Society for Creative Anachronism
College of Arms
For the December 2002 meetings, printed February 27, 2003
To all the College of Arms and to all others to whom this missive comes, from François Laurel, Zenobia Wreath, and Mari Pelican, health and good friendship.
This letter contains the issues raised in the December 2002 LoAR for CoA discussion. The text in this letter is copied verbatim from that LoAR; it is provided here for convenience. As with a February LoI, these matters are currently scheduled for the Laurel meetings in June 2003. Original commentary must be in the College's hands no later than April 30, 2003. Responses and rebuttals to commentary must be in the College's hands no later than May 31, 2003.
Barbara la Tapissiere. Device. Pean, a sheaf of lace bobbins and on a chief Or three lozenges gules.
The field was originally blazoned as erminois. This must be pended for further conflict research.
(This was originally item 2 on the August 31 LoI from Meridies.)
Emma de Fetherstan. Device change. Quarterly per fess indented argent and gules.
This submission is being pended for consideration of whether the SCA should un-protect one of the versions of the Panama flag which are currently registered in the Armorial and Ordinary, that being, Quarterly 1 and 4 argent, 2 gules, and 3 azure. This version was protected in the original "National Flags to be added to the SCA A and O" list sent out with the September 1995 LoAR. The current flag of Panama, Quarterly first and fourth argent, second gules and third azure, in bend a mullet azure and another gules was protected in November 1999. Without evidence that the 1995 registration was a national flag of Panama (or elsewhere) at some point in time, it will be un-protected.
A number of vexillogical sources discuss the flag of Panama and its history, and the 1995 version is not mentioned as a one-time national flag in any of these sources. Sources checked included the Flags of the World web site (http://www.efb.ch/flags/flags/pa.html), Flags of the World (ed. H. Gresham Carr), Flags (by Whitney Smith), and Webster's Concise Encyclopedia of Flags and Coats of Arms (ed. William G. Crampton). We are fortunate to have many of the persons involved in the initial 1995 protection list still active in the College, and perhaps they can shed some light on this question.
If the 1995 registration is found to require continued protection in the SCA, then this submission will conflict with it. There is one CD for indenting the per fess line, but no other difference for changing only one-quarter of the tinctures on the field.
The submitter has requested that, should this armory be accepted, her previous device, Argent masoned sable, a feather bendwise sinister gules, should be released.
This does not conflict with Ulf of Sjaelland, Quarterly gules and argent. RfS X.4.a Field Difference states "There is a clear difference for reversing the tinctures of a field evenly divided into two parts, per saltire, or quarterly." So, per RfS X.4.a.ii.c ("Other Field-Primary Armory"), there's one CD for changing the order of the tinctures of the quarterly field and a second CD for indenting the per fess line.
(This was originally item 6 on the August 17 LoI from Ansteorra.)
Lochac, Kingdom of. Badge. (Fieldless) A mantle gules, lined and charged on the sinister breast with a mullet of six points argent.
A number of commenters expressed concerns that this badge might be viewed as offensive, as it evoked thoughts of the garments marked with a six-pointed star which were required for Jews under Nazi Germany. This badge is pended for discussion of that issue.
Some commenters also questioned the use of a mantle as a charge. Various sorts of clothing are found as charges in period armory: shirts, hose, even dirty underpants (good enough for a Knight of the Golden Fleece: the canting arms of Abenbrouke in the Grande Armorial Equestre de la Toison d'Or). A mantle seems to be a reasonable piece of clothing for use in heraldry. This badge's depiction of the mantle, hanging partially open with the opening in the front, is compatible with later mantles in heraldry, as in the 1720 Stafford badge illustrated in Neubecker's Heraldry - Sources, Symbols and Meanings, p. 208.
(This was originally item 8 on the August 20 LoI from Lochac.)
Pray know that I remain
In service
François la Flamme
Laurel Principal King of Arms