance of surnames such as Marrison, Marrian, Marriot, etc. supports the use of the double "r" in the context of the name Maria/Mary (Withycombe, p. 211).

Meaghann Avice Dulon. Name and device. Or, two falcons rising, wings addorsed, combattant gules, on a chief triangular sable, a hand couped, appaumy and fingers spread, Or.

Mitchell MacBain. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Reaney (p. 241) cites Mitchell M'Brair from 1490 so the spelling of the given name would seem to be period for the Lowlands of Scotland.

Morfael of Holyoake. Name only.

Morgan of Surrey. Name only.

Moriagh Teige O'Flaithbheartaigh. Name only.

Note that, although both names appear in the O'Flaherty genealogy, the genealogy cited extends back well before the name Flaithbertach appears to provide the patronymic form.

Myfanwy Gwyddafon. Name only.

Myrddin Bwagrymusol. Name only.

The name was submitted as Myrddin Bwagrymusol Yr Anhafal with the meaning Merlin Strongbow the Incomparable. We found we could accept Merlin Strongbow, but could felt that Merlin the Incomparable, no matter how it was otherwise modified, was "too much".

Nadira of the Lonely Tower. Name only.

Paigan Crawford. Name only.

Rauchenderberg, Shire of. Device. Per pale vert and argent, in fess two towers within a laurel wreath, all counterchanged Or and azure.

Retepert the Barbarian. Badge. Per fess purpure and vert, a wyvern chequy argent and sable.

Rhonwen Y Clermont o'r Mwntduog. Name only.

Rhys of Harlech. Name and badge. Vert, a great horned owl's head erased affronty within a bordure embattled Or.

Rosskeen of the Silverbark. Name and device. Sable, a winged bull courant, wings elevated and addorsed, Or and in base a tree blasted and eradicated argent.

The given name Rozo, Rosce, Roce, etc. seems to have been fairly common in East Anglia according to the citations in Reaney (p. 299 under Ross). The form Rosekin is cited from the Feet of Fines Essex in 1220 so the diminutive form would seem to be documented in formal documentation in period.

Rowan Woodring. Name only.

The name was submitted as Rowan Wood-ring. We have dropped the hyphen as inappropriate here. Note that the name Rowan is the standard Anglicization of the Irish name Ruadhan (O Corrain and Maguire, p. 157).

Sara Charmaine of Falkensee. Device. Per chevron ermine and gules, a chevron between two gowns purpure and two needles in saltire, points to chief and threaded by a single thread, argent.

Shauna of Carrick Point. Badge. Vert, three flutes in triangle argent.

Signy Bjarnardottir. Change of name from Signy Bjarnarsdottir and device. Gules, a swan displayed and on a chief triangular argent, a bear's head cabossed sable.

In the course of the commentary it was pointed out by Treblerose that the grammatical correction made to the name at the time it was passed in February, 1982, was itself incorrect. He is perfectly correct: according to the examples for the formation of patronymics shown by Geirr Bassi, "Bjarnar" is already the proper genitive form of "Bjorn" and should not have an additional "s". We have accordingly corrected the correction.

Ursula the Wicked. Name only.

Walram von Laufenberg. Badge. Five lances bendwise sinister in fess surmounted by as many bendwise in fess gules.

William Arkham. Name and device. Per bend argent and gules, a rose gules, slipped and leaved vert, and a quill argent.

William the Mariner. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

William of Vielburgen. Holding name and device (see RETURNS for name). Or, five compass stars in bend sinister sable between two scarpes azure and in dexter chief a compass star gules.

The submission was made under the name William Sebastian Nighthawk.

Willow of the Dancing Heart. Device. Argent, a weeping willow proper and on a chief triangular purpure, a heart argent.

Wulfgar of the Wood. Device. Per bend sinister Or and gules, a spear bendwise surmounted by a wolf's head erased, all counterchanged.

Note that from Swageman Tordenskiold of Clontarf ("Per bend sinister gules and Or, an alaunt's head couped counterchanged. ") cited by Brachet there is a major point for the addition of the spear, which is a major design element, a minor point for the reversal of the tinctures of the field and a minor point for the difference between a head couped and one erased. Even if one ignores any minor differences between a wolf and an alaunt's head, the two are technically and visually clear.

Zoe Anastasia Dalassena de Flora. Name only (see RETURNS for badges).

Note that the epithet "de Flora" is in fact precisely the sort of epithet that occurred in medieval Latin when it attempted to render vernacular place name or attribute epithets in official or literary documents (e. g. , the twelfth-century theologian Joachim de Floris whose works were condemned by Thomas Aquinas).

KINGDOM OF THE OUTLANDS

Aarquelle, Shire of. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Alexandre Lerot d'Avignon. Personal name and badge (see RETURNS for device and household name). Per pale wavy purpure and argent, a snake glissant palewise argent and a wolf rampant sable.

The name was submitted as Alexandre Lerot d'Avignon. The letter of intent indicated that "d'avigne" was "an adjective meaning drunk". However, the submittor's own documentation indicated that "avigne" was a period past participle form for the verb "avigner", meaning literally "planted with vines". Whatever the form an adjective of this type would not be preceded by the preposition "de" so we have substituted the period place name of "Avignon" in order to keep the name as close as possible to the sound the submittor desired.

Anastazia Winogrodzka. Name and device. Argent, ermined vert, a goose volant to sinister purpure.

Andre de Navarre. Name and device. Per chevron argent and azure, two wolf's heads couped respectant and a stag trippant counterchanged.

The name was submitted as Andre du Navarre and has been corrected to the proper form of the preposition before a place name.

Arian Aurelia ferch Llewellyn. Change of name from Arian ferch Llewellyn.

Artan Skulcrusher. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Astrith Ulfsdottir. Device (see RETURNS for name change). Pean, a plate charged with a wolf sejant ululant sable, a bordure ermine.

This was submitted under the name Astrith Wolfsdottir.

Beatrix von Wertenberg. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Ceallach Llyn Tremen. Name and device. Per bend sinister azure and sable, an owl's head couped affronty between in bend a mullet and an increscent bendwise sinister argent.

Ceallach Llyn Tremen. Badge for Yewwood Manor. Argent, a yew tree eradicated proper, in chief a bow fesswise sable.

Christophilos Ironmaster. Name and device. Quarterly gules and sable, four hearts argent.

The name was submitted as Christopheles Iron Master. Since the given name could not be documented as a normal period formation, we have substituted the acceptable alternate form suggested by the submittor.

Daffyd of Emmet. Device. Gyronny of twelve gules and Or, an emmet (ant) sable.

Note that an emmet is the period form for ant: we have retained this term to preserve the cant.

Dennis the Wright. Device. Purpure, a phoenix issuant from a base of flames, between its wingtips a mullet Or.

Dragonspine, Barony of. Badge for the Order of the Gentle Dragon. Or, in pale a wingless dragon dormant purpure and a maunche azure.

Eadrun of Collett's Keep. Name and device. Argent, a chevron vert surmounted by a tower sable, in chief two wagon wheels vert.

