LoAR
of the College of Arms
of the
Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc.
January 1993
THE FOLLOWING NAMES AND ARMORIES HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED AND REGISTERED:
ANSTEORRA
Alina Kendall O'Comhraidhe. Device. Per chevron argent ermined azure, and azure, a butterfly purpure and a Celtic cross argent.
Camilla de Hurland. Device. Per bend azure goutty d'Or and gules goutty d'Or, a fleur-de-lys argent.
This had been pended from the Sept 92 meeting.
Meadhbh ní Ruaidh ó Chonnemara. Device. Argent, a hedgehog proper, on a chief embattled vert, a mortar and pestle between a decrescent and an increscent argent.
Patricia Treise Hellcat. Name.
Patricia Treise Hellcat. Household name for House Hellcat.
The household name was submitted as above, and changed to House of the Hellcats on the LOI. The Ansteorran College thus hoped to avoid conflict with the Marvel superheroine Hellcat. As it happens, either household name would conflict with Hellcat, if the latter were a protected character; but as Hellcat has never had her own book, I don't consider her worthy of protection. (See the LoAR cover letter of 5 Dec 92 for more details on comic book conflicts.) We've therefore taken the liberty of restoring the household name to its original form.
Sean Magnus Hennessey. Name.
Zoren uff Eiren. Badge reblazon. Sable, on a heart argent a heart gules voided Or.
When registered Feb 80, this was blazoned Sable, a heart gules voided Or and fimbriated argent. As drawn, the "heart-shaped stripes" are of equal width, which wouldn't be true with fimbriation; the reblazon is a more accurate description.
AN TIR
Adrianna MacAverr. Name and device. Per fess argent and azure, a garden rose slipped and leaved within a bordure counterchanged.
Ali abd ar-Rashid. Name and device. Vert, in dexter chief four hearts voided conjoined in cross, points outward argent.
Per the new outlines of acceptability for voiding (LoAR cover letter of 15 Jan 93), these hearts may be considered equivalent to four hearts conjoined in cross argent, each charged with a heart vert -- and therefore registerable. The displacement of the charges to dexter chief may be seen in the period arms of the Canton of Schwyz, Gules, in dexter chief a cross couped argent.
Alyna Wolfstan. Name.
Anna Kalita. Name and device. Purpure, two kettle drums in fess Or, in chief two drumsticks in saltire argent.
Anne of Caerdydd. Badge reblazon. (fieldless) A butterfly argent, wings tipped gules.
When registered Aug 79, this was blazoned as (fieldless) A crimson tip butterfly proper (Colotis eupompe). As no one could ever remember the correct tinctures, we've reblazoned this in heraldic terms.
Astolfo Orlando Antonio da Cagliari. Name and device. Per pale sable and purpure, an elk lodged guardant argent between three bezants, a bordure embattled Or.
Bran Wolfstan. Name.
Brigid of Whitecastle. Name and device. Per bend sinister gules and sable, a pegasus rampant contourny and on a chief argent, three lozenges sable.
Caitlin ferch Gruffudd. Name.
Caitrin ni Chionga. Name and device. Quarterly azure and vert, a cluster of acorns pendant from a slip Or within a bordure engrailed argent.
Christine Wolfstan. Name.
Dulcinea von Pfeffers. Device. Purpure, an edelweiss argent seeded within an annulet Or.
This no longer conflicts with the Mon of Saito (Hawley 16), Dark, a carnation within an annulet light. The redefinition of Mon as tinctureless badges (LoAR cover letter of 3 Aug 92) allows us to grant a CD for fieldlessness (tincturelessness), and another CD for the type of flower.
Eleanor of Hathersage. Device. Per chevron inverted Or and purpure, three arrows inverted counterchanged.
Elena Anne of Lostwithiel. Device. Per chevron vert and purpure, three griffons sejant contourny argent.
Elena Anne of Lostwithiel. Badge. (fieldless) A rose within and conjoined to a crescent purpure.
Gunther von Leipzig. Name and device. Purpure, on a bend sinister between two axes argent, three grape bunches palewise purpure.
John Wolfstan. Name (see RETURNS for device).
Kateline MacFarlane. Device. Per fess vert and argent, a winged horse's head, wings addorsed, issuing from the line of division argent, and a Venus-hair fern eradicated sable, leaved vert.
The charge in chief is not a demi-pegasus, as blazoned in the LOI: that would require the creature to be couped at the waist, with the forelegs showing.
The Venus-hair fern was known by that name in period, according to the OED; it's also called maiden-hair.
Kateline MacFarlane. Badge. (fieldless) A winged horse's head erased, wings addorsed purpure, holding in its mouth a Venus-hair fern eradicated sable, leaved vert.
Katherine Lynnette de Grenville. Name.
Maryam al-Baghdadi. Device. Per pale argent and sable, an inverted drop spindle, threaded and with tuft to chief counterchanged.
While the standard heraldic spindle has its weight to base by default, this submission uses a drop spindle with its weighted disk in chief. Evidently, this is a valid variety of drop spindle: usually called a "high whorl spindle", it dates from ancient Egyptian times. (The Spinner's Encyclopedia, Enid Anderson) The term inverted drop spindle can apply either to this variety, or to an heraldic spindle inverted -- the results are equivalent, technically and visually.
A "rolag" is the tuft of fibres waiting to be spun into yarn. While the term is found in the Supplement to the OED, I decided it was sufficiently obscure that, barring cants or other compelling reasons, it should not be used in blazon. We've simply called the tuft a tuft.
Michael Leland. Name.
Nikolai Andreeov. Badge. Or, a portcullis purpure and in chief a bog beast passant gules.
The bog beast is a charge unique to Society heraldry, with a talbot's head, boar's tusks, dragon's body, cloven forefeet, lion's hindfeet, and a housefly's wings. As the submitter has one in his registered device, its use here is Grandfathered; otherwise I wouldn't be inclined to permit the charge.
Órfhlaith Broinnfind nic Bhriain. Name and device. Checky purpure and argent, a domestic cat couchant sable within a bordure vert.
The patronymic was submitted as nic Briain; as the particle nic causes aspiration in the following word, we've amended the spelling accordingly. While the name is grammatically correct, the patronymic makes her the daughter of a MacBrian, not the daughter of Brian; the latter would be ingen Bhriain.
Stergar of Wessex. Name.
Tamlyn of Dragonmore. Device. Per pale azure and sable, a wyvern erect contourny and in chief five lozenges argent.
Terra Pomaria, Barony of. Name change (from Terra Pomaria, Canton of) (see RETURNS for badge.)
This is more to keep our records straight than for any other reason....
Terrick de Rijkaard. Name.
Three Mountains, Barony of. Badge. Azure mulletty argent, in pale a comet and a recorder both fesswise Or.
We can see granting a CD between a comet and a mullet. This therefore does not suffer from the stylistic problem of using the same charge in both the semy and the primary groups.
Titus Antony Archelaus. Badge. Gules, in pale a skull and a throne argent cushioned azure within a bordure argent.
Please ask the submitter to draw the border narrower (!).
Torric inn Björn. Name change (from Torric of Three Mountains) and badge. (fieldless) On a sun per pale argent and Or, a tower sable.
Vladimir Andreivich Aleksandrov. Name (see RETURNS for device).
This was submitted as Vladimir Aleksandr Andreivich; we've switched and amended the last two parts to put the name into proper Russian construction.
Ynesyn Ongge Xong Kerij-e. Device. Argent, on a pomme within five reremice in annulo, heads to center gules, a dove rising, wings addorsed argent.
Yolande Isabeau de Saulx-Tavannes. Name and device. Per chevron sable goutty d'eau and vert, in chief a martlet rising, wings displayed, and in base three decrescents one and two argent.
ATENVELDT
Angharad Terentia. Name and device. Per pale azure and gules, in pale a pegasus segreant contourny argent and a flame Or.
Lady Harpy notes that, if the submitter is interested in an early period Romano-Celt persona, Terentia Ancarata would be a more probable form.
Angus Sinclair. Device. Vert, on a pile dovetailed argent between two anchors Or, a two-headed dunghill cock displayed sable.
Anthony Iron Skull. Name.
The byname is a translation into our lingua franca of the Old Norse epithet járnhauss. Given analogous epithets in Latin (testifer, "iron head", 1297) and English (brasenhed, "brass head", 1434), this is not unreasonable even in translation. While Antony Ironskull would be a more authentic construction, the above form is acceptable.
Caitlin Ross of Cairngorm. Name and device. Per chevron azure and gules, a chevron between five mullets in chevron and an arrow inverted, all within a bordure argent.
Please instruct the submitter to draw the chevron and bordure wider henceforth.
Cassandra Threadgold of Canterbury. Name.
Eadric Gwyddon the Seeker. Name (see RETURNS for device).
The name seems a trifle redundant, since gwyddon refers to a seeker of knowledge (e.g. a scientist); perhaps the submitter could be persuaded to drop one of the bynames?
Guthrum Ivarsson. Device. Per fess gules and sable, between two killer whales naiant in annulo argent, a drakkar Or.
Hernando Herodes Montenegro de Mondragon. Badge. (fieldless) A delf Or within and conjoined to an annulet sable.
Please advise the submitter to draw the delf as touching, but not overlapping the annulet.
Jame the Heyree Harryson. Name change (from Jame the Heyree Harry's son) and device. Azure, three recorders in fess and a bordure Or.
Johann Blut. Name and device. Counter-ermine, on a fess between three eagle's heads couped Or, a wolf courant contourny counter-ermine.
This was submitted as Johann Blut von Wolfs. The byname used incorrect grammar, and did not seem to be a correct construction for "wolf blood" -- which was only our best guess as to the submitter's intent, since the forms were silent about the byname's exact meaning. Nor was there agreement in the commentary on the correct German idiom for "wolf blood". Since Blut is a valid German surname, we've dropped the problematic portion of the name, pending documentation for "wolf blood".
Juliana nic Lachlainn. Name and device. Per bend sable and gules, a thistle and a castle argent.
Loch Salann, Barony of. Badge for the Baronial Players of Loch Salann. Per fess embattled ermine and sable, two theatrical masks conjoined gules and a sun Or eclipsed sable.
Mara of the Oak Leaf. Name (see RETURNS for device).
Mara was the name taken briefly by Naomi in her bitterness (Ruth 1:20). The Bible presents it as a given name, and evidently it was considered a given name until recently (J. Comay, Who's Who in the Old Testament, p.293). It seems a reasonable given name for Society use.
Nial Cinnsealach. Device. Sable, a sword inverted Or, blade surmounted by a sun argent eclipsed sable, a bordure ermine.
This had been pended from the Sept 92 meeting.
Otherhill, Shire of. Badge. Argent, on a lozenge within a double tressure dancetty braced gules, a unicorn's head erased contourny argent collared sable.
Though the LOI gave this as a generic Shire badge, their paperwork claimed it was a badge for the Unicorn Guard, the Shire's fighting unit. Please inform the Shire that name was returned Oct 88: evidently, for conflict with the March of the Unicorn (SCA). (By current Rules, it would also conflict with the Unicorn Pursuivant, of Scotland.) Having been returned for conflict, they must either modify it or stop using it.
There was a strong feeling in the College that the double tressure dancetty braced was non-period style, and at first I was inclined to agree. On reflection, however, I found I couldn't put a name to exactly why I felt so. Visually, this is not so different from an orle masculy, or saltorels couped and conjoined in orle, either of which would have raised far less objection. It's balanced, blazonable, and reproducible. The College has in the past registered bars dancetty braced (Katherine d'Argentigny, July 86), so we even have a precedent for this.
I suspect most of the College's objection arose from our long-standing ban on Celtic knotwork, which sometimes extends to anything even resembling Celtic knotwork. As noted in the commentary, though, this isn't Celtic knotwork: the sharp corners and lack of braiding make that clear.
With no substantive reason to return the motif, I've decided to give it the benefit of the doubt. I'm open to further arguments for or against it, and I would definitely count it a "weirdness" -- but not reason for return.
Robert Silverbow of the Fells. Name.
Rolann Ó Ceallaigh the Gentle. Name change (from Jack of Atenveldt).
The patronymic was submitted as O'Ceallaigh, which combined the anglicized construction with the Gaelic spelling. This time, however, the submitter has granted us permission to correct his grammar.
Rupert von Holstein. Device. Per chevron inverted gules and azure, a shofar fesswise and three Latin crosses Or.
Please instruct the submitter to draw all the charges larger.
Solomon Malcane. Name.
The byname was submitted as Male Cane. The examples from Fucilla's Our Italian Surnames, p.61, suggest that mal "bad" should be a prefix, not a separate word; we've corrected the spelling.
Tristram Skene. Name and device. Per bend sinister gules and sable, a bend sinister argent between a sheaf of skenes inverted and a dragon rampant Or.
Troy of Stan Wyrm. Holding name (see RETURNS) and device. Argent, a chevron raguly sable between three cockatrices statant to sinister, wings displayed vert.
This was submitted under the name Cilian Ui Neill.
Ulfarr MacDhughaill. Badge. (fieldless) A fer-de-loup inverted Or.
Vilhelm Silverhammer. Name and device. Per saltire sable and Or, in pale a mallet and a double-headed eagle argent.
ATLANTIA
Alaric Sartiano. Name change (from Alaric Rhys Farren) and device change. Per chevron inverted purpure and ermine, an eagle displayed counterchanged, in base a crescent inverted sable.
