600 Cedar Street, NW
Washington, DC 20012
(202) 7264396
herald@sca.org
http://www.sca.org/heraldry/laurel
June 22, 1997
Unto the members of the College of Arms
and all others who may read this missive do Mistress Jaelle of
Armida, Laurel Queen of Arms, and Mistress Sionyn Muirgen ní
Dhomnall, Pelican Queen of Arms, send Greetings!
THERE ARE A LOT OF IMPORTANT PIECES
OF INFORMATION IN THIS LETTER -- PLEASE READ IT ALL CAREFULLY
The June 1997 Laurel meeting was held
on Saturday, June 14, 1997 with a roadshow meeting at the Known
World Symposium on Sunday, June 22, 1997 and considered the following
letters of intent: Lochac (February 4), Caid (February 5), Ansteorra
(February 7), Atlantia (February 9), Drachenwald (February 10),
Meridies (February 19), Calontir (February 25), Middle (February
25), Trimaris (February 25), Ansteorra (February 27), West (February
27) and Caid (February 28).
The July 1997 Laurel meeting is scheduled
for Saturday, July 12, 1997 with a roadshow meeting in Oertha,
and will consider the following letters of intent: Atenveldt (March
1), Atenveldt (dated Feb 22, postmarked March 3, redated by Laurel
to March 3), An Tir (dated February 27, postmarked March 3, redated
by Laurel to March 3), Drachenwald (March 7), Atlantia (March
9), East (March 11), Lochac (dated February 28, redated by Laurel
to March 12), Meridies (March 23), Ansteorra (March 24), East
(March 30), and Middle (March 30). Original commentary on
these LoIs must be in the College's hands no later than May 31,
1997. Responses and rebuttals to commentary must be in the College's
hands no later than June 30, 1997.
The August 1997 Laurel meeting is scheduled
for Saturday August 23, with a possible roadshow at Pennsic, and
will consider the following letters of intent: Calontir (March
31, postmarked April 3, redated by Laurel to April 3), Drachenwald
(April 11), Atlantia (April 13), Lochac (April 16), Caid (April
18) Caid (April 19), West (dated March 30 postmarked April 21,
redated by Laurel to April 21), Meridies (April 28), Middle (April
29) and East (April 29). Original commentary on these LoIs
must be in the College's hands no later than June 30, 1997. Responses
and rebuttals to commentary must be in the College's hands no
later than July 31, 1997.
The September Laurel meeting is scheduled
for Saturday, September 6, and will consider the following letters
of intent: Artemisia (no date on the letter, dated by Laurel to
May 6 based on postmark), Atlantia (May 4), West (May 29), Lochac
(May 7), Caid (May 4), Caid (May 19), Drachenwald (May 5), Trimaris
(May 25), AEthelmark (May 29), East (May 29), Meridies (May 29),
Ansteorra (May 31), Atenveldt (dated April 25, redated by Laurel
to May 2), West (May 29), Laurel (May 30).Original commentary
on these LoIs must be in the College's hands no later than July
31, 1997. Responses and rebuttals to commentary must be in the
College's hands no later than August 31, 1997.
The October Laurel meeting is tentatively
scheduled for Saturday October 18, with a road show in Calontir.
Not all Letters of Intent may be
considered when they are originally scheduled on this Cover Letter.
Date of mailing of the LoI, date of receipt of the Laurel packet,
or other factors may delay consideration of certain Letters of
Intent. Additionally, not all Letters of Intent received have
been scheduled because the administrative requirements (receipt
of the forms packet, receipt of the necessary fees, etc.) have
not yet been met.
Note: if your letter of intent is not listed, it could be because Laurel hasn't gotten some or all the paperwork, and you should contact Laurel.
Congratulations
Our congratulations go to Mistress Astra
Christiana Benedict, who was recently inducted into the Order
of the Pelican by the Crown of Caid. Mistress Astra served as
Laurel Office Administrator under Bruce as Laurel. Congratulations
also go to Matins and Leveret who were each given the West Kingdom's
Leaf of Merit.
