The kingdom of Æthelmearc wishes to have it formally noted in the Ordinary and Armorial that this badge, registered in November 2003, is designated for use as a standard augmentation by the Kingdom.
Listed on the LoI as Alric æt Mæidesstana, the preposition was submitted as of but changed to æt in kingdom in the belief that æt was the Old English equivalent of the modern English of. As the Old English preposition meaning of is of, we have returned this name to the originally submitted form.
Submitted as Emma Idunn, this name combines an English given name and an Old Norse given name. Because Old Norse does not use unmarked patronymics, Idunn is not a properly formed byname. The properly constructed Old Norse form would be Idunsdottir.
To make this name registerable, the byname must either be changed to a close English form or to the properly constructed Old Norse form. Because a name mixing Middle English and Old Norse is one step from period practice, we have changed this name to Emma Idone, an all English form. Unmarked patronymics are common in English. Reaney and Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames, dates this spelling of the byname to 1327. The change from Idunn to Idone is also a smaller change in sound and appearance than the change from Idunn to Idunsdottir.
Submitted as Hrothgar Ivarsson, the submitter requested authenticity for 10th-11th C. As submitted, the name mixes an Old English form of the given name with an Old Norse patronymic. An authentic name combining these elements in period would have been written completely in Old English or completely in Old Norse depending upon the language of the document in which the name was recorded. We have changed the name to Hróðgeirr Ívarsson, a fully Old Norse form of this name to fulfill his request for authenticity.
The barony has a letter of permission to conflict with a badge of André Lessarde: (Fieldless) A legless bee displayed barry sable and Or, winged Or, and a letter of permission to conflict with a badge of Elizabeth Braidwood: (Fieldless) A bee Or.
Originally registered in February 1986 as Per fess indented vert and sable, a long cross paty enhanced Or between two swords argent. Upon submission of his badge (registered on this LoAR) it was specifically requested that the crosses on his device and badge have matching blazons. The use of the terms "long" and "pat(t)y" have been out of use for nearly twenty years in SCA blazon, with good reason. These terms have been superseded by the terms "Latin" and "formy" respectively for reasons of period usage and unambiguity. With all this in mind, we are registering the badge as [a] Latin cross formy and reblazoning the device to match.
Submitted under the blazon A long cross paty... to have the blazon of the cross match that of the cross on his device. The blazon was changed at kingdom to A long cross formy... noting that the use of the term 'paty' in blazon was discontinued in August 1986.
The use of the terms "long" and "pat(t)y" have been out of use for nearly twenty years in SCA blazon, with good reason. These terms have been superseded by the terms "Latin" and "formy" respectively for reasons of period usage and unambiguity. With that in mind, we have changed the badge's blazon to A Latin cross formy... and by request have also reblazoned his device to match, also on this LoAR.
The ermine was blazoned as statant on the LoI, but the emblazon clearly shows it to be passant. We have changed the blazon accordingly.
The submitter requested authenticity for 10th-12th C Scotland and accepted only minor changes. No documentation was submitted or any found for any form of MacRobert earlier than 1543; 1543 is the date of the submitted form. Therefore we are unable to comply with the submitter's desire for authenticity. If he is interested in the related name MacRobbie, Black, s.n. MacRobbie, lists a Maldowny McRobi in 1363. While this is still not 10th-12th C, it is closer to his desired period.
This name combines an Italian given name with a Spanish byname; by precedent this is a step from period practice.
Submitted as Ithamar Botolph sunu, the submitter requested authenticity for late 6th or early 7th C England. The documentation submitted lists Boltolph as the modern spelling of this saint's name; Searle, Onomasticon Anglo-Saxonicum, lists the spelling Boltophus from Bede, Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum. Boltophus is a Latin spelling; the submitted byname form Botolph sunu combines Latin and Old English in the same byname in violation of RfS III.1.a, which requires linguistic consistency within a name phase. The Old English equivalent according to Searle is Botwulf. We have changed the byname to Botwulfes sunu, which puts the patronymic in the genitive case as required by Old English grammar.
Blazoned on the LoI as Sable, a natural leopard's head jessant-de-lis within a bordure Or, the head as drawn is better blazoned as that of a catamount, a standard blazon term. We have reblazoned it accordingly and also noted the sable markings on the head, which are not worth difference but are a blazonable detail.
Submitted as Sayna of Lincoln, the submitter requested authenticity for a 12th century English Jewish woman. We have changed the name to Sayna de Lincolne to partially comply with this request. Layamon's Brut, written in the first half of the 13th C, has several examples of this placename spelled Lincolne. Barring evidence that Sayna was a given name used by Jewish women in England, we cannot say whether this name is authentic for a Jewish Englishwoman.
A possible conflict was called with Jessica Rebecca Silvana: Per chevron argent and azure, two castles and a dove migrant to chief counterchanged. The only difference is for change of type of the charges, but X.2 must apply for these to be clear. It is obvious that there is substantial enough difference between a dove and a winged wolf for X.2 to apply as far as the charge in base is concerned. As for the charges in chief, Black Stag has supplied many pictures of chess-rooks from period armorials. As the visual distinction between them and period renditions of castles is quite striking, and as the two charges were considered different charges in period, the difference between chess-rooks and castles is sufficiently substantial for X.2 to apply here as well. Since there are only two types of charge present in each case, all of which are directly on the field, and the type of all the charges has been substantially changed, X.2 applies here, which clears the conflict.
Please advise the submitter to draw the apex of the line of division higher, thereby making the line of division steeper.
Submitted as Order of the Lion's Paw of Kenmare, we have removed the apostrophe; there is no evidence that the apostrophe was used in period.
Her primary name is now Rosalia di Bellavita; her alternate name is Rosalia O Brogan.
Please instruct the submitter to draw fewer and larger musical notes, to draw the chevron both higher on the field and steeper, and to draw the bird larger.
Submitted as Kathelyne Fraser of Lochdoy, her name was registered in October 2003 as Katherine Fraser of Lochdoy to meet the submitter's request for an authentic Scottish name. The submitter requested a reconsideration of her originally submitted name, dropping the request for authenticity. The originally submitted form of her name, which combined a Flemish given name with Scots bynames, is certainly registerable. There is substantial contact between Flanders and Scotland from the 12th C on onward including large Flemish households in Scottish burghs. That names should combine elements from both naming pools is expected.
Her old name, Katherine Fraser of Lochdoy, is released.
Discussion of this armory centered around whether it was simple enough to allow a field gyronny of sixteen. The base precedent simply states: "We will register Gyronny of sixteen in simple cases, but nothing more, barring period evidence" [LoAR June 1999]. A later precedent partially addresses the question of what constitutes "simple" for this purpose:
[Gyronny of sixteen argent and sable, a salamander statant regardant gules enflamed Or and a bordure counterchanged sable and Or] In general, we consider a single primary charge within a bordure to be a "simple case" of armorial design. Adding a solid-tinctured bordure to the submitter's previous armory would certainly appear to be a simple case. However, the counterchanged bordure adds substantially to the visual complexity of the device, which led the College to question whether this submission should be considered a simple case.
In this submission, all the charges maintain their identifiability despite the visual complexity of the device. While the salamander's identifiability is somewhat confused by the field, it is no less identifiable than the salamander in Johannes' previous submission [returned for conflict Jan 2001], which Laurel ruled to be stylistically acceptable. The counterchanged bordure is clearly identifiable as well. This submission is therefore acceptable. However, it is at the absolute limit of complexity for accepting gyronny of sixteen without documentation showing that the overall design of the armory is consistent with period practice. [June 2002, Acc-An Tir, Johannes Vagus]
As Johannes' device provides a similar motif to the one under consideration here, let us compare them. The current submission uses a bordure of a solid tincture, which is considerably simpler than the already registered bordure (which is gyronny of sixteen, counterchanged to a gyronny of sixteen field). The central charge on the current submission (an annulet) is simpler in outline than the already registered central charge (a salamander), but is also hollow in the middle, letting the complex field show through. So in terms of overall simplicity in context, the annulet must be regarded as having equal or somewhat less simplicity then the salamander.
What the annulet may lack in simplicity compared to the salamander, however, is at least made up for by the greater simplicity of the bordure. Therefore, this badge is comparably simple to the device of Johannes Vagus, Gyronny of sixteen argent and sable, a salamander statant regardant gules enflamed Or and a bordure counterchanged sable and Or, and thus is likewise registerable. It is, however, likewise at the limit of complexity for accepting gyronny of sixteen without documentation showing that the overall design of the armory is consistent with period practice.
Please instruct the submitter to raise the top point of the line of division.
This name combines English and German elements, which is one step from period practice. Some commenters wondered whether Rheinfels was a period spelling for this name, but no one found a period citation for this undoubtedly period castle. Therefore, we are giving the submitter the benefit of the doubt for the spelling of the byname.