His previous device (Per chevron argent and sable, an eagle displyed counterchanged, a base enarched and indented argent) is released.
Annest Walays. Device. Vert, in pale a dagger inverted argent and a crescent Or, within an orle of gouts d'eau.
This had been pended from the Sept 92 meeting.
Aodhán Doilfin. Device change. Per fess azure and Or, in base a dolphin proper.
His previous device (Per fess rayonny azure and Or, in base a dolphin naiant embowed proper) is released.
Brandwyn Alston of the Rift. Device. Azure, a unicorn's horn Or between flaunches nebuly argent.
Pending evidence one way or the other, we will assume that flaunches are as susceptible to complex lines of division as any other ordinary or subordinary. Papworth's citation of the arms of Daniell (Sable, two flaunches indented argent) is inconclusive: he doesn't date it from 1404, but rather cites it from Harleian MS number 1404. (Foster's Dictionary of Heraldry gives the same armory as Argent, a pile indented sable, affording much food for speculation.....)
Brigit of Mercia. Name.
Brun Canutesson. Name change (from Bran Canutesson).
Claudia DuBois. Device. Argent, a martlet contourny gules within a bordure rayonny sable.
Conall MacLeod. Name and device. Azure, a tyger rampant to sinister and on a chief triangular argent, three compass stars gules.
Conrad Erich von Brixen. Name and device. Or, on a bend sinister azure seven lozenges Or, overall a bear rampant sable.
Even considering the underlying charge to be a multiply-parted ordinary, this is clear of Milnes (Papworth 57): Or, a bear rampant sable, muzzled collared and lined gules. By our current Rules, the overall charge is considered a secondary, and the underlying charge a primary; Rule X.1 brings this clear of Milnes.
Evald Johannessen. Name and device. Purpure, on a cross nowy argent a heart gules.
Please instruct the submitter on the proper rendition of a cross nowy: with a circular, rather than elliptical, node at the center.
Highland Foorde, Shire of. Device change. Gules, a compass star argent within a laurel wreath Or, a ford proper.
Their previous device (Gules, two swords in pile, hilts crossed, argent, in chief a compass star argent within a laurel wreath Or) is released. Please instruct them to draw their charges larger, to fill the available space.
Isobel MacCaffery. Badge. Per pale argent and sable, a quill pen bendwise counterchanged.
Jenny Lynn of Carlisle. Device. Purpure, three roses in bend sinister argent between two scarpes Or, between a horse's head erased contourny and a horse's head erased argent.
This had been pended from the Sept 92 meeting.
Kenwrec FitzRaymund. Household name for Maison des Cartes.
Maria Beatriz Moro. Name and device. Per pale argent and sable, two sinister hands counterchanged.
Nice arms [and no pun intended].
Maria Beatriz Moro. Badge. (fieldless) A sinister hand per pale sable and argent.
Michael Ryan of York. Name.
Micheal the Limner. Badge. Azure, in fess three quill pens argent, a bordure Or.
Versus Elizabeth Belleclerke (Azure, in fess three quill pens bendwise sinister argent), a check of the emblazon shows the pens as truly bendwise sinister. There's a CD for their orientation, and a CD for the bordure.
Mordeyrn Rhiannon. Badge. Checky argent and sable, a dragon sejant contourny, wings displayed azure.
Richard ap Mordeyrn. Name.
Robert of Aroe. Device. Argent, a double-tailed scorpion gules, a bordure sable semy of broad-arrows argent.
Rosatrude the Shrew. Device. Or, a water shrew statant to sinister sable marked argent.
Against the badge of Symond Bayard the Grey (Or, a Malayan tapir statant to sinister breathing flames proper), a comparison of the emblazons showed Symond's tapir to be tan and white. We count a CD for tincture of the beast, and a CD (at least) for its type.
Thomas Britton. Device. Per pale gules and sable, a lion rampant and on a chief indented argent, three lozenges sable.
Timothy Kirkwood. Name.
CAID
Abigail Elizabeth Mihell. Device. Pean, a unicorn rampant contourny argent, on a chief invected Or two roses gules.
This had been pended from the Sept 92 meeting.
Alesia of Western Seas. Name.
Arielle de Champeyneys. Name.
This was submitted as a name change from Yseulte de Champeyneys; but as far as we can tell, that name was never submitted. We're treating this as a new name.
The given name was submitted on the LOI as Ariel, but a note attached to the forms said that the submitter preferred Arielle (the "feminine" spelling).
Arielle le Floer. Name and device. Gules, a daisy argent seeded Or, a chief urdy Or.
The byname was submitted as la Floer. Floer being a masculine noun, it takes the masculine article le, whether the client is masculine or not. Note that the byname doesn't mean "the flower", but rather "the arrowmaker"; however, the submitter indicated that the sound, not the meaning, was important.
I am willing to grant a CD between a rose and a correctly drawn daisy. This is thus clear of the York Training Brigade, Gules, a rose of York [argent] slipped and leaved vert.
Aubrey Anna Golden Fox. Name and device. Or, semy of grape bunches purpure slipped vert, on a chief triangular purpure a fox sejant, forepaw raised Or.
Bérengère Marguerite Madeline d'Acre. Name and device. Gules, a lion dormant contourny Or, a chief wavy argent.
Brian of Calafia. Holding name and device. Per pall argent, gules and sable, a rose sable and two roses argent, all barbed and seeded proper, a bordure Or.
This was submitted under the name Hasim Solomon, which was returned Dec 92.
Christian Sablefist. Name and device. Or, on a bend sinister between two clenched gauntlets sable, three fleurs-de-lys palewise Or.
Conall Eoin MacTavish. Name change (from Conall of the Heavy Heart).
Darkwell, Shire of. Release of name.
Ecgwin of Tideswell. Name and device. Purpure, a boar rampant and on a chief embattled argent, three lozenges sable.
Failte, Procurate/Canton of. Release of name and device. Argent, a dexter hand and forearm appaumy issuant from the sinister vert.
Fearghus MacCulloch. Household name for Bràithrean Cogaidh.
The household name was submitted as Bràthran Cogaidh; we've corrected the spelling to the plural, so the name will be correct Scots Gaelic for "Brothers of War". In this case, Bràithrean "brethren" (essentially "brotherhood") is the household designator.
Finnian Tulloch MacLeod. Name.
Francesco Schiavone. Device. Argent, on a bend sinister sable between a winged lioness statant guardant contourny gules and a wyvern erect azure, a sword argent.
Please instruct the submitter to draw all the charges larger henceforth.
Graywinds, Canton of. Release of name and device. Gules, in fess three lightning flashes palewise Or, and upon a chief invected argent, a laurel wreath vert.
Gyles of Western Seas. Holding name (see RETURNS) and device. Argent masoned sable, a dragon dormant, on a chief embattled azure two compass stars Or.
This was submitted under the name Gyles of Drake's Glynn.
Hakim Solomon. Device. Per pall inverted gules, sable and Or, two roses argent and a rose sable, all barbed and seeded proper, a bordure argent.
Helena of Durham. Name and device. Azure, a flame Or, in chief three compass stars argent.
Mundane armory seems to consider a flame proper as streaked of gules and Or, in equal proportions. Society armory considers a flame proper (on a dark field) as the same as a flame Or voided gules (or, alternatively, a flame Or charged with a flame gules). Either way, when used as the primary charge, there's a CD between a flame proper and a flame Or. This is therefore clear of Brander (Papworth 843): Azure, flames of fire proper.
Jakub of Rzeszow. Name change (from Yakub of Rzeszow).
James of the Lake. Device. Per fess engrailed argent and gules, two retorts, necks crossed in saltire, and an open book counterchanged.
Johan der Grausam Hund von dem Schwarzwald. Name.
The given name was spelled Johan on the forms, and Johann on the LOI. Since either form is documented, we've restored the submitter's spelling. We've also corrected the spelling of Grausame to a documented form.
Josiah MacDuncan. Name.
Khasar Juchen. Device. Sable, two sheaves of arrows and a wolf rampant contourny Or.
Matteo da Portinico. Name.
Naess, Procurate/Canton of. Release of name and device. Or, a sea-serpent ondoyant-emergent vert issuant from a barrulet wavy-crested of the upper part sable.
Novamarc, Canton of. Release of name and device. Per chevron, azure two laurel wreaths Or, and argent a sun gules.
Philippa Llewelyn Schuyler. Device. Argent, a sheep statant guardant contourny sable, in base a clump of lavender vert flowered purpure, on a chief invected purpure a quill pen reversed argent.
This is right at the edge of acceptable style.
Raphael of Silverdale. Device. Per bend azure and gules, a cross clechy throughout Or, in sinister chief four lozenges ployé in cross argent.
Rinaldo Francisco Castillo. Name and device. Vert, a sword Or, the blade surmounted by a wolf's head erased argent.
Sileburh ingen Oisín MhicLeoid. Name.
This was submitted as Sileburh Oisín MacLeod. Since Sileburh is a feminine name, it shouldn't be directly associated with a masculine-style patronymic. The name is acceptable if it's considered as "Sileburh, daughter of Ossian MacLeod"; but that would require, at the very least, putting "Ossian MacLeod" into the genitive case. We've done so here, and added the Irish patronymic particle ingen. She might also use a late-period form, Sileburg [neyn] Oisin VcLeod.
Sonnental, Canton of. Release of name.
Takahara Ayame. Name.
Thalassa, College of. Release of name.
Timothy Kyle. Name and device. Lozengy sable and Or, on a chief triangular purpure a lion's head caboshed Or.
Vladimir Snegotigr. Name.
The byname was submitted as Schnyétygr; we have substituted the correct Russian for "snow tiger".
CALONTIR
Alexandra Trewebloud of Sandhyll. Name.
Golden Sea, Shire of. Name.
Hugo Blackthorne. Device. Per bend sinister argent and vert, a boar's head couped sable and an open book argent.
Kilian of Golden Sea. Name and device. Per fess wavy gules and Or, two Celtic crosses and a lion's head erased counterchanged.
The given name was submitted as Killian, but most of our sources seem to use only a single L. Since this was also the original spelling on the submitter's forms, we feel justified in substituting the documented form.
This is a good, bold wavy.
Lettice Atwode of Sandhyll. Name.
Longridge, Shire of. Device. Per bend sinister Or and vert, a sun within a laurel wreath counterchanged.
This is good, simple group armory.
EAST
Ælfra Long. Name.
There was some controversy as to whether Ælfra is a valid Anglo-Saxon name. Certainly Ælf- is a documented prototheme; Searle (Onomasticon Anglosaxonicum) cites -ra as a deuterotheme, giving Burra and Ceolra as examples of its use. Searle's scholarship has been questioned by modern authorities, but it seems that Bur- is a valid prototheme as well, a variant spelling of Burg-, Burh-: there is at least one example of its use, Burric. This lends credence to Burra being a thematic name -- and -ra a valid deuterotheme. At any rate, I am willing to give it the benefit of the doubt in this case.
The submitter should be informed, however, that Ælfra (like Burra) is a masculine name.
Aelfwynn of Wulfden. Device. Per bend azure and argent, three quatrefoils in bend argent and a wolf couchant contourny gules.
Please instruct the submitter to draw the charges larger.
Amabel d'Avignon. Name (see RETURNS for device).
Amador Ximenes el Surdo. Name.
While the byname is acceptable, it doesn't mean what the submitter thinks: el Surdo is Spanish for "the deaf". If he'd prefer to be "the left-handed", that would be el Zurdo.
Anne Greye. Name.
Anthony Reese. Name.
Antonio Aemilius Caravaggio. Name.
Arianwen Esyllt Gwynedd. Name and device. Purpure, a chalice within a bordure wavy argent.
The toponymic was submitted as o'r Gwynedd, "of the Gwynedd", which makes little sense. Deleting the definite article ("of Gwynedd") would be acceptable, but would require us to lenite the place name, yielding o Wynedd. The usual Welsh toponymic construction was to omit prepositions altogether; we've done so here.
Beathan Iain Dhubhghlaise. Name.
The byname was submitted as a'Dubhglas, with Bain's Clans and Tartans of Scotland cited as evidence. Bain does not give evidence for this formation, but only for Dubhglas as the Gaelic spelling of "Douglas". Since the submitter wishes to be "of Douglas", we've substituted the adjective (technically, the aspirated genitive) form of the name.
Beorhtric von Adlerheim. Device change. Per chevron gules and argent, two owls argent and a wolf sejant ululant contourny sable.
His previous device (Per chevron gules and argent, two owls argent and a wolf passant sable) is released.
The owls were blazoned on the LOI as snowy owls argent marked sable, which is excessive precision in medieval blazon: the black spots were so small as to be heraldically negligible, and the exact type of owl here makes no difference. (It's the same distinction as that between bear argent and polar bear proper: the tinctures are identical, and the slight change in shape well within artistic license.)
Bethia of Bel Isle. Name and device. Per bend sinister azure and Or, two ferrets statant erect, that in chief contourny, counterchanged.
Brian of Leichester. Badge. (fieldless) A dodo close vert armed Or.
We can see granting a CD between a dodo and a parrot. This is clear of such armories as Poyner (Papworth 306), Or, a parrot close vert legged gules.
Caleb Reynolds. Name and device. Per fess nebuly argent and gules, a wolf's head erased and a hand counterchanged.
Catheryn of Chester. Device. Sable, a chevron barry wavy argent and azure between three increscents, a bordure argent.
Coldwood, Shire of. Device. Azure, a bear rampant within a laurel wreath and in chief three mullets argent.