Elizabeth Thornfield Freemountain. Name and device. Or, on a spider web throughout a spider tergiant inverted and a chief indented sable.

Emrys of Saint Golias. Holding name and badge (see RETURNS for personal name, device and household name). Gyronny of fourteen azure and argent, a decrescent gules charged with a bear rampant to sinister argent.

The device was submitted under the name Llwyd Emrys o Arth. Note that gyronny normally has one if its lines directly in fess. Neither the emblazon nor the depiction on the letter of intent followed this convention.

Erc of Ringholden. Name and device. Argent, a raven close to sinister sable bearing in its beak an annulet gules, between a chief and a point pointed azure.

George mac Raibeart. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

The name was submitted as Geordie mac Raibeart. Since Geordie is a diminutive form with no evidence for period use as an independent name, we have registered the formal given name from which it was derived.

Haroun ibn al Dhi'b al Abyadh. Name and device. Sable, a wolf passant to sinister argent, in base a scimitar fesswise reversed Or.

Janna of the Forest of Copeland. Name only.

Jocelyn de Brus. Name and device. Per pale purpure and vert, a dandelion, slipped and leaved, and in chief two martlets volant, wings elevated and addorsed, Or.

Johan Blau. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Johann von Balduinseck. Name and device. Per fess embattled argent and sable, in chief a label couped sable.

Note that the form of the label with angled "tags" is period and is a matter of artistic license. The fact that the label is couped, however, must be specified since the default label in Society heraldry is throughout.

John of Blackwood. Name and device. Per bend sinister sable and Or, seme of trees counterchanged, a bend sinister counterchanged argent and vert.

Katherine Linnet Holford. Change of name from Katherine Linnet de Kane.

Lance Lyttle du Pont. Name only (see returns for device).

Layla Shirin. Name and device. Purpure, in pale an increscent and a goblet argent.

Leah of Bukhara. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Lorin the Lecher. Name and device. Or, a galleon sable, sailed, on a base engrailed gules, an anchor Or.

Magnus Gunwaldtsson. Name only.

Manfred de Outremer. Device. Per pale argent and Or, an ypotrill rampant to sinister within a bordure vert.

Rodney Dennys depicts and describes this monster in The Heraldic Imagination (p. 166). It was borne as a badge by John Tiptoft, the Earl of Worcester who served as Constable of England and was executed by the Lancastrians in 1470.

Maria del Gato. Name and device. Or, a bend sinister pean between two quill pens crossed in base azure and a cat sejant affronty sable.

Morgana Elena Tregarthen. Device. Per fess wavy vert and Or, a bell Or and an escallop inverted azure.

Nicholas Wolfmar. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Otagiri Tatsuzo. Name only (see PENDING for device).

Phyllis Meisterssohn. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Rahlahn of Mulberry. Change of name from Rahlahn of Nyne Mulberry.

Rebecca of Lancaster. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Robert of the Mountains. Name and device. Per chevron Or and sable, two pegasi salient respectant and a tower counterchanged.

Saerlaith l'Estrangere. Change of name from Saerlaith as an Fhasaich and badge. A bat-winged snail Or.

Saerlaith l'Estrangere. Release of badge for House Esquilinus. Per chevron gules and vert, in pale a winged frog sejant affronty, wings displayed and inverted, and a griffin couchant to sinister Or.

Salome Mara Shofar. Name only (see PENDING for device).

Sara bat Meir. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Scorpion's Hollow, Shire of. Name and device. Gules, eight scorpions in annulo, facing outward, all within a laurel wreath Or.

Susan the Midwife. Name only.

Tiberius Erikson. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Windkeep, Shire of. Name and device. Argent,a laurel wreath vert between a griffin passant to sinister sable, armed gules,and a base embattled sable.

Please ask them to draw the laurel wreath larger as befits the primary charge and not to draw the griffin in trian aspect.

Kingdom of the West

Amalric de Montfort. Name only.

Amyntas di Alessandro d'Argentiera. Change of name from Alessandro d'Argentiera.

Antonia Ambrosia. Holding name and device (see RETURNS for name). Per chevron gules and Or, a crescent Or and a natural panther couchant sable.

The device was submitted under the name Antonia Ambrosia l'Illiria.

Aryana Silknfyre. Spelling correction from Aryana Silkenfyre.

Note that this change is for record keeping purposes only: her name has always been registered as Aryana Silknfyre and appears as such on all forms in the Laurel files, but an extra "e" crept into some secondary official records, namely the Armorial and Master Baldwin's label making routine.

Aryana Silknfyre. Transfer of badge to Barony of Eskalya. Per chevron sable and Or, a caltrap sable.

Aryana Silknfyre. Transfer of badge to Principality of Oertha. Quarterly argent and Or, a snowflake azure.

Balin the Hunter. Name and device. Azure, an eagle rising, wings elevated and addorsed, Or, holding in its talons a fish argent, on a chief Or, three crosses bottonny azure.

Benedetto da Settignano. Name only.

Bernard the Nameless. Name and device. Per fess rayonny Or and purpure, a bunch of grapes purpure, stemmed and leaved vert, and a sheaf of three stalks of wheat Or.

Bianca of the Dismal Fogs. Device. Per pale gules and sable, a rabbit rampant to sinister within an orle argent.

The submission was made under the name Bianca Coniglio, which was returned in December, 1986. Since her original name submission (which presumably was attached to armoury which never left the West) indicated that she would not accept any changes to her name, but would allow a holding name to register armoury, we felt justified in creating a holding name.

Caroline nic Chainnigh. Change of name from Caroline of Glen Gowan.

The name was submitted as Caroline nic Cainnigh. However, the genitive of the masculine personal name, which shows possession or descent, usually aspirates in Scots Gaelic where this is possible. This phenomenon is obscured in some modern sources where forms parallel to the modern "sounds" of the name are stressed (Moncreiffe is particularly bad in this respect), but is regular in older texts. Since the lady has taken the trouble to construct a patronymic with the older form of the given name, the correction of the grammar to the period syntax seemed in order. (An irreverent sociological theory from one of the Laurel staff: the exceptions to the aspiration of the genitive of the proper name after a patronymic particle are more frequent when the individual is male suggesting that, while daughters were always property, sons only sometimes were!).

Ceallan O Conraoi. Name and device. Per chevron vert and azure, two wyverns erect Or and a tower argent.

Ciaran ferch Marc. Name and device. Quarterly sable and vert, in saltire five triquetras argent.

A period Welshman or Scot would have found this name unusual indeed since the name Ciaran is definitely masculine. Since the tradition of "gender confused" names is so well-established in the Society, it would hardly be appropriate to return this, but perhaps it would be possible to suggest the feminine equivalent of Ciaran (i. e. , Ciar) or a period Irish feminine name even more similar in style: Cera (also spelled Keara).

Colin de Charteris. Name only.

Reaney cites one Alcher de Chartris from 1179 (p. 70). Idiomatic Latin in the medieval period, like modern American English, was prone to placing an "e" glide between a "t" or "b" and a following "r" (so that "Labrador" is pronounced in four syllables as "Laberador"). Since much of the orthography in official records was phonetic -- that is how we know of the phenomenon in the first place -- these "extra e's" quite commonly passed into proper names. Therefore, this spelling for the place name is quite feasible.