Submitted as Anna de Brabant, the submitter requested authenticity for 13th-15th C Flemish and allowed minor changes. The given name, Anna, is a fine 13th-15th C Flemish name; five instances were found in Flanders during that period according to Guntram von Wolkenstein's "Vlaamse Vrouwennamen." The byname, as submitted, is documented to 1554. However, a collection of legal documents from the Low Countries, available at http://geneaknowhow.net/regel/nederlanden.htm, has a document, Brabant landcharter, 1292, which says, "Wy Jan, bi der gratien ons Heeren hertoge van Lothryck, van Brabandt ende van Limborg" (roughly "I Jan, by the Grace of God Duke of Lothryck, of Brabant and of Limborg"). Therefore, we have changed the name to Anna van Brabandt to fulfill the submitter's request for authenticity.
The Consort's previously registered armory, Per pale argent and azure, on a fess wavy cotised counterchanged an escallop Or, overall a wreath of roses proper, is released.
Her old name, Briana MacNamara, is retained as an alternate name.
The submitters have a letter of permission to conflict with Eliahu ben Itzhak: Or, on a mullet of six points sable, a griffin segreant contourny Or and Or, on a mullet of six points sable, a griffin sejant to sinister erect, grasping in its dexter talon three arrows inverted and in its sinister talon a paintbrush and palette, all Or.
Her old name, Catrin ferch Llewelyn o Aberystwyth, is released.
His old name, Peter Valmont, is released.
Nice name!
Submitted as Jonah Mac Coghlan, the submitter requested authenticity for 12th to 14th C Irish and accepted minor changes. However, Jonah is documented as a post-Reformation English name. Woulfe, Irish Names and Surnames, s.n. Mac Cochlain, notes M'Cochlane and M'Coghlane as late period Anglicized forms of this name. We have changed the name to Jonah M'Coghlane to comply as much as possible with his request for authenticity.
Please advise the submitter that unicorns should not shave their goatees. Unicorns are chimerical monsters; aside from the single horn they should have a goat's beard, cloven hooves, and a lion's tail. Fortunately, this submission lacks only the beard, and is thus clearly identifiable as a unicorn.
Her previously registered device, Per pale azure and vert, a unicorn statant argent and on a chief Or three anchors azure, is released.
(Irreverent comment: The peanut gallery wishes to thank Master Nikulai for once again giving us an excuse for singing Tom Lehrer's "Lobachevsky" song at a decision meeting...)
This is a release of primary name and redesignation of an alternate name as the new primary.
Órlaith Carey is changed from her alternate name to her primary name. Her old name, Orlaith of Storvik, is released.
Please instruct the submitter to draw the chevron higher up on the shield. As drawn, this is as low on the field as a chevron can go without being returned.
The submitter requested authenticity for 12th C Wales. Submitted as Rhiryd ap Gwerstan, this uses the standard modern spelling for the given name. We have changed the given name to Ryryd, a 13th C form documented in Heather Rose Jone's article, "A Simple Guide to Constructing 13th Century Welsh Names," to match the submitted documentation and to partially comply with his request for authenticity.
Gwerstan is the standard modern spelling of this name and is found in most modern genealogies of the Kings of Powys. However, since neither the submitter nor the College was able to find a 13th C citation for this name, we cannot make the spelling of the patronymic authentic for 13th C Wales.
The given name is documented as the name of a King of the Goths and dated to 410. Combined with the 16th C spelling of the surname, there is a more than 1000 year gap between the dates for the names. This is an unregisterable combination; in such cases either documentation must be found that lessens the dates between the names, or the name must be returned. In this case, documentation was found that lessens the gap in dates. Morlet, Les Noms de Personne sur le Territoire de l'Ancienne Gaule du VIe au XIIe Siecle dates Alaricus to the 12th C. This is a Latin form, but the vernacular would be Alaric. This leaves only a 400 year gap between the names; this is still one step from period practice, but it is registerable.
Submitted as Alix de Albini, the submitter requested authenticity for 12th C England and accepted minor changes. We have changed the name to Alix de Albeni to partially comply with this request. As submitted, this name combines a 14th C French given name with a hypothetical spelling of a 12th C English locative byname. Reaney and Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames s.n. Alis gives the form Aliz in 1189, and s.n. Daubeney notes Nigel de Albinio from the Domesday Book, and Nigel de Albeni from 1114-1123. We would change this name to Aliz de Albeni to fulfill the submitter's request for authenticity, but this would involve changing the language of the given name, which is a major change.
This name combines English and Gaelic elements in a single name; this is one step from period practice. The double given names Caitlin Christiana are grandfathered to the submitter, whose name Caitlin Christiana Rosa del León was registered in 1987. The Grandfather Clause allows a submitter to register name elements from a previously registered name, so long as they are used in the same manner and exactly the same spelling as in the previously registered name and no new violations of the Rules for Submissions exist in the new name that did not exist in the registered name. Therefore, we must ask if the changes in byname and name construction introduce a new violation of the Rules for Submission that was not present in the original submission. They does not. Instead, the change from Rosa del León to Wintour reduces the number of languages in this name. Therefore, this name is registerable via the Grandfather Clause.
Her old name, Caitlin Christiana Rosa del León, is released.
This is clear of Jakob Stiufsun: Per fess with a left step sable and pily bendwise argent and azure. A visual check confirms that Jakob's device has the step going the opposite way from this submission. There is a CD for changing the tincture of at least half the field, and a separate CD for the aggregate changes to the line of division. (There might not be a CD between a simple left step and a simple right step, but the left-vs.-right combined with the pily division in base is sufficient for a CD.)
Please advise the submitter to draw the step wider.
His previously registered device, Sable, an open book argent between three pairs of torches in saltire argent flamed Or, is retained as a badge.
There was some discussion about the charge in chief. As cited on the LoI, a foi was blazoned as such as early as July 1993 in the registration for Lothar Freund's device: Vert, a fess embattled counterembattled between a foi and a bull's head caboshed Or.
This name combines English and Gaelic elements in a single name, which is one step from period practice.
The question arose whether the name Macha was registerable, since Macha is the name of one of the three war-goddesses of the Tuatha Dé Danann. However, Ó Corrain and Maguire also cite a Saint Macha; upon further investigation, Saint Macha is the patron saint of Kilkinney, who, according to her hagiography, with her five sisters founded a church around the 6th C. Therefore, the name is registerable as a saint's name.
The submitter requested an authentic German name. This is a lovely late 13th-early 14th C German name!
Please instruct the submitter to draw the legs shorter to make the badger more identifiable as a badger.
The question of offensiveness having been raised in commentary, consensus was that the combination of charges was not offensive in this instance.
Her previously registered badge, Or, mulletty of six points, a bordure engrailed azure (registered as her device July 1981 and changed to a badge December 1995) is released.
The question was raised in commentary whether the line of division was too low on the field. Without the chief, it would be. However, in both SCA and actual period heraldry, when a chief is present, the area of the field which is divided is the area beneath the chief (to base of the bottom of the chief). It does not include the portion of the field which is overlain by the chief. Thus, for example, a per bend line would start at the point where the chief meets the edge of the shield, and bisect the field as if the field ended at the bottom edge of the chief. This submission's per chevron line of division comes close to bisecting the field as if the field ended at the bottom edge of the chief as well; sufficiently close that we can register it, though the submitter should still be advised to draw the line of division slightly higher.
The submitter requested a name authentic for 12th C Scottish language/culture. As submitted, this is a lovely 16th C Scots name, but as no documentation was submitted and none found for Scottish 12th C forms of these names, we cannot say whether it would be authentic for 12th C Scotland.
Please instruct the submitter to draw fewer and larger embattlements.
Please advise the submitter to draw the spears so that they cross closer to their centers.
Submitted as Ailís inghean Muirgen of Derrybawn, the submitter requested authenticity for 14th-16th C Irish. We have changed the name to Ailís inghean Mhuirghein to partially comply with this request. Muirgen is a Middle Irish Gaelic name, and we have no evidence that this form remained in use into the the 14th C period; therefore, we substituted an appropriate Early Modern Irish spelling. The patronymic was in the nominative case; we have put it in the genitive case and lenited the the first letter to comply with Gaelic grammar. Finally, an Anglicized locative is out of place in an authentic Irish Gaelic name; it has been dropped.
Her old name, Morgan Arianblaidd, is released.
Questions were raised in commentary about whether this armory had four layers (leaf on a cartouche on a mirror on the field). The glass of the mirror is often a different tincture in period emblazons. We even found one period example where a differently-tinctured mirror was charged. Therefore charging the mirror, even when the glass is colored differently from the frame, does not violate RfS VIII.c.ii, Layer Limit.
This is clear of Eva van Oudeachterkol's badge for Embla Willsdottir: Vert, an elm leaf in bend sinister environed of a cartouche voided argent. There is one CD for type between this submission's mirror and Eva/Embla's cartouche voided. There is at least one more CD for the leaves. If we consider Eva/Embla's badge as Vert, on a cartouche vert fimbriated a leaf bendwise sinister argent with the leaf as a tertiary charge, there is a CD for changing the type and orientation. If we considered this submission as Vert, an oak leaf within a mirror voided argent then there would be two separate CDs for type and orientation.