Conall MacLachlann. Household name for House Conchoill.
The household name was submitted as Conchoille. While the Irish coill "wood" does aspirate in this construction, it simply adds an H, forming -choill; we've corrected the grammar.
Conchobar mac Fáeláin. Name.
The byname was submitted as mac Faolán. The particle mac declines the following word to the genitive case. Since we had to correct the spelling anyway, we've also used a form of Faolán temporally more in keeping with the spelling of the given name.
Damian le Gravenor. Name.
Darras Oakenshield. Badge. Per pale gules and sable, a sword fracted proper within a bordure embattled Or.
Drachenwald, Princess of. Device. Or, three pine trees eradicated in fess gules, overall a dragon passant coward, within a bordure sable charged with edelweisses argent.
This could also have been registered as the device of the (non-gender-specific) Consort of Drachenwald. We will register whichever form is submitted; I don't feel comfortable in mandating either one.
Drachenwald, Principality of. Name and badge for the Sigillum Principissae. (fieldless) An edelweiss argent charged with the letters SP conjoined sable.
The name was submitted as Sigillum Principessae, but given the documentation on the LOI, principissae is the genitive of the medieval Latin principissa. The Classic Latin would be princepissa(e); principessa(e) is a misspelling, influenced by the Italian principesa, that dates from the early days of the Society (v. the College's own List of Alternate Titles, Caerthan Symposium Proceedings, 1981).
Drachenwald, Principality of. Ensign. Quarterly sable and Or, a cross quarterly Or and gules.
Dunstan of Saint John. Name.
East Kingdom. Title for Langstrand Herald.
Egaill, Shire of. Name.
Eibhlin ni Bhriain. Name.
Emory the Scarlet. Name and device. Gules, a pile inverted between two lozenges erminois.
Eric the Dane. Name.
It has been established (v. Wladislaw Poleski) that bynames of the form the [nationality] are not presumptuous, even when combined with the given name of the nation's ruler. Eric of Denmark would infringe on the rulers of Denmark named Eric; Eric the Dane does not.
Note to Lord Aegis: We could find no mention in the Laurel files of any submission by an Eric the Dane from the Midrealm, any time in the late '70s. I must assume that your friend's submission never made it out of Kingdom.
Frederick of the South Downs. Device change. Gules, on a pale sable fimbriated between two axes addorsed, a ferret rampant contourny guardant argent.
His previous device (Gules, a bow, sinister facing and fully drawn with an arrow, between four Frankish axes in annulo, blades inward, argent) is released.
Gundras no Dzintara Krasta. Name (see RETURNS for device).
This was originally submitted as Dzintarkrastu Guntars, and amended on the East Letter of Correction of 1 Dec 92. The byname means "of the Amber Shore", not "Shores" as stated in the LOCorrection.
Gunnarr the Smith. Name.
The LOI spelled the given name as Gunnar, but the forms and documentation spelled it Gunnarr. As either is acceptable, we've restored the submitter's spelling.
Helena Janowska z Bedzina. Name.
The toponymic was submitted as z Bedzin. The placename should be in the genitive case; we've corrected the grammar.
Ivan Ulrickson. Name.
Jaimie of the East. Holding name (see RETURNS) and device. Vert, a sinister gauntlet clenched Or and a chief embattled ermine.
This was submitted under the name Davin FitzGalen.
Jana Haviland. Name.
Karl von Elfstein der Schmuckmacher. Name.
Kenneth MacQuarrie of Tobermory. Device change. Sable, a chevron checky argent and sable between three Norse sun crosses argent.
The Norse sun cross had at one time been treated as an alphanumeric symbol (that of the planet Earth), and so unacceptable for use in SCA devices. Under the current Rules, such symbols are now acceptable; indeed, a Norse sun cross was registered to Etain MacDhomhnuill on the LoAR of April 90.
His previous device (Sable, a chevron chequy argent and sable between three crosses couped each environed of an annulet argent) is released.
Kieran Bren of Bannockburn. Name (see RETURNS for device).
Klakavirki, Stronghold of. Name and device. Per pale gules and argent, in pale a drakkar and a laurel wreath counterchanged.
Kristell of the Armerie. Name.
Lucas Phelan MacPhail. Name (see RETURNS for device).
Maria Allesandra delle Tre Torri Alte. Device. Per pale sable and argent, on a chevron between three towers, three roundels counterchanged.
Matilda Bosville de Bella Aqua. Name change (from Matilda of Thescorre).
Octavia Jenon de Treves. Name and device. Or, a saltire parted and fretted vert, overall a hedgehog statant proper all within a bordure vert.
Please instruct the submitter to draw the hedgehog larger.
Richard Wymarc. Device. Sable, a shakefork gules fimbriated argent.
Robert of Vannerwick. Name and device. Per bend gules and azure, a horse's head couped contourny within a bordure embattled argent.
Stephan of the Wilds. Device. Quarterly gules and sable, a wolf rampant reguardant within a bordure argent.
Please instruct the submitter to draw the bordure a bit wider.
Suzanne Neuber de Londres. Device. Per fess azure and gules, two chalices argent and a dragon segreant Or.
Thérèse Autier. Name.
Tsvia bas Zipporah Levi of Granada. Badge. (fieldless) On a glove aversant per fess Or and argent, a pomegranate gules.
Some commenters felt the use of a pomegranate with the byname of Granada to be presumptuous. However, even were that the case, since the submitter already has a pomegranate in her registered device, the Grandfather Clause permits her to use it in her badge.
MERIDIES
Aithne Olwen Aoibheil. Name.
The byname was submitted as Aoibeil; we've corrected the spelling to the documented form. Note that it's the Scots Gaelic for "beautiful"; the Irish would be Aoibheall.
Amber Blackwood. Name (see PENDED for device).
Given that Amber has explicitly been ruled SCA-compatible [BoE, 3 Feb 85], and has been accepted slightly more than a year ago (Dec 91), I'm not inclined to disallow Amber at this time.
Celia des Archiers. Name (see PENDED for device).
The byname was submitted as des l'Archiere. We've substituted the correct Old French for "of the Archers".
Celia des Archiers. Household name for Maison des Archiers (see PENDED for badge).
The household name was submitted as Maison des l'Archiere; as with the submitter's personal name, we've corrected the grammar of the French.
Gaius Firehawk MacLeod. Name.
As Lady Badger notes, fire is a variant spelling of ME fere, "fierce". "Fierce hawk" is not an unreasonable byname, though the total combination of name elements is on the ragged edge of acceptability.
Jean Paul le Malicieux. Name (see PENDED for device).
Dauzat's Nouveau Dictionnaire Étymologique cites malicieux from the 12th Century, though with a much stronger meaning than in modern usage: "wicked, evil" would be the closest equivalents. If the submitter doesn't know this, he should be told.
Joscelynne di Palermo. Name change (from Gwendythe merch Edin Saepe of Rhamshed).
The byname was submitted as du Palermo, which is an ungrammatical combination of French and Italian. We've substituted the Italian particle.
Please inform the submitter, if she doesn't already know, that Joscelyn(ne) was a masculine name in period.
Leona Serwa. Name and device. Per bend sinister gules and azure, a lion sejant between three drums, a bordure embattled argent.
This had been pended from the Sept 92 meeting, to allow the quondam Lady Lambent to provide documentation on the use of Yoruba names. She has shown that this name does fit the pattern of Yoruba names: one or more given names (which need not be Yoruba) and an oriki or attribute name. She has also shown that the Yoruba had regular contact with Portuguese traders (and, less regularly, with British, French and Dutch traders) in the 15th Century. (History of the Yorubas, Rev. Samual Johnson, Negro Universities Press, 1921) Under the circumstances, the name seems acceptable.
Leona Serwa. Badge. (fieldless) A sea-lion contourny, tail flexed over its head purpure.
This, like the device, had been pended from the Sept 92 meeting.
Nikolaus Schwarzwolf. Name.
The byname was submitted as Schwarzvulf. However, vulf doesn't appear to be a valid German variant for "wolf". We've substituted a documented form.
Robert ap Llywelyn Cynwyd Fawr. Name (see RETURNS for device).
The toponymic was submitted as o Cynwyd Fawr. The Welsh preposition o would cause Cynwyd to mutate to Gynwyd; the more normal course is to omit it altogether, which we've done here.
Starhelm Warlocke. Household name for Ladyhall (see PENDED for badge).
Some commenters wondered if the household name infringed on the reserved title Lady. That might well have been true for any other SCA title -- we wouldn't permit Dukehall, for instance -- but common Society usage permits any female, from the rankest newcomer to the Queen, to be addressed as "My Lady". Given the period constructions using Lady- (most of which referred to the Virgin Mary), this is innocuous enough.
Stephan of Durham. Name (see PENDED for device).
MIDDLE
Al-Ishtiaq Khaalid bin al-Kaazim. Name. (See RETURNS for device.)
The name was submitted as Ishtiaq Khaalid bin Kaazim. This construction requires Ishtiaq, Khaalid, and Kaazim to all be period Arabic given names. Of the three, only Khaalid has actually been documented as a period given name. Kaazim is specifically cited as an epithet in the Fihrist of al-Nadim; Ishtiaq (Eshtiyaq) is cited in Elias' Romanized English-Arbic Dictionary, p.119, as an epithet ("longing; that which longs, craves"). The only source that lists them as given names is Qazi's What's in a Muslim Name, which I regard with the same suspicion as any other baby-name book that cites neither dates nor sources.
Fortunately, this construction remains acceptable if epithets are substituted for two of the given names; we've added definite articles to make clear they are, indeed, epithets. The name thus means "The Craver, Khaalid, son of the Restrainer."
Alistair MacLeod. Device. Argent, a thistle vert, flowered gules, on a chief purpure a lynx couchant guardant argent.
Angharad ferch Tangwystl. Name.
Catrin ferch Briog. Device. Per pale azure and vert, a greyhound couchant and in chief a roundel argent.
Please advise the submitter to draw the greyhound larger.
Elspeth Bibury. Device. Purpure, on a cross quarter-pierced Or, four lilies pendant checky purpure and argent, slipped and leaved vert.
Elspeth of Oxfordshire. Name (see RETURNS for device).
Gareth Lynn Crestwick. Device. Per fess engrailed argent and vert, all semy of ferns counterchanged, two bottlenosed dolphins naiant in annulo azure and argent.
Gemma Rosa of Marewood. Name.
Gerold von Enzberg. Name.
Guerric der Wilde Fuchs. Name.
Gwydion of Blackmoore. Name.
Hathewisse atte Mere. Name.
The given name was submitted as Haþewisse, with a thorn; since we register names using the Roman alphabet, we've replaced it with the standard TH. The submitter may certainly use a thorn in private correspondence, if she wishes.
Hugh of Ravenwood. Badge. (fieldless) A fleam argent distilling a gout gules.
Iarngard Ragnarson. Device. Azure, on a pale between two lions salient contourny Or, an H-rune azure.
Leonia of Midhurst. Name and device. Erminois, on a fess wavy azure between three fish urinant gules, three annulets argent.
Moonwulf Starkaaderson of Rivenstar. Device reblazon. Azure, a winged wolf courant, wings addorsed argent.
When registered in Aug 76, the wolf was blazoned volant. Since that posture is undefined for winged quadrupeds -- SCA examples run the gamut from salient to passant -- we've reblazoned this to more accurately describe the emblazon.
Ragnar of the Bloody Axe. Name.
Randwulf Widefarer. Name and device. Per chevron argent and sable, two pine trees couped vert and a wolf statant contourny argent within a bordure counterchanged.
Reynard Bertram Cadwallader. Name.
Robin Arthur Kyrke. Device. Or, on a bend sinister cotised vert between a robin rising contourny, wings addorsed, and a church azure, three billets Or.
Schutzheim, Canton of. Name and device. Checky gules and argent, a horse rampant contourny, on a chief sable a sheaf of arrows inverted between two laurel wreaths argent.
This name was submitted as Schutzenheim, but given the examples in Langenscheidt's German-English dictionary, schutz doesn't appear to mutate to schutzen. We've corrected this to match the dictionary's exemplar.
Please instruct the submitters to draw the chief and the charges thereon larger.
Skeldergate, College of. Name and device. Azure, a keyhole voided within a laurel wreath, a chief embattled argent.
The keyhole is an accepted SCA charge. If we'd permit a keyhole charged with a keyhole, we should permit a keyhole voided.
Stormvale, Shire of. Device. Argent, two chevronels gemel, braced and fretted vert, between three quatrefoils azure, in chief a laurel wreath vert.
This had been pended from the Sept 92 meeting, pending a petition from the populace. That petition has now been received.
Thorfinn MacAmhlaidh. Name.
Timothée du Languedoc. Name.
Ulrica of Lincoln. Device. Argent, a phoenix vert rising from flames proper, on a chief triangular gules a sun argent.
OUTLANDS
Æthelwine the Minstrel. Name and device. Argent mullety azure, a recorder and a staff in saltire sable.
Cuman O'Corban. Name.
The byname was submitted as Ó Corbáin, which is the masculine patronymic form; its use with a feminine given name is inappropriate in Gaelic. We've substituted the anglicized form of the surname, which could be used by either sex. If she'd prefer a fully Irish name, she might consider Cuman ingen Chorbbain.
Cuman O'Corban. Alternate persona name for Margaret O'Farrell.
Dallan O'Shaughnessy. Name.
Haakon Thorgilsson. Household name for House Fox Pass (see PENDED and RETURNED for badges).