Deirdre Marianne Steele of Cowdray. Badge. Argent a mushroom, capped per pale purpure and Or and stemmed per pale Or and purpure.

We acknowledge that the blazon suggested by Vesper ("quarterly purpure and Or") is more elegant, but an experiment with asking three heraldic artists to draw the badge solely from the blazon of quarterly produced three different results. Since the lady clearly wishes this rather unequal distribution of the tinctures, we have modified the blazon to ensure that she gets it.

Deirdre Marie of Leinster. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Drew Fortescue. Badge. Azure, a sea-griffin erect argent, tailed Or.

Erick Valason. Name and device. Per chevron raguly gules and Or, two double-bitted axes and a compass star counterchanged.

Please ask him to draw the field division as a true raguly: on the emblazon sheet it could be mistaken for a poorly drawn embattled.

Eskalya, Barony of. Transfer badge from Aryana Silknfyre. Per chevron sable and Or, a caltrap sable.

Guillaume le Canard. Name and device. Per fess dovetailed azure and argent, three escutcheons counterchanged.

Hawks Haven, Shire of. Device. Azure, a hawk displayed within a laurel wreath argent, a bordure wavy Or.

Jane Falconmoor. Name and device. Per fess rayonny vert and argent, in base a chevron vert.

The line of division was submitted as "erased" and accompanied by documentation from a fourteenth-century Welsh heraldic tract which did indeed show that "erased" was a period usage for the partition line that is shown in our standard references as "rayonny". While we agree that, all things being equal, it is better to use a period term than a modern one, in this instance it seems preferable to retain the term "rayonny". What we register is the emblazon and the blazon exists primarily as a guide for heralds and heraldic artists for the accurate depiction of the emblazon. The usage of "erased" as a line of partition is so obscure that we were unable to find it in any of the standard texts used by herald artists and local heralds throughout the Society. Indeed, only extremely small proportion of the members of the College of Arms have access to the volume from which the supporting material was taken (Jones, Medieval Heraldry, published in Cardiff in 1943). This being so, the natural instinct of the heraldic artist will be to consider this as a heraldic neologism, derived from the usage of erased in the depiction of beast's head, which would result in a line of partition rather different from that which appears on the emblazon. (See the cover letter for a discussion of the general "philosophy of blazon" currently utilized by the Laurel Office. ).

Jilara of Carrowlea. Device. Sable, a dolmen of three uprights standing on a mount argent, in chief three oak leaves Or.

This was returned in October, 1986, for conflict with Gwyneth merch Macsen ("Sable, a dolmen and in chief a mullet of eight points argent. "). At that time, it was the opinion of the Laurel meeting that it was a "judgement call" and that the visual impact of the uncommon primary charge shared by the two devices weighed the scales in favour of conflict (the rule of thumb being "if you saw A, would you immediately assume that A was derived from B or from the same immediate ancestor as B?"). Commentary from the College in the wake of Vesper's appeal has convinced us to reverse this judgement. However, it should be noted that no additional difference should be added for the difference in depiction between a dolmen of three uprights and the more usual trilithon: even as a primary charge, the viewer will register "dolmen" and assume that the depiction is artistic license. The specification is retained in the blazon only because it clearly has special significance to the submittor.

Marco Nibbione. Device. Per saltire sable and argent, a heart counterchanged charged with another gules.

This was returned in October, 1986, on the grounds that the design was an "op art" modern design as banned in X3. Vesper appealed this on the grounds that the device, while not the most medieval, was not excessive, that the Rules specifically allow the inclusion of one discouraged practice and that the submission is being penalized for the tinctures selected (that the perception of "op art" would not have been strong had the tinctures been Or and azure). The last point is definitely not true, since several "op art" analogs raised at the time were Or and azure or vert and azure. We also cannot accept the principle that in any situation one discouraged practice must be allowed under the wording of the current rules: by that argument the use of only one highly offensive charge in a device would have to be accepted (each of us will think immediately of our own personal bete noire) or unsuitable fimbriation would have to be accepted if it were applied to only one charge. This was clearly not the intent of either Master Baldwin or of the College of Arms and the use of the subjunctive "may" throughout the introduction to the list of discouraged practices should be observed. However, given the further thoughts and commentary on the part of the College, we are prepared to concede we may have been a tad "overEscheristic" in deeming this flagrantly "op art".

Martin Gray of Griff's Hill. Name and device. Quarterly gules and argent, a griffin segreant, queue-fourchee, counterchanged and a chief erminois.

Note that the emblazon showed the tail in a distinctly non-standard position, neither in the normal elevated posture nor clearly coward. As this is not a differencing detail in this case, there seemed no reason to forego registration of the device, but the submittor should be informed that leonate tails (particularly forked tails!) usually are elevated more or less parallel to the back of a rampant beast in such a manner that the fill the "vacant space" on the field.

Michael of Worcester. Device. Or, in pale a fox statant to sinister sable, maintaining in its mouth a squirrel purpure, and a mount sable.

This was returned in October, 1986, for cumulatively non-period style. In ancient days, heralds prated of a "Rule of Three". In this case, quite a different Rule of Three was in operation: that where one anomaly may be acceptable, two may be marginal, three will be unacceptable, even where each anomaly, taken in itself would not cause a submission to be returned. We have been convinced by Vesper that the separation of the fox from the mount, although causing some visual imbalance is not anomalous enough to have triggered the return of the submission. However, it was still our feeling that the submission would be greatly improved were the squirrel sable.

Neachtan Kay O'Denroche. Name and device. Argent, a spiderweb throughout sable, on a chief purpure, a scorpion passant guardant.

Oertha, Principality of. Badge for Oerthan Order of Grace. Quarterly argent and Or, a snowflake azure.

This badge is hereby officially transferred from Aryana Silknfyre.

Rognvaldr Vigason. Change of name from Valgardr Vigason.

Tasleem bint Noor. Change of name from holding name of Melody of Windymeads.

Thaddeus of Champclair. Name only.

The name was submitted as Thaddius of Champclair. As has been commented frequently before, "ablaut is not random". The Latin "ae" in names regularly goes to "e" in English, not to "i". As he indicated he would accept spelling changes to his name, we have modified to it to the documented spelling (which is how everyone would probably spell it anyway).

Theodosia of Goldenvale. Name only.

Thrainn Hrafnsson. Name and device. Argent, a raven striking to sinister gules.

The position of the bird was blazoned originally as volant, but the posture of the wings, body and legs is clearly much closer to that which we associate with "striking", although that is not a common pose for natural ravens.

Veronique le Gris. Name and device. Per bend gules and Or, two unicorn's heads within a bordure, all counterchanged.

Several commentors noted that the feminine form of the byname in French should be "la Grise". However, the epithet "le Gris" appears to have been one of the earliest non-geographic bynames to have converted into a true "family name" in the modern sense (i. e. , preserving the same form for all members of the family, no matter what their gender or relationship) and so this form would have been perfectly feasible for a female in period.