Her previously registered device, Argent, three chevronels braced and on a chief embattled vert three wolf's heads cabossed argent, is released.
Please instruct the submitter to draw the chief wider.
This was an appeal of a return made in kingdom by the then Blue Tyger for conflict with Arthur FitzRobert of Wiverneweald: Per bend azure and argent, a bear statant and a mullet of six points counterchanged. The submitter, supported by Eastern Crown and the East Kingdom College, is correct. This is technically clear of Arthur's armory, with one CD for the field (per bend vs. per bend sinister division), one CD for type of half the (only) charge group (mullet vs. dolmen), and a third CD for posture/orientation of half the charge group (bear statant [to dexter] vs. bear statant to sinister).
Submitted as Cailean mac Eachduinn, the submitter requested authenticity for Scotland. The spelling of the given name was documented from Black, The Surnames of Scotland, as a Gaelic spelling. When Black marks a spelling as Gaelic, he means it is a modern Gaelic spelling. Occasionally, modern Gaelic forms are identical to late period Gaelic forms, but not always. In this case, Black provides a Gaelic spelling from 1467: Cailin. The patronymic appears in the same 1467 manuscript. Therefore, we have changed the name to Cailin mac Eachduinn to meet the submitter's request for authenticity.
His old name, Colin MacKenzie, is released.
The submitter requested authenticity for an unspecified language/culture. As documented, this name consists of two given names; Byzantine Greek did not use unmarked patronymics. However, as Metron Ariston and Kraken note, this can equally well be a Latin name. Metron Ariston explains:
Sebastianus is not originally a given name at all, but a Latin adjective of origin for someone from Sebaste. This is noted in Withycombe (s.n. Sebastian) so the information is pretty accessible. These sorts of locative names either as the primary name for a slave or as a cognomen in the tria nomina were fairly common in Latin and occur as given names and bynames in Greek as well. Since the saint Sebastianus was apparently a soldier martyred under Diocletian, I would guess that the use of that name derived from such a locative. (The fact that a name becomes a standard given name does not mean that its radical descriptive meaning falls out of use: Graecus was both a common slave name, a cognomen and a plain descriptive in classical times.)
Since Diomedes is the usual Latin transliteration of the Greek name of the character from Greek myth (and is also used as a "regular" name in Greek circles and for Greek immigrants and slaves at Rome), the name is actually fully Latin, but with heavy Greek overtones, nicely appropriate for early Byzantium.
Because the name can be documented as a Latin name, it is registerable.
Submitted as Erika of Öland, this name has two problems. First, the Saint Gabriel report used to document the given name lists Erika as the standard modern form and dates the spelling Eericka to the mid 16th C. Barring evidence that Erika is a reasonable pre-1600 form, it cannot be registered. We have changed the given name to Eericka to match the documentation.
The byname combines the English preposition of with a Swedish locative. RfS III.1.a states "In the case of place names and other name elements frequently used in English in their original form, an English article or preposition may be used." However, as English does not use umlauts, Öland cannot be a form used in English. Therefore, we have changed the preposition to the Swedish av to make the byname phrase linguistically consistent.
(Irreverent comment from the peanut gallery: Nice arms, all 32 of them.)
Submitted as Gianotta Dallafiora, the name was documented from The Online Catasto of 1427. This source lists names in all capital letters and eliminates spaces in name phrases. The usual documentary form of this byname is dalla Fiora; we have changed the byname to this form.
The tincture of the stag's heads had been omitted from the blazon on the Letter of Intent. However, enough commenters checked this for conflict against both Or and argent heads that we are able to register this without pending it first.
This name translates to "Company of the Crescent Moon", which is extremely evocative of The Order of the Croissant, included by the submitters as part of their documentation. The symbol of the Order of the Croissant was the crescent moon. This Order had members from many part of Europe, including Germany. However, none of the commentors found a form for this Order name other than The Order of the Croissant. Because names do not conflict in translation, these two names are not in conflict.
This badge is to be associated with the household name Gesellschaft mit der Mondsichel if that name passes. (The name was pended on this LoAR.)
The submitter requested authenticity for 13th C Italy. Because da is the usual Italian preposition used in a locative byname, the commentors questioned whether the preposition de was correct. However, as Kraken notes, "In the 13th century (the desired time frame), the transition from medieval Latin to Italian was in its early stages, and the Latin preposition de would still be in use..."
The submitter requested authenticity for 11th C southern Italy but accepted no changes. Maridonna Benvenuti's "Mercator's Place Names of Italy in 1554" shows the spelling Barri. Therefore, we are willing to give the submitter the benefit of the doubt that Bari is consistent with period forms. However, the College could not provide documentation for either of the given names in the 11th C. Finally, double given names did not come into use in Italy until after the 11th C. Marietta Aurelia da Bari is registerable, but it is not an authentic 11th C Italian name.
Nice name!
Submitted as Melisande de Bourges, several variant spellings of this name exist, but none that support the -sande spelling. Therefore, we have changed the given name to Milesenda, a form documented from Morlet, Les Noms de Personne sur le Territoire de L'Ancienne Gaule du VIe au XIIe Siècle.
Nice name!
Submitted as Sabatina Da Valle, we have changed the name to Sabatina da Valle. In period Italian names, locative prepositions are written in lowercase.
The submitter requested authenticity for 12th-13th C Italian language/culture and accepted only minor changes. The College questioned whether the preposition da, meaning "from," was appropriate with a generic toponymic byname, especially since the dated examples found by the College all showed the expected preposition+article, della or dalla, meaning "from the". A popular website on the history of San Marino, a state on the Adriatic coast of Italy (http://www.libertas.sm/), lists a Cecco di Giovanni da Valle as one of the Captains Regent of San Marino in 1442. While the name spellings on this website appear to be modern, there seems to be no reason to doubt the basic formation of this byname.
This is a reasonable 15th C Italian name. However, no documentation was provided and none found for 12th-13th C forms of these names. Therefore, we are unable to confirm that this is an authentic 12th-13th C Italian name.
His old name, Symon Quixwoode, is released.
Parker blazons similarly depicted heads as simply erased. In accordance with SCA tradition for heads couped and with prior registrations we are using the (apparently SCA-specific) term erased close to describe this depiction.
His previously registered device, Bendy gules and Or, three oak leaves sable, is released.
The given name was submitted as Thaddeus, but documented from Talan Gwynek's article, Medieval German Given Names from Silesia as Thadeus. Luther's translation of the Bible shows the saint from whom this name is derived as Thaddäus. Palmer also found a citation in Bahlow for the same spelling as the one found in Luther's Bible. Thaddeus should be a reasonable spelling variant for this name.
Submitted as Machin Vassili Miroslavich, the submitter requested authenticity for 11th-13th C Russian language/culture. As submitted, this name uses two Christian given names in a Russian name; this was ruled a step from period practice in June 1997. Furthermore, Nebuly points this out about the first given name:
The given name Machin appears in Wickenden only as a hypothetical header form, back-formed from the patronymic Machinevik (dated 1253). Based on the pronunciation, and what I find in the SSNO for related Polish forms, this is a diminutive of the name Matthias à Macz à Machin. The SSNO (s.n. Mac, Macz) has a citation for "ad Matthiam dictum Macz" dated to 1470-1480. I presume the -in was added to form an additional pet variant here, though I would normally expect that ending on a patronymic only. However, Wickenden lists Mazcinek as a given name (the -ek is another diminutive ending!), which is why I make the assumption about how -in is being used here.
To partially fulfill the submitter's request for authenticity, one of the given names must be dropped. Machin is a hypothetical form rather than a documentary form, we are dropping this name, leaving Vassili Miroslavich. Because the patronymic Miroslavich is documented to the 14th C instead of the 13th, we are unable to fully comply with his authenticity request.
The submitter requested authenticity for Scottish language/culture and accepted minor changes. This name mixes a Gaelic given name with Scots bynames; such a mixture is one step from period practice. We would change this name to an all Scots form to comply with the submitter's request for authenticity, but changing the language of an element is a major change.
The construction of the name, given+surname+locative, is well attested in Scots name in the 16th C. A fully 16th C Scots form would be Alexander MakDonald of Lorne.
Please instruct the submitter to draw the cat a bit larger and with more distinguishing features.
Submitted as Cormac Ó Manacháin, the submitter requested authenticity for 13th-14th C Ireland. We have changed the name to Cormac Ó Mannacháin to fulfill this request. The submitted documentation postulates a normalized Early Modern Irish Gaelic form of Ó Manaháin based on the identical form in use today. Woulfe's Irish Names and Surnames says of the same name, "the name of a Connacht family who derive their descent from Manac(h)án, a famous warrior mentioned by the Four Masters in the year 866." A search of the Annals of the Four Masters, though, shows the form in the 866 Annals as Mannachan. No forms of this name with just the single -n- were found in the Annals, but forms with the double-n are found in both the Annals of the Four Masters and in the Annals of Connacht, including Donn Ua Mannacháin, tigherna Ua m-Briúin na Sionna in the mid 12th C and Domnall h. Mannachan in the mid 13th C.
