SCA - College of Arms

600 Cedar Street, NW

Washington, DC 20012

(202) 726-4396

herald@sca.org

http://www.sca.org/heraldry/laurel

December 23, 1998

 

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!

 

The December Laurel meeting was held on December 13, 1998 and considered the following letters of intent: Ansteorra (July 30), Atenveldt (August 1), Middle (August 2), Caid (August 6), Artemesia (August 8), West (August 17), Atlantia (August 23), Lochac (August 24), An Tir (August 26), Ansteorra (August 28), Outlands (August 31).

 

The January Laurel meeting is scheduled for January 16, 1999 and will consider the following letters of intent: Calontir (June 11), Atenveldt (September 1), Middle (September 5), Laurel (September 12), Atlantia (September 14), Drachenwald (September 14), Outlands (September 15), Lochac (September 17), An Tir (September 23), West (September 28), Ansteorra (September 30), Caid (September 30), and Meridies (September 30). Original commentary on these LoIs must be in the College's hands no later than November 30, 1998. Responses and rebuttals to commentary must be in the College's hands no later than December 31, 1998. Note: the Calontir September 30 has been removed by the Principal Herald.

 

The February Laurel meeting is scheduled for February 13, 1999 and will consider the following letters of intent: Atenveldt (October 1), Drachenwald (October 8), Middle (October 9), AEthelmearc (October 10), Atlantia (October 13), Lochac (October 13), Artemisia (October 24), An Tir (October 25), Ansteorra (October 30), Meridies (October 30), and Outlands (October 31). Original commentary on these LoIs must be in the College's hands no later than December 31, 1998. Responses and rebuttals to commentary must be in the College's hands no later than January 31, 1999.

 

The March Laurel meeting is scheduled for March 13, 1999 and will consider the following letters of intent: Trimaris (October 31, redated to November 1 based on postmark), Atenveldt (November 1), East (November 2), Drachenwald (November 3), AEthelmearc (November 15), Caid (November 15), Atlantia (November 16), Lochac (November 18), Artemesia (November 21), West (November 22), An Tir (November 23), and Calontir (November 22 NOTE: this is the revised version of the September 30, 1998 letter that was pulled by the Principal Herald). Original commentary on these LoIs must be in the College's hands no later than January 31, 1999. Responses and rebuttals to commentary must be in the College's hands no later than February 29, 1999.

 

 

The April Laurel meeting is tentatively scheduled for April 10, 1999.

 

 

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.

 

 

REMINDER: due to problems with receipt of Laurel packets, until the packet containing the paperwork is received, the letter may not be scheduled.

Allowing those of baronial rank to use a coronet in their arms

 

We have pended the device change of Tsivia bas Tamara of Amberview Azure, a doe lodged Or gorged of a baronial coronet and chained, on a chief embattled argent a sun in splendor gules. so the college may discuss whether we want to overturn our ban on allowing the use of a coronet in armory by someone who is not a royal peer. This was first decide by Master Baldwin as Laurel, who wrote:

At the present time, crowns and coronets are restricted to kingdoms, principalities, and royal peers. The question is: should barons (court or territorial) also be permitted to bear a crown or coronet in their arms? ... A crown is a symbol of sovereignty, which is why it occurs in the arms of a kingdom or principality. The crown in the arms of a royal peer is an allusion to this symbol. Baronies are not permitted to have crowns in their arms (they are not considered sovereign), so it would be inappropriate for a territorial baron to do so. ... Unlike a royal peer, a territorial baron does not retain his rank indefinitely. The right to bear an armorial crown is thus revocable, while the arms containing them are not. A court baron retains his rank, but this rank is even less associated with a position of sovereignty than is that of a territorial baron, so by the above analogy, it would also be inappropriate for a court baron to bear a crown. ... The weight of opinion in the College of Arms is against allowing barons to bear coronets in their arms. I concur. Cover Letter, 2 Dec 84, p.4.

 

This ban puts us in the position of telling those of baronial rank that they may wear a reserved charge, but may not display it in their arms. This situation, with the exception of the Laurel wreath for members of the Order of the Laurel, is the only situation where that happens. Knights and only knights may wear a white belt or put it on their armory, members of the Order of the Pelican and only they may wear a pelican in its piety or display it on their armory, only Masters of Arms may wear or display a white baldric, etc.

 

On the other hand, this is a long standing precedent of the college, and long standing precedents should not lightly be overthrown.

 

Please get your commentary on this matter to us no later than the end of March, 1999.

 

Certified mail.

 

I cannot accept certified mail at home. If you need to send me anything that requires a signature, contact me privately, and I will send you my work address.

 

 

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, 38135-3044. 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.

 

And remember to be a principal herald or a submissions herald, you must pass a test on the administrative handbook, in advance of receiving your approval from our office. This test is obtained from Pelican. To be put on the mailing list as a commenter you must produce at least one timely letter of comment.

 

 

 

Miscellany:

 

Gules, a lion rampant argent crowned Or, holding in its mouth a maunche vair, overall a sword azure pommeled Or. is found in Le Rôle d'Armes Bigot, 1254.

 

 

Until next month, pray believe that I am, and remain,

 

 

Your faithful servant,

 

 

 

 

Jaelle of Armida

Laurel Queen of Arms