Wilhelm Zweikopfig Falke. Name only.

The name was submitted as Wilhelm vom Zweikopfigen Falke and sparked considerable controversy on several points. Perhaps the most important was whether this was, as Treblerose suggested, a conflict with those German emperors who bore the name Wilhelm. It cannot be denied that the name raised some nasty twitches amongst the Laurel staff and there is no doubt that, if the bird had been an eagle, the name as a whole would have been too allusive. In this case, however, given the strong distinction that was made, heraldically and in common usage, in period between a hawk and an eagle, the submittor deserved the "benefit of the doubt". The other questions raised about the name concerned its grammar. Those who pointed out the implausibility of the epithet and the non-period nature of the usage of the "vom" with such an epithet were correct (although this is the standard modern German translation of the "fantasy" names we have honoured in the Society for years). Schwarzdrachen's strictures on the declension of Falke are also correct (i. e. , this is an "n" noun and will not form cases other than the nominative like the bulk of "regular" German nouns). All this being so and the paperwork from the submittor indicating that he wants "anything resembling William (of-from) Two-headed Hawk", it seemed best to use the actual period method of forming German epithets of this sort by using a nominative form in apposition with the given name: "Wilhelm Zweikopfig Falke" to resolve the touchy grammatical problem while retaining the basic meaning and sound.

THE FOLLOWING SUBMISSIONS ARE RETURNED:

Kingdom of Ansteorra

Adlersruhe, Shire of. Name only.

Name withdrawn at request of Star Principal Herald.

Aeruin na Cantaireachet Sreagan. Device. Per bend vert and azure, a bend Or between a greyhound courant and three sheaves of three arrows argent.

Conflict with Floeda fram Beran Beorth ("Per bend vert and azure, a bend between a bear passant Or and a mountain peak issuant from dexter base argent. "): the most difference that may be derived from cumulative changes to a group of secondary charges is a major and a minor.

Christian Richard Dupre. Per chevron azure and gules, two fleurs-de-lys between a compass star elongated throughout in fess Or and a caltrap argent.

The emblazon cannot really be reconstructed from the blazon given: the style is so far from period style that it cannot be expressed in the traditional vocabulary. In fact the compass star and caltrap have more visually than the fleurs-de-lys, although the fleurs-de-lys are in the position usually assigned to a primary charge. The compass star attempts to be "throughout" in the upper compartment of the field (i. e. , the lower ray touches the line of division), though this is not period style. Similarly, the caltrap's longer arms are "throughout" in the lower compartment. This is not period style.

Cwen Tegan of the Far Pines. Change from holding name of Gretchen of the Far Pines.

It is extremely unfortunate that the local herald took unilateral action to change her name (this is why "holding names" below Laurel level are probably to be discouraged). However, she still cannot be Queen Tegan of the Far Pines. "Cwen" is the standard Anglo-Saxon title for Queen approved for use in the Society and was actually used in Old English in the specific sense of the ruler's wife (and in at least one case in the sense of a queen regnant). Therefore, I must reaffirm the ban on the use of "cwen" as an element in Society names. (Note that, although the paperwork had nothing to bar it, we felt that, given the history of this case, it was inappropriate to simply drop the "cwen" from the proposed name and register "Tegan of the Far Pines" without consultation with the submittor. )

Daarginds, Shire of. Name only.

Name withdrawn at request of Star Principal Herald.

Daria de Tabriz. Device. Per chevron Or and azure, three crescents, one and two, and a sun in splendour, all counterchanged.

Unfortunately, Brachet is correct in pointing out that under DoD11 this technically conflicts with Thomas Edmund de Ruislip ("Per chevron azure and Or, two swallows migrant in chevron and a sun counterchanged. ").

Daria de Tabriz. Badge. Or, a pavillion azure.

Conflict with Ah Kum of the Ger-Igren ("Per fess argent and vert, a Mongolian yurt azure. ")

Elizabeth of Monmouthshire. Name only.

Conflict with Elizabeth, Countess of Monmouth, at the end of the Elizabethan period.

Mark Redore of Greenleaf. Change of device. Vert, a pair of wings conjoined Or surmounted by a crescent gules, all within a bordure embattled argent.

Conflict with Mela de Prion ("Vert, a pair of wings conjoined Or and in chief a swan naiant argent. "): there is a major point for the change in type of secondary but only a minor point for the addition of the crescent. Note also that the crescent should lie entirely on the wings to avoid the "colour on colour" situation that exists in the emblazon where the crescent lies partially on the field.

Muriel Kiefsdottir. Name only.

It has previously been determined that Kief is a family name derived from a place name and therefore would not form a Norse patronymic in this manner. She could be Muriel Kief or Muriel Arenvaldsdottir (assuming she wishes to show relation to Arenvald Kief af Kierstad).

Saint Clare, College of. Name only.

Unfortunately, we felt this name was too close to that of the Order of Saint Clare, otherwise known as the Poor Clares or Minoresses. This is a period order, founded in 1215 at Assisi and recognized by the papal order "Privilegium paupertatis" of 1228 and was extremely important in some areas in period (for example, Spain where there were nearly 50 houses of the Clares in the thirteenth century).

Seawinds, Shire of. Name only.

Name withdrawn at request of Star Principal Herald.

Three Lochs, Shire of. Name only.

Name withdrawn at request of Star Principal Herald.

Wyndhaven, Shire of. Name only.

Name withdrawn at request of Star Principal Herald.

Kingdom of Atenveldt

Alisane o Mynyddoed Taranllyd. Device. Sable, a saltire raguly overall a unicorn's horn palewise, all within a bordure argent

There was almost unanimous agreement amongst the commentors that so much of the argent alicorn lay on the argent saltire that it would be unidentifiable.

Patrick Shannon of Newhall. Device. Per fess embowed-counterembowed sable and purpure, 3 bars embowed-counterembowed between a mullet of four points and a crab tergiant inverted argent.

The contrast between sable and purpure is too poor to permit the use of this complex line of division. The overlying barrulet only makes the situation worse since it distracts the eye from such contrast as does exist between the two tinctures.

Ragnar Shorthair. Device. Per chevron gules and argent, a saltire moline sable.

Conflict with Banester ("Argent, a cross moline saltirewise sable", as cited in Papworth, p. 1062).

Yrsa Ivarsdottir. Name and device. Sable, a woman courant argent, crined, helmeted and vested, bearing in the dexter hand a round shield Or and in the sinister a sword bendwise sinister proper, a chief lozengy argent and pean.

The name Yrsa appears to be a unique given name (Geirr Bassi gives only the one citation) borne by the bastard daughter of Olof Sigmundsdottir. She is named for a bitch by her mother out of hatred for the child and its father, Helgi Halfdansson. According to Hrolf Kraki's Saga, Yrsa later marries Helgi in ignorance that he is her father. We were able to find no other period examples of this name being used at all so it seems to be a unique name. Since the submittor specifically forbade any changes to her name, the submission as a whole had to be returned. It might be suggested to the submittor that the style and posture of the human figure is not really period.

Yrsa Ivarsdottir. Badge. Sable, a woman's head couped to dexter argent, crined and wearing a winged helm Or, within a bordure argent.