James the Small. Name (see PENDED for device).
Possible conflict was cited against St. James the Less (St. James Minor). The saint is given the epithet to distinguish him from St. James the Greater; it appears to refer to either importance or age, but not to stature (Metford's Dictionary of Christian Lore and Legend, p.133). James Minor does not ever seem to have been called James the Small in English; this is therefore not an infringement, either in meaning or in sound.
Kostbera Ulfsdottir. Device. Azure, on a plate within an annulus of compass stars Or, a wolf's head cabossed sable.
Kseniya Mikhailovna Morskaya. Name.
Martin William of Hameldone. Name.
Melisende Barlais d'Outremer. Name.
Mikolaj Janicki. Name.
Peter the Jovial. Name and device. Ermine, five pommes in annulo and in base a pair of hands gules.
Please instruct the submitter to draw the hands larger.
Triaria d'Orléans. Device. Purpure, a heart Or within an orle of gouts d'eau.
Please instruct the submitter to draw the gouts larger.
William of the Outlands. Holding name (see RETURNS) and device. Argent, in pale a raven displayed and two swords in saltire, a bordure embattled sable.
This was submitted under the name William Hayes.
Ravens are normally drawn in heraldic art with hairy feathers. Please instruct the submitter.
WEST
Aasbjorn Æthelwulfson. Name.
The byname was submitted as Æðelwulfson; since we don't normally register edhs, we've substituted a standard transliteration.
Aasvaldr Æthelwulfson. Name.
The byname was submitted as Æðelwulfson; since we don't normally register edhs, we've substituted a standard transliteration.
Adair Mac Dermid. Device. Vert, two dragons in annulo, biting each other's tails, the dexter one argent and the sinister Or.
Adnár Dunnigan. Name.
Alfred Arrowsmith. Name and device. Per saltire gules and sable, on a saltire Or five pheons sable.
Amanda of Foxden. Name and device. Purpure, a fox's mask and a chief Or.
Anastasia Pokusaeva. Name.
Aneala, Barony of. Badge. Per pale azure and argent, two swan's heads erased and addorsed counterchanged.
Antara of Leeds. Device change. Sable semy-de-lys, a lion courant to sinister Or.
Her previous device (Sable, a lion dormant Or between two mullets and a scorpion argent) is released. This is much improved.
Bela of Eastmarch. Badge reblazon. (tinctureless) A grape leaf inverted dependent from a tendril.
When registered Jan 73, this was blazoned as (tinctureless) A grape leaf and tendril. A check of the emblazon shows the leaf is inverted and dependent from the tendril.
Brandon MacKay. Device. Argent, on a chevron between three towers azure, three stag's heads erased argent.
Brenna of Phoenix Hall. Name.
Cailean Gruagdhubh. Name and device. Gyronny Or and vert, a winged stag trippant within a bordure sable.
Catheryn Mulkeen. Name and device. Vert, a winged cat sejant and in chief three quatrefoils Or.
Catlin Rose in le Breres. Name.
Cecelia Constanza de Castellon. Device. Or, three chevronels purpure, in base a rose bush vert flowered purpure.
Cian Gillebhrath. Name and device. Per chevron sable and azure, a chevron between two feathers and a falcon passant argent.
Ciaran Faolchara. Name and device. Azure billety Or, a winged wolf segreant argent.
The byname was submitted as Faoilchara, which uses the genitive case of faol. We've corrected the grammar to the nominative case.
Against Moonwulf Starkaaderson of Rivenstar (reblazoned as Azure, a winged wolf courant, wings addorsed argent), there's a CD for posture and a CD for the semy.
Clovis of Long Run. Name and device. Or, a pawprint sable within a bordure gules.
Crisiant Dreigben. Device. Per saltire vert and sable, in pale two daffodils bendwise Or and in fess two dragons passant argent.
Daniel de Faia. Name.
Danielis Pyrsokomos. Device. Quarterly azure and ermine, in bend sinister two tawny owls contourny proper.
The owls were blazoned on the LOI as brown owls ... proper, but no such type of owl exists. The submitter insisted on having owls as drawn on her submission forms (brown, without spots or streaks, and without ear tufts), while we insisted on a species of owl known to period Europeans. The tawny owl (Strix aluco) meets all these requirements, according to Cerny's Field Guide to Birds, pp.140-141.
David of Blackthorn. Name and device. Argent, a pall inverted purpure between three axes sable.
David of Blackthorn. Badge. (fieldless) An axe purpure.
Dealla MacCuag. Name and device. Or, a thistle proper, on a chief embattled gules five plates.
The byname was submitted as MacCuagh, intended to be a Scots surname; Black's Surnames of Scotland gives the spelling as MacCuag, a phonetic spelling of Mac Dhabhuc. Since the change from G to GH alters the pronunciation, we've substituted a documented form; note that, since it's not a pure Gaelic construction, it can use the masculine patronymic particle.
Please instruct the submitter to draw the chief and plates larger.
Donata Ivanovna Basistova. Device. Per chevron sable and purpure, a hare sejant to sinister argent.
Dubhgall McAllestyr. Name change (from Douglas Edwin McAllestyr).
Edward of Guildford. Device change. Per bend sinister argent and gules, two quill pens bendwise sinister counterchanged.
His previous device (Per bend sinister argent and gules, a quill pen bendwise sinister and a billet fesswise counterchanged) is retained as a badge. This is a notable improvement.
Eleanor Elspeth Selwin. Name and device. Gyronny gules and Or, an oak leaf sable.
Against the badge of Bela of Eastmarch (A grape leaf inverted dependent from a tendril), there's a CD for tincturelessness, and another for the inversion of the leaf. Nice, simple armory.
Elena of Lincoln. Name and device. Argent, a sheaf of arrows sable, on a chief azure three mullets Or.
Elizabeth Belleclerke. Device reblazon. Azure, in fess three quill pens bendwise sinister argent.
When this was registered Jan 74, the charges were blazoned as quills, an entirely different type of heraldic charge.
Elsa von Thüringen. Name and device. Gules, on a cross nowy quadrate Or, a fireball proper.
The toponymic was submitted as Thuringen, without the umlaut; we've corrected the spelling.
Elsbeth Caerwent. Device. Azure, a compass star elongated to base argent, a bordure wavy argent semy of forget-me-nots azure, slipped and leaved vert.
Eternal Winds, Stronghold of. Name and device. Per chevron dovetailed gules and argent, two wings conjoined in lure argent and a laurel wreath vert.
This had been pended from the Sept 92 meeting, awaiting a petition from the populace. That petition has now been received. Please instruct the submitters to draw the dovetailing a bit larger henceforth.
Feargus Callahan. Device change. Argent, a pall inverted between three acorns vert.
His previous device (Argent, a pall inverted between two pine cones inverted and an acorn vert) is released.
Finnian the Red. Name and device. Per pale gules and sable, a lozenge within an annulet argent.
Fiona Cattanach. Name.
Friedrich Bruner. Name and device. Per pale gules and sable, a nesselblatt Or.
Galin Flamebeard. Device reblazon. Paly sable and Or, on a heart gules a flame Or charged with a fist affronty sable.
When registered July 79, this was blazoned Paly sable and Or, on a heart gules a dexter fist affronty sable flammant Or. The reblazon is a better reflection of the actual emblazon, with the fist as a quaternary charge.
Gareth of Fenby. Name.
Garrett Logan Toddhunter. Name.
Garrett of Vanished Wood. Name (see RETURNS for device).
Gavin the Gruesome. Name and device. Vert, a double-bitted axe Or between three standing balances argent, a bordure Or.
Gráinne of Starmount. Name (see RETURNS for device).
Starmount is registered to the submitter's husband, Robert of Starmount; the Grandfather Clause covers its use here.
Hobart Wendell Eldridge. Device. Purpure, a pentagon within five mullets in annulo Or.
Isadora d'Este. Name change (from Jacinta van Schoonhoven).
Janeta of Lindisfarne. Device. Per pale azure and gules, a pall inverted Or, overall an elk's head erased affronty argent.
Jared of Castlewood. Device. Per pale argent and sable, a fret couped and on a chief three frets couped counterchanged.
Joanna of the Beechwoods. Name and device. Argent, a cross moline gules between four griffin's heads erased, a bordure vert.
Johann Mathern. Name (see RETURNS for device).
Johanna Ljubljana. Name and device. Sable, on a chevron throughout argent three mullets of four points vert, in base a plate.
This is clear of Lawrence of Blackstone (SCA): Sable, on a chevron argent, three estoiles of four rays gules, a chief embattled argent. There's a CD for type of secondary charge (chief vs. plate), and -- since we currently distinguish between mullets and estoiles -- a CD for type and tincture of tertiaries.
Kalida Rudaya. Name change (from Jessica of Atenveldt).
Katharine of Eisincewald. Name.
The spelling Katerine would be more temporally compatible with the submitter's chosen toponymic; you might suggest it to her.
Katherine ní Cheallaigh of Skye. Name change (from Katherine O'Kelly of Skye).
The patronymic was submitted as Ó Ceallaigh, with the LOI stating that the submitter "strongly prefers the Gaelic spelling". Her forms, however, also request us to amend the grammar and spelling to be correct for that language. The use of the patronymic particle Ó with a Gaelic name is a purely masculine construction, so far as we can tell from any evidence presented. We've substituted a feminine construction, with the patronymic aspirated accordingly.
The change described above is our current policy on Irish patronymics; this submission was presented, in part, as an appeal of that policy. The appeal was supposed to have been based on period usage, but little evidence was presented in support: The LOI refers the reader to the client's previous submission (West LOI of 4 April 92). That LOI, in turn, refers to an LOC by Lord Habicht, 10 Nov 88. That LOC, in its turn, refers to a biography of Grania O'Malley (Anne Chambers' Granuaile) which "gives a listing of the many ways that Grania Ui Mhaille's name was rendered in both Gaelic and English records" -- without citing names or dates. At this point, the appeal has gone beyond the bounds of "evidence" into the realm of "folklore".
In asking commenters to present documentation on Gaelic patronymics (LoAR cover letter of 3 Aug 92), I'd hoped to reach a final synthesis based on research. Results of that research to date have supported our current policy: that, for purely Gaelic patronymics, masculine constructions should not be used in female names. (A handful of examples were offered of female names in masculine constructions -- but they all seem to be anglicized forms, not pure Gaelic forms.) I'd be delighted if counter-evidence were presented -- I all but got down on my knees and begged for such counter-evidence to be presented -- but none has been received to date. As our current policy is based on evidence, so must any change in policy be based on evidence.
The submitter may be ní Cheallaigh (purely Irish) or O'Kelly (anglicized Irish), but without real documentation to support the construction, she may not be Katherine Ó Ceallaigh. We've done our best to comply with the submitter's stated wishes.
Kelsy Aylesworth. Name and device. Per chevron inverted argent and sable, a dragon rampant purpure and two swords crossed at the hilt Or.
The given name was submitted as Kelsey, which the LOI justified as a derivative of OE Ceolsige. The copious documentation provided by Lord Palimpsest and Lady Harpy would support Kelsy as a more probable form.
Kiriana Michaelson. Badge. (fieldless) A gout sable platy.
Please instruct the submitter to draw the plates fewer and larger.
Koell of the Broken Tower. Device. Argent, a ruined tower and on a chief sable, a sword reversed argent.
Submitted as Kaell, the above is the registered form of the name.
Leofwynn Wulfinga. Name and device. Or, a bend purpure, overall a griffin segreant contourny sable, a bordure purpure.
Leonia Dubarry. Name (see RETURNS for device).
Lewis Darkraven of Meriet. Name.
Liduina de Kasteelen van Valkenburg. Device. Vert, a wyvern erect argent within a bordure wavy erminois.
Lochac, Principality of. Name change for the Guild of the Silver Rondel (from the Order of the Silver Roundel).
Louisa Reynell. Name (see RETURNS for device).
Maelsnechtain de Brus. Name change (from Maelnectan de Brus).
Margaret Bellasys of Northumberland. Name.
Marique of the West. Holding name (see RETURNS) and device. Purpure, on a chevron between three mullets of six points Or, three fleurs-de-lys purpure.
This was submitted under the name Marina la Perdu.
Meurisse de Blois. Name and device. Azure, a hawk's bell bendwise within an orle Or.
This is clear of Bassingford (Papworth 1046): Azure, a bezant. We're willing to grant a CD between a bezant and a hawk's bell, although perhaps not Complete Difference of Charge.
Michal Mandragora. Device change. Argent, a bat-winged seahorse erect gules, a bordure embattled sable.
Her previous device (Argent, a bat-winged seahorse erect gules, on a mount vert a straight trumpet palewise Or) is released.
Mícheál de la Ferret. Name (see PENDED for device).
Morgan the Falconer. Name (see RETURNS for device).
Nigel of Saint Bartholomew's College. Holding name (see RETURNS) and device. Per pale argent and gules, a standing balance, in the dexter pan a heart and in the sinister pan an open book, counterchanged.
This was submitted under the name Thomas of Abraxa.
Oriana d'Auney. Name (see RETURNS for device).
The byname was submitted as D'Auney, with a capital D. The documentation would support Dauney, de Auney, or d'Auney; we've substituted the latter, as the minimal change.
Pádraig Ravensblood. Name and device. Per chevron sable and argent, two harps Or and a raven passant sable.
Peredur ap Tristan. Device change. Per pale azure and gules all crusilly fitchy, a dragon segreant Or.
