TIMELINESS OF COMMENTARYi.Making two or more visually significant changes to the same group of charges placed entirely on other charges is one clear difference.
Changes of type, number, tincture, posture, or independent changes of arrangement may each count as one of the two changes. Generally, such changes must affect the whole group of charges to be considered visually significant, since the size of these elements and their visual impact are considerably diminished. For example, changing the tincture of the wings of such a charge would not be enough of a tincture difference to be one of the two. Charges held or maintained by other charges are generally too insignificant to count towards difference at all.ii.In simple cases, a clear difference can be obtained from change to type only of charges entirely on other charges. On armory that consists of:
(a)an ordinary or similarly simple geometric charge alone on the field; orsubstantially changing the type of all of a group of charges entirely on the ordinary, similarly simple geometric charge, or, in case (d), peripheral charge is one clear difference. In any case changes to a single group of charges on charges cannot be more than one clear difference.
(b)an ordinary or similarly simple geometric charge accompanied only by a single group of identical charges upon the field; or
(c)an ordinary or similarly simple geometric charge accompanied by an uncharged peripheral charge;or
(d)an uncharged charge or group of identical charges accompanied only by a peripheral charge which is charged;For example, (a) Sable, on a pale Or two swords sable has one clear difference from Sable, on a pale Or two oak leaves sable. (b) Argent, on a fess azure between two pine trees vert, a spear argent has one clear difference from Argent, on a fess azure between two pine trees vert, a rose argent. (c) Azure, on a roundel Or a tree azure, a bordure Or has one clear difference from Azure, on a roundel Or a bear statant azure, a bordure Or. (d) Argent, a lion rampant and on a chief gules three fleurs-de-lys argent has one clear difference from Argent, a lion rampant and on a chief gules three crosses crosslet argent.
There have been instances in recent months of commentary being sent out after the date of the Laurel meeting where the submissions which were commented on were considered (though a copy to Laurel was sent to arrive before the meeting). This creates a hardship, particularly when such commentary rebuts commentary of another College member, because it does not give the first commenter any chance to respond. If commentary is going to be sent to Laurel in time for consideration at the Laurel meeting, copies should be sent at the same time to those commenters addressed in the Letter of Comment. Courtesy to those commenters addressed would require no less.
A QUESTION OF CRESTS
A question has come up as to whether or not we should be calling conflict against mundane crests (specifically, those found in Fairbairn's Crests). I thought I remembered a ruling that the SCA treats mundane crests the same way we treat mundane badges, and therefore we can call conflict against them. The principal herald with whom I spoke about this remembered Master Baldwin of Erebor, as Laurel, stating that we would not check for conflict in Fairbairn's. Neither of us has found anything in writing on this issue as of this writing. How does the College feel? Should we consider crests to be registered fieldless badges and check for conflict against them, or should we ignore them in conflict research? Please let me know of your feelings on this issue before the March 1991 Laurel meeting. For now I am pending armorial submissions which have a conflict with Fairbairn's until that meeting. Their disposition then will be determined by the outcome of the College's commentary on this issue.
ADDITION OF ONE PHRASE (or, You, Too, Can Be Bald Bjornsson)
To respond to Lord Trefoil's December 21 request for clarification of the registration of Eirikr Skala-Bjornsson, I was applying V.2, Addition of One Phrase, versus Eric Bjornsson. It was my feeling that since both names consisted of three phrases or less and Eric Bald Bjornsson would not be considered to conflict with Eric Bjornsson in English that the same standard should apply in Norse (or any other language), subject of course to audial conflict and correct grammar for the language.
MISCELLANY
"The arms of Marlow Town Council the latest 'Heraldry Gazette' is, in my opinion, an abomination. Two ordinaries and seven charges on a barry wavy field together with an indescribably complicated crest -- honestly!! ... Surely it is not necessary for every crest or supporter to hold something 'twee' in its hand, beak or claw."
Letter from Alan Fennely, Bolton
"The Heraldry Gazette", Sept. 1990, p. 4
[Don't tell me that the English College of Arms has been registering "TSCA" heraldry!?!]
Until next month, I remain, as ever,
Your servant,
Last Updated: $Date: 2004/05/20 21:01:06 $GMT