Since the submittor specifically forbade any changes to her name, the submission as a whole had to be returned. The style of the head is not really period.

Kingdom of Atlantia

Dirk MacMartin. Device. Per pale azure and Or, a billet surmounted by a lozenge fesswise surmounted by a lozenge palewise between eight mullets in annulo, all within a bordure counterchanged.

The primary charge was shown in the blazon on the letter of intent as an estoile, on the emblazon on the letter of intent as a compass star and on the emblazon sheet provided by the submittor as the collocation of charges shown in the blazon above. What the submittor has provided is four layers, even though the surmounting charges are of the same tincture. The device cannot really be pended because it is not at all clear whether the submittor would prefer a compass star, an estoile (which would have six wavy rays) or neither of these.

Justin du Bois Noir. Device. Argent, a tree blasted and eradicated sable, its trunk charged with a double-bitted axe argent, a base of flames proper.

Note that it must be specified that the tertiary charge appears on the trunk of the tree since the default position for charges on trees is on their widest part (i. e. , on the foliage or, for blasted trees, where the foliage would be). What appeared on the emblazon sheet were not flames proper. It was a base of flames Or, with the line of delineation from the field gules (it was not thick enough to call it fimbriation). This is an improper use of proper. What is registered is the emblazon and, from that, it is the intent of the submittor to have flames totally of a light tincture. Note that this is technically clear, but visually very close to Frederick William of Wastekeep ("Argent, a tree blasted and eradicated sable charged with a lion's head cabossed Or, within a bordure sable. "). If the base here had been, for instance, gules, there would be a major and a minor point for the difference in type and tincture of secondary charge and another minor for the change in the tertiary.

Thomas de la Pont. Name only.

The letter of intent had Thomas de le Pont; the submittor's forms had the spelling given above. The proper form of the family name "of the Bridge" is "du Pont". Unfortunately, the name then conflicts with Thomas Coleman du Pont, for many years Chairman of Dupont Chemicals. We tend to take a more conservative view of name conflicts from current events (i. e. , after 1650) than most and generally would not be too concerned about industrial conflicts. However, in this case, where the individual appears in non-specialist paperback biographical dictionaries as well as dozens of books on industrial history of the early twentieth century and has his name plastered on more public structures in the mid-Atlantic than you could shake a stick at, we are inclined to be a bit more rigorous.

Kingdom of Caid

Thorvald Wulfaersson. Device. Or, a raven displayed, head to sinister, within a serpent in annulo reguardant, head to base, gules, the head and tail bound together with a cord sable.

Visual conflict with Cerdic le Jeune ("Or, a crescent pendant azure within a serpent in annulo, head to base, gules. "). It may be a matter of debate whether the serpent or the charge within is the primary charge in either device (i. e. , whether the changes of type and tincture between the bird and the crescent count a major and a minor point or two major points). However, a comparison of the two emblazons makes it clear that there is a visual conflict since the dominant charge in both cases is the serpent.

Kingdom of the East

Malachi Plumekiller. Device. Azure, a pale sable, fimbriated argent.

Conflict with Corrmacc na Connacht ("Azure, on a pale argent a sword inverted gules. "). Blazoned in a more period manner, Malachi's proposed device would be "Azure, on a pale argent, another sable. "

Marie de Clermont. Device. Purpure, a unicorn statant and a chief triangular argent, the chief debruised of a rainbow proper, clouded argent.

It was the consensus of the College of Arms that the Brigantia Office was correct in returning the submission for non-period style. The collocation of the chief triangular and the rainbow is definitely not period style and the device as a whole is strongly reminiscent of modern "decal" design.

Mitchell MacBain. Device. Chequy gules and sable, a compass star argent.

Fields chequy of two colours have not been permitted for some time.

Rhys of Harlech. Device. Vert, a chevron and on a chief Or three pommes.

Conflict with Aurelius Forgan ("Vert, an oak tree blasted and erased, on a chief Or a stag's head caboshed between two roundels vert. "). According to DoD D5 negligible difference is to be derived from changing one attribute (here the type) of one of a set of tertiary charges which is otherwise identical (in this case identical in number, tincture and, for two of the three, type).

Torin Geffries. Device. Argent, a beardless unicorn's head couped sable, maintaining in its mouth a red garden rosebud, slipped and leaved proper, all within a bordure gules.

The submissions history of this device is a trifle complex so please bear with us. It was submitted by Brigantia (Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane) in July, 1986. In commentary on the submission Brachet gave it as the opinion of the West Kingdom commenting meeting that there might be a conflict with Llyralen du Lac Noir ("Argent, a beardless unicorn's head couped sable, maintaining a thistle proper, on a chief azure three mullets proper. "). On comparing the emblazons, the Laurel meeting agreed with the West and the submission was returned for conflict in October, 1986, by Laurel (Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane). It was promptly appealed in December, 1986, by Vesper (Frederick of Holland) on a West Kingdom letter of appeal. When informed of this, Brigantia (Dawyd z Gury, who renounced his fealty to Frederick of Holland at Closing Court of Pennsic XV immediately before assuming the Brigantia cloak) said he did not have any strong feelings on the appeal either way and to resolve any technical problems he would endorse it. (Irreverent comment from the March Laurel meeting: How is the College of Arms like Celtic knotwork?)

Upon carefully comparing the two emblazons once again we are compelled to the belief that a visual conflict definitely exists. As Chevron has so rightly commented, all the changes to the device are at the periphery of the field. Their force is considerably diminished because they will only be "processed" after three or four other more central features, the field tincture, the primary charge tincture, the fact that the primary charge is a head, is a unicorn's head and is couped and is carrying foliage in its mouth. It is only after one has been compelled to note striking similarities between the two devices that one begins to process the differences. (Note: that this similarity is not merely due to an "Eastern sensibility" on the part of the Laurel staff must be clear: to the best of my recollection all those present at that meeting had commented on the submission before it left the East and had found no conflict until it was pointed out by Brachet's staff!).

William the Mariner. Device. Argent, on a chevron azure between two hourglasses sable and a cog proper, three anchors Or.

Conflict with Quinlan of Sheares ("Argent, on a chevron azure, three quavers argent. ").

William Sebastian Nighthawk. Name only.

Conflict with William Nighthawk of the Wastes. The judgement as to which names will conflict clearly involves making a decision as to what the common use form of a formal name would be. To put it another way, although one or more elements of a name may be changed, would the name by which an individual would commonly be known (announced on the field, introduced to newcomers, etc. ) be sufficiently alike as to cause confusion. Most people in the Society in usage (and often in court) drop place names of origin, no matter how integral they may be to someone's persona story. Similarly most folk follow the period practice of using only one given name, no matter how many given names the individual may be christened with by the College of Arms. In this case, the obvious result is that the common use forms for both names are William Nighthawk.

Zoe Anastasia Dalassena de Flora. Badge. A cinquefoil within and conjoined to five cinquefoils in annulo Or.