Known World Heraldic Symposium 1997
We would like to thank the autocrats
of this year's KWHS, Don Eric Brehattin and Dona Teresa Gabriela
de Montoya y Sevilla, their staff, and the Barony of Thescore
for the outstanding job they did in producing this year's KWHS.
Known World Heraldic Symposium 1998
Next year's KWHS will be in Atenveldt
(Tucson, Arizona), in June. The autocrat is our own Brickbat Herald:
Marta as tu MikaMysliwy (Linda Miku), 2527 E. Third Street,
Tucson, AZ 85716; (520) 8819492. We urge everyone
to attend.
Book of note
Heraldry An Introduction to a Nobel
Tradition by Michel Pastoureau,
ISBN 0810928302 is available for $12.95. The
main text is 96 pages, and there are another 50 pages of articles
and glossary. Michel Pastoureau is one of the leading heraldic
scholars of our time, whose works, until now, have only appeared
in French. While this book is obviously excerpted from his various
works, it contains a great deal of useful and interesting information
on medieval heraldry. Besides the text, there are a great many
color pictures of heraldry in use, most of which are medieval.
We strongly urge everyone interested in learning about heraldry,
and especially medieval heraldry to get this book.
What color is it?
We want to remind the College that we
register what is submitted, and not the blazon. We are
getting more and more submissions that were done using color copiers
or color printers. While we have nothing against using modern
technology (Laurel has been known to use it now and then), the
colors must be identifiable. If the copier/printer can not produce
recognizable tinctures, it shouldn't be used. If it is used,
the submission may be returned.
Blazon blazon, who's got the blazon?
We are noticing that a number of submission
heralds are failing to put a blazon of the submission on the armory
forms. This is required according to the administrative handbook,
as well as being very important. What is worse, SCA name and
mundane name and addresses are being left off the forms. These
are all required. If this continues, we will be forced
to return submissions for incomplete paperwork.
Double Christian Names in Russian
We would like to thank Predslaza Vydrina for all hard work she did on researching the use of double Christian names in Russia in period. We are very impressed with the amount of work and research she did on this. At this time, however, we are not prepared to ban them, though we will consider them a weirdness. We also want to remind the College that three given names in Russian is banned.
Roster on the Web Page Reminder
This is your reminder that we are planning
to keep an uptodate roster of the College of Arms
on the Laurel Web page. Anyone who does not want their address
and/or phone number put on the web page should contact me by the
end of July 1997.
New Forms
Enclosed with this package you will
find a set of the draft submission forms. These forms have already
been mailed to everyone on the mailing list, but we want to make
sure that everyone gets them. Commentary, changes, additions,
etc., will be due by the end of September 1997, and the final
version will be distributed in October. We would like to see
them in use by January 1, 1998, and they will become mandatory
by March 1, 1998.
We realize that the forms do not have
a space for the local branch; this will be corrected in the final
version. We also know that we have not spelled e-mail consistently,
that will also be corrected. In the parts labeled "for kingdom
use only", it is not required that the kingdom use
this space. Nor that they use mini-emblazon in the size/shape
on the forms. These were put on the form as place-holders only;
Laurel does not care, provided it will fit in the given space;
what size the kingdom makes the mini-emblazons (or even if they
use mini-emblazons).
Feel free to distribute it anyone who
is interested in commenting on it. Since this is going to go
to everyone in the College of Arms, not just the members on the
mailing list, we ask that anyone who is not on the mailing list
who wishes to comment on them, to send their comments to Laurel
and to their Principal Herald.
Master Herveus, the new Golden Dolphin
Herald, who has created the physical forms for us, has kindly
volunteered to produce kingdom specific forms for any kingdom
who wants them. Please contact him directly (Michael Houghton,
5412 Lakeford Lane, Bowie, MD 20720 301-464-8375. herveus@access.digex.net).
Change to Submission Rates
Effective January 1, 1998, Laurel is
raising the submission fee from $3.00 to $4.00. This is to pay
for the proposed postage increase and the assorted costs involved
with scanning the files. For the scanning project, among other
costs, will be the cost of purchasing one or more color printers
(hopefully ink jets) and printing out approximately 17,000 emblazons.
The last time Laurel changed the submission rate was five years
ago.