As there is an Early Modern Irish descriptive byname, Maol, which means bald, this name is registerable under the Lingua Anglica allowance. A fully Early Modern Irish form of this name is Coileán Maol .
Blazoned on the LoI as ...a lion's paw..., the emblazon clearly shows a significant amount of forelimb. We have adjusted the blazon accordingly.
His previously registered device, Per pale vert and ermine, in pale three stags courant Or, is released.
Ian has been ruled SCA-compatible.
This name does not conflict with the registered name Johannes Gordan. There is sufficient difference in sound and appearance between Johannes and Ian to avoid conflict between the two names.
The chevron need not be blazoned as abased since the charge in chief forces the chevron down. However, this is as low as a chevron can get without being returned.
Nice name!
Listed on the LoI as Judith Wilkinson (of Northampton), the forms and the summarization noted that Judith Wilkinson was the form actually submitted; the form under which the name was listed included an alternative byname to use in case the submitted name was not registerable. Please do not include information about alternative names acceptable to the submitter in parentheses with the submitted name. Instead, please include it in the summary of the documentation and information provided on the form. Putting this information in the header confuses the commenters about which name is being submitted.
Her previously registered device, Gules, an open book argent and on a chief indented Or three compass roses gules, is released.
This name does not conflict with Malcolm MacDhomnuill. Dhomnull and Donnchad are sufficiently different in sound and appearance that neither these names nor patronymics formed from these names conflict.
Listed on the LoI as Máel Coluim Mac Donnchaid (of Errogeil), the forms and the summarization noted that Máel Coluim Mac Donnchaid) was the form actually submitted. The form under which the name was listed included an alternative byname to use in case the submitted name was not registerable. Please do not include information about alternative names acceptable to the submitter in parentheses with the submitted name. Instead, please include it in the summary of the documentation and information provided on the form. Putting this information in the header confuses the commenters about which name is being submitted.
The submitter requested authenticity for 5-10th C Irish/Welsh. Submitted as Muirghein of the Mists, we have changed it to Muirgen of the Mists to partially comply with the submitter's request for authenticity. Muirghein is the Early Modern Gaelic (1200-1700) form of this name, Muirgen is an early form. Because the Mists is the name of an SCA group, this name cannot be made fully authentic.
Submitted as Kispesty Potÿncza, the submitter requested authenticity for 15th-16th C Hungary and allowed all changes. The submitter included photocopies from Towns in Medieval Hungary, by Lázló Gerevich which shows that a medieval settlement existed that is known today as Kis-pest. However, the submitted documentation failed to demonstrate that this was the medieval name for this place. Furthermore, the College was unable to find documentation for Kispest as a medieval place name. Nebuly provided a succint summary of the problem:
The Blaeu Atlas map (p56) of the Danube's course has both Buda and Pest, but not Kis Pest . In fact, Kázmér's dictionary of early Hungarian surnames does not even have a header for Kispesty , so I tend to doubt that the name of the town is period, or if it was then the distinction between the city of Pest and the suburb of Kis Pest was not recorded in any byname. The best I can offer is the byname Pesty dated to 1576 (Kázmér, s.n. Pesti). I do not find a period pattern of prefixing the name of a town with the word Kis "little", so I can't recommend the submitted form as a plausible construction. My recommendation is that we register the name as Pesty Potÿncza.
We have changed the name to Pesty Potÿncza to match the documentation available and to fulfill her request for authenticity.
Armory submitted under the name Pier van der Utrecht.
The submitter requested a name authentic for German language/culture and accepted minor changes. Submitted as Thomas von Lübek, we have changed it to Thomas van Lubeck to fulfill this request. Brechenmacher, Etymologische Deutsche Familiennamenbuch, s.n. Lübeck(er), cites Joh. van Lubecke in 1406 and Nikol. Lubeck in 1411. As Nebuly notes, Lübek is in Northern Germany and van is the Northern German form for the preposition von.
Nice name!
Listed on the LoI as Thomas Wilkinson (of Northampton), the forms and the summarization noted that Thomas Wilkinson was the form actually submitted; the form under which the name was listed included an alternative byname to use in case the submitted name was not registerable. Please do not include information about alternative names acceptable to the submitter in parentheses with the submitter name. Instead, please include it in the summary of the documentation and information provided on the form. Putting this information in the header confuses the commenters about which name is being submitted.
Trefoil knots and triquetrae have a single lobe up by default. This submission's knot has the single lobe down, and must be blazoned as inverted.
The counterchanging of the chevronels across the orle is registerable:
The only time we permit a charge to be counterchanged over another is when they are both ordinaries. [Dec 1998, Ret-Artemisia, Crystal Crags, Shire of]
[Registering Or, a pall inverted azure surmounted by an orle counterchanged] We allow an ordinary surmounted by another to be counterchanged. While this is not good style, it is at worst one weirdness. [Aug 1996, Acc-Middle, Pietro Niccolo da San Tebaldo]
Please instruct the submitter to use more argent and less internal purpure on the cloud.
Submitted as Wulfram Forester, the submitter requested authenticity for 12-14th C English and accepted minor changes. We have changed the name to Wulfran Forester to comply with this request. Although the submitted documentation shows a church that is now known as Saint Wulfram that was built in 1200, it does not show that this is the spelling of the name used at the time the church was built. However, Reaney and Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames cites a John Wulfrun in 1230; the other spellings from this period in Reaney and Wilson also include the terminal -n instead of a terminal -m.
Given the lack of double-given names in Scots and the classic Scots naming pattern of given+surname+placename, Alpin in this name must be interpreted as an unmarked patronymic. The registerability of this name hinges on whether there is a pattern in Scots of Anglicized or Latinized Gaelic personal names becoming unmarked patronymics. A search through Black shows a few examples including Kilschyn Gilcrist in 1296 and William Bran, 1629. This is sufficient to give the submitter the benefit of the doubt.
The documentation was not adequately summarized on the LoI. It is not sufficient to say that a name appears as a header form in a source; many sources, including the sources used to document this submission, include explicitly modern names and describe them as such in the text. It is necessary to summarize what such a source says about a name and to provide dated examples if possible. If the College had not provided the missing dates and descriptions, we would have been forced to return this submission.
Submitted as Alfred Usher, the submitter requested authenticity for Scottish language/culture, accepted minor changes and specifically allowed changing the given name to Alured. We have changed the name to Alured Husher to comply with this request. Black, The Surnames of Scotland, s.n. Alfred notes that "The name of Alfred the second prior or Newbattle Abbey...was usually written as Alured" and dates this spelling to 1179 and 1158. s.n. Usher, he notes Thomas the Usser in 1291, Thomas dictus le Ussher in 1296, and Husher in 1296.
Submitted as Constance inghean Conchobair, the patronymic mixes a Middle Irish Gaelic patronymic with the Early Modern Irish Gaelic patronymic particle. In addition, Gaelic grammar requires that patronymics beginning with the letter C must lenite or soften when used as part of a feminine name. Therefore, we have changed the name to Constance ingen Chonchobair to make the patronymic temporally consistent and to correct the grammar.
This name mixes English and Gaelic orthographies in a single name; this is one step from period practice.
Her previously registered device, Per chevron wavy argent and vert, in chief three caltrops azure, in base a reremouse argent, is released.
Under the recently published revision of RfS X.4.j.ii, this submission is simple for the purposes of this rule; thus this is clear of Wuduholt be Secg, Azure, on a pile argent, a Coast Redwood tree couped proper, on a chief Or, three laurel wreaths vert, with one CD for the substantial change in type of the tertiary charges on the chief (from laurel wreaths to pheons), and another CD for aggregate changes to the tertiary charges on the piles.
Questions were raised in commentary about the identifiability of the motif a trefoil knot interlaced with an annulet. We note the recent registrations of a triquetra braced with an annulet (Aoife inghean ui hEaluighthe, July 2002) and a Bowen knot crosswise braced with an annulet (Fergus O'Fey, September 2001). This motif is very similar to those motifs, and is therefore also acceptable. The depiction of this motif in this submission was identifiable as such, so we are registering it.
Submitted as Gilebert le Brassier, the submitter desired an authentic 14th C French name meaning "Gilbert the Brewer". Unfortunately, Brassier(e) means "baby's or woman's blouse", not "brewer". We have changed the byname to le braceeur, which is a French byname from the 1292 Paris census with the submitter's intended meaning.
Submitted as Hesychia Bryennina, we have changed the byname to Bryennissa to match the submitted documentation.
The submitter requested authenticity for 13th C English language/culture, but indicated she wished to keep the spelling Isabeau. Because no documentation was found for the form Isabeau in 13th C England, this name is registerable, but it is not authentic for her desired place and time.
A note on the forms indicated that the submitter wished to submit the byname van Zweeloo instead of of Frisia. However, this was not the submitted byname, nor is it a form of the submitted byname. Because the submitter did not actually submit Juliana van Zweeloo, we cannot in good conscience change her name so completely and register it.