Visual conflict with the badge of the Oerthan Order of Grace ("Quarterly argent and Or, a snowflake azure. ") which is transferred to the Principality from Aryana Silknfyre elsewhere on this letter. The possibility of confusion between this lovely, but visually confusing, design and a snowflake is very strong.

Zoe Anastasia Dalassena de Flora. Badge. A cinquefoil within and conjoined to five cinquefoils in annulo azure.

Conflict with badge of Gwynaeth ferch Llewellyn o Llyn Gwawr ("A mullet inverted voided surmounted by an escarbuncle of five points. "). Again, although this tinctureless badge is blazoned quite differently, at any distance there is the possibility of visual confusion of the two collocations of charges.

Kingdom of the Outlands

Aarquelle, Shire of. Device. Argent, on a pile inverted throughout azure between a fountain and a laurel wreath azure, an eagle displayed argent.

Note that what was drawn on the emblazon was not a fountain which is, by definition, composed of an equal number of bars wavy (usually six). However, given the group name, we had to assume that a fountain was indeed intended and, under Rules AR 1c, may not be placed on either an azure or an argent field: the visual effect is that of three barrulets wavy couped azure floating isolated on the argent field. The device also conflicts with that of Raim y Hynndyll ("Argent, on a pile inverted azure a lyre argent. "). It should be observed that, although two different charges on either side of a pile charged with a third type of charge was not been specifically banned at the time three different charges on a field or three different charges on a pile were banned, this is visually three different charges on a divided field and clearly violates the spirit of the rules.

Aleen du Varnay. Blazon correction. Or, a rose gules, barbed and seeded proper, pierced by a sword fimbriated sable, all within an ivy vine in annulo vert.

What appears on her original emblazon sheet and was reduplicated on the emblazon sheet on the letter of intent is not an annulet by any means. A note included in the paperwork stated "should be more rounded, but she displays it correctly on her banner". Unfortunately, we can only register what we see and the emblazon matches the current blazon better than it does the proposed modification (several commentors indicated that they had a hard time devising a reasonable emblazon which would have a true annulet around the central charges if the relative proportions were maintained).

Alexandre Lerot d'Avignon. Device. Purpure, on a pale between two snakes glissant palewise argent, a wolf rampant sable.

Conflict with Orin of the Argent Lions of Mightrinwood ("Purpure, a pallet between two lions rampant addorsed argent. ") and Luerann Damask ("Purpure, on a pale endorsed argent, three roses, barbed and seeded proper. ").

Alexandre Lerot d'Avignon. Name for House d'Avigne.

Since the adjective "avigne" would not be preceded by the preposition "de", the name is incorrectly formed. Given the "Avignon Papacy" we felt that the change made to his personal name would not be acceptable for the household name. Unlike an individual, a house could be "avigne" so a household name like "Hotel Avigne" would be acceptable: this substitution was not made automatically so that the submittor could decide if the household name and personal name should "match".

Artan Skulcrusher. Device. Per pale argent and gules, a chevron between two mullets of four points elongated to base and a tower all counterchanged.

Conflict with Steffan of Castle Isle ("Per pale argent and gules, a chevron throughout and in base a castle counterchanged. ")

Astrith Ulfsdottir. Name Change to Astrith Wolfsdottir.

At the time her name was approved in November, 1982, Laurel modified the submitted form of Wolfsdottir to Ulfsdottir so that both name elements would be in the same language as the rules require. The appeal is based on the fact that the name Rosewitha Wolfsdottir was thereafter submitted. However, in the case of Rosewitha a "special case" exemption was successfully claimed on the grounds that her mundane father's mundane given name was legally "Wolf". Moreover, since that time both my predecessors have with great consistency upheld the rule that both elements of a patronymic name must be derived from the same language or a language combination that would demonstrably have occurred (e. g. , "mac" plus an English given name form in the Lowlands of Scotland).

Beatrix von Wertenberg. Device. Sable, a saltire gules fimbriated, overall a lion queue-fourchee rampant Or.

Conflict with the badge of Burke Kyriell MacDonald ("Sable, a cross patty Or, voided gules, overall a lion rampant guardant Or. "). Note that the stated verbal permission from David Morgan of Clai Morgan means nothing: the motto of the College of Arms is "Non scripta, non est. "

Bernice of Brittany. Badge for George the Vagabond. Ermine, a bezant enflamed gules within a bordure vert.

After a comparison of the emblazons we were compelled to agree that there was too great a visual resemblance to Boncoeur ("Ermine, on a sun gules, a heart Or. ").

Registration of a device or badge using the field of Brittany to a lady with the byname "of Brittany" bothered several commentors, despite the fact that this was designated for an alternate persona.

Cerian Firethorn. Name and device. Ermine, a Saluki rampant gules, gorged Or, on two flaunches azure, one charged with a hawk's lure inverted and the other with a hawk's lure, both Or, winged argent.

The evidence from Gruffudd and other Welsh sources indicates that Cerian is a modern Welsh construction: it appears to be either a compounded form from Ceri + Ann or a diminutive from Ceri, which appears to be a modern name derived from the river in Dyfed. Since the submittor indicated that no changes could be made to the name, the submission as a whole had to be returned. This being so, it might be possible to suggest to her that the overall effect would be much more period if both lures were oriented in the same direction.

Elaine of Valynwoode. Name only.

Conflict with the Society name of Elaine of the Woods. In this "made-up" name, Valyn is adjectival and thus this conflicts under NR7: "the addition or removal of an adjectival phrase is not sufficient difference. ".

George mac Raibeart. Device. Or, a cross patty, fitchy at all points, gules, overall a cross, all within a bordure vert.

The cross overall obscures the underlying cross to such an extent that it is unclear what form the ends of the arms are intended to take. There is also a technical conflict with Oriana Winterbourne ("Or, on a cross vert five pegasi rampant Or within a bordure vert. ").

Johan Blau. Device. Argent, a pall inverted between two cinquefoils and an anvil azure.

Conflict with Llywelyn o Lanteprey ("Argent, a pall inverted azure, between two griffins combattant vert, armed and winged gules, and a caltrap sable, embrued at the upper point gules. "). No more than a major and a minor point may be derived from changes to a single set of secondary charges (DR9).

Katya Leonovna ez Cherkaska. Change of name from Katerina Katya Leonovna Cherkasska (see PENDING for device).

Katya is a diminutive form and we do not normally register diminutive forms for the given name unless there is documentation that it was used independently in period. Also, Cherkaska is an adjective of origin, not a place name as is implied after the preposition. (This was pointed out at the time her name was originally registered in July, 1982,: "The first name must be the formal given name. You can place a nickname after it. Leonovna is the correct form of the patronymic. Cherkasska is the correct translation of 'the Circassian'. I have therefore corrected the name.

Konrad of Bohemia. Name and device. Per chevron pean and sable, a chevron between a wolf dormant, tail pendant, and four paw prints in cross, all Or.

Since his name conflicts directly with Konrad I of Bohemia (d. 1092) and he has expressly forbidden any changes to his name, the submission as a whole must be returned.

Lance Lyttle du Pont. Device. Azure, seme of lances inverted, a goblet argent.