His previous device (Sable, four caltrops in cross, points elongated to center argent) is retained as a badge.
Philip Oneeye. Name and device. Sable, on a bend sinister embattled argent, three crosses crosslet fitchy sable.
Please instruct the submitter to draw his crosses thicker.
Pierre Edouard Poitevin. Name.
Quentyn Siobhán Ó Riordáin. Name.
According to Lord Palimpsest, Withycombe's entry on Quentin is inaccurate; it was a masculine name in period, not a feminine name. In this case, it goes well with the masculine patronymic Ó Riordáin; but the submitter should probably be told that her name would have been a man's name in period (even with the feminine Siobhán added).
Reignald Seymour of York. Name and device. Per pale gules and azure, an ear of wheat fesswise Or between three dice argent.
Please ask the submitter to add the beard to the ear of wheat.
Riccardo della Torre d'Avorio. Device. Checky sable and Or, in pale a chess rook and a chevron inverted argent.
Ríoghán Ó Maoileoin. Name and device. Or, a bend sinister gules between two roses sable, barbed and seeded proper.
Roland Ironbeard. Device change. Vert, in pale a pickaxe and a double-bitted axe in saltire and a crane in its vigilance Or.
This is a single group of three dissimilar charges (so-called "slot-machine heraldry"), normally disallowed per Rule VIII.1.a. However, since his original registration uses the same motif counterchanged, the Grandfather Clause allows him to register this.
His previous device (Or, in pale a pickaxe and a double-bitted axe in saltire and a crane in its vigilance vert) is released.
Rosalynde y Corgwyn. Device. Vert, a key bendwise sinister, wards to chief Or between two Welsh corgies passant Or marked argent.
As drawn, the key and the corgies are separate groups of charges. Therefore, this doesn't conflict with Stanhope (Papworth 172), Vert, three wolves passant Or, or with Mandevile (ibid.), Vert, three wolves passant in pale Or.
As a breed, Welsh corgies date back to the 12th Century, according to the Encyclopedia Britannica.
Rose de Le Mans. Device. Argent, a bend sinister vert, overall a maunch within a bordure sable.
Saint Gildas the Wise, College of. Name (see RETURNS for device).
Sian Llwydwyn. Name.
Somhairle Findlayson. Device. Azure goutty d'eau, issuant from a mountain argent a pair of wings displayed Or.
Stormhold, Barony of. Badge for the Order of the Silver Drakkar. (fieldless) A drakkar affronty argent.
Stormhold, Barony of. Badge for the Order of the Golden Drakkar. Azure, a drakkar affronty within a bordure Or.
Stormhold, Barony of. Badge. Azure goutty, a pheon inverted argent within a massacre Or.
Stormhold, Barony of. Badge. Azure goutty d'eau, a drakkar's prow Or.
Unlike the redrawn miniature emblazon on the LOI, the submission forms show the charge with a peg extending from the bottom; it is clearly a prow, not a dragon's head.
Taliesin Galloglach. Name.
Tancred Enrico di Castrogiovanni. Name and device. Sable, three chevrons braced and on a chief embattled Or, three caltrops gules.
Please ask the submitter to draw everything (except the chief) larger.
Tanw the Confused. Device. Or, an urchin gules, a chief sable maily argent.
Táriq ibn Jelal ibn Ziyadatallah al-Naysábúrí. Device. Per chevron inverted purpure and vert, three chevronels braced Or, in chief a sword fesswise proper.
Tegen Meanbh. Device. Per bend sable and gules, a flame argent voided gules and an increscent argent.
Flames are an exception to the rule that complex charges cannot be voided: since a flame proper is defined in Society armory as "a flame Or voided gules" (on a dark field), by extension a "flame argent voided gules" should be equally acceptable.
Tomas Waegmund. Device. Quarterly sable and gules, a cross argent goutty de sang, a bordure argent.
Please instruct the submitter to draw the cross and the border much wider.
Tristan of Phoenix Hall. Name and device. Azure, on a pile engrailed argent, a feather bendwise sinister inverted azure.
Tyne of Lostwithiel. Name (see RETURNS for device).
Valeria of the Border. Name and device. Per bend sinister sable and azure, a bend sinister embowed counterembowed between two mascles argent.
Though the name was submitted as new, this was in fact a resubmission. Her previous name submission, Elzbieta od Siedleczki, was returned May 91.
The byname was submitted as of the Borderlands. Alas, the contruction borderlands doesn't seem to date before the 19th Century, according to the OED; the period term for the England-Scotland boundary was The Border. We've substituted appropriately; Valeria [the] Borderer would have been even better.
Please instruct the submitter to draw the mascles thicker.
West, Kingdom of the. Title for Mortar Pursuivant.
Wulfgar the Bold. Name and device. Argent, two flaunches sable each charged with a tower argent, on a chief sable three wolf's heads erased ululant argent.
THE FOLLOWING SUBMISSIONS HAVE BEEN RETURNED:
ANSTEORRA
None!
AN TIR
Adrianna MacAverr. Badge. (fieldless) A garden rose azure, slipped and leaved argent.
This conflicts with Alys of the Midnight Rose (SCA): Or, a rose slipped and leaved azure. There's a CD for fieldlessness, but nothing for garden rose vs. heraldic rose; and we have traditionally granted no difference for a flower's slipping and leaving (either its existence, or its tincture), believing this to be little more than artistic license.
A similar argument brings this into conflict with Alyanora of Vinca (SCA): Argent, a periwinkle proper. Alyanora's flower is indistinguishable from an heraldic rose azure.
If someone can provide evidence that slipping and leaving was considered a cadency difference by period heralds, we'll reconsider these conflicts. Until then, they must stand.
Elgar of Stonehaven. Badge. (fieldless) A Maltese star cross argent.
As was stated in the return of the submitter's device (LoAR of Nov 92), a Maltese star cross is not acceptable for use in Society heraldry. While we can accept an SCA-variant charge (the star cross), we can't accept a variant of a variant.
Moreover, this conflicts with the badge of Clovia Lumi (SCA): Sable, a snowflake argent. The visual similarity between the Maltese star cross and a snowflake is too large to ignore. It also conflicts with the Mon of Kani (Hawley 53): Dark, six sets of arrow fletchings in annulo, points conjoined light. Again, the visual similarity is too great to permit a CD to be granted.
Eoghan O'Neill. Device resubmission. Azure, in pale a pronghorn antelope's attire and a sun of eight points, all within a bordure argent.
There are three problems with the submission, each sufficient for return. The first is conflict, with the arms of Goethe (Woodward 308): Azure, a star of six points within a bordure argent. There's a CD for adding the attire, but not between a mullet of six points and the sun as drawn here.
The second is compatibility. The pronghorn antelope lives in the western United States; we have no evidence that it was known to period Europeans. Without such evidence, we cannot register the beast, or his attire.
The third is identifiability. None of the commenters could identify this as an attire, of any beast (let alone a pronghorn antelope). This might have been ameliorated, had there been evidence of European knowledge of the beast; without such evidence, the indistinguishability of the charge is enough to warrant return.
Genevieve Marie Etiennette de Montagne. Device. Per chevron purpure and vert, two hummingbirds rising respectant, wings addorsed, and a decrescent Or.
The hummingbirds are drawn in trian aspect, which has been disallowed for many years. Please have her draw these in a more heraldic posture.
Giuliano Roberto Francesco Arrieta della Beleari. Name.
It's been previously ruled (Marco Giovanni Drago Bianco Venti, Sept 92) that the use of five name elements is excessive for Italian names; the longest period name yet cited (Giovan Francesco Palladio della Olivi, 16th Century) has only four elements. Pending evidence that five-element names are acceptable, this must be returned.
James Adare MacCarthaigh of Derrybawn. Badge resubmission. (fieldless) A compass star azure, overall a decrescent argent.
It had been announced (LoAR cover letter of 3 Aug 92) that, starting with this meeting, we would no longer register fieldless badges using overall charges. Except for designs with long, skinny charges (e.g. a sword, blade surmounted by an anvil), in general that ban is still in effect. In this particular case, it takes a very careful arrangement of the crescent and mullet to guarantee the identifiability of both; and any design that depends on the exact proportions of its charges is generally not good style. He might consider having his crescent completely encircle the compass star (assuming no conflicts).
John Wolfstan. Device. Per pale azure and gules, a bend embattled counter-embattled Or, overall a wolf's head erased contourny argent.
The embattled line is drawn far too shallow to be visible from a distance, particularly when debruised by the wolf's head. Please have him resubmit with a boldly drawn line.
Meri of the Bears. Device. Argent maily gules, a brown bear's head cabossed mounted on a wooden pole issuant from base proper.
The wooden pole was well-nigh invisible amidst the bear's head and complex field. Additionally, this could be construed as an overuse of proper charges. She might try resubmitting with honest heraldic tinctures.
Miriam de Xaintrailles. Device. Per fess flory counter-flory azure and Or, issuant from chief a demi-sun Or, in base a lion dormant sable.
The flory counter-flory line is not correctly drawn here. While the treatment was applied to ordinaries in period (e.g. the double tressures of the arms of Scotland), I've found no period instances of its use as a complex field division. The closest analogies are the trefly counter-trefly division of von Hillinger and the per fess indented, points flory division of Woodmerton. Both of these models require the flory counter-flory line to be drawn with demi-fleurs, as shown in the margin. As drawn in this submission, the "complex line" is actually a group of charges, counterchanged across the field division, with half of them inverted. This is not readily blazonable, and doesn't fit the period pattern for complex lines of division. (The illustration from Fox-Davies' Complete Guide to Heraldry, from which the submitter's emblazon is taken, is cited in no dated armory.)
If she resubmits with a correct flory counter-flory line, this should be acceptable.
Sine Guinne of Kilernan. Name.
As the LOI notes, the Society considers the use of a clan name (Guinne, Gunn) with the seat of the clan (Kilernan) to be presumptuous; the only examples we've found of such usage are by clan chiefs and their immediate families. We would have simply deleted the toponymic, but the submitter disallowed any changes to her name.
Sveyn Egilsson. Badge. (fieldless) A swan displayed per pale azure and argent maintaining in dexter foot the hilt and in sinister foot the blade of a broken sword Or.
Conflicts with the Mon of Mori (Hawley 48): Dark, a crane displayed light. There's a CD for tincturelessness, of both field and charges. Mori's crane, like most cranes in Japanese armory, is shown without the long legs that are so characteristic of its depiction in European armory. Without those legs, there's virtually no visible distinction between a crane and a swan in the same posture. The "held" charges count for no difference.
Terra Pomaria, Barony of. Badge. Azure, three chevronels braced, in chief an armored arm fesswise embowed brandishing a sword argent.
This conflicts with the arms of Wyville (Foster 211): Azure, three chevrons braced argent. There's a single CD, for adding the charges in chief.
Vladimir Andreivich Aleksandrov. Device. Sable, a wolf dormant guardant, in chief three chevronels inverted braced argent.
The dormant posture should be used carefully, as it can all too easily render a beast unidentifiable. In this case, the wolf's head, paws and tail are neatly tucked in, making him indistinguishable from a meatloaf. This must be returned, per Rule VIII.3.
ATENVELDT
Aurora Ashland of Woolhaven. Device. Vert semy of rams statant argent armed Or, on a sinister canton Or an ash tree proper.
Charged cantons may not be used except in the case of augmentations of arms. This prohibition dates from at least 28 Dec 82 and is still in force. This must be returned, per Rule XI.1.
The 1984 Rules for Submission did not permit semy charges to be fimbriated, proper, or of divided tinctures (IX.2). While that specific clause is not found in the current Rules, those usages remain poor style, and in extreme cases may be grounds for return under Rule VIII.3. The submitter would be well advised to use single-tinctured rams in her semy, when she resubmits.
Cilian Ui Neill. Name.
The grammar of the byname was incorrect: it should be Ua Neill, "descendant of Niall", not Ui Neill, "descendants of Niall". However, under either spelling, this conflicts with Killian O'Neal, registered July 88.
The armory was registered under the holding name Troy of Stan Wyrm.
Eadric Gwyddon the Seeker. Device. Sable, on a bend sinister Or, four swords palewise sable.
This conflicts with the badge of Hermann Otto Koehlermann (SCA), Sable, a bend sinister Or; and with Herwegh (Woodward 134), Sable, a bend sinister Or. In each case there's a single CD, for the addition of the tertiary charges.
Henry of Three Needles. Device resubmission. Per pale vairy Or and gules, and sable, a bear sejant erect guardant, collared and chained argent, muzzled sable, within a bordure argent.
The addition of the bordure, while removing the previous conflict, has introduced a new conflict. This conflicts with the device of Gottfrid Liljebjorn (SCA): Quarterly pean and purpure, a bear rampant within a bordure argent. There's a CD for the field, but as before, no difference for the change in posture, or for the chain and muzzle.
This had been submitted with the field incompletely blazoned. Normally this would have been pended, but the above conflict is valid regardless of the field. The submitter might consider a different posture for his bear.
Licoricia du Lac Noir. Device. Or, a swan naiant sable, in sinister chief a crescent bendwise sinister azure.
This conflicts with the badge of Western Australia, as used on their flag:, Or, a swan naiant sable (Crampton's Flags of the World, p.14). (It's the mirror image of their arms, as found in the quartered arms of Australia [ibid, p.13].) There's a single CD, for adding the crescent.
Mara of the Oak Leaf. Device. Sable, on a pale Or between two arrows argent, points and feathers Or, an oak leaf bendwise vert.
