SEPTEMBER XXIII (1988)
THE FOLLOWING SUBMISSIONS ARE APPROVED:
KINGDOM OF ANSTEORRA
Adlersruhe, Shire of. Name and device. Vert, an eagle displayed, wings inverted, within a laurel wreath and a base, all argent.
Adlersruhe, Shire of. Badge. Vert, an eagle displayed, wings inverted, and a base argent.
Alexandra of Falconham. Name and device. Per bend sinister Or and purpure, a quatrefoil counterchanged within a bordure quarterly counter-ermine and ermine.
An unusual request to the submittor: draw the bordure narrower! Although reasonably drawn on the letter of intent, on the emblazon sheet the bordure was so wide that any reasonable herald would have been justified in blazoning it "Quarterly counter- ermine and ermine, on an inescutcheon. . ."
Bastion de la Frontière, Shire of. Device. Per pale argent and sable, in pale a two-towered castle and a laurel wreath counterchanged, all within a bordure gules.
Catriona MacEanruig. Change of device. Ermine, a heart gules, pierced by a passion nail palewise argent, on a chief triangular sable, a mullet within the horns of a crescent Or.
Draw the nail bigger.
Desirée de Cambrai. Name only.
Edana Astrid. Name and device. Quarterly vert and sable, a Celtic cross between four mascles in cross argent.
Edwina Dirks Sterne. Change of name from Gwendolyn Dirks Sterne.
Emrys ap Selwyn. Name only.
Gwendolyn Spring. Name only.
Michael Edwards. Name only.
Michael of Oland. Device. Argent, a dragon's head erased and sinister facing between in chief two axes in chevron, blades to center, sable.
Ragnar Ulfgarsson. Name only.
Talwyn Devana. Device. Per bend sinister checky argent and vert and vert, in sinister base four bezants in cross.
Thurstan Ravensholme. Name and device. Per bend sinister gules and purpure, a bend sinister Or between a goblet Or and a goblet argent.
Urcy Ravensholme. Name only.
The given name is documented in Withycombe (p. 272) as a form of Ursula from 1273.
Wulf Beornsson the Smith. Name only.
The name was submitted as Wolf Bjornson the Smith. The gentle said to make "any changes necessary" to register his name. Both "Wolf" and "Bjorn" are viable name elements, but it would appear that the proper Old Norse patronymic form should be "Bjarnarson". The Old Norse form would of the name would be "Ulfr Bjarnarson". Given the sound of the name he has submitted, we felt he would prefer the Saxon formation used above. (He is aware the name means "Wolf, son of Bear", isn't he?) The byname "the Smith" has been dropped pending the resolution of "l'affaire Smith".
KINGDOM OF ATENVELDT
Aldwin Yale of York. Badge (see RETURNS for household name). Per bend sinister sable and Or, a compass star and a corisca bendwise sinister counterchanged within a bordure embattled gules.
Dirk the Left-Handed. Name and device. Quarterly purpure and azure, a cross parted and fretted and in dexter chief a crescent argent.
Elsibeth Merryweather. Device. Argent, on a chevron embattled counterembattled sable between three red squirrels sejant erect proper, three acorns palewise Or (Sciurus vulgaris).
Note that red squirrels are not in fact red, but rather a dark reddish brown (as opposed to grey squirrels which are grey).
George Armstrang. Name only (see RETURNS for device).
This name roused twitches in view of the name of George Armstrong Custer and, in another sector of the College, of William George Armstrong, Baron Armstrong of Cragside, inventor of the Armstrong gun and the hydraulic crane. However, the balance of opinion and documentation indicates that the use names of those gentles were George Custer and William Armstrong.
Olivia di Ravenna. Device. Argent, on a bend sinister wavy sable between two escallops inverted vert, three increscents Or.
This was pended until the August meeting. It was actually on the August letter of acceptances and returns, but was formatted as "invisible".
Stephan Schwartzwald. Name only (see RETURNS for device).
The name was submitted as Stephan Schwartswald. As this form could not be documented from period or modern sources, we have substituted the nearest spelling variant we could document.
KINGDOM OF ATLANTIA
Alyna of Snow Camp. Device. Azure, two seahorses addorsed, tails nowed, and in chief a decrescent argent.
This was registered at the August, 1988, meeting, but omitted from the letter for that month.
Hreodbeorht Lumhalghs. Device. Sable, a Bengal tiger's head cabossed Or, marked sable, horned gules, between three roses, all within a bordure Or.
This was actually registered in August, 1988, but not printed out on the letter for that month.
Matthew Lieurance. Blazon correction. Per pale argent and sable, a phoenix between three compass stars, all counterchanged.
When the device was registered in June, 1988, the word processor inadvertantly restored the word "mullets" from the modified blazon so that the secondaries appeared as "mullets compass stars".
KINGDOM OF CAID
Alexander Baird. Name only (see RETURNS for device).
Alinor Bellissima Montgomery. Change of name from Alinor of Marionwood.
Amisia Malcolm. Name only.
Astra Christiana Benedict. Badge for Aislynn Skyppe de Beaumont. Azure, a goblet bendwise within a bordure argent.
Although Crescent did not include a copy of the documentation cited for the form of the glass in the letter of intent, several members of the Laurel staff could recall seeing period German stemmed glassware of this shape in the Corning Museum and elsewhere. However, this is one case where a perfectly period charge will have an effect distinctly "incompatible with the period ambience" of the Society. We are reliably informed that the Crescent Herald may have a special influence with the submittor. Possibly he could use to it persuade her to use a goblet of a slightly different form?
Brian Sprague. Name only.
Caid, King of. Badge. Argent, on a pale azure, a crescent argent. As Crescent noted, the wording of DR10 makes it clear that the addition or modification of the tertiary in this sort of situation can under the current rules produce a minor: "For submissions consisting of a field and an ordinary, the addition or removal of one or a set of tertiaries, or changes of at least two of number, tincture, type may count up as a Major point of difference." The issue here is whether the discretion should be granted this badge against the mundane armoury cited. Given the badge already registered for the Queen, which is identical save for the tincture and type of tertiary, we felt it should be granted some lenience.
Caid, Kingdom of. Change of name for Academy of Equestrian Arts from College of Equestrian Arts.
Catarina della Zimarra. Change of device. Argent, semy-de-lys sable, a dragon passant within the horns of a crescent gules.
Please ask the submittor to draw the fleurs-de-lys larger.
Chlöe Aubre Duclair. Change of device. Sable, a spiderweb and on a chief Or, three spiders sable.
The submittor is to be applauded for her courtesy. When her device, identical save for the use of argent in place of Or on the metallic charges, was registered earlier this year, note was made of the strong reminiscence of the badge for Arachne's Web. Although her previous device was technically clear, she has chosen to modify it rather than cause inadvertant confusion or offence.
Coinneach Kyllyr of Kilernan. Name only.
Connor Mac Nicol. Name only.
Dreiburgen, Barony of. Blazon correction. Per chevron inverted throughout azure and argent, a chamfron argent within a bordure embattled counterchanged.
The tinctures of the field were omitted when this badge was registered in July, 1988. Crescent has suggested that the primary charge should be specified as being "in base", but this seems inappropriate since it appears nearly in the centre of the field on the emblazon sheet provided.
