Copyright © 1999 Society
for Creative Anachronism, Inc.
SCA - College of Arms
600 Cedar Street, NW
Washington, DC 20012
(202) 726-4396
herald@sca.org
http://www.sca.org/heraldry/laurel
May 21, 1999
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 May Laurel meeting was held on May 8, 1999 with a roadshow in Caid, and considered the following letters of intent: Atenveldt (January 1), Caid (January 2), Gold Dolphin Letter to Protect (January 16), Atlantian (January 18), Drachenwald (January 18), Outlands (January 20), West (January 22), Ansteorra (January 23), AEthelmearc (January 25), Artemesia (January 25), An Tir (January 26), Middle (January 27), Electrum Letter to Protect (January 28), and Meridies (January 30). Original commentary on these LoIs must be in the College's hands no later than March 31, 1999. Responses and rebuttals to commentary must be in the College's hands no later than April 30, 1999.
The June Laurel meeting is scheduled for Saturday, May 29, 1999. NOTE: because of this early date, I will need all commentary/rebuttles for the February LoIs no later than Saturday, May 22, 1999, and will consider the following letters of intent: East (January 13, rescheduled pending receipt of payment), Ealdormere (dated January 15, redated by Laurel based on postmark to February 19), Atenveldt (February 1), Middle (February 5), Outlands (February 5), Lochac (February 7), Atlantia (February 14), Drachenwald (February 15), AEthelmearc (February 24), Artemesia (February 25), An Tir (February 26), Ansteorra (February 27) and Meridies (February 28). Original commentary on these LoIs must be in the College's hands no later than April 30, 1998. Responses and rebuttals to commentary must be in the College's hands no later than May 22, 1999.
The July Laurel meeting is scheduled for Saturday, July 17, 1999 and will consider the following letters of intent: Atenveldt (March 1), Outlands (March 5), East (March 6), Middle (March 11), West (March 14), Atlantia (March 15), Lochac (March 15), Caid (March 16), An Tir (March 26), Ansteorra (March 30), and Meridies (March 30). Original commentary on these LoIs must be in the College's hands no later than May 31, 1998. Responses and rebuttals to commentary must be in the College's hands no later than June 30, 1999.
The August Laurel meeting is scheduled for Sunday, August 8, 1999 (the day after Pennsic land grab) and will consider the following letters of intent: Atenveldt (April 1), Drachenwald (April 2), Artemesia (April 5), East(April 11), An Tir (April 15), Atlantia (April 19), Lochac (April 19), AEthelmearc (April 27), Ansteorra (April 27), Middle (April 29), and Meridies (April 30). Original commentary on these LoIs must be in the College's hands no later than June 30, 1998. Responses and rebuttals to commentary must be in the College's hands no later than July 31, 1999.
The September Laurel meeting is tentatively scheduled for Sunday, September 5.
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.
Contourny
There appears to be some difference of opinion in the college about the correct spelling of contourny. While that is the standard SCA spelling, heraldry texts which mention the term at all consistantly give it the spelling contourné. Nonetheless the situation is not so simple.
English blazonry routinely uses terms of French origin, whether continued from Medieval usage or as later borrowings. The herald writing the blazon has the decision of whether to retain the French spelling or to Anglicize it. Taking semy as an example, Woodward spells it "semé" even in his glossary of English terms. Parker lists both spellings, with the French being the header spelling. Brooke-Little also gives both, but with the English version being primary. The choice is is a matter of personal preference, with the one limitation that one should be consistantly apply either French or English spellings throughout the blazon.
Turning to contourny, the term seems not to be actually used in mundane English blazonry. Fox-Davies consider it a theoretical superfluity, with "to the sinister" the phrase actually used. Parker labels it as a French term. Woodward lists it both in his English and his French glossaries, but gives no example of its use in an English blazon. Based on Woodward even in French usage it seems to apply primarily to the decrescent (croissant contourné). The SCA’s use, then, appears to be an innovative, albeit reasonable use of a theoretical or foreign term in actual blazonry. This provides the answer to why English heraldic texts routinely retain the French spelling: as a theoretical or foreign term there has been no need to adjust the spelling to English blazon.
How then should we spell it? The answer is provided by looking at our general usage. Modern SCA blazonry almost always uses Anglicized spellings. The principle of consistancy therefore demands that we similarly Anglicize this word. Otherwise we would end up with such barbarisms as "Argent, semy of lions contourné sable."
On Letters of Intention to Protect
The issue of the administrative requirements for letters of intent to protect has been raised, with some commenters arguing that mini-emblazons are required with them. While we agree that it would have be nice to have mini-emblazons, we have agreed to protect mundane heraldry in the past based on its existence in standard sources.
New Forms
Laurel designate informs me that effective with the May, 1999 LoIs any submissions not on the new forms will be returned for that reason. All submissions must be on the new forms.
New Laurel Reminder
All submission packages, electronic copies of every LoI from March 1999, and payments should go to Laurel Designate Dame Elsbeth Anne Roth (Kathryn Van Stone, 1194 Firwood Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15243 (412) 306-0416 kvs@cs.cmu.edu). Hard copies of the LoIs still need to be sent to me.
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.
Until next month, pray believe that I am, and remain,
Your faithful servant,
Jaelle of Armida
Laurel Queen of Arms