The points and feathers of the arrows are so small as to be invisible, rendering the arrows unidentifiable as arrows; we've been returning arrows for this reason since the LoAR of July 92.
Moreover, since the arrows as drawn are indistinguishable from any other long, skinny charges, this conflicts with Einar of Ironhold (SCA): Sable, on a pale Or between two swords inverted hilted Or and bladed argent, a staff sable. There's a CD for the changes to the tertiary charge, but if the arrows can't be identified, we can't grant a CD for their type.
Melisend de Chartres. Device resubmission. Purpure, a bend "indented" between a quill pen bendwise and a clarion argent.
The previous submission was returned Aug 92 for drawing the bend too narrow, the indentations too small. She's corrected those problems, but introduced another: the bend is indented on the sinister base end, but dancetty on the dexter chief end! The bend must be one or the other, if for no other reason than to check conflict.
One of the heralds at the meeting offered to redraw the submission, sending a copy to the client. The difficulty lay in not knowing the submitter's intent: did she want a bend indented, or a bend dancetty? We were given no clue, and since there's a CD between the two, it's not something to be left to chance or telepathy.
This must be returned for redrawing yet again: either as an undoubted bend indented, or as an undoubted bend dancetty.
Morgan ferch Cennydd. Badge. (fieldless) On a hawk's head erased argent a gout de sang.
This conflicts with the badge of Manfried von Falkenmond (SCA): (tinctureless) A falcon's head couped and hooded quarterly, charged in base with a crescent. Although there is a CD for fieldlessness, there is no additional difference obtainable for the change in type of the tertiary charge or the changes to the primary charge.
When she resubmits, please instruct the submitter on the correct way to draw an erased head: boldly, with large ragged edges.
Petruccio Alfonso Maria Cuccieri de Cataluña. Badge. Azure, three annulets interlaced one and two argent, overall a Latin cross flory Or veiled purpure.
The badge suffers from a number of problems. The most serious is the lack of contrast between the purple veil and the azure field: not only is the veil itself unidentifiable, it obscures the underlying cross as well. This is the same problem for which the gentle's device submission was returned Sept 91, and it's equally reason for return here.
Moreover, the annulets are drawn too skinny for ready recognition at a distance. Finally, several commenters wondered whether the combination of the cross, purple Lenten veil, and Trinity symbol constituted excessive religious symbolism. Such excessive symbolism is disallowed under Rule IX.2. This submission has less symbolism than the example of excessive symbolism given in Rule IX.2, but more than an obviously acceptable example (e.g. a single cross). I don't know whether it should be considered excessive, but the submitter should be prepared to argue his case, should he resubmit with this motif.
ATLANTIA
Fáelán MacFergus. Device. Quarterly sable, and checky Or and gules, in bend two wolves' heads erased contourny argent.
It has been previously ruled (LoAR of Oct 92, p.30) that the use of a complex field in two quarters of a quartered design gives too strong an appearance of marshalling. This is true whether or not those quarters are charged; their complexity gives them the appearance of independent armory, which Rule XI.3.b prohibits. This must be returned for redesign.
When the gentle resubmits, please ask him to draw the wolves' heads correctly erased: with bold, jagged edges.
Terrill ferch Mordeyrn. Name.
Terrill is documented only as a surname (v. Reaney DBS 350), not as a given name in period. It also happens to be the submitter's mundane middle name. Rule II.4 permits the submitter to use her mundane middle name as her SCA middle name; to use it as any other part of the SCA name requires evidence that the usage is appropriate. We have no evidence in this instance.
CAID
Fearghus MacCulloch. Device change. Per pale gules and azure, a stag's head erased affronty and a bordure embattled argent.
The bordure, and its embattlements, are drawn far too small to be visible from any distance. This was true when his current device was registered, on the LoAR of Aug 89; the submitter was specifically instructed to "draw the bordure wider", end quote. He has ignored that instruction in this resubmission; but since Aug 89 we've gotten stricter about complex lines, insisting they be drawn to be seen. Given the explicit instruction on his previous submission, we're not inclined to be lenient for the current submission.
Please instruct the submitter to draw his bordure correctly. If he does so, he should have no problems when he resubmits.
Gyles of Drake's Glynn. Name.
The LOI cites glinn, glynn as a spelling variant of glen. In fact, it isn't a variant per se, according to the OED; rather, it's the plural of glen in Gaelic. The toponymic would be fine as Drake's Glen, but the submitter forbade any changes in spelling.
Since he permitted a holding name to be formed, the armory was registered under the name Gyles of Western Seas.
Morgaine Brisen. Household name for Weasel Works.
The household name doesn't seem to follow known period usage. The word works appears to be a late-period term referring to a factory; when modified with a noun, the noun is considered the product of the factory (e.g. iron works). A weasel works, then, would not be a factory owned by a man named Weasel, but a factory that made weasels. This appears highly implausible, even as a metaphor. We need some evidence of period compatibility before we can register this name.
Sirideain ui Neill. Name.
Sirideain is the genitive form of the given name Siridean; it's how the latter would mutate when used in a patronymic, for instance. As a given name, the unmutated form should be used. Furthermore, the patronymic particle should be ua; ui, the submitted spelling, is the plural. The submitter forbade any changes; this must therefore be returned.
Western Seas, Barony of. Badge. Or, a wa'a outrigger sable, a bordure engrailed azure.
This conflicts with Echlin (Papworth 1089): Or, an antique galley with sails furled sable, forked pennon proper. There's a CD for the bordure. Previous returns have granted no difference between a galley and a drakkar (LoAR of July 91, p.20); evidently, type of ship is left to artistic license. We'd welcome some further evidence on whether this is a reasonable policy to maintain; for now, we'll uphold precedent.
CALONTIR
None!
EAST
Amabel d'Avignon. Device. Per pale sable and argent, on a heart gules a four-leaved shamrock slipped Or.
This conflicts with Galin Flamebeard, reblazoned elsewhere on this LoAR: Paly sable and Or, on a heart gules a flame Or charged with a fist affronty sable. There's a CD for the field, but for a tertiary on a charge such as a heart, we grant no difference for type alone, per Rule X.4.j.ii. Quaternary charges (e.g. the fist on Galin's device) count for no difference at all.
Cerridwen nic Alister. Badge. Purpure, "three leaves conjoined in pall" within an annulet fracted in pall argent.
The blazon and emblazon given in the LOI did not match that on the forms we received. On the LOI emblazon, the central charge would be better blazoned three leaves conjoined in pall inverted. On the forms, the central charge looks to be some type of lotus or lily flower, which we couldn't identify. Normally, given a discrepancy between the forms and the LOI, we would pend the submission; but that can't be done here, without a blazon for the unidentifiable central charge. This must therefore be returned.
Davin FitzGalen. Name.
FitzGalen does not appear to be a validly constructed surname. The Norman patronymic particle Fitz should only be used with Norman names; Galen is an anglicization of the name of a 2nd Century Greek physician.
The LOI alluded to the name of Geoffrey FitzGalen, registered Jan 85, and suggested the Grandfather Clause may apply here. Contrary to the LOI's assertion, however, the two gentles do not appear to be brothers: one is surnamed Lane, and the other Mann. ("SCA persona brothers" don't meet the criteria for invoking the Grandfather Clause.) We find no grounds for admitting the submitted name; pending documentation, it must be returned.
The armory was registered under the holding name Jaimie of the East.
Emrys Cador. Alternate persona name for Bron du yr Cigfran.
The submission lacks a given name. Bron is a common noun, "breast", not a given name. Moreover, the byname doesn't mean "of the raven", but "black (of) the raven"; even allowing for the nonsensical meaning, Cigfran should mutate to Gigfran following the definite article. Without knowing the submitter's exact intent, we can't suggest a correct form.
Geoffrey FitzGalen. Badge. (fieldless) A cross patonce sable surmounted by a griffin's head erased Or collared sable.
The overall charge unacceptably obscures the cross patonce, to the point where identifiability is marginal. This must be returned, per Rule VIII.3. This will be true for the majority of fieldless badges with overall charges.
The tincture of the cross was omitted from the LOI's blazon; the badge would normally be pended, but its stylistic problems are grounds for return regardless of the tinctures.
As for the procedural question posed in the LOI, the proposed ban on overall charges was announced five months in advance, precisely to allow Principal Heralds to catch unacceptable submissions before they were sent to Laurel. This submission was not "in the pipeline" when the ban was announced, as far as the College of Arms is concerned.
Gundras no Dzintara Krasta. Device. Argent, an oak tree issuant from base and on a chief gules, a zalktis argent.
We were given no documentation of the zalktis as an heraldic charge, or even as a religious symbol. It cannot be found in our standard references -- the OED, for instance, has no entry for it. As this would have been the defining instance of the charge in SCA heraldry, documentation becomes even more important; pending such documentation, this must be returned.
Haldis Hakonsdottir av Hrafnafjord. Name.
The name is a mixture of Old Norse (modern Icelandic) and modern Norwegian. While that in itself is not reason for return, mixing the two languages in a single word (Hrafnafjord) is unacceptable. Either Ramnafjord (modern Norwegian) or Hrafnafjördr, suitably declined (Old Norse) should be used here, as the smallest necessary change to make the name acceptable. (Better still would be to make the name entirely Old Norse [Halldís Hákonsdóttir af Hrafnafirdhi] or modern Norwegian [Haldis Haakonsdatter av Ramnafjord]). Unfortunately, the submitter forbade even the most minor changes to her name.
Içiar Albarez de Montesinos. Device appeal. Or, three piles palewise sable, each charged with a cross of Santiago Or, in base a Catherine wheel sable.
The previous submission, identical to this, was returned Nov 89 for non-period usage: medieval piles should traverse the length of the shield, and proper drawn, would leave no room for a charge in base. The submitter has appealed this return, mostly on the grounds that the device is balanced, simple, and esthetically pleasing. While all these may be true, they do not address the reason for the previous return; until that is done, this cannot be accepted.
There was some question as to whether this could be considered a chief indented. Roger Pye, in a series of articles ("Evolution of the Arms of Douglas of Lochleven", Coat of Arms, N.S. vol.III No.107, Autumn 78; "Development of the Pile in Certain Graham Arms", Coat of Arms, N.S. vol.III No.110, Summer 79), has shown that the indented chief in some Scots arms came to be drawn as three piles palewise, as in this submission. However, the earliest example he cites of such a variation dates from 1672, which puts it beyond our use. If this were resubmitted with a true chief indented, it would probably be acceptable; but I can't see any way to register this with piles, so long as there's a charge in base.
Jaric de l'Ile Longe Sault. Badge. Gules, three leaves conjoined in pall inverted within an annulet fracted in pall argent.
This conflicts with Madelaine Catherwood (SCA), Gules, a trillium and a chief invected argent. There's a CD for changing the annulet to a chief, but the central charges are indistinguishable.
Kieran Bren of Bannockburn. Device. Gules, a chevron embattled Or between two chess rooks and a Celtic cross argent.
Conflicts with the arms of Bromage (Papworth 447): Gules a chevron embattled Or between three helmets proper. The helmets being argent, there is a single CD, for type of secondary charges.
Lucas Phelan MacPhail. Device. Or, two swords inverted in saltire sable between two foxes combattant gules marked proper.
This is in visual conflict with Russell Balgair (SCA): Or, a sword inverted azure hilted sable between two red foxes combattant proper. We concede sufficient technical difference, with a CD for number of swords and a CD for their tincture -- but when held side-by-side, technical difference is outweighed by the visual similarity.
Paul Franz von Drachenschlosse. Badge. Sable fretty Or, a winged tower argent.
Conflicts with the arms of Becher (Papworth 883): Sable fretty Or. The fretwork being considered a charge (v. LoAR cover letter of 10 Nov 92), there's a single CD for the addition of the overall charge.
Phoebe Mechtildis Ó Tighearnaigh. Name and device. Azure, three swallows volant Or within a bordure Or semy of roses gules.
The name has several improbabilities. The most notable is the use of the masculine-style Irish patronymic with the feminine given names. The combination of English, Old German, and Irish brings this even further beyond period style. A late period form (e.g. Phoebe Matilda O'Tierney) might be acceptable. As the submitter forbade any changes to her name, we were forced to return it; since she disallowed the use of a holding name, the device must be returned as well.
Sela nic a'Phearsoin of Clan Chattan. Badge. (fieldless) On a castle sable a wheel argent.
This conflicts with Frederick of the West Tower (SCA): Argent, a tower sable, on its base a cross patonce voided argent. There's a CD for fieldlessness, but no difference between a castle and a tower, and no difference for the tertiary charge.
This was submitted as a badge for the alternate persona name Arianrhod ferch Branwen ferch Olwen, which was returned December 1992. There was some concern that, in combination with the name Arianrhod ("silver wheel"), a design with a silver wheel might be excessive. (There's also Caer Arianrhod, which Gruffudd cites as a Welsh name for the constellation Corona Borealis.) The submitter should probably be warned that excessive reference to mythical or magical characters may be grounds for return, all by itself.
Tassine de Bretagne. Device. Gules, a Scottish deerhound statant argent, on a chief Or two stags courant sable.
In general, period armory did not specify the type of dog used as charges, preferring to blazon them more generically (talbot, leveret, etc.). It's considered poor style in SCA armory, but permitted for known period breeds. No documentation was presented to show that the Scottish deerhound is a period breed. My own reference (Simon and Schuster's Guide to Dogs, edited by Elizabeth Meriwether Schuler) says only that "The origin of the deerhound is not known" (p.316). We suggest she resubmit with a talbot or a greyhound.