Dubhán Treehill. Name and device. Azure, on a bend between two trees eradicated argent, a pegasus statant fesswise to sinister sable, all within a bordure argent.
Fredrick of Woodlyn. Addition of designation of House Woodlyn to already registered badge. Argent, a bordure urdy vert.
Fredrick of Woodlyn. Addition of designation of Woodlyn Library to already registered badge. Argent, an open book within a bordure urdy vert.
Friedrich of Gyldenholt. Holding name and device (see RETURNS for name). Quarterly argent and sable, in bend two eagles displayed per pale gules and sable within a bordure gules.
The submission was made under the name of Friedrich Stolzadler von Ansbach. It was our feeling that the device was this side of actual presumption, although rather ill-judged considering the strong allusions to the ruling Prussian house. To take the arms of the Hohenzollerns ("Quarterly argent and sable.", as cited in Woodward, p. 254), familiar from their frequent appearance on an inescutcheon of pretense in the Prussian arms, and then effectively place dimidiated forms of the arms of the Hohenzollern rulers of Brandenburg and Prussia ("Argent, an eagle displayed gules." and "Argent, an eagle displayed sable." respectively) pushes the edges of acceptibility.
Ibrahim al-Jasur al-Andalusiyy. Name and device. Vert, a fess wreathed argent and sable between a mullet of nine points voided and interlaced and an open book argent.
The name was submitted as Ibrahim Aljasur al-Andalusiyy. We have used the clearer spelling proposed by Star and accepted by Crescent.
Isolde Baird. Name only (see RETURNS for device).
Ivan the Illustrated. Device. Per fess sable and argent, a sea serpent ondoyant within a bordure wavy counterchanged.
James Rufus of Wendland. Name and device. Quarterly gules and argent, a cross flory within a bordure dovetailed sable.
John of the Pines. Device. Or, a pine tree proper and on a chief embattled azure, a cloud argent.
Jonathan Silverthorn. Name and device. Argent, a sword gules, on a chief embattled sable, a crescent between two mullets argent.
Jonathan Silverthorn. Badge (see RETURNS for household name). Per fess embattled azure and sable, issuant from the line of division a demi-bezant.
Louisa MacLachlan. Name and device. Argent, two halberds in saltire gules, between four gillyflowers sable, barbed and seeded gules.
Manus le Dragonier. Name only.
Morgaine Meuran Airgiodachan. Name only.
The name was submitted as Morgaine na Méara Airgead, with the request that it be corrected to the proper Gaelic forms.
Thomas Speir. Name only.
Wintermist, Shire of. Name and device. Gules, two cubit arms Or, issant from a cloud argent and maintaining a laurel wreath Or.
KINGDOM OF CALONTIR
Branwyn Whiteraven. Badge for House Whiteraven. Argent, on a castle sable within a bordure rayonny sable, a raven close argent.
Briana Etain MacKorkhill. Name only (see RETURNS for device, badge and household name).
The name was submitted with the insufficiently documented byname "of Clithan Hold". We have dropped that to register the name.
Cecile de Bordeaux. Name only.
Eleanor d'Autun. Device. Vert, a fret couped within an annulet argent.
Myra Naedlsang. Device. Per bend sinister purpure and vert, a skylark volant to sinister argent, holding in its beak a nettle branch Or.
Trobere Oakenseed. Badge. Argent, upon a tankard sable, an acorn inverted Or.
Vladislav of Mag Mor. Holding name and device (see RETURNS for name). Per bend sable and argent, a plate and a raven close reguardant sable. The submission was made under the name of Vladislav de Bucharest.
KINGDOM OF MERIDIES
Arenal, Shire of. Device. Argent, six pairs of angel's wings, conjoined and displayed, one, two and three, azure within a laurel wreath vert.
There is no difference derived from specifying the wings as those of an angel, but this is a case where it is permissible to specify to preserve the cant on the Blue Angels, whose home base is in the Shire. (Congratulations to Seraph for catching this lovely heraldic allusion: it was not mentioned on the letter of intent.) Blazon variants to emphasize a cant are not uncommon in period.
Ashlin of Foxbridge. Name and device. Argent, a pale pean, overall a winged fox sejant, wings elevated and addorsed, gules, all within a bordure gules.
Aubrée Vieuxpont. Name and device. Or, a horse sable, statant atop a base vert, charged with three bezants, two and one.
The name was submitted as Aubrée Vieux-Pont. As the sort of byname is well documented in period sources, it is perfectly acceptable, but all our period sources show the two words coalesced in names of this type so we have dropped the hyphenation. Note that the given name is a documented period French form of the given name which usually appears in English as Aubrey.
Caitlin de Verona. Badge for Stede Aquilonis. Per saltire vert and sable, seme of caltraps, in pale two escarbuncles argent.
The household name was submitted as Stede of Aquilo. As correction of grammar was permitted, we have converted the phrase into the proper Latin equivalent.
Dragija the Dalmatian. Name and device. Per bend Or and argent, semy of hearts sable, a bend and in sinister chief a heart gules.
The byname was Dalmation on the letter of intent, but appeared on the forms with the correct spelling given above.
Ilissa the Nightwatcher. Name and device. Per fess sable and gules, two gyrons issuant from dexter chief and from sinister conjointed at the honour point and in sinister chief an increscent, all argent.
Actually, the given name is more plausible as a variant of Alice, which is documented as appearing in period non-diminutive forms as "Alissa", "Ahelissa", etc.
Joanot Marti de Figueres. Name only.
Julianna of Dunbar. Name and device. Argent, in saltire two Damask roses, slipped and leaved, proper and a dexter gore azure, charged with a fleur-de-lys Or.
Please ask the submittor to draw all the charges bigger. The roses should also be placed more centrally in the field (we would have blazoned them as being in sinister chief, but the disparity between the primary emblazon and the miniature on the same sheet indicated that the placement was accidental, rather than intentional.)
Kane Redfeather. Name and device. Argent, two arrows inverted in saltire sable, fletched, on a chief gules, a lion dormant Or.
The arrows are inverted and are indeed fletched gules, no doubt in allusion to the submittor's name.
Karl von Giessen. Name and device. Per pale sable and purpure, a staff of Asculapius throughout Or between two mullets pierced argent.
The Staff of Aesculapius has been reserved in the past for those with mundane medical qualifications, the intent being to avoid confusion in the case of a medical emergency at a Society event (the same motivation for restricting certain medical occupational surnames). While the citation from 1979 limiting the staff of Aesculapius to medical doctors cited by Crescent is accurate, the use of such charges by those other than medical doctors seems reasonable and by the end of Master Wilhelm's tenure, this restriction of the Staff of Aesculapius and other medically related symbols was to those with appropriate medical qualifications in general: "Only a person with proper medical credentials may use a caduceus, a Staff of Aesculapius, or any of the other medical symbols." (Rules for Submissions IX.6. as printed in August, 1984, in the Proceedings of the Fasachian Heraldic Symposium).
During Master Baldwin's tenure this restriction, intentionally or accidentally, returned to the original strictness so that in the Glossary it was stated that only medical doctors could bear those symbols.