Submissions heralds should note that the resources of the College of Arms are at their disposal. If a submitter wishes to submit something when documentation should exist but is not available to the submissions herald, that is the time for the herald to avail themselves of these resources. This can be done informally, by asking someone either in person or on any of the kingdom or SCA-wide heraldic mailing lists, or formally by noting that they were unable to document an item and asking the College for help in the submission.
This name does not conflict with Kenneth MacAlpin, king of Scotland. Kenneth and Kendel have different middle and end sounds, and the spellings are different enough to avoid confusion between the two names.
This name combines Welsh and Anglicized Gaelic elements, which is one step from period practice.
Listed on the LoI as Lassarina O' Malley, the forms showed Lassarina O'Malley. As no mention was made of a change, we believe this was just a typo. We have returned the name to the originally submitted form.
Submitted as Lochlainn samhach macGrioghair, the submitter requested authenticity for 12th-14th C Highland Scots and accepted minor changes. We have changed the name to Lochloinn samhach mac Griogair to comply with this request. The spelling of the given name, Lochlainn, is an Irish spelling; in Scottish Gaelic the name is spelled Lochloinn. The spelling of the patronymic, Grioghair, is a modern Scottish Gaelic form; the College was unable to find a 12th-14th C Scottish example of this name, but the spelling Griogair is documented from the 15th to the 17th C. Finally, in both Scottish and Irish Gaelic, the patronymic particle is separated from the patronymic with a space.
Her previously registered device, Argent, a cat couchant contourny guardant, a bordure purpure, is released.
Submitted as Marsaili inghen Domnaill, the submitter requested authenticity for 12th-14th C Gaelic and accepted changes to the byname only. The spelling Marsaili is not found in period; the only period Gaelic example of this name is from the Annals of Ulster which lists a Mairsil ingen t-Seaain, mic Domnaill, mic Sheaain, mic Domhnaill h-Ui Fherghail. Marsaili is a hypothetical Early Modern Gaelic form of this name. This form of the given name is registerable, but it is not authentic. Because the given name is Early Modern Irish Gaelic forms, an Early Modern Irish Gaelic form of the patronymic and particle are also appropriate given her request for authenticity. The form ingen Domnaill is an earlier form, with inghean Domhnaill being the later period form. We have changed the patronymic and particle to the latter form to partially fulfill her request for authenticity. An authentic 15th C form of this name would be Mairsil inghean Domhnaill.
The bromeliadic fruit used as a charge on this armory was blazoned on the Letter of Intent as simply a "pineapple." However, these are a New World fruit, and the term "pine(-)apple" has often been used in period (non-SCA) blazon to mean the charge which the SCA blazons as a "pine cone." As the fruit was mentioned in period journals and apparently brought back to Europe by early explorers, we will allow it as a registerable charge. To minimize the possibility of confusion we will no longer use the term "pineapple" unmodified. We will hereafter blazon the fruit as a "New World pineapple" and continue to use the term "pine cone" to refer to the seed cases of coniferous trees. The single prior registration of a pineapple (the fruit) has been reblazoned elsewhere in this LoAR (West, Turold of Normandy).
Submitted as Mathildis De'Ath, the byname De'Ath was documented as a header spelling in Reaney and Wilson. In most cases, header forms are plausible for period and so are registerable. However, precedent (most notably regarding modern forms in Ó Corráin & Maguire) has ruled that header forms which are modern may not be registerable. Reaney and Wilson regard the derivation of the byname from "de Athe" as plausible, but spend far more time giving good solid English derivations from "death" and "deeth". In addition, neither Reaney and Wilson nor Bardsley give any dated examples using the apostrophe. We have, therefore, changed the byname to the form Death, dated in Reaney and Wilson to the time of Edward I, and in Bardsley to 1598.
The feather here has its nib (pointy end) to dexter. According to the Glossary of Terms, this is the default for a feather fesswise.
Her previously registered device, Sable, three sea horses naiant argent, crined, tailed and finned Or, a chief erminois, is released.
This was originally registered in April 1996 under the blazon Argent, on a bend vert between two sprigs of three holly leaves in pall fructed proper a lion rampant tail nowed Or. However, lions and other beasts follow a bend as if it were a fess, so this lion is properly blazoned as courant and we are now reblazoning it as such.
This month, Myrddin submitted a change of device; though the new emblazon has a more SCA-standard courant it is still effectively identical to his already-registered device. Thus our proper actions are to reblazon the original device and return the "change" that really isn't a change (under RETURNS on this LoAR).
What the lion has in its mouth is truly a holly branch and not just a sprig as blazoned on the LoI. (Irreverent comment from the peanut gallery: "Ouch?") The holly branch is just big enough to be regarded as co-primary with the lion's head, which brings this submission clear of the various possible conflicts featuring cat's faces as the sole primary charge; in each case there is one CD for number of primary charges and another for fieldlessness.
This is also clear of Tobias of Emerickeskepe: (Fieldless) A lion's head caboshed Or, sustaining in its mouth an oak wreath fructed proper. On that badge, the wreath is a full-circle wreath, easily worth a CD for type against a branch to go with the CD for fieldlessness.
While not blazoned on the LoI, the bordure was blazoned on the actual form, and obviously present on both miniature and full-size emblazons. Enough commentors checked for conflict with an Or bordure that we are able to register this without having to pend it first.
Please instruct the submitter to draw the bordure wider.
The submitter requested authenticity for an unspecified language/culture. This name mixes a German given name with an Old Norse byname; such combinations are one step from period practice. The name is registerable, but we are unable to make it authentic.
Listed as Tayce de Birchwood on the LoI, the given name on the forms was Tacye; we have returned the given name to the spelling on the forms.
Submitted as Giovanna Teresa Battista da Firenze, the submitter requested authenticity for 15th C Italy. The documentation provided states that the name Teresa was unknown outside the Iberian peninsula until the late 16th C. Therefore, we have dropped this problematic element from the name to fulfill her request for authenticity.
The submitters requested authenticity for 13th-14th C France. While this name formation was shown to follow period patterns, no documentation was provided and none found indicating that this is a 13th-14th C spelling. Therefore, we are unable to comply with the submitters' request for authenticity.
Listed on the LoI as Dulcia de Léon, the actual forms had Dulcia de León. As this is the correct placement for the accent, we have returned the byname to this spelling.
Some commentors noted that Dulcia was a documented English spelling of this name, but not a Spanish one. However, Siren reports, "Dulcia is a perfectly normal Latinized form of Yehoshua's [Yehoshua ben Haim haYerushalm, "A sample of Jewish names in Valencia 1293-1485"] Dulcie or the Dolça found in the Gesta Comitum Barcinonensium (the deeds of the counts of Barcelona); in the c. 1200 Latin text it's Dulcia, in the 14th c. Catalan text, it's Dolça."
Submitted as Gwydion ap Llewelyn, we have changed the name to Gwydion ap Lewelyn to partially comply with the submitter's request for an authentic Welsh name circa 1280. Although the College was unable to locate a 13th C form of the name Gwydion, Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn's article "A Simple Guide to Constructing 13th Century Welsh Names" lists Lewelyn and Lewelin as 13th C forms of the name Llewelyn.
The triskelion of spirals is registerable as a weirdness. From the December 2003 LoAR:
The SCA has previously registered one triskelion of spirals.... The SCA does not have a defined charge of a spiral, and spiral ends are not standard for other charges (such as crosses). However, the SCA has an established and wide-ranging pattern for registering triskelions of objects, or triskelions ending in objects. As a result, we are reluctant to refuse further registrations of this charge (as suggested by some of the commentary). The triskelion of spirals may continue to be registered, but as one step from period style (a "weirdness"). [Dec 2003, Acc-West, Ellisif þunnkárr]
As this submission does not include any other steps away from period style, it may be registered.
Nice name!
The egg is a period charge: Woodward cites three examples, one of which (Jaworsky) is found in Siebmacher.
Please instruct the submitter to draw the triquetras a bit larger and thicker.
Nice name!
The given name Ever is documented from a Victorian-era translation of a late period Irish document. Such translations are not reliable for Anglicized forms of period Gaelic names. However, Black, The Surnames of Scotland, s.n. Ivar dates Ever to 1478, and says "the name of Ivar Campbell of Strachur (in the first half of the sixteenth century) appears in contemporary documents as Evar, Euer...". Therefore, the submitted name is a reasonable 16th C Anglicization of a Gaelic name.
Submitted under the name Isabella Maria-Magdalena Fernandes de Chaves.
Submitted as Shajarat ad-durr al-Mãhdukht al-Zarqá, the phrase Shajarat ad-durr is the regnal name (not given name) of the first Sultana of the Bahri Mamluks, who came to power in 1246 upon their overthrow of the Ayyubid dynasty in Egypt. This is a type of name used to denote royalty; its use in an SCA name is a claim to rank. Furthermore, this particular regnal name appears to be unique, which also makes it inappropriate for registration.