MERIDIES
Caitlin Magwynne of Dolwyddelan. Name.
The submitter justifies Magwynne as a Welsh name (Gwynne) with an Irish patronymic particle, which is disallowed per Rule III.2.a. There are several possible alternatives -- e.g. the Irish surname Mac Guinn, or the Anglo-Saxon Mægwynn -- but the submitter forbade any spelling changes to her name.
Jeanne Estelle de Mouthe. Device resubmission. Azure, a swan naiant, wings elevated and addorsed, on a chief wavy argent three mullets azure.
The wavy line of the chief is drawn far too small to be visible from any distance. Medieval armory used bold lines, the better to be seen. This must be returned to be redrawn.
Robert ap Llywelyn Cynwyd Fawr. Device. Per chevron raguly argent and azure, three "equal-armed Celtic crosses" gules and a male griffin passant Or.
The charges in chief aren't really Celtic crosses: their arms don't extend far enough past the edges of the annulets. Nor are they Norse sun crosses, since there is no conjoining. We've seen similar crosses used in (modern) church motifs, but they do not appear to be period heraldic crosses. This must be returned for either documentation on the crosses, or redrawing.
MIDDLE
Al-Ishtiaq Khaalid bin al-Kaazim. Device. Gules crusily, on a roundel invected, its chief and base flory Or, a wingless boar-headed demon statant affronty, facing to sinister and maintaining a sword and an axe sable.
While the treatment of the bezant is a standard Persian artistic motif (documented by the submitter from a Turkish carpet), it isn't compatible with European heraldic style, and isn't reproducible from the blazon. (The above is the best we could do, and it's far from perfect.) Moreover, the flory bits of the bezant are not sufficiently identifiable on the crusily field. Given also its high complexity count (three tinctures, and five types of charge even if the demi-fleurs aren't counted separately), we have no compunction about returning this for simplification.
Blackhawk, Shire of. Badge. Argent, in bend two hawk's gambes bendwise sinister couped sable.
This conflicts with the arms of Prime (Papworth 962): Argent, an eagle's leg erased à la quise sable armed Or. The gambes shown here are not inverted: eagle's legs, unlike lions' legs, have their claws to base by default. However, since eagle's legs à la quise are somewhat embowed, they are often depicted with a bendwise sinister slant; so we can't get a CD for posture. The only countable difference here is for the number of legs.
Boris Brighthill. Device. Or, an anvil sable atop a mount invected vert, a chief enarched rayonny azure.
(The name was returned Oct 92.) There are two stylistic problems with the device. First, the chief combines two complex lines of division, which has been grounds for return ere now (LoAR of Dec 92, p.20). Second, the device has a strong appearance of landscapism, disallowed under Rule VIII.4.a. While each of these is not quite sufficiently bad enough for return -- the enarched line is one of the few that might be combined with other complex divisions, and the landscape effect is not as blatant as it could have been -- the combination of the two is enough to have this returned for non-heraldic style. Both problems might be solved by using a plain chief.
Ciar Reul. Device resubmission. Per pale sable and argent, vêtu, a mullet of eight points counterchanged.
The previous submission (Per pale sable and argent, vêtu, a sun counterchanged) was returned for conflict on the LoAR of March 92. This resubmission had been blazoned on the LOI as Per pale argent and sable, on a lozenge throughout a mullet of eight points counterchanged -- which is effectively the same picture in different words. There is no difference between vêtu and a lozenge throughout, and none between a sun and a multi-pointed mullet (8 or more points). As with the previous submission, this remains a conflict with Jennet of Twominds (SCA): Per pale argent and sable, a sun in his splendour of the field rayed and featured counterchanged. There is a single CD, for the field.
Elspeth of Oxfordshire. Device. Per chevron embattled azure mullety of six points Or, and sable, in base a unicorn couchant regardant argent.
The low contrast between azure and sable renders the embattled line indistinguishable from any distance. As with the recent case of Per pale embattled purpure and sable (LoAR of Aug 92, p.25), I must return this for lack of identifiability, per Rule VIII.3.
Moreover, the unicorn on the full emblazon form was drawn as a unicornate horse, with neither lion's tail nor cloven hooves. Please have the submitter draw her unicorn correctly when she resubmits.
Margaret of Galashiels. Device. Per bend sinister nebuly vert and azure, a three-headed thistle, slipped and leaved, and a lymphad argent.
The low contrast between vert and azure renders the nebuly line indistinguishable from any distance. As with the recent case of Per pale embattled purpure and sable (LoAR of Aug 92, p.25), I must return this for lack of identifiability, per Rule VIII.3.
When she resubmits, you should instruct the submitter in the correct heraldic depiction of a three-headed thistle; the submitted form is a bit too naturalistic for ready identification.
Miles Ravenslock d'Arcy. Household name and badge for House Corbeau Rouge. (fieldless) A tower Or surmounted by a raven rising, wings displayed gules, grasping an arrow sable.
The name conflicts with the Order of the Corbie, registered to the Barony of the Mountain Freehold. The designator (House, Order) is transparent; and the addition of the adjective is insufficient difference, per Rule V.2.
It had been announced (LoAR cover letter of 3 Aug 92) that, starting with this meeting, we would no longer register fieldless badges using overall charges. Except for designs with long, skinny charges (e.g. a sword, blade surmounted by an anvil), in general that ban is still in effect. The badge is also uncomfortably close to the device of Orric Blackthorne (SCA): Pean, a tower triple-towered Or, surmounted by a falcon displayed, head to sinister gules. There's a CD for the field; prior precedents grant no difference between tower and tower triple-towered, nor between a raven and a falcon in similar postures. While technically this may not be a conflict, the submitter should definitely be aware of it when he resubmits.
Owen FitzRobert DeClare. Name change (from Owain of the March of the Unicorn).
This submission claims relationship with Robert de Clare (d.1134), 1st Earl of Clare, founder of the baronial house of FitzWalter and steward to King Henry I. The figure is found in general biographical references (e.g. Webster's New Biographical Dictionary, p.212), and therefore is worthy of protection. This must be returned, per Rule V.5.
Tobias Alan MacKenzie. Device. Per pale azure and argent, a butterfly counterchanged and a base rayonny gules.
The rayonny line of the base is too small to be seen at any distance. This must be returned for lack of identifiability; if the submitter redraws it with fewer and larger rayons, it should be acceptable style.
Wolfgang of Flame. Name.
The byname does not seem to be acceptable style. The submitter is from the Barony of the Flame; Wolfgang of the Flame would thus be acceptable. Following the example of his Baron and Baroness, he could also be Wolfgang Flame. But just as those nobles do not style themselves Baron and Baroness of Flame, so is his submitted byname incorrect. As he forbade any changes to his name, this must be returned.
OUTLANDS
Christof Gately. Badge. (fieldless) Two spears in saltire argent hafted proper, surmounted by a serpent in annulo, with a head at either end argent.
The spears are not identifiable as spears: the points are far too small, and not the normal shape for heraldic spearheads. If this were resubmitted with correctly drawn spears, it would probably be acceptable; but it would be better if the spears' hafts were not proper.
The overall charge is acceptable in this design, per the LoAR cover letter of 15 Jan 93: the charges are slender, and the area of intersection small.
Dominica Leontyne du Lac. Household name and badge for House Dragon's Rose. (fieldless) On a rose proper a dragon sejant, wings close argent.
The name conflicts with the SCA's Order of the Rose; the designator (House, Order) is transparent, and counts for no difference, and per Rule V.2, the addition of the modifier (Dragon's) is insufficient difference. There was also considerable doubt as to whether House Dragon's Rose was a period-style house name; when she resubmits, the submitter will want to address that point as well.
The badge conflicts with the badge of Henry VII (Fox-Davies' Heraldic Badges, p.112), (fieldless) A rose gules charged with another argent; and with the Town of Petersfield (Papworth 860), Argent, on a rose gules barbed vert an escutcheon of the first, charged with an annulet sable between four pellets. In each case there's a CD for fieldlessness; but change of type of tertiary charge is insufficient for a second CD here, per Rule X.4.j.ii. (The quaternary charges in Peterfield's arms aren't even considered under the Rules.)
Fiacha Suileach. Badge. Per pale azure and purpure, a trilithon argent.
Conflicts with Cadwalladyr Stone of Stonecroft (SCA), Vert, a dolmen of three uprights capped by two lintels argent. Just as there is no difference between a tower and a castle, there is no difference between trilithons and "pentalithons".
Moreover, there was no archive copy included with this submission; had there been no other problems, it would still have been pended.
Gaius Sempronius Gracchus. Name.
This is an exact conflict with Gaius Sempronius Gracchus, a Roman tribune of the 2nd century BC. He is listed in several general references ('64 E.Brit. , vol.10, p.648; New Century Cyclopedia of Names, vol.II, p.1802), so he's important enough to protect.
Haakon Thorgilsson. Badge. (fieldless) A fox's mask argent.
This was submitted as a badge for House Fox Pass. It conflicts with Fandral Silverfox (SCA), Sable, a fox's mask argent; and with Stefan von Bernhardt (SCA), Per bend sinister azure and vert, a wolf's head cabossed argent. In each case, there's a single CD, for the field.
Moreover, there was no archive copy included with this submission; had there been no other problems, it would still have been pended.
Sidonia of Seven Oaks. Badge. (fieldless) Two quill pens in saltire sable surmounted by a butterfly argent.
The overall charge renders the pens unidentifiable, in violation of Rule VIII.3. Indeed, this submission is a textbook example of why I suggested a ban on overall charges in fieldless badges, in my cover letter of 3 Aug 92: the pens, far from being identifiable as pens, instead look like extensions of the butterfly's wings. The visual effect would be blazoned A butterfly argent, wings tipped sable; and therefore, this conflicts with the badge of Anne of Caerdydd, reblazoned elsewhere on this LoAR: (fieldless) A butterfly argent, wings tipped gules.
Thomas Tremayne. Device resubmission. Azure, a pale bretessed Or between two bears combattant argent.
While the bretessing has brought this clear of the previous conflict, it has introduced another. This now conflicts with the arms of Paola (Rietstap): Azure, a pale bretessed Or. There's a single CD, for the addition of the secondaries.
William Hayes. Name.
The name conflicts with Will Hays (full name William Harrison Hays), author of the Hays code of propriety for American motion pictures. He is listed in general references (e.g. the New Century Cyclopedia of Names, vol.II, p.1950), so he's important enough to protect. The use of the diminutive is worth no difference, per Rule V.4.c.
When considering conflict against an historical figure, we must consider all the names by which the figure is known; the removal of the middle name is thus usually insufficient difference. John Kennedy, for instance, would definitely conflict with John Fitzgerald Kennedy; Thomas Edison, with Thomas Alva Edison; and so on. See the case of Patrick MacManus, LoAR of March 92, p.14.
The submitter's armory was registered under the holding name William of the Outlands.
WEST
Aldric of Wolfden. Device. Sable, a wolf's head erased contourny within a bordure indented argent.
This armory was already registered, on the LoAR of Dec 91. Please instruct the submitter to draw the bordure, and its indentations, larger.
Aneala, Barony of. Badge. Per fess argent and azure, a double-headed demi-swan displayed sable, conjoined with a demi-sun inverted argent.
The conjoining of the demi-charges tends to render both unidentfiable; in particular, most of the commenters found it difficult to recognize the sun. This must be returned for redesign.
Chryse Raptes. Device. Vairy sable and Or, a bend and a bordure gules.
This conflicts with the mundane arms of Froidcourt (Rietstap): D'or à la bande de gueules à la bordure de même (Or, a bend gules, a bordure of the same). There's a single CD, for field tincture.
The College's ban on the international "no" symbol (a bend and bordure gules in combination) only applies when the combination is actually used as a "no" symbol: surmounting the symbol of whatever's being forbidden. The bend-bordure combination is not banned when there is no underlying charge. In this case, since vair isn't a charge, we find no stylistic problems here.
Garrett of Vanished Wood. Device. Quarterly vert and argent, embedded in a tree stump eradicated proper a double-bitted axe argent hafted of wood proper, on a chief azure four mullets of eight points argent.
Half of the argent axe blade is on argent, in violation of our Rule of Contrast. This should be resubmitted with a different tincture of axe, and preferably with less use of proper. When he resubmits, instruct him to draw the chief broader.
Gráinne of Starmount. Device. Per pale and per chevron purpure and argent, three roses counterchanged.
Visual conflict with the badge of Kostbera Ulfsdottir (SCA): Per pale and per chevron azure and argent, three roses counterchanged. Though we concede sufficient technical difference, the consensus of those at the Laurel meeting was that the two were too similar. Some attributed it to the similarity of blue and purple, others to the identical complex patterns of light and dark; but all agreed that the visual similarity overrode the CDs for field and charge tincture.
Johann Mathern. Device. Bendy sinister argent and gules, on a pale azure a unicorn rampant beneath seven mullets of seven points in chevron argent.
When compressed on the pale in this manner, the mullets in chevron strongly resemble an arch of mullets. This motif has been returned before now (in the LoARs of Sept 84 and Feb 91), and there seems to be no reason not to continue this policy.
Leonia Dubarry. Device. Gules, in chief two escallops argent.
This conflicts with Acre (Papworth 681): Gules, three escallops argent. There's a single CD, for number of charges.