This restriction seems too narrow, given the intent of the restriction to prevent the identification of those who lack appropriate qualifications to render aid in a medical emergency from being identified as such by their armoury. Indeed, conversations with Kingdom Chirurgeons from several kingdoms, some of whom are M.D.'s and some of whom are not, indicate that the prevailing feeling in the chirurgeonate is that for "frist response" (which is what we are talking about in the context of a Society event, even one so extended and immense as Pennsic) a mundanely qualified and properly Emergency Medical Technicial or Registered Nurse with emergency room experience may well be preferred to a Medical Doctor whose practise is exclusively devoted to psychiatry or obstetrics and has not even seen a trauma case since medical school. So long as the individual in question has appropriate mundane qualifications to render "first response" aid, there seems no reason to restrict the charge to Medical Doctors.
As Crescent noted, on at least one previous occasion after the publication of that Glossary, a medical symbol was granted to a non-doctor with formal medical credentials (in that case, a Registered Nurse with emergency room experience). Only by an oversight was a formal precedent not stated at that time.
PRECEDENT: Symbols associated mundanely with the medical profession are restricted to those with appropriate mundane medical qualifications, i.e., medical doctors, registered nurses and mundanely qualified emergency medical technicians.
Laura Lynn of Lonsdale. Name only.
Loren of Blackthorne. Device. Per pale gules and sable, a compass star elongated to base surmounted by a sword and a quill pen in saltire, all within a bordure potenty argent.
This submission had been pended from the June meeting.
Marion of Scarborough. Name only (see RETURNS for device).
Meaghan Arsmith of Ludlow. Name and device. Or, three chevronels braced gules between a strung bow fesswise, string to base, surmounted by an arrow bendwise inverted, and a cross crosslet fitchy, all sable.
Meaghan Arsmith of Ludlow. Badge. Or, a cross crosslet fitchy sable fretted with three chevronels braced gules.
Michael Bohun. Name and device. Pean, on a chief gules two pairs of annulets, each pair fretted, Or and on a point pointed argent, a mailed fist appaumy sable.
Morgan MacLain o Loch Cairlinn. Name only.
Saxus of Arunshire. Blazon correction. Azure, on a pale between in chief two tau crosses argent, in base a swallow migrant to chief gules.
When the badge was registered in June, 1988, the tincture of the primary and secondary charges was omitted from the letter of acceptance and return.
Sean O Laoghaire. Name only (see RETURNS for device).
The name was submitted as Sean O'Lehry. We have placed it in the correct Irish form as requested by the submittor.
Sophia de Clare. Name and device. Per pale purpure and argent, two unicorns' heads couped and respectant, horns crossed in saltire, between in pale two mullets within a bordure embattled, all counterchanged.
Thomas of Hudd's Path. Name and device. Argent, a skunk statant affronty, tail erect, sable, marked argent, within a bordure embattled sable.
Varvara Vechernyaya. Name only.
KINGDOM OF THE MIDDLE
Accolon Shadowhawk. Name only.
The name Accolon appears in Malory's Morte d'Arthur.
Alberic Cordeau. Name only (see RETURNS for device).
The name was submitted as Albaric de Cordeau. We have modified the given name and surname to the forms we could document.
Alfred of Warwick. Name and device. Or, two foxes countersalient purpure.
Armand Baird. Name and device. Lozengy vert and Or, on a pale vert, in pale a harp0 Or and a sword argent.
Bridget Casey. Device. Per pale and per fess indented purpure and vert, a fess dancetty, the points ending in shamrocks Or.
This was registered in August, 1988, but omitted from the letter for that month.
Edric of Bellshire. Name only.
Heather Elaine Hall of Dormanswell. Device. Argent, an owl statant guardant to sinister sable, within a rustre azure.
Permission has been granted to conflict with Aureliane Rioghail ("A mascle azure.").
Lewis Michael Patrick Blackmore. Device. Per fess Or and gules, in pale a lion's head erased and a ship in full sail counterchanged.
Matthew of Scarborough. Name only.
Middle Kingdom. Title for Constellation Herald.
Robert of the Glen. Name only.
Black (p. 312) shows period examples of "Glenn", "de Glene", etc. in period.
William Lewys Bright. Name only.
KINGDOM OF THE OUTLANDS
Alexandre Lerot d'Avignon. Device. Per pale wavy purpure and argent, a serpant, glissant palewise and sinister facing, argent and a wolf rampant sinister.
Bothvar Bloodaxe. Name and device. Per pale Or and sable, a tankard counterchanged, foamed proper, within a bordure embattled counterchanged.
The given name is cited as relatively common in Geirr Bassi (p.9).
Catalina de Almería y Tiermas. Device. Sable, on a cushion argent between four escallops Or, an escallop gules.
Citadel of the Southern Pass, Barony of. Name for Order of Thermopylae.
As Crescent noted, the modification of the name to drop the "Companions of" materially lowers the twitch factor since the implication no longer is present that the members of the order are veterans of that epic battle (or even in some way the peers of that gallant, if suicidal, band). However, we were compelled to agree that White Stag's arguments presenting the Order of the Golden Fleece and that of the Annuziada as analogues to support the name do not really apply here and would be even less forceful when applied to the originally submitted name. There is a world of difference between the sort of allusion involved in the Golden Fleece and one parallel to the original submission, which would have had the Burgundians create an Order of the Argonauts. It should also be noted that, as there is no beginning date for our period (although post-Roman personas are distinctly encouraged!), Latin and Greek personas can be and have been registered. In any case, the plausibility of any member of the Society claiming to be a member of a group does not really affect whether we would consider a name presumptuous or offensive: obviously, someone in our period could not be a member of the Ku Klux Klan but we still would not allow the use of that name in any form.
Dafydd the Silvertongue of Deverell. Name only (see RETURNS for device).
Edward Ashwell of the Crossbow. Name only.
Eric Blaxton. Name only (see RETURNS for device and badge).
Fiona Crystalbrooke. Name only.
Gareth of Gryphon's Nest. Device. Per saltire sable and argent, in fess two gryphons combattant gules.
Irel Krist of Star Inn. Name and device. Sable, a wyvern segreant reguardant maintaining two swords and on a chief argent, four mullets of eight points azure.
"Irel" is a period Irish name (O Corrain and Maguire, Gaelic Personal Names, p. 117). The submittor has provided documentation which demonstrates that "Krist" was in fact used as a normal human byname in fourteenth-century Germany.
Konrad von Greifswald. Device. Paly bendy gules and argent, an escarbuncle counter-ermine.
Kragon of Land's End. Name only.
Laura de la Chouette Dorée. Spelling Correction.
When the name was registered in April, 1988, an "e" dropped out inadvertantly on the letter of intent to produce "Laura de la Choutte Dorée".
Leif Ivarson. Badge. Vert, an aspen leaf between four arrows in cross, barbs outward, all argent.
Lothar vom Bergenwald. Device. Per fess azure and vert, a fess dancetty argent, overall a ram salient Or.
This was registered in August, 1988, but omitted from the letter for that month.
Marcus the Vintner. Name and device. Sable, honeycombed Or, on a fess argent, three golpes.
Consensus in the College was virtually unanimous that this new field treatment was "compatible" with Society heraldry. PRECEDENT: The field treatment "honeycombed", consisting of a variation on masoning in which the "cells" are equilateral hexagons, as in a honeycombe seen edge on, is hereby accepted for use in the Society.