The element al-Mãkdukht had several problems. First, al-Jamal states that Mãhdukht is a transcription error for M{a-}hdukht The name M{a-}hdukht is a Persian name; combining it with the Arabic al mixes Persian and Arabic in a single name phrase, in violation of RfS III.1.a. The byname al-Zarqá has a transcription error as well; the correct form is al-Zarqa'. In order to register the name, we have dropped the problematic elements and corrected the transcription of the remaining parts, giving M{a-}dukht al-Zarqa'.
The submitter requested authenticity for Arabic language/culture and accepted all changes. However, as the name mixes a Persian given name with an Arabic byname, we are unable to fulfill the submitter's request for authenticity.
Submitted as Melisende Alix de la Croix, the submitter included a citation from a modern work for a queen of Jerusalem named Melisende. This queen is widely known by this spelling today. However, documents contemporary to her spell her name Melissent. The College was unable to locate an example of this spelling in period. Lacking evidence that Melisende is a plausible period form, it is not registerable. The College located a number of variant spellings of this name, including Melissent, Milsenda and Milesenda. These variants support a hypothetical spelling Melisenda, and we have changed the given name to that spelling.
The submitter requested authenticity for 16th C. Although double given names in English are rare prior to 1600, they are occasionally found in England in the 16th C. Therefore, this is a reasonable 16th C English name.
Using a placename in an Order name was declared a step from period practice in 11/96. However, Argent Snail argues, "If you look at the list of order names, there are ones that have place names in them, usually because there is more than one order with the same name -eg the Order of Saint Jaelle of Jersusalem and the Order of Saint Jaelle of London." Meradudd Cethin's "Project Ordensnamen", describes Order names of the form [name+place] as the third most common pattern in the data set. Given such evidence, Order names containing place names are consistent with period practice. However, the Order name Order of the Silver Saddle of Trimaris is one step from period practice. By precedent, use of the descriptive term Silver in an Order name is one step from period practice.
The submitter requested authenticity for 12th-14th C Italy and accepted only minor changes. Double given names just started to come into use in the 14th C in Italy. While this name is registerable, the name would be a much better re-creation if only one given name were used.
The submitter requested authenticity for 12th C England. Submitted as Joan the Harper, we have changed the name to Joan la Harper to fulfill this request. In 12th C English, la would be the article generally used in a woman's occupational byname.
The given name Moira (which may be viewed as either Scots or Anglicized Irish) has been ruled SCA compatible
Originally registered in February 1983 as Purpure, a pineapple Or, leaved vert, this contains the first (and up to this month, the only) registration of the pineapple (the fruit) as a charge in the SCA. However, these are a New World fruit, and the term "pine(-)apple" has often been used in period (non-SCA) blazon to mean the charge which the SCA blazons as a "pine cone." To minimize the possibility of confusion we will no longer use the term "pineapple" unmodified. We will hereafter blazon the fruit as a "New World pineapple" and continue to use the term "pine cone" to refer to the seed cases of coniferous trees. We are reblazoning Turold's badge to conform with this decision.
Submitted as William Alexander MacDougall, the submitter requested authenticity for 13th-14th C Scottish language/culture. As we have no evidence for the use of double given names in Scots, we have dropped the second given name, Alexander, to fulfill this request.
- Explicit littera accipendorum -
While a large amount of documentation was submitted showing that Plant y Ddraig, meaning "Children of the Dragon", is a reasonable name for a group of people in modern Wales, none of it addressed the issue of whether this is a reasonable name for a group of people in pre-17th C Wales.
When asked about Welsh names for groups of people, Harpy had this to say:
Especially in genealogical texts, it's moderately common to find "Plant <personal name>" as a term describing the common descendents of <personal name>. It doesn't have the same legalistic sense as Irish "clann", although you can find something vaguely resembling that sense for "wyrion <personal name>" (literally "grandsons of <personal name>"). But these would always be used with a personal name of the common ancestor, not with an abstract totem or symbol.
These findings are consistent with clan names in Scotland and Ireland, which are based on either the surname or given name of a common ancestor. In none of these cultures are names for groups of people formed using an epithet or totem as the descriptive element. Barring documentation of such group names in Welsh, such a combination is not registerable. A Welsh household name using the form Plant + <Welsh personal name> or Wyrion + <Welsh personal name> should be registerable.
The embattlements on the line of division are too numerous and too small, which has long been cause for return. The chief also needs to be drawn somewhat wider, though this last is not a reason for return.
This badge has multiple conflicts. It must be checked for conflict as though it were Sable, a crescent argent by longstanding precedent:
While blazoned on the LoI as (Fieldless) On a heart gules, a hare salient contourny argent., since a heart is considered standard shape for armorial display, the submission is considered as Gules, a hare salient contourny argent. As such it conflicts with.... [May 1998, Ret-Middle, Skraeling Althing, Barony of]
As a result this conflicts with Adrienne of Toledo, Sable, in pale a cinquefoil, a crescent, and a dagger inverted, all argent, with a CD for removing two of the charges in the primary charge group; with Cadwynn ap Cheshire, Sable, within a crescent argent, a crescent embattled gules, with a CD for removing the tertiary crescent; with Eric Van Roosebeke, Sable, a crescent and a chief embattled argent, with a CD for removing the chief; with Morgaine Aelfdryda ferch Cadfael, Or, on a pile inverted vert a crescent argent, since by considering Morgaine's armory as Per chevron throughout Or and vert, a crescent argent, there is one CD for the field; with Morimoto Koryu, Sable, a crescent surmounted by a ken blade argent, with a CD for removing the overall charge; with Sean Macarailt of Sandyhume: Sable, an increscent argent, with one CD for changing the posture of the crescent; and with Seanach an tSeanachaidhe, Sable, two stags attires Or issuant from between the horns of a crescent argent, with one CD for removing the stags attires.
None.
This violates RfS VII.7.b, Reconstruction Requirement. The relative sizes or the roundel and rat generated much discussion as to whether the roundel was sustained or maintained. The size is such that we cannot come up with a blazon that adequately describes this "so that a competent heraldic artist can reproduce the armory solely from the blazon." The roundel should be made either larger (so as to be co-primary) or smaller (to be maintained). In any case it will need to be checked for conflict again, and it would still be necessary to come up with a blazon that would guarantee reproducibility.
The arrows, except for the flames, are argent. Thus, as noted by Ounce, this conflicts with Gillian Olafsdottir d'Uriel: Azure, three staves crossed at the nombril point argent. The urga is essentially a staff, so X.2 does not apply, leaving just one CD for changing the type of two of three charges in a sheaf and nothing for the enflaming nor the point where the charges cross. Ounce is also correct in that this conflicts with Loran Redbow: Azure, three fire-arrows bendwise sinister in bend argent, enflamed proper. There's a CD for arrangement but nothing for changing type of one of three charges in the group (as we are not comparing groups of three arranged two and one).
In addition there is a problem with the use of an urga. This would be the initial registration of the charge. Several commentors noted the need for documentation, but Siren said it best:
While I think we might be slightly more lenient on this sort of artifact, no evidence has been presented that (1) this resembles a modern urga or (2) that an urga is a period object. Brickbat tells us that pictures exist; sharing them with the College, or at least with Wreath would allow a judgement of whether this resembles a modern urga. Brickbat asserts that a modern legend mentioning an urga "given the nature of folklore and legend, [she] would hazard to say was being told to period listeners." However, extensive research by social scientists, ethnomusicologists, and students of literature make it clear that many "ancient and traditional" stories have roots that are very shallow. As an example from folk music, Scarborough Fair only dates to the turn of the century, and Tam Lin only to the 18th century.
Thus, the existence of a modern legend is not sufficient for registration. Further documentation for an urga as a period artifact will be needed in order to register an urga as a charge.
The flames on the arrows should be drawn as alternating tongues of Or and gules.
None.
The device conflicts with Conner McAuliffe FitzJames, Sable, within a sun throughout argent, eclipsed azure, a goshawk displayed argent, which could also be blazoned as Sable, on a sun throughout argent, a roundel azure charged with a goshawk displayed argent. This emphasizes the quaternary nature of Conner's goshawk, and we ignore quaternary charges completely when checking for conflict. We give no CD between a compass star and a sun, nor for throughout vs. not-throughout for non-ordinaries. Since compass stars are not eligible for X.4.j.ii, there is no CD for type only between a roundel and a Maltese cross. Thus there is only one CD between this armory and Conner's for adding the secondary swords.
There is a returnable problem with the form. The available emblazon space on the form on which this was submitted is too small, being significantly less than the standard diameter of 5 inches specified by the Administrative Handbook.
In addition, consensus at the meeting was that the roundel in this case is too large and gives too much impression of a field and a bordure. As a result this must be returned for a redraw. This problem can be corrected by drawing the roundel rather smaller in proportion to the field (which, in absolute terms, would not be that much smaller than this one when using a form with a properly sized emblazon area).