This conflict had been considered by Lord Vesper, but Lord Crux Australis had argued that there should be a CD for the escallops' placement on the field ("in chief" vs. "centered"), as well as their number. The ensuing discussion in the commentary on defaults and forced changes has been enlightening, but has missed an essential point: one cannot grant difference for change between two groups of charges, if the attribute being changed (placement, posture, whatever) doesn't apply to both groups.
This point is easier to see when applied to other categories of change ... for example, posture. The change between a lion rampant and a hand apaumy is a single difference, for type. We don't grant two CDs, for type and posture -- because lions can't be apaumy and hands can't be rampant (Baron Robin's "extra-ordinaries" notwithstanding). Change between two postures can only be counted if both charges could be in those postures. The principle was discussed further on the LoAR of 15 Sept 85, p.3.
Placement can be dependent on other categories of change besides number. For instance, between a chief and a base there's a single CD, for type -- not two CDs, for type and placement on the field. The latter cannot be counted, because chiefs by definition cannot be in base. The only categories in which difference can be counted are the ones both charges share: in this example, type of charge.
Finally, to take an example close to the current case: between one bezant and in pale two bezants we count a single change, for number. There's no further difference counted for placement -- not because the charge groups are (or aren't) in their default placement, but because a single bezant cannot be in pale.
So it is for this submission. Between Leonia's device and the arms of Acre we count a CD for number. Acre's charges are two and one -- a placement which can only apply to groups of three charges. Any other number of charges is hard pressed to get a CD for placement, because no other number can be 2&1. Had Acre's arms been, say, in bend three escallops, I'd agree there should be a CD for placement as well as number: groups of either two or three escallops can be in bend, or in chief. But since only groups of three charges can be 2&1, a change to any other number wouldn't normally count the change in placement independently.
This specific case is complicated by the fact that Leonia's escallops are on the same spots on the shield as two of Acre's escallops. The visual effect is simply the deletion of the escallop in base, a single change. There are examples in period armory of exactly such a change being considered a cadency change: e.g. Rotherfield, c.1395, Gules, three fleurs-de-lys ermine, and its cadet branch Rothfeld, c.1586, Gules, in chief two fleurs-de-lys ermine. (Papworth 851, 849). There are other examples in Papworth: e.g. Rodney (Or, three eagles displayed vert) and its cadet branch Rodney (Or, in chief two eagles displayed vert). This change even applies to groups other than the primary charge group: e.g. the ancient arms of Stormyn, (Gules, a chevron between three mullets argent) and the Chester branch of Stormyn, 1586 (Gules, a chevron and in chief two mullets argent).
To sum up: the change from three charges 2&1 to two charges in chief cannot count a second CD for placement on the field, because two charges can't be 2&1. Period examples show the difference between this submission and Acre to be a single cadency change. This must be returned for conflict.
Louisa Reynell. Device. Gules, on a bend sinister cotised Or, a fox passant contourny sable.
This conflicts with Ursula von Moenchwald (SCA): Gules, on a bend sinister cotised between two bears passant guardant Or, a quill sable. There's one CD for the deletion of the bears, but Ursula's device isn't simple enough for Rule X.4.j.ii to apply. As currently worded, the Rule requires both armories under comparison to be simple.
Against Aithne Sionnach (SCA), Gules, on a bend sinister cotised argent, a fox courant contourney gules, there's a CD for the tincture of the bend, and (since they're considered a group of secondary charges) another for the tincture of the cotises.
Marina la Perdu. Name.
The use of the Russian given name with the French epithet is in apparent violation of Rule III.2. We need evidence of regular period contact between Russia and France before we can register this name. (The grammar would also need to be corrected, to la Perdue.)
The submitter's armory was registered under the holding name Marique of the West.
Michael FitzGeoffrey. Badge. (fieldless) A cross potent argent, overall a mullet of eight points pierced gules within an annulet vert.
This was misblazoned (and misdrawn) on the LOI: the annulet was omitted. We would normally pend the badge to allow for commentary under the correct blazon, but the badge also suffers from the overuse of overall charges, obscuring the cross. It seemed best to return this, for consultation and redesign.
Morgan the Falconer. Device. Azure, a falcon displayed, on a chief Or a rose purpure.
This conflicts with the arms of du Pont de Nuisement (Rietstap): D'azur à l'aigle d'or, au chef du même (Azure, an eagle Or and a chief of the last). There is a single CD, for the tertiary on the chief.
Oriana d'Auney. Device. Vert, three roses and a bordure embattled Or.
Conflicts with the arms of des Marets d'Allart (Rietstap): Vert, three roses Or. There's a single CD, for the bordure.
Saint Gildas the Wise, College of. Device. Per pale gules and vert, a two-headed merman erect affronty, heads addorsed argent, maintaining in dexter hand a torch Or enflamed tenné and in sinister hand an open book, between in fess two laurel wreaths Or.
With the tenné flame, the device suffers from too little contrast and too much complexity (four types of charge, five tinctures). Even had the flame been proper, as blazoned on the LOI, the device might well have still been too complex visually. This must be returned for simplification.
Styvyn Longshanks. Device change (appeal). Gules, a comet bendwise sinister, head to chief, argent.
This had been returned on the LoAR of May 92 for conflict with the arms of Honsard (Papworth 695): Gules, an eight-pointed estoile argent. The submitter has appealed this decision, arguing that (a) estoiles and comets are separate charges, so Rule X.2 should apply here; and that (b) even if X.2 doesn't apply, there should be a CD for type of charge and a CD for placement on the field. (Honsard's estoile is centered on the shield, while the submitter's comet has its head in sinister chief.)
On the first point, I find no evidence that an estoile and a comet are so distinct charges as to permit Rule X.2, the Sufficient Difference Rule, to apply between them. All my sources define the comet as a modified estoile: an estoile with a flaming tail appended. (Parker 130; Woodward 310; Franklyn & Tanner 82) Indeed, Lord Crescent notes examples from Papworth suggesting that the change from estoile to comet is a single cadency step: e.g. Waldock (Or, an estoile flaming [i.e. a comet] sable) and Waldeck (Or, an eight-pointed estoile sable). I am willing to grant a CD between the two charges, but I cannot see granting Sufficient Difference between them.
On the second point, the submitter overlooks the fact that, if we elongate the charge, parts of it must be displaced; that's included in the definition of elongation. One cannot count one CD for the first change, and another CD for the second: the second follows automatically from the first. It's analogous to the change between, say, a compass star and a compass star elongated to base, or a Greek cross and a Latin cross. So long as both charges are drawn to fill the available space, the change in type (from symmetrical to elongated) cannot also be counted as a change in placement.
This must again be returned, for conflict with the arms of Honsard. The submitter might consider using a divided field.
Thomas of Abraxa. Name.
Abraxa does not appear to be a valid period placename. Its sole use as a placename was in Thomas More's 1516 novel Utopia as the original name of the island of Utopia. The submitter has argued, in an appeal of a return by Lord Vesper, that this demonstrates Abraxa to have been considered a plausible placename in period.
The appeal forgets that More's Utopia is an allegory, with its names being descriptive. They are no more to be taken as valid than the names Pride or Goodman, from medieval morality plays. Given that abraxas is far better documented as a type of incantation or amulet (OED; 1990 E.Brit. , vol.1, p.38), we cannot consider it compatible with period toponymic construction -- or, indeed, with period bynames in general -- without better evidence.
The armory was registered under the holding name Nigel of Saint Bartholomew's College.
Thorgrímr Gautsson. Device. Gules, a snake nowed and on a chief argent three axes argent, hafted gules.
Though blazoned on the LOI as sable, the axes' heads were colored silvery grey on the submission forms -- in other words, argent, with insufficient contrast on the argent chief.
Tyne of Lostwithiel. Device. Azure, a sea-serpent erect within a bordure argent.
The sea-serpent is not drawn in a style that would allow it to be reproduced from the blazon: it isn't really erect, but muliply coiled and queue-fourchy. Although we allow a certain amount of artistic leeway, reproducibility from the blazon is a requirement.
Wolfric Hammerfestning. Device. Azure, a grinding wheel between three axes reversed argent.
No documentation was provided to support a grinding wheel as a period charge, or indeed as a period artifact. As this submission would be the defining instance of the charge in SCA heraldry, such documentation is necessary.
THE FOLLOWING SUBMISSIONS HAVE BEEN PENDED:
EAST
Robledal, Shire of. Device. Per pale Or and azure, an oak leaf inverted and fructed within a laurel wreath counterchanged.
No petition of popular support was included with the submission. This is pended until the June 93 meeting, to give the Eastern College a chance to forward the paperwork.
MERIDIES
Amber Blackwood. Device. Per chevron inverted azure and sable, a chevron inverted between an arrow fesswise and three decrescents argent.
The submission did not include an archive copy of the emblazon. Such archive copies have been required since July 92. This is pended to the June 93 meeting, to give the Meridies College a chance to forward the paperwork.
Please instruct the submitter to draw the chevron inverted issuant from the sides of the shield, not from the chief.
Celia des Archiers. Device. Azure, two winged unicorns queue-fourchy combatant and on a chief Or, three clarions azure.
The submission did not include an archive copy of the emblazon. Such archive copies have been required since July 92. This is pended to the June 93 meeting, to give the Meridies College a chance to forward the paperwork.
Celia des Archiers. Badge. Per chevron azure and Or, three clarions counterchanged.
This was submitted as a household badge for Maison des Archiers. The submission did not include an archive copy of the emblazon. Such archive copies have been required since July 92. This is pended to the June 93 meeting, to give the Meridies College a chance to forward the paperwork.
Dena of Trollfen. Holding name (see RETURNS) and device. Argent, a bend sinister between four roundels purpure.
This was submitted under the name Caitlin Magwynne of Dolwyddelan. That name could not be registered; but since holding names are used to register otherwise-acceptable armory, we can't register a holding name until the armory is registered. And that can't be done until the paperwork is complete: the submission did not include an archive copy of the emblazon.
This is pended to the June 93 meeting, to give the Meridies College a chance to forward the paperwork. If all goes well, this will be registered under the holding name Dena of Trollfen.
Jean Paul le Malicieux. Device. Argent, a chevron inverted engrailed sable between a tower azure, battlements enflamed proper, and two fleurs-de-lys azure.
This must be pended for two reasons. The more important is that the tincture of the chevron was accidentally omitted from the blazon in the LOI, making it azure by default. Please instruct the submitter to draw the chevron inverted issuant from the sides of the shield, not from the chief.
Second, the submission did not include an archive copy of the emblazon. Such archive copies have been required since July 92. This is pended to the June 93 meeting, to give the Meridies College a chance to forward the paperwork, and to allow for commentary under the correct blazon.
Starhelm Warlocke. Badge. Azure, in fess a decrescent and a mullet of seven points argent charged with a pheon inverted gules, a bordure embattled argent.
This was submitted as a household badge for Ladyhall. The submission did not include an archive copy of the emblazon. Such archive copies have been required since July 92. This is pended to the June 93 meeting, to give the Meridies College a chance to forward the paperwork.
Stephan of Durham. Device. Azure, on a bend sinister between two wolves passant to sinister argent, a sword inverted gules.
The submission did not include an archive copy of the emblazon. Such archive copies have been required since July 92. This is pended to the June 93 meeting, to give the Meridies College a chance to forward the paperwork.
MIDDLE
Antonio Franco di Milano. Badge. Ermine, a tower vert, a bordure gules.
This was submitted as a household badge for Villa Verde. The submission did not include an archive copy of the emblazon. Such archive copies have been required since July 92. This is pended to the June 93 meeting, to give the Midrealm College a chance to forward the paperwork.
OUTLANDS
Arianrwydd of the Mists. Badge. (fieldless) Two leather slippers addorsed proper goutty d'eau.
The submission did not include an archive copy of the emblazon. Such archive copies have been required since July 92. This is pended to the June 93 meeting, to give the Outlands College a chance to forward the paperwork.
Dominica Leontyne du Lac. Device resubmission. Per pale ermine and azure ermined argent, three roses counterchanged sable and argent, all barbed and seeded proper.
The submission did not include an archive copy of the emblazon. Such archive copies have been required since July 92. This is pended to the June 93 meeting, to give the Outlands College a chance to forward the paperwork.
Dominica Leontyne du Lac. Badge. Lozengy counter-ermine and ermine, on a bend argent an ermine spot between two bells all palewise azure.
This was submitted as a badge for the alternate persona of Yasmin the Mysterious. The submission did not include an archive copy of the emblazon. Such archive copies have been required since July 92. This is pended to the June 93 meeting, to give the Outlands College a chance to forward the paperwork.
Haakon Thorgilsson. Badge. Per fess indented argent and vert, in chief a fox's mask gules.
This was submitted as a household badge for House Fox Pass. The submission did not include an archive copy of the emblazon. Such archive copies have been required since July 92. This is pended to the June 93 meeting, to give the Outlands College a chance to forward the paperwork.
James the Small. Device. Per pale wavy vert and argent, a unicorn rampant to sinister and a demon statant erect counterchanged, maintaining between them a heart sable.
The blazon on the LOI omitted the counterchanging, making all the charges sable by default. This is pended to the June 93 meeting, to permit commentary under the correct blazon.
WEST
Mícheál de la Ferret. Device. Quarterly Or and argent, a ferret passant between two anvils and a roundel sable.
The device appeared in the LoI as Quarterly Or and argent, a ferret passant between three anvils sable. The submitted forms, however, show the secondary charges as two anvils and a roundel. This is pended to the June 93 meeting to permit commentary under the correct blazon.
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