Mieczyslaw Tomeknowicz. Name and device. Azure, a leopard sejant erect affronty, forelegs displayed, in base a spur rowel, all within a bordure engrailed argent.
Mikel the Silent. Device. Argent, a Great Horned Owl rising guardant, wings elevated and displayed, proper, maintaining in its sinister claw an arrow bendwise, within an orle of arrows set barb to fletch clockwise, sable (Bubo virginianus).
Please ask the submittor to draw the wings in a standard heraldic position, not the naturalistic one. This means that the head would not overlie the wing as it does on the elegant emblazon sheet.
Phillippa MacCallum. Spelling correction (see RETURNS for device).
The given name was spelled with a single "l" when registered in April, 1988. The submittor wishes the submitted form with two "l"'s.
Siana of Castletown Bearhaven. Name and device. Gules, a bear Or statant atop a tower issuant from base and on a chief argent, three roses purpure, barbed and seeded proper.
Stefan Laskówski. Name and device. Argent, a cat herissant and on a chief gules, two wings conjoined in vol argent.
Susan the Midwife. Device. Argent, three spiders tergiant within a bordure sable.
Tammara Courtenay. Device. Vert, a crab between four quatrefoils in cross Or.
Thorvald Valdkrig. Name and device. Gules, a griffin sejant to sinister maintaining a sword within a bordure, all Or.
The name was submitted as Thorsvald Valdkrig. However, both the documentation for the name elements from the Compleat Anachronist provided by the submittor and all the other sources we could find indicate that the form is "Thorvald".
Tiphanie d'Aquitaine. Name only (see RETURNS for device).
Tristian of Hags Head. Change of name from Anthony of Hags Head.
Ursula d'Arcy. Device. Per bend Or and purpure, two irises slipped counterchanged within a bordure per bend purpure and Or, fretty counterchanged.
Vanard of the Skilled Hands. Name and device. Gules, a ram's head, erased and affronty, and on a chief embattled Or, three portcullises sable.
His mundane given name is Vanard.
KINGDOM OF THE WEST
Arianwen Katryn Devereaux. Change of name from Felina of Laireyrie and device. Per chevron inverted purpure and Or, in pale a winged lioness sejant, wings elevated and addorsed, Or and a triquetra vert.
Bohdan Nepran. Name and device. Or, a pall inverted cotised between three crosses crosslet sable.
Callum of Glen Albyn. Name and device. Argent, a bend sinister azure, overall a thistle, slipped and leaved, proper.
Traditionally, Society heraldry has made a distinction between gules and purpure that appears not to have existed, by and large, in period heraldry and much relatively modern heraldry. This distinction has held true even for thistle flowers, even though this has very little basis in mundane heraldry, to the extent that this device must be considered marginally clear of Webster ("Argent, a thistle vert, flowered gules.").
Cassandra de la Tour. Name only (see RETURNS for device).
Catherine the Friendly. Name and device. Argent, a cooking pot between on a chief sable, a needle, eye to sinister, Or, and a base rayonny gules.
Cordelia Tosere. Name only.
Darkwood, Barony of. Name and device. Argent, an oak sable, fructed or and argent, on a chief sable, three laurel wreaths Or.
They have permission to conflict with the name of Myrkewooud. They also have permission to conflict with the device of Eichling von Amrum ("Argent, an oak sapling eradicated sable, on a chief azure a mullet argent.").
Diego Esteban Manuel Luis Monteverde. Device. Azure, a human eye Or, irised azure, on a chief argent, three coney's heads erased sable.
Dietrich von den Weinbergen. Name only.
Duncan MacAlpin Shieldsbane. Name and device. Per chevron argent and sable, two ravens passant and an estoile within an orle, all counterchanged.
Elisabet Blackadder. Name only.
Given the cult status of the Blackadder television series in certain Society circles the byname caused some serious twitches. However, the name is a documented family name and Edmund Blackadder's child bride was not called Elizabeth.
Elsbeth Anne Roth. Change of device. Or, a wolf's head cabossed between three mullets of six points vert.
Eric of the Far West. Holding name and device (see RETURNS for name). Or, a wolf sejant affronty sable and on a chief azure, two butterflies displayed Or.
The submission was made under the name Eric Gra-Ulfr.
Eric of Windstar. Change of device. Per saltire sable and gules, in pale two skulls argent and in fess two compass stars Or, all within a bordure engrailed argent.
Genna as an Fhraoich. Change of name from holding name of Heather of Stormhold.
The name was submitted as Genna an Fhroaigh. The College was requested to assist in producing the best Gaelic form of "of the Heather". In this case, we have interpreted the phrase to mean "from the Heather" or "out of the Heather" and have emended the syntax accordingly.
Gwenhwyfar ferch Gwilym ap Morgan o Erryrys. Name and device. Argent, a dragon passant, tail coward, purpure within a bordure azure.
Innilgard, Barony of. Order of the Golden Owl.
Jevon Fairbairn. Name and device. Gyronny Or and chequy azure and argent, a spider tergiant palewise sable and in chief a faceted gem fesswise between two others in chevron gules.
Most of the commentors felt that this pushed the limits of acceptable style to near the breaking point, but ultimately we decided that this fell short of unacceptability. In fact, apart from the peculiar positioning of the gems, this is a rather simple device (or would be if the field were a bit quieter).
Khulan the Dark. Badge. Sable, a scimitar bendwise sinister between two suns Or.
Kirsten Fagerhjärta. Name and device. Purpure, a saltire invected between in pale two decrescents Or.
The name was submitted as Kirsten Fagerhjärta i Sunnanbo on the basis of a conversation with an Old Norse student at Berkeley. The remainder of the name could be clearly documented, but we could not come up for confirmation for the construction of the place name so we have omitted it.
Königstadt, Canton of. Name only.
Miranda Graye. Device. Or, on a demi-sun issuant from base vert, a goblet Or, on a chief purpure three bunches of grapes Or, slipped and leaved vert.
Peter fra Marstal. Device. Gyronny vert and argent, a Latin cross nowy pierced sable.
Rashid al Faqih. Name and device. Per bend sinister Or and gules, an eye argent, irised azure, between in chief three mullets in fess gules and in base a crescent Or.
Richard of Alder Tree. Name and device. Vert, a rat rampant ermine within a bordure dovetailed argent.
Robert Furness of Southwood. Name only (see RETURNS for device).
Robin Reynardo. Name only.
Rosalinde von Braunschweig. Name and device. Sable, on a nesselblatt argent, in pale a tower and a bear rampant sable.
This would be better style with only one charge upon the nesselblatt: it is not the best charge to be itself charged with two items in pale.
Seán Spíoine Glaise. Name and device. Sable, on a compass star between four roses argent, a rose sable.
Note that the byname does not in fact have the meaning given on the letter of intent ("of Black Thorn"). The Irish adjective "glas" conveys the sense not of "black" but of a peculiarly Celtic perception of colour as "grey" or "green", depending on the context in which it is applied. Thus grass is interpreted as "green" while stone or the sea is usually interpreted as "grey". In this context, it is clearly intended as "grey" or "green" and indeed the submittor's translation of the byname indicates he wishes "grey". It should also be noted that the plant referred to by the term "spíon" is a kind of spiky moor moss. Please ask the submittor to draw the rose on the star much larger and more well-defined: at least one person looked at the star and thought that it was pierced.