Technical conflict with Ealdred of Gwyntarian ("Per fess grady azure and chequy Or and sable, a goblet argent issuing three ears of barley Or. "). Note that the lances are difficult to distinguish from ermine tails at any distance (they are virtually identical to one of the standard period forms of ermine tail).

Leah of Bukhara. Device. Sable, on a hexagon argent a Japanese moonflower gules.

Conflict with Akagawa Yoshio ("Sable, a hexagon voided within another argent. ") and Cassandra of the East Winds ("Sable, on a plate argent a flame gules. "). In the latter case there is a major point for the difference between a plate and a hexagon (there is not complete difference of charge) and a minor for the difference in type of tertiary.

Llwyd Emrys o Arth. Name and device. Gyronny of fourteen gules and Or, a double-bitted battle-axe and a bordure argent.

The best evidence indicates that the Llwyd was not a given name but rather an epithet in period (it means "grey") and it has been ruled ineligible for use in the Society. Although there might be a case for accepting the Llwyd as an epithet here since there is a valid given name (Emrys), such epithets do not usually precede the given name in Welsh as they do in English. Additionally, we were compelled to agree with Batonvert and Kraken that the name is just too redolent of that Merlin Ambrosius (or Myrddin Emrys as he appears in Welsh sources) who is usually associated with Arthur (the name Arthur is directly derived from "bear"). The device conflicts with Eric Ragnarsson ("Counter-ermine, a double-bitted axe head within a bordure argent. "): there is a major point of difference for the field but only a minor for removing the haft of the axe.

Llwyd Emrys o Arth. Household name for Tylwyth Arth.

There was considerable feeling that this approached too close to "house of Arthur", particularly if registered to someone using the name Emrys.

Llywus ap Alun. Name and device. Argent, a mountain lion sejant proper, on a chief vert three candles argent, enflamed proper. (Felis concolor).

We were not able to find reliable documentation for the name Llywus as a period name. The submittor provided a letter from a professor at the University of New Mexico indicating that the name "Lewis" is an anglicized form of this name in Welsh with the root "Llyw" (meaning chieftain) and the adjective suffix "us" meaning like). There are several problems with this, notably the fact that the usual Welsh spelling of Lewis is either "Lewys" or "Lewis" and that this period name is clearly derived from the Old German "Chlodovech" which gives rise to French "Louis" and English "Lewis". Also, Welsh does not form adjectives in "us" as Latin does so the derivation is unlikely, to say the least. The mountain lion on the emblazon sheet is shown as a dark brown, but all our sources show the beast as a much lighter tincture that could only be blazoned as Or, so the cat would have insufficient contrast with the argent field.

Nicholas Wolfmar. Device. Gyronny from base gules and counter-ermine, a wolf's pawprint argent.

Under AR2b gyronny from the edge of the field is forbidden to be composed of two "dark" tinctures: since ermine furs are not "neutral" in Society heraldry, counter-ermine is classed as a dark tincture.

Phyllis Meisterssohn. Device. Per fess argent and gules, on a pale a recorder, all counterchanged.

Conflict with Lavider ("Per fess gules and argent, a pale counterchanged. ", as cited by Papworth, p. 1002).

Rebecca of Lancaster. Device. Argent, a gore sinister azure, in chief a rose gules, barbed and seeded Or.

As one may not combine the White Rose of York and the name York, it is forbidden to combine the Red Rose of Lancaster with the use of the name Lancaster. This also conflicts with Cher de Bellvue ("Argent, a manticore rampant to sinister gules and a gore sinister azure. ").

Renna of Battersea. Badge. A wooden Celtic harp proper issuant inverted from a harp bag inverted erminois.

There seemed to be general agreement that this was not period heraldic style and that the identity of the charges would be indistinguishable at any distance.

Richenda Istvansdatter. Change of name from Richenda de la Selva.

First of all the forms indicate that the submittor desired the modern Danish patronymic form in "datter", not the Old Norse form of "dottir" which is shown on the letter of intent. This cannot be supported by any of the arguments used. Moreover, the precedent cited (Ivarsdottir) in support of the mixture of Istvan with the Old Norse patronymic ending is a false one since Ivarr is in fact a documented Old Norse name (as noted in the pages of Geirr Bassi attached to the submission). The submittor would be well-advised to take one of the forms which are known to have been borrowed in Scandinavia (e. g. , Stefan) or choose a similar sounding Norse name to form the patronymic (e. g. , Stefnir).

Salome Mara Shofar. Device. Azure, on a bend between a decrescent argent and five mullets in annulo argent, an ivy vine throughout vert.

Note that the mullets were omitted from the blazon, but not the emblazon on the letter of intent. Conflict with Robert of Spelsbury ("Azure, on a bend argent an ivy vine throughout vert, in sinister chief a squirrel sejant to sinister erect argent. ").

Sara bat Meir. Device. Per bend sinister argent and gules, a goose pendant from a branch issuant bendwise sinister from dexter, all counterchanged.

Note that the orientation on the blazon on the letter of intent was correct, not the miniature emblazon. There was general agreement that this was not period heraldic style, being unbalanced and entirely too "naturalistic".

Thora av Asgardur. Name only.

This is, unfortunately, a case where context makes this name unacceptable. Thora is a perfectly good Norse theophoric name and has been registered in the past. The submittor also provided maps showing that Asgardur is, on modern maps at least, a location in Iceland not far from the Breida Fjord (although no evidence was provided for it as a human habitation in period). However, to almost everyone in the Society Asgard (Old Norse Asgardr) means but one thing: the home of the gods in the Scandinavian pantheon. This is just not an acceptable "home town" for someone in the Society. That this place name is combined with a name which differs by only one letter from that of one of the most prominent of the Aesir only makes the twitches produced by the name more pronounced.

Tiberius Erikson. Device. Vert, a fret Or between in pale a plate and a mullet argent.

Conflict with Periton ("Vert, a fret Or. ", as cited in Papworth, p. 879).

Ursula d'Arcy. Device. Or an iris purpure slipped and leaved vert between two flaunches purpure.

Conflict with Gwynaeth de Sancta Maria de Petra Fertilis ("Or, issuant from a rock fracted sable, an iris purpure, slipped and leaved vert. ") and with Penelope of Calafia ("Argent, a garden rose purpure, slipped vert, between two flaunches purpure, the dexter charged with an increscent and the sinister with a decrescent argent. "). In this context the differences of type in the two flowers are so weak as to be almost negligible.

Kingdom of the West

Antonia Ambrosia l'Illiria. Name only.

"Illiria" is, by the submittor's own documentation, the Italian form for the country of Illyria, not for a resident of that country. She may be from Illyria or be an Illyrian (in the latter case the Italian would be "Antonia Ambrosia Illirica"). In the normal course of events, we would simply have made the minor modification to her name, but her forms forbade this. However, since the Western forms specifically indicate that a holding name will be formed to register armoury, we felt at liberty to form a holding name by dropping the inappropriate epithet.

Deirdre Marie of Leinster. Device. Argent, on a pall gules, five crosses fleury argent.

Conflict with Alan of Northcrest ("Argent, a pall between three Maltese crosses gules. ").