E-Mail Commentary
The question of establishing a list
of CoA members willing to accept e-mail commentary has once again
been raised. The last time we broached this subject we asked that
anyone who wanted to receive e-mail commentary write to Pelican
under separate cover (e.g. not in the body of a LoI or LoC). Only
four people responded so we deemed it not to be important to the
CoA.
We will try this once again. Anyone
wishing to receive e-mail commentary may contact Brenna Lowri
o Ruthin who actually maintains the mailing list directly as:
rwinbery@aol.com
Money to Laurel
Several kingdoms are having problems
getting their submission fees to Laurel in a timely manner. This
problem is most acute in kingdoms where the kingdom exchequer
provides the check. Laurel does not generally dictate internal
submission processing, provided the provisions of the Administrative
Handbook are met. However, if the required fees are not received
by Laurel on or before the last day of the month following the
date of the Letter of Intent (e.g. a letter dated in April would
have to have the fees received by Laurel by the end of May), Laurel
will reschedule the letter. It is up to the submissions
herald and the principal herald to ensure the fees are received
in a timely manner, not Laurel.
How to become a Principal or a Submissions
Herald
It is obvious to the Laurel Office that
too large a percentage of the College of Arms either does not
read or does not follow the Administrative Handbook. Failure to
do so impacts the submitters, the kingdom College of Heralds,
the College of Arms and the Laurel Office. Therefore, effective
July 1, 1997, all candidates for principal herald or submissions
herald must write to Pelican Queen of Arms to obtain a copy of
the open book test on the administrative handbook, take the test,
return it to her, and pass the test, before they will be deemed
acceptable. Passing the test is not the only prerequisite for
being deemed acceptable. It is, however, a prerequisite. Note:
the administrative handbook was mailed to the entire college of
arms late last year, it is available for sale through Free Trumpet
Press, and is available on the Laurel website (http://www.sca.org/heraldry/laurel).
Does anyone want a job?
Yulstan Sigewealdeing has been Morsulus
Herald (in charge of maintaining the A&O) and selling the
A&O's and other heraldic publications, since 1992. While he
is perfectly happy to continue in the Morsulus job, (and Laurel
is more than happy with the job he is doing) he would like to
find someone else to take over the selling end of the job. If
anyone is interested they should contact him for further details
on what the job entails. He estimates it takes 200 hours a year,
needs a small bedroom or the equivalent to store the merchandise.
The minimum requirements for the job
are: being a paid member of the SCA, reasonable expectations of
having a stable address for at least the next three years, understanding
of basic recordkeeping, ability to mail filled orders in a timely
fashion, and time to attend yearly Known World Heraldic Symposium
at Free Trumpet expense. The successful candidate will become
a warranted Laurel office deputy.
LoAR Subscriptions and Roster changes:
Send roster changes, additions, subtractions,
subscriptions to the LoAR and address changes in a separate letter,
not in the body of a LoI or LoC to: Mistress Sionyn Muirgen ní
Dhomnall, Pelican Queen of Arms, Jackie Watkins, 3532 Winding
Wind Cove, Bartlett, TN, 381353044. Please make all checks
or money orders payable to "SCA Inc. College of Arms".
The cost is currently $25.00 a year.
Also, remember all administrative
issues (requests for warrants, quarterly reports, etc.) need to
be sent to Pelican.
Certified mail.
I cannot accept certified mail at home.
If you need to send me mail return receipt requested, contact
me privately, and I will send you my work address.
Miscellany:
". . it becomes quite apparent
that, apart from Spain, in regions where the lion is common the
eagle is uncommon and vice versa. In medieval heraldry the two
animals were regarded as opposites, although both were insignia
of power. In much of 13th century Europe there seems to have been
a division of loyalty between the eagle (supports of the emperor)
and the lion (his adversaries), so that many noblemen adopted
the eagle or the lion as their charge for political reasons."
Heraldry: An Introduction to a Noble Tradition, by Michel
Pastoureau, pg 102, quoting himself from L'héraldique
nouvelle, Pour la science, November 1977.
Until next month, pray believe that
I am, and remain,
Your faithful servant,
Jaelle of Armida
Laurel Queen of Arms