Simon de Lyons. Device. Per bend ermine and counter-ermine, two bendlets counterchanged sable and argent.
Stefan of Pembroke. Name only (see RETURNS for device).
Steven Longshanks. Change of device. Per bend sinister gules and sable, in bend a comet bendwise sinister, head to chief, and an armoured leg, bent at the knee, argent.
Note that, if we have erred in the direction of explicitness on the blazon, it is because comets in the Society are more often than not placed in positions other than "bendwise sinister" and human legs have been used in a variety of postures, some not at all usual in mundane heraldry. To guarantee the submittor the device he wishes, we must forego the most elegant blazon.
Thomas Buchannan of Clyde. Spelling correction.
The name was spelled as Thomas Buchanon of Clyde on the July, 1988, letter of acceptance and return.
THE FOLLOWING SUBMISSIONS ARE RETURNED:
KINGDOM OF ANSTEORRA
Derric Greywolf. Device. Or, on a bend sinister pean, a wolf passant to sinister ululant argent.
Conflict with Maria del Gato ("Or, a bend sinister pean between two quill pens crossed in base azure and a cat sejant affronty sable.").
Thessala de Lyons. Device. Azure, on a cross voided argent, a lion couchant Or.
Essentially the same device was returned in March, 1988: "Although attractive, this is 'thin line heraldry': whether you blazon the cross as 'azure fimbriated argent' or 'argent voided' it is azure placed upon an azure field with only a thin line of argent separating the two. Visually, this makes the lion the primary charge with a 'frame' of tracery around it."
This submission, with the voided cross redrawn so it was essentially "on a cross argent, a cross couped azure . . .", was resubmitted/appealed with the note that the modified emblazon resolved the problem. A number of commentors became diverted over the side issue of the form of the voiding and whether it should be used in the Society, produce difference, etc. A number felt that the elegance and simplicity of the concept should exempt it from the category of "thin line" heraldry.
Probably the most extensive discussion of the issue was compiled by Crescent who cited the original ban on "excessive fimbriation" as specifically allowing charges throughout. For the benefit of the many members of the College who were not around in 1983 when the ruling was originally made, some background is in order: Laurel (then Master Wilhelm von Schlussel who now serves the COllege as Treble Clef) circulated a poll to the members of the College on a number of stylistic and administrative issues (acceptability of lightning flashes, use of holding names, etc.). One of the items solicited the opinions of the College on fimbriation of certain kinds of charges, including ordinaries. In his cover letter of August 19, 1983, Master Wilhelm ruled as follows:
. . .fimbriation will no longer be allowed for chiefs, bordures, flaunches, gores, cantons, quarters, points, bases, mounts, chapé, tierces, and other such throughout abstract charges. The only abstract throughout charges that may be fimbriated are the bend, bend sinister, fess, pale, chevron, cross, saltire, pall, pile and chevron inverted. (Even fimbriating these is poor practice.)
Note that the sort of fimbriation conceived of here is the sort one sees on the Union Jack, clear and undiminished by overlying charges. In the months and years to follow, this ruling proved the basis for a pattern of returning submissions where the primary charge or charge was significantly reduced in identifiability because of fimbriation or voiding, particularly where there were overlying charges, the pattern proved one not generally found in mundane period heraldry or where the tinctures involved diminished the dominance of the ordinary.
By the time Master Baldwin of Erebor finished his tenure as Laurel the concept of "thin line heraldry" was so well integrated in the fabric of the College that it was incorporated in the rules.
In his discussion of the propriety of the original return, Crescent cited a number of submissions passed in the months following the return of this submission and noted that "if the practice of fimbriation/voiding was acceptable each month after Thessala's device was returned, it should have been acceptable for her as well."
Unfortunately, this overlooks two characteristics of this device: there is a tertiary placed upon (within) the ordinary in question and the ordinary is essentially blue on blue with only the thin argent lines denoting the presence of the cross. (This latter point was stressed in the original return.)
This is not the case in most of the examples cited by Crescent. William of Dover ( "Sable, a chevron inverted gules, fimbriated, between three goblets argent.") has the fimbriated ordinary of a different tincture from that of the field and it is not itself charged. Caterine Ganivre Martin ("Argent, a saltire parted and fretted between in pale two martlets volant and in fess two quatrefoils purpure.") uses a standard heraldic cross arrangement (essentially a fretting of lathes in cross) and it is not charged. Gilbert Bertram de Harfleur ("Per bend sinister vert and gules, on a bend sinister sable, fimbriated, between two calla lily flowers argent, a calla lily flower argent.") has the ordinary charged, but it is of a different tincture from either part of the field and, moreover, a tincture which the rules specify as having "sufficient contrast". Anne Dudley de Brandhard's badge for Edward Dudley de Brandhard ("Gules, on a pale azure, fimbriated, between two arrows inverted Or, a sword inverted proper.") again has a tincture which differs from that of the field in a "sufficient contrast" combination.
Indeed, from the submissions cited, only those of Paganus Grimlove really approach a valid analogue, involving true voiding of the field ("Argent, a wolf's head cabossed sable, maintaining in its mouth a garden rose, slipped and leaved, within a heart voided and a chief doubly enarched gules." and "Argent, a wolf's head, cabossed and snarling, sable within a heart voided gules.") In these cases, Laurel was persuaded of the acceptability of the voided heart much against her better judgement, largely because it was clearly a secondary element in the design (which is not the case here). Maturer judgement has led us to believe that pressure and the haste that always seems to accompany the War led us astray in those cases: to register this device would only compound the error.
KINGDOM OF ATENVELDT
Aldwin Yale of York. Name for House Rising Star.
The household name conflicts directly with that of House Rising Star registered to Cameron of Caladoon in 1979.
Artemisia, Region of. Title for Talon Herald.
Under the current rules this conflicts with the Order of the Serpent's Talon.
George Armstrong. Device. Vert, a bend sinister azure,fimbriated Or, overall in pale three dexter arms fesswise, armoured and embowed, and on a chief argent, a dexter arm issuant from the line of division, embowed and maintaining a sword, gules.
The desire to echo elements of the mundane Armstrong armoury has led this gentle into a design that is just too complex and visually confusing. The fimbriation of the bend sinister is a permissible anomaly that becomes dodgy when overlain by the arms. The addition of the arms issuant from the line of division only adds to the business of the device. As many commented, the chief here is placed as if it overlay the bend and should not.
Gerald Thomas fitzGerald. Change of name from Gerald Fitzgerald and device. Argent, a saltire gules, overall a Barbary ape passant proper, grasping in the dexter paw a sword bendwise sinister Or and in the sinister paw a clay pipe argent, in base a key palewise, wards to base and to sinister sable.