Francesca the Fiery. Device. Per pale embattled azure and sable, a unicorn's head erased and sinister-facing Or.

This was returned on the letter for October, 1986, for the use of a complex field division line with insufficient contrast. Vesper has appealed this return on the grounds that the detailed precedents for the circumstances in which complex fields of two colours could be used were listed elsewhere in that letter and therefore were not known at the time the submission was made, i. e. that the rules were changed on the submittor after the fact and therefore this should not have been returned. As a matter of fact, the device was returned under a disposition which has existed, as Chevron has pointed out, at least since the summer of 1984. In the Rules published at the end of Master Wilhelm's tenure as Laurel, it is clearly stated (IX. 4) "those partitions allowed to use two colors or two metals should not use complex lines of division, as those will be difficult to discern at a distance, due to poor contrast" and (IX. 5) "the basic requirement in all cases is that there be sufficient contrast for cler visibility". In Master Baldwin's rules, issued less than a month before the October meeting, this was restated in terms which involved a definition of "what is a simple case". Since there had been much confusion expressed to me due to inconsistencies (and subjective judgements) of what was a case where two colours were legitimate in terms of the new rules, the precedents noted on the case of Lann of Cambion were issued to attempt to "quantify" the already existent criteria. No "new rules" were involved and in fact there has been no change in official theory on this issue from Master Wilhelm through Master Baldwin to myself.

If Vesper's arguments were to be accepted in their totality, we would find ourselves in one of two absurd situations. In the first, Laurel would be bound not to make any judgements on the application of the rules (i. e. , set precedent) without a notice of three months or more in which the precedent would have been changed but could not be applied. I am sure that Vesper would be as appalled at that approach since it would rob the College of the ability to respond to circumstances as they arise, to utilize new research or information or to deal with "grey areas" in the rules. A more limited case (and what in fact what was being requested in this appeal) would have Laurel free to return the submission on which a precedent was set, but not any other submissions which involved the same issues until a "notice period" had elapsed. That is absurd and unfair to submittors, making the passage of return of a controversial or precedent-setting issue depend on whose submission the actual precedent was attached to. That is not acceptable because of simple equity.

In any case, the question of general principles to be applied in setting precedents is moot. The submission of Francesca the Fiery, although beautiful, was clearly a case where the field division was "not there". Even at the distance of ten inches at which the emblazon sheet is currently being viewed, it is difficult to be certain whether the field is all sable, all azure or party, and it is impossible to determine the nature of the field division at all. After a review of the relevant precedents there is no doubt that this submission would have been returned on the same grounds had it been considered by Master Wilhelm or Master Baldwin. Therefore, the appeal on the ground of "rules changes" cannot be accepted.

Kay the Innocent of Bel Anjou. Device. Purpure, a goblet and on on chief argent, five saltorels throughout conjoined sable.

Conflict with Layla Shirin ("Purpure, in pale an increscent and a goblet argent. "). Although this submission from the Outlands is registered elsewhere in this letter, there is no question that it should be considered to hold chronological priority, particularly since the letter of intent on which it appeared was postponed from the February meeting due to the tardy arrival of the paperwork from White Stag.

John Theophilus. Device. Azure, a cross formy throughout and on a chief argent three hearts gules.

This was returned in October, 1986, for technical conflict with Eric Lyon of St. Michael's ("Azure, a Celtic cross and on a chief argent a lion statant azure. "). Vesper has appealed on the grounds that the three minor points of difference in the tertiaries should equal a major point of difference and therefore the conflict does not exist. The allocation of a full point of difference for three changes to tertiaries is not automatic by any means and, as we have discussed before, should be considered in the context of the visual prominence of the tertiaries, which usually is directly related to the degree to which they are central to the design of the device or, phrased in another way, how early in the recognition process they will be registered by an individual comparing the two devices. Someone looking at this device will first register that both devices have a white cross on blue field, then note that this is an unusual cross and spend processing time registering that the splayed arms indicate that the particular subvariant of "unusual cross" here is a cross patty throughout, then note that both devices have a white chief, that both chiefs are charged and only then compare the items on the chief. If the tertiaries had been placed on the cross with no secondary charge, then they would be highly likely to count as a major point. Placed as they are on a "peripheral" charge (remember that there is a psychological basis for the chief appearing last in most blazons), they are diminished in importance. Note that this consideration addresses the reality of perception. We preferred not to address the issue in term of the principle of demotion, as stated in DR4, since that is so controversial (interpreted strictly, that would require that the difference between hearts and lions, as the second change of type of charge, be "demoted" from minor to negligible.

Lochan Blackmane. Device. Per saltire Or and azure, a bay horse rampant to sinister reguardant proper, crined and hooved sable.

The submission was originally returned in October, 1986, for insufficient contrast between the azure portions of the field and the horse which is very dark brown with black mane, tail, and legs from the knees down. In his appeal Vesper stated that the submission is "legal" by the rules and "an example of why we have the Rules". Unfortunately, both the Rules issued under Master Wilhelm (which would have been in effect when the submission was made) and the new Rules issued by Master Baldwin just prior to the October Laurel meeting are very clear: in both it made clear that proper charges must always have "sufficient contrast" (note that that term is specifically used in both IX. 5 of the older rules and AR1 of the new rules. In this case, the horse is a very dark brown which fades into the azure (in fact the color usually used for dark wood proper) and the sable is virtually invisible against the azure. Had the "dark" portion of the field been a tincture which is deemed to have "sufficient contrast" in AR1d or AR2b (e. g. , gules), the contrast would have been improved to the point that the problem would have been resolved. As it is, it is not.

THE FOLLOWING SUBMISSIONS ARE PENDING:

All submissions are pended until the August meeting for the further consideration of the College.

Kingdom of Ansteorra

Adele of Moondragon. Device. Erminois, on a pale endorsed azure, a crescent argent.

No miniature emblazon was included on the letter of intent as required under the administrative letter of November 13, 1986. The letter on which this appeared was sent out some time after receipt of those guidelines by the Star Office.

Kingdom of the Outlands

Elizabeth Thornfield Freemountain. Badge. Or, a mountain of two peaks couped and a chief indented sable.

On the emblazon sheet the mountains appear couped following the line of the badge, in the blazon it is noted as couped, but in the emblazon on the letter of intent it appears to be issuant from base and that is how most of the College considered it in checking for conflict.

Katerina Katya Leonovna Cherkasska. Device. Per pale azure and Or, two pegasi combattant and a chevron rompu counterchanged ermine and counter-ermine.

The blazon on the letter of intent matched the emblazon sheet forwarded to the Laurel office, but did not match the emblazon on the letter of intent, causing confusion amongst the commentors when checking for conflict.

Otagiri Tatsuzo. Device. Argent, three ken and three dragon's scales conjoined in annulo, pointing outwards, within a bordure embattled, all sable.

The original emblazon on the letter of intent showed something quite different from what was emblazoned. The correction letter was only dated on 2 February and was received by most members of the College after they had already sent in their comments on the letter (which was postponed to the March meeting because of the late receipt of the paperwork). Note that no documentation was provided for the "dragon scales" as a design element in mon.


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