This name combines a Spanish given name with an Anglicized Irish surname. Names mixing Spanish and Anglicized Gaelic elements are not registerable [Sanchia O'Connor 7/97]. Nebuly puts it succinctly: "Withycombe does indeed document the given name Teresa to 1515-82, but as a Spanish name."
Withdrawn by the submitter.
The shield on the form is far too small, well short of the Admin Handbook standard of 5 inches wide by 6 inches tall.
None.
Withdrawn by the submitter.
No documentation was submitted nor any found that this name follows period Italian inn name or household name practice. Unfortunately, we are unable to recommend a good single source for Italian inn names. However, there is no evidence that inns in Italy were named in the way that English and German inn sign names are formed. In addition, while the words given here literally translate to "House of the Flowered Cross", no evidence was presented that this is a reasonable Italian phrase or description. For one, we are unsure what a flowered cross would be. If the intention is a cross made of flowers, modern Italian usage tends toward "croce di fiori."
This is returned for a redraw. The drop spindles are not identifiable as such. With the very thick "thread" winding around their central axes, a number of commentors thought they were stylized versions of the modern treble clef sign.
The full size form was not large enough; the height of the escutcheon (including the very thick boundary lines) is not close enough to the 6 inch standard specifid in the Admin Handbook.
This device also raised great concern in the College about having the appearance of marshalling despite adhering technically to the Rules; while we decline to rule on that at this time, we note that drawing the waves more boldly on the line of division could significantly reduce the appearance of marshalling.
This is being returned for presumption against Saint Alban, also known as Alban of England. Albion is the old name for Britain/England in both Bede's Historia Ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum (History of the English Church and People) and in Laymon's Brut, an early Middle English history of Britain. Although we have no reference to Saint Alban by the name submitted here, the allusion is too strong.
This is being returned for improper drawing and non-period style, stemming from improper use of wolf's teeth.
The examples of wolf's teeth in the Pictorial Dictionary and in Siebmacher show that the teeth invariably extend almost to the center line; where teeth come from both sides they almost touch. Those on this submission do not come close. This is in itself grounds for return.
Furthermore, wolf's teeth appear in groups of three or more; barring evidence of wolf's teeth appearing singly or in pairs, there should be three or more teeth issuing from the same side. The use of fewer than three teeth is a step from period practice. The imbalance between the number of teeth on either side is also a step from period practice, independent of the the number of teeth. Therefore, even if the wolf's teeth were drawn correctly, the use of three on one side and two on the other would not be registerable as the motif is two steps away from period practice.
The tincture of the sea-wolf was not identifiable as purpure: the first three guesses at the meeting were red, murrey and brown. This appears to be the result of a color-printer form (whose emblazon space, by the way, is only barely large enough).
The tertiary charge on the lion is not identifiable at any reasonable distance. Even as a tertiary charge, the grenade should be drawn large enough to be recognizable. Complex primary charges such as lions can be charged, but the space available for the tertiary charge will necessarily be small, so special care must be taken with the depiction.
The polearm is large enough to qualify as a co-primary charge, and so the LoI was correct to blazon it as sustained.
Listed on the LoI as Medb inghean ui Maolainbhth, the forms showed Medb inghean ui Maolainbhthe. No evidence was presented and none was found that the submitted form of the patronymic, Maolainbhthe, is a period form. The spelling was documented from MacLysaght, The Surnames of Ireland, but the Gaelic forms of names in that work are explicitly modern forms. Often these modern forms are consistent with Early Modern Irish Gaelic orthography, but this is not the case here. Ó Corrain and Maguire, Irish Names, show an Early Modern Irish Gaelic form of this name as Maolanaithe, which would give the feminine patronymic inghean ui Mhaoilanaithe. A fully Early Modern Irish Gaelic form of this name would be Meadhbh inghean ui Mhaoilanaithe, while an appropriate Middle Irish Gaelic form is Medb ingen ui Máel Anfaid. However, as the submitter accepts no changes, we are unable to change the byname to a registerable form.
Obela is not constructed following the rules for name formation for Russian feminine names. The given name Obela was justified as a hypothetical feminization of the masculine given name Obel. Unfortunately, Nebuly points out that "The only example of a Russian feminized name formed by adding -a given in the LoI is Krasa, which may be of either gender." He explains that for other apparent examples, both the masculine and feminine forms were borrowed from other languages: "Unfortunately, the pattern of feminization established for Agripina and Anastasiia from Agripin and Anastasii is a pattern from Latin and Greek (respectively) prior to their importation, and not a feminization that was made in Russian. Imported Classical names cannot establish a pattern of feminization in native Russian names, as the counterexamples given in the LoI attest. The citation of Mara does not indicate a Russian feminization of Mar, since the note under that name in Wickenden indicates that the individual was the daughter of a Serb and not a native Russian. In general, Slavic languages do not form feminine equivalents of masculine given names by adding -a except in cases where the name is an original Slavic deuterothematic name. Since Obel is not such a deuterothematic name, we cannot form a feminine equivalent."
The form of the name given+patronymic+patronymic is fine for a Russian name. If the submitter chooses a Russian feminine name, the rest of the name should be registerable.
Because Utrecht is a place name and not a generic toponym, the correct form of the byname is van Utrecht. Unfortunately, we are unable to drop the problematic element from this name. In the past, precedent has held that adding or removing a particle is only a minor change. However, according to the College of Arms Glossary published December 2003 "Major changes include dropping an element or phrase..." While der is not a complete phrase, it is a distinct element of the locative name phrase here. Therefore, dropping it would be a major change. We note that Pier van Utrecht is a lovely 15th C Dutch name.
This conflicts with Richard Andreivitch of Rus, Azure, on a bend sinister Or an estoile sable, and with Denis Flaxenhelm, Azure, on a bend sinister Or, a goblet upright sable. Per the LoAR of June 2002 and Laurel precedent before and after that date, an ordinary voided or fimbriated can also be interpreted as an ordinary charged with another of the same type. Under this interpretation, Thomas's submission must also be treated as Azure, on a bend sinister Or a bendlet sinister vert. Using this blazon, there is only one CD between Thomas's submission and the two registered armories for changes to the tertiary charges.
The byname Stoneheart is not an epithetical name constructed on period English naming patterns. The documentation presented two arguments. The first argument was that this might be a variant of the surname Stannard. However, neither Reaney and Wilson nor Bardsley show a variant of this name ending in -heart. The second argument was that it was a similar constuction to the pattern hard-object+body-part, such as Ironfoot. However, no examples of stone-+bodypart were found, nor were examples of mineral-+-heart.
If the submitter is interested in a form of Stannard with similar spellings to Stoneheart, she may wish to consider Stanhart or Stonhard; both are period forms found in Reaney and Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames, s.n. Stannard. We would change the byname to one of these forms, but the submitter accepts no changes.
This conflicts with Matthais Rosenstern: Azure, on a chevron Or between three roses argent, six mullets azure. Per the LoAR of June 2002 and Laurel precedent before and after that date, an ordinary voided or fimbriated can also be interpreted as an ordinary charged with another of the same type. As noted by Boar, under this interpretation Francesca's submission can be reblazoned as Azure, on a chevron Or between three roses argent a chevron gules, yielding only 1 CD for the changes to the tertiary charges.
A visual check of this submission against the submitter's current device (registered April 1996) shows only minor changes to the lion's legs; both emblazons generate the same blazon (though the 2004 emblazon is a better drawing of courant by current SCA standards). Since the present submission does not have a blazonable difference from the device already registered to the submitter, the present submission is a duplication and cannot be registered.
The lion was blazoned on the Letter of Intent as salient. However, lions and other beasts follow a bend as if it were a fess, so this lion is properly blazoned as courant. As the submitter's previously registered device used a similar improper blazon, it has been reblazoned (under ACCEPTANCES on this LoAR).
This violates RfS VII.7.a, Identification Requirement. Commentors and staff at the meeting found it impossible to identify just what type of head this was, even when they ignored the horns. The aforementioned rule states that "Elements must be recognizable solely from their appearance" and this is not.
This violates RfS VIII.3, Armorial Identifiability, which states in part that "Elements must be used in a design so as to preserve their individual identifiability. Identifiable elements may be rendered unidentifiable... by being obscured by other elements of the design." Here, the dragon overlies the fess in such a way as to almost completely obscure its top line, rendering it unidentifiable.
The charges on the chief are not identifiable at any reasonable distance. This is primarily due to their small size. This problem is almost inevitable if one tries to put such a charge palewise on a chief.
Blazoned on the LoI as "sable", the dark colored parts of the field and charges are very much Crayola brown. This appears to be the result of a color printout, color photocopy, or combination of both.