Alas! the original passage of the name "Gerald Fitzgerald" in 1982 was one of those moments when the College nodded for the name is a direct conflict with that of Gerald Fitzgerald, Earl of Kildare (14771513), sometimes known in Irish as Geróit Mor (Gerald the Great). His son, who succeeded him as Earl of Kildare and Lord Deputy or Ireland, was also named Gerald and was called "Geróit Og" (Gerald the Younger). The son of Gerald the Younger was that Thomas FitzGerald, sometimes called "Silken Thomas", who led the revolt against the power of Henry VIII in Ireland in 1534, was executed at Tyburn in 1537. In turn, Gerald FitzGerald, orphaned at 12, became a rallying point for Irish sentiments in the years to follow and was widely acknowledged on the Continent as "King of Ireland", even being considered by the French at one point as a viable candidate for the hand of Mary of Scotland. Given all this, the addition of the name Thomas to his already registered name would be particularly unfortunate.
Also given this, the arms become rather presumptuous. As Star has noted, they differ the well-documented period arms of FitzGerald primarily by adding a monkey, which is the crest added to those arms by the Earl of Leinster, head of the FitzGerald family. Taken with the name, this is a bit too much.
Stephan Schwartzwald. Device. Sable, three plates in bend, each charged with a compass star gules.
Technically this conflicts with Cassandra of the East Wind ("Sable, on a plate, a flame gules.") and Shron Ravenhair ("Sable, on a plate a mullet of six points throughout sable charged with a compass star of twelve points throughout pierced argent.")
KINGDOM OF CAID
Alexander Baird. Device. Sable, a pall inverted of Wake knots cojoined Or, between three torteaux, fimbriated Or.
The primary issue here, as Crescent clearly indicated, is whether the pall of Wake knots could be considered acceptable for heraldic use in the Society or should come under the long- standing ban on "knotwork". The issue is not merely whether the charge or charges can be blazoned, as Crescent implies, but whether the charge or charges can be readily identified by the casual observer to be what they are.
Commentary in the College, which was substantially opposed to dropping the ban on knotwork, reflects a reality here. While the conjoint charge can be easily blazoned, it cannot be readily identified without already being aware of the blazoning. Viewed at a distance, the central design element is as likely to be interpreted as a pall invected with some peculiar internal diapering as it is to be interpreted correctly as a conjoining of otherwise identifiable knots. When the separated knots are placed in a standard heraldic position, their familiar outline renders them identifiable. When this outline is diminished, as it is here, by reduction in size and conjoining, they are no longer clearly identifiable. This is the case with virtually all "knotwork", not matter how easily blazonable, and that is the most cogent reason for not permitting it in the Society.
Ascelyn Fraser Sommerhawke. Change of device. Per pale sable and argent, two hawks rising respectant counterchanged.
Conflict with Mathilde Meyer ("Per pale azure and argent, two geese respectant enraged.")
Friedrich Stolzadler von Ansbach. Name only.
The name conflicts with that of Friedrich, Margrave of Ansbach in the Reformation period. The byname of Ansbach is particularly unfortunate, given the arms which contain so many references to the Hohenzollern Margraves of Brandenburg-Ansbach. As the submittor requested no changes to his name, we felt we could not simply drop the place name to leave the more acceptable "Friedrich Stolzadler".
Isolde Baird. Device. Azure, a wolf's head cabossed between two flaunches argent.
Conflict with Janek Shiron ("Azure, a harp reversed between two flaunches argent, each charged with a quill azure.")
Jonathan Silverthorn. Name for House Windsong.
After much deliberation, we decided that we could not ignore the identity of the proposed household name with the trademarked name of the perfume (Irreverent note: "Their windsong hangs on our mind. . .").
KINGDOM OF CALONTIR
Briana Etain MacKorkhill. Device. Gyronny of six argent and vert, three bunches of two strawberries, two and one, gules, slipped vert, and three maunches, one and two, argent, all within a bordure counterchanged.
The difficulties experienced by the commentors in blazoning this properly reflect the lack of period style in this device. After much effort, noone could find any definite period exemplars of alternating charges on a gyronny in a "pinwheel" effect such as this.
Briana Etain MacKorkhill. Badge for Clithan Hold. Argent, a garb vert within an annulet sable within an orle of crosses crosslet, bases to center, vert, all within a bordure sable.
The household name was insufficiently documented and none of the commentors could deduce its origins. The badge is just too complex for a badge (it would be slightly more acceptable as a device, although still "busy").
Chrystofer Kensor. Device. Azure, a wolf rampant to sinister, maintaining a halberd argent, hafted Or, within an orle argent.
Although this was omitted from the letter of intent, the original submission, which had a bordure in place of the orle, was returned in September, 1987 for conflict with Thomas Wakefield ("Azure, a winged wolf rampant to sinister, wings addorsed argent, the head environed of a nimbus Or, within a bordure argent."). It is by no means certain that the cumulative changes to the wolf suffice to carry this clear of the original conflict, particularly in view of the visual echo between the bordure and the orle. In any case, since complete difference of charge does not apply between charges within an orle, this now conflicts with Joseph of Windhover's Reach ("Azure, a sword argent, hilted sable, the hilt winged Or, within an orle argent.").
Katharina Weiss Hessen-Kassel. Name only.
We were compelled to agree with Star and the other commentors who felt that this name was presumptuous given the use of the territorial designation of the Landgraves of Hessen-Kassel. While perhaps not the most powerful of the German princes, they played a significant part in the international political scene right up to the nineteenth century. (As Chevron noted, it was the Landgrave of Hessen-Kassel who was responsible for the "Hessians" of the American Revolutionary period.)
Raonull Modar. Badge. A six-petalled rose sable.
Conflict with Wildenfels ("Or, a rose sable."), Sylvester von Beerburg ("Argent, on a rose sable, barbed vert, a death's head argent."), and the badge of the Queen of Ansteorra ("A rose sable, charged with a rose Or, thereon a mullet of five greater and five lesser points sable.")
Thorin of Kvalsund. Device. Sable, two axes in saltire between two narwhals naiant in annulo argent.
Although the tincture of the charges was omitted from the letter of intent sent to the members of the College (it was written in on Laurel's copy), they were indeed argent and the device therefore conflicts with Bellingford ("Sable, two battle axes in saltire argent.").
Vladislav de Bucharest. Name only.
By the submittor's own documentation Bucharest (now capital of Rumania) was capital of Walachia, the area ruled by among others Vladislav II who was slain and supplanted by Vlad Tepes (a.k.a. Vlad the Impaler or Dracula).
KINGDOM OF MERIDIES
Brenna Lowri o Lanbedr. Device. Barry dancetty fleury counterfleury Or and azure.
Unfortunately, both as a device and as a badge, this conflicts with the arms of Loveday, cited on the letter of intent ("Barry dancetty Or and azure."). Field only armoury must draw their difference from other field only items from more than one category of difference: here there is only one (modifying the line of division) and there is some doubt whether that one should carry a full major point of division, given the minimal visual difference that the fleurettes add to the already busy field.
Marion of Scarborough. Device. Purpure, a gore argent, overall a Chinese phoenix volant bend sinisterwise to base counterchanged.
There are several problems with this device. First of all, placing charges overall on top of flaunches or gussets is not period style. Secondly, there seems to be no standard depiction of a Chinese phoenix (at least none was documented by the submittor) so that a heraldic artist would be at a loss to determine what to draw. Finally, even if the phoenix were made all argent and placed in the open area of the field and were documented in a standard form this device would conflict with that of Marsali Fox ("Purpure, a gore and in sinister chief a fox couchant reguardant argent.").
Sean O Laoghaire. Device. Per bend Or and argent, a bend gules, overall a scorpion tergiant palewise sable.
Conflict with Thomas Wolfgame von Lauer ("Argent, a bend gules enfiled of an annulet sable.").
KINGDOM OF THE MIDDLE
Alberic Cordeau. Device. Sable, an armadillo rampant to sinister Or between four bezants in cross.
We were compelled to agree with Brachet and Treble Clef concerning the conflict with Ogle ("Sable, five bezants in cross.").
Eryl Ravenswing. Name only.
Brachet was unable to find any Welsh sources which supported the use of the given name in period. Indeed, evidence adduced (at second hand) from Davies indicates that the name was not invented until the last decade of the 1800's.
Leonore de Vertearbors. Addition of household name of Schola Omnium Sanctorum to previously registered badge.
There was a considerable feeling in the College that the name was "a bit much. . ."
Rórik Mikill á Hávada af Gotlandi. Name only.
Insufficient documentation was provided to determine the grammatical accuracy of the bynames or their plausibility of the form "Mikill á Hávada". Unfortunately, the intent of the submittor as to the intended meaning of the byname is unclear.
Thorhalla Karlsdottir Bröberg. Device. Purpure, a lion passant guardant Or, maintaining in the dexter paw a ragged staff palewise argent, on a chief Or two tablet weaving shuttles fesswise azure.
The shuttles are neither the standard heraldic shuttle nor the "stick shuttles" previously defined for Society use. As no documentation was provided for this form, the submission must be returned.
Ulrich of Somerset the Vikingsjager. Change of name from Ulrich Vikingsjager.
While the second byname is "grandfathered", this does not necessarily allow the addition of the English article to the "amalgam". Furthermore, the insertion of the geographical name between the two elements of the existing name is unacceptably intrusive. "Ulrich of Somerset" would be a fine name. Adding the geographic name to the end of the present name would be an improvement, but he allows no changes to the name.
KINGDOM OF THE OUTLANDS
Beatrix von Wertenberg. Device. Sable, a saltire argent, voided gules, overall a lion queue forchy rampant to sinister Or.
White Stag has once more appealed the return of this device for conflict with Brak of the Eagle's Eyrie ("Sable, a saltire gules, fimbriated and overall an eagle's sinister wing argent."). The most recent return in April, 1987, had rejected the previous argument that the two devices shared only a "field treatment", noting that Society usage, like the mundane, does not consider the saltire here a "field" treatment", but rather the primary charge.
In his appeal, White Stag makes an issue of blazon, stating that there is a difference between a saltire fimbriated and one voided because in the case of fimbriation the metal here would be narrower than is the case. Long-standing Society precedent holds that there is no difference between an ordinary or its diminutive. The same thing holds true here: even if period blazon practise were reflected in this distinction, if one had to use calipers to tell whether an ordinary was fimbriated or voided, then no difference could be derived from the issue and there is no point to quibbling over blazon.
On this pass through the College of Arms, there seemed to be considerable feeling for acceptance of the arms, although the reasons expressed varied widely. The strongest arguments, however, boiled down to two premises: that charges overall were not used in period for cadency or, if used, were not commonly so used and that, even if they were used for cadency, this should not affect the way they are perceived or counted for difference in the Society.
In his extensive (and somewhat heated) appeal, White Stag noted several items of heraldry with overall charges where the base coats were borne by individuals with different surnames from those bearing the differenced coat. Unfortunately, as the same can be said of the base coats themselves, this does not prove that the charges overall were not used for difference. Crescents equally lengthy arguments also took issue with the concept that charges overall were used in period for cadency difference, in particular holding that the reference to Gayre in the April return did not support Laurel's contention. Indeed, the reference was made at the time to direct those interested to a readily available volume on cadency which devotes some time to the issue of categories of differencing in an accessible manner. In fact, the examples shown there for differencing by adding one or a few charges (a distinction being made from geratting) do not show many examples of differencing by placing items overall and those that are used in the chapters cited are primarily ordinaries and symbols of office.
This reflects a medieval reality. Superimposing a charge overall was a relative rarity in period heraldry, unlike Society heraldry. In the vast majority of cases where a charge is placed overall, it appears to be for cadency purposes (less often in the later end of our period for purposes of augementation). The commonest charges placed overall are bends, quarters or cantons, inescutcheons, labels, other ordinaries and symbols of office (a bishop's crosier, marshal's baton, etc.). These charges which became recognized brisure marks were recognized as such because they were used in this manner so often, not because a committe of heralds sat down in 1312 and decided to consider them such (that is why the theoretical brisure systems which were written down by heraldic theorists in later eras differ so!). That these over time became associated with cadency to the point that many books (like Gayre and Woodward) devote entire separate sections to their use in this manner is a result of their common use overall, not a cause.
The question of whether charges overall should be considered primary or secondary (and thus granted the full weight of any changes made to them given the current limitation on difference derivable solely from secondary charges) is thornier. Crescent is undoubtedly correct: over the course of Society heraldry, charges overall automatically became the primary charge and in earlier days addition of such a charge was sometimes considered sufficient difference from mundane coats. As we gained more and more knowledge about the way heraldry worked in period, more and more feeling in the College opposed such an extreme view, the more so since it was all too often open to abuse.
There is no doubt that the use of charges overall, like so many Society heraldic usages which were uncommon or restricted in use in period (e.g., fimbriation) presents some difficulties for us in considering difference. Indeed, on occasion in the past the decision on whether the charge was a primary, a secondary or even a tertiary in terms of design importance has hung on the size of the charge as it appeared on the emblazon sheet (those calipers again!). Often, decisions involving charges overall seem to involve a "gut feeling" that they should be sufficient difference from all but the most elaborate and famous underlying charges, but that they are not sufficient to difference two Society devices.
As much of the College's history shows, it is usually difficult to quantify a "gut feeling". In this case, the criterion we have had to use is the way that the two devices will be perceived by the observer. Both devices are identical save for the type and tincture of the charge set overall. All the difference is derived not merely from a single design element. In a similar situation (modifications to secondaries set around the central design element), it has been held that adequate difference between Society devices cannot be derived from cumulative changes to the same charge or set of charges. We feel the same situation applies here.
We would suggest to the lady that the best path for her, failing permission to conflict, would be to modify the tincture of the field or the saltire.
Dafydd the Silvertongue of Deverell. Device. Azure, in dexter chief a compass star, elongated to sinister and to base, the elongated rays surmounted by the upper and dexter elongated rays of a compass star at the honour point, the greater points elongated in cross argent.
The device is not period style, combining as it does the unusual perversion of the compass star with an extraordinarily unbalanced design. Additionally, as Brachet has pointed out, there is a Society conflict with Jed Silverstar ("Azure, a mullet of four greater and eight lesser points between four piles issuant in saltire argent."). That he has been using this device since he has joined the Society is interesting history, but does not entitle him to any exemption on style for there does not seem to be any evidence that he submitted previously (his forms note that these are new submissions). This is extremely sad for, if he had submitted even as late as the time he was knighted (1975), the problems of style and conflict would not have prevented registration of his device.
Eric Blaxton. Device. Azure, a sinister tierce argent, scaly sable, a chief counterchanged, overall a mullet of four points elongated to base counterchanged azure and argent.
Unfortunately, it was the consensus of commentary in the College that this design could not be considered period style: not only does it have the chief overlie the primary charge (and a tierce is a charge, not a field division), but has another charge overall superimposed upon both the tierce and the chief, which is not permitted.
Eric Blaxton. Badge. Argent, scaly sable, a mullet of four points elongated to base azure.
Unfortunately, Crescent is correct in attributing a conflict with the Society tinctureless badge "A mullet of four points distilling a gout.", even if he misattributed it (it is actually registered to Alaine the Novatrix, not Anton Winteroak).
Nicole de Saint Clair. Device. Gules, a bordure sable, overall an orle crusilly fitchy counter crusilly fitchy Or.
The orle is elegant and we found no problem with its use in the Society. Unfortunately, however, the bordure here is technically colour on colour. While the Or of the orle separates the gules of the field and the sable of the bordure, there is no way to guarantee that this would be the case in all circumstances. Indeed, the normal tendency of the heraldic artist in the Society would be to draw the orle inside of the bordure. Even if we could guarantee that the orle would always be drawn in this position, the commentors who indicated that this is tantamount to elaborate fimbriation are absolutely correct (fimbriation of bordures has been forbidden for some five years). This is unfortunate: with an appropriately tinctured plain field this would be lovely.
Phillippa MacCallum. Spelling correction and device. Plumetty Or and gules, a horse's head, couped and sinister facing, argent, maintaining in its mouth an annulet Or.
Conflict with Keriane St. John of Shaddoncarraig ("Purpure, a horse's head erased to sinister argent."). Note that there is no way to guarantee that the ring would be placed on the gules part of the field so it is effectively "not there" (and in any case is too trivial a detail to provide the necessary extra difference required).
Phyllis Meisterssohn. Device. Quarterly argent and counter-ermine, on a pale gules, a recorder argent.
Conflict with Faigunn of the Silver Shuriken ("Tierced per pale Or, gules, and sable, on the middle tierce a mullet of eight points pierced argent."). Faigunn's device could as easily be blazoned "Per pale Or and sable, on a pale gules. . ."
Stefan Laskówski. Badge. On an oak leaf argent, a cat herissant gules.
Conflict with Oksana Vladislovna of Sherbroke ("Sable, on a maple leaf argent, a magpie displayed gules, marked and breasted argent.").
Tiphanie d'Aquitaine. Device. Azure, on a pile wavy between two groups of four pheons conjoined in cross, points to center, a praying mantis tergiant vert.
Conflict with Gwylam Thurgar ("Azure, on a pile wavy between two trefoils argent, a dolphin hauriant azure.").
KINGDOM OF THE WEST
Cassandra de la Tour. Device. Gules, a tower argent and in chief three fleurs-de-lys Or.
Conflict with Prunier ("Gules, a tower towered with a single tower argent."), Doncaster ("Gules, a tower triple-towered argent."), etc.
Eric Gra-Ulfr. Name only.
The hyphen is not appropriate here, since the analogues used in the documentation is for prefixed adjective added to a proper name ("Ulfr" is a documented proper name as well as a common Old Norse name for a wolf). Moreover, it is by no means certain that the adjective "grá" would coalesce with a noun beginning with a vowel in this manner. Diaeresis seems to be avoided in the Old Norse bynames we have been able to find and the nearest example for this byname that anyone could find was the "Grávargr" which has already been registered to Horic Caithnes.
Rhianwen ni Dhiarmada. Device. Gyronny of six per pale gules and argent, a Kendal flower counterchanged, barbed vert, seeded Or.
After much consideration of Crescent's arguments and the counterarguments of other members of the College, we have decided that there is no compelling reason to consider the six-petalled rose with alternating argent and gules petals a legitimate variant of the (restricted) Tudor rose. While it is true that the Tudor rose did appear in period divided per pale and (more rarely) quarterly, we could find no instance of its appearing as a six-petalled flower with alternating white and red petals. Under normal circumstances the visual difference between the Tudor rose, which is counterchanged across the petal lines and the Kendal flower will be obvious.
Unfortunately, these circumstances are not ordinary, since the complex field and counterchanging diminishes the effect of the parting. This being the case, we must consider this a visual conflict with Beverley "Quarterly argent and gules, a rose counterchanged, barbed vert.", cited by Trefoil and others.
Robert Furness of Southwood. Device. Vert, a horseshoe within an orle Or.
Conflict with Ceara ni Sirona ("Vert, a gryphon dormant within an orle Or"). Vesper requested that the "Complete Difference of Charge" leniency be granted for charges which involved orles as well as those which involved bordures or chiefs. After much consideration, we have decided that this is not an advisable path to pursue. As Crescent noted, the rationale behind this in part involved cadency: the bordure and the chief were preeminently charges added to indicate cadency in period and, as such, would be automatically "added" to a base device to indicate the "parent" armoury. This is not the case with orles which are almost always a primary design, rather than a cadency mark, and therefore are less likely to be "transparent" to an onlooker. Moreover, as Treble Clef has indicated, under normal circumstances, the very nature of the orle diminishes the primary charge in size, seriously reducing its identifiability.
Stefan of Pembroke. Name and device. Quarterly ermine and gules, a cross crosslet fitchy counterchanged gules and argent.
Conflict with Barnaby ("Quarterly argent and gules, a cross bottonny counterchanged."). There is a minor point for the field, but the cumulative changes to the cross are at most worth a minor point of difference and the visual echo is very strong, particularly since in period usage the cross crosslet and cross bottonny were merely artistic variants of the same charge, apparently contributing no difference.
West, Kingdom of the. Badge. Or, three acorns in pall, cups to center, between three oak leaves in pall inverted, stems to center, all vert.
Conflict with badge of Madoc Arundel ("Three oak leaves conjoined in pall inverted vert, surmounted by an acorn Or."). The visual reminiscence is startling: even the acorn Or on Madoc's badge is echoed by the Or portion of the field on this badge which peeps through between the leaves.
THE FOLLOWING SUBMISSION IS PENDED:
KINGDOM OF THE MIDDLE
Catherine of Anjou. Name only.
The prohibition on the use of the names of royal houses in personal names is technically still in force and in the past has specifically been held to include forms such as "l'angevin" which is directly equivalent to "of Anjou". Equally, in the past certain names which modern usage has associated with royal houses have been permitted to individuals, provided that no reference to a member of that household is contained in the given name(s). (A cursory, very cursory survey seems to indicate the dividing line may have been geographic: dynastic names which alluded to narrow geographic areas , such as York, Orleans, etc., have been allowed, while houses whose names refer to wider areas have tended to be returned. There is no doubt that the House of Anjou, whose claim to the kingship of Naples continued for centuries, played a prominent part in the history of our period. Nor is there doubt that the name was used for prominent females in the line, since the usage appears in both contemporary and modern sources. The issue is where the dividing line for dynastic names should fall.
We solicit comment from the College on this issue and will make an adjudication at the February meeting. (We are allowing extra time for comment since this is such a significant issue.)
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