The laurel wreath on these arms is not sufficiently wreathlike. It is round, but not sufficiently closed on top. We note the following precedents:
[a tower sable ... environed in base with a laurel wreath vert] The armory had an additional problem which would not allow it to be accepted. Laurel wreaths should not be drawn with another charge between the tips of the wreath, except possibly when the charge between the tips is very thin. [Apr 2002, Ret-Atenveldt, Hawk's Rest, Shire of]
[A laurel wreath and in chief a roundel] Second, the laurel wreath is not closed (or even nearly so), and if it were, there would be no room for a roundel. A properly drawn laurel wreath should not have sufficient room between its tips to place another charge [Feb 2000, Ret-Middle, Darkstone, College of]
While a sword might be considered thin enough to be allowed between the tips of an open laurel wreath (per the 2002 precedent), the opening must not be large enough to fit a wider charge into. The depiction in the miniature emblazon is a borderline case at best, but the full-color emblazon was "redrawn by Keythong to ... remove 2 leaves of Laurel wreath" which makes it painfully obvious that the wreath's opening is too large.
This also conflicts with Morrow's Keep, Shire of: Sable, a sword and in chief a crescent inverted, all within a laurel wreath argent. There is just one CD for changing the crescent in chief to a chief.
None.
This conflicts with Stephen Trahern: Gyronny sable and gules, a fret couped within a bordure Or. The only CD is for changes to the field.
Please advise the submitter that, upon resubmission, the bordure should be drawn with a uniform width all around the edge.
Triple given names are not registerable in a Spanish context. Siren says it best:
<Maria> and <Magdalena> are plausible names, but there is no evidence for compound names like <Maria-Magdalena> in period Spain That gives this submission three given names The only evidence for three given names in Spain is the name of a daughter of Philip II, born in 1566 (<Isabel Eugenia Clara>; her sister only had two given names) This is not sufficient for registration.
Dropping one of the given names should make this name registerable. Unfortunately, the submitter will not accept changes, so we must return this name.
While not in itself a reason for return, the name mixes English and Spanish, which is a step from period practice. The given name, Isabella, was documented from Withycombe, The Oxford Dictionary of English Given Names. Unfortunately, Withycombe is an unreliable source for names outside of England. The Spanish form of Isabella is Isabel or Ysabel; the name is found in these spellings from the 13th through the 16th C. If the submitter is interested in an authentic Spanish name, we suggest that she use one of these spellings.
This name was justified as a constructed English placename; however, the constructions are not plausible as submitted. Two possible derivations were presented by the submitters and the College to explain this construction, but neither held up under scrutiny:
The name is constructed like Riverhead, which is cited in both Mills, A Dictionary of English Placenames, and Ekwall, The Oxford Dictionary of English Placenames. Both derive Riverhead from the parts River from Redre-, "cattle", and hithe/idde, "a landing place." However, only the modern form uses the River- spelling of the protheme; neither Mills nor Ekwall give a dated form in this spelling. In these sources, none of the dated examples or any of the other examples of names deriving from the protheme Redre- bear much resemblance to River-. The modern forms tend start with Rother- or Ruther-, and some of the period examples are Reder-, Redre-, Ruther-, and Rether-. Given these examples, we would expect forms like Redermore or Redremor for a name meaning "cattle moor". This suggests that the placename Riverhead is a modern formation. While there are placenames combining river names and -moor, these tend to use actual names of rivers; examples from Mills include Dertemora in 1182, "Moor on the river Dart", and Exemora in 1204, "Moor on the river Exe."
The name is constructed from the family name River and the topographic Moor. When family names, as opposed to given names, are used in English placenames, the family name usually comes after the descriptive feature. However, Mills does have some examples of "family name+topographic", including s.n. Towersey, Turrisey, "of the Tower family, Towers' eg" 1240; s.n. Tey, Great, Merkys Tey, "Tege of the de Merck family" 1475; s.n. Leigh Bessilles Lee, " Leigh of the Bessil family" 1539. None of these justifies Rivermoor, because the family name is not in the genitive (possessive) case here. Reaney and Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames cite a John Riuer in 1327, so an appropriate form of a name meaning "Moor of the River family" is Riversmor(e) or Rivers Mor(e).
We would change this name to one of the forms suggested above. However, the group will not accept changes.
This armory conflicts with a badge of Astra Christiana Benedict: (Tinctureless) On a mullet a cross crosslet. While there is a CD for adding the field against a tinctureless badge, tincture cannot contribute to any other CDs, and as a mullet is not suitable for application of X.4.j.ii, there is no CD for changing the type only of the charge on the mullet.
In addition, this field has a low-contrast complex line of division that is mostly obscured by an overlying charge. RfS VIII.3 notes: "Armorial Identifiability - Elements must be used in a design so as to preserve their individual identifiability. Identifiable elements may be rendered unidentifiable by ...being obscured by other elements of the design. For instance, a complex line of partition could be difficult to recognize between two parts of the field that do not have good contrast if most of the line is also covered by charges." Too much of the line of division is overlain by the mullet in this instance. This problem could be solved by (for example) moving the mullet off the line of division, by using a plain line of division, or by using a high-contrast tincture combination (one metal and one color). The question of conflict would still need to be addressed, however.
The line of division is drawn too shallowly; please advise the submitter to draw the waves more deeply.
The actual form is too small: the height of the emblazon is much smaller than the 6-inch standard given in the Administrative Handbook.
In addition, the "chief triangular" extends down to the center point of the shield; it is not a chief triangular but the top compartment of a per saltire field division. This has long been cause for return:
(Returning Argent, on a chauseé azure an aeolius argent, a laurel wreath vert where the field division started in the top corners and extended to the center point of the shield) The field is not really chaussé; it is not per chevron inverted, it is not a pile, it is not a chief triangular; being somewhere between all of these, we really don't know what it is. Chaussé issues from the corners of the chief and would touch the base point of the shield; per chevron inverted would issue from the sides of the field (rather than the chief corners); a pile would issue from farther in on the chief (rather [than] from the corners) and would almost touch the base point of the shield and would not have room for a charge beneath it; and a chief triangular would not descend the field nearly so far as the one here does. Please have them choose one and reemblazon it properly. (The device was returned for this problem alone) [Oct 1990, Ret-Trimaris, Storm, Shire of the]
This has been reaffirmed by every Laurel since then, and we reaffirm it now.
While the miniature emblazon on the Letter of Intent more clearly shows a chief triangular, it is the full-size emblazon that we consider for registration. Also, significant discrepancies between the miniature and full-size emblazons are cause for administrative return, and such is the case here.
al-Jamal notes that "as a general rule, Arabic places the bynames (like al-Tayyib) at the end of the name, unless such are being used as an 'ism, a given name, which is not the case here.". The submitter will not accept major changes, so this name must be returned. In resubmitting, we suggest the form Mikha'il ibn Khalid ibn Ahmad al-Gharnatii al-Tayyib.
This conflicts with Eric Blaxton: Quarterly argent, scaly sable, and azure, a mullet of four points counterchanged azure and argent. There is one CD for the field, but none for type between a mullet of four points and a compass star:
[a mullet of four points elongated to base vs. a compass star] There is no difference between a mullet of four points and a compass star per the LoAR of January 2001: "As neither a compass star nor a mullet of four points are period charges, and they differ only by the addition of the lesser points, there is not a CD between a mullet of four points and a compass star." There is also no difference for the slight artistic variant in elongating the bottom point of a mullet. [May 2003, Ret-Atenveldt, Catherine Diana de Chambéry]
[(Fieldless) A mullet sable] ... in conflict with ... A mullet of five greater and five lesser points distilling goutes. As with the mullet of four vs. a compass star (see the June 1995 LoAR, pg. 23), the lesser points of the mullet have very little visual impact, and as mullets of greater and lesser points are not known in period, the visual difference counts. This reaffirms the precedent set in July 1990 (pg. 13). [May 2000, Ret-Atlantia, Chirhart Blackstar]
[a compass star vs a mullet of four points] The overwhelming visual similarities between a mullet of four points and a mullet of four greater and four lesser points/compass star, both of which are non-period charges, mandates against granting a ... CD for this relatively minor difference. [Jun 1995, Ret-Atenveldt, Raffaelle de Mallorca]
The tincture of Eric's mullet is quarterly azure and argent, which matches the tincture of this submission's compass star. Therefore there is no CD for tincture, leaving just the CD for the field.
This is being returned for unidentifiability of the axes against the field. RfS VIII.3 (Armorial Identifiability) is relevant: "Identifiable elements may be rendered unidentifiable by ... marginal contrast ..." While the most important part of an axe is the head, and these heads have good contrast with the field, the brown wood of the handles all but disappears against the gules field at any distance. As these hafts constitute a significant part of the charge, they must have enough contrast against the field to be identifiable, and they do not.
The actual form is too small: the height of the emblazon is much smaller than the 6-inch standard given in the Administrative Handbook.
- Explicit littera renuntiationum -
Note for the electronic version: the LoPaD that was printed and mailed was generated slightly before the final May LoAR. Item 1 on the printed LoPaD was for an item accepted in the final printed LoAR, so that item was not actually pended and no further commentary is needed. This is placeholder text to ensure that Lochloinn's pended device is numbered 2 in the electronic version of the LoPaD, as it was on the printed version.
The Letter of Intent blazoned this as Per chevron azure and ermine, in canton a falcon rising, wings elevated and displayed argent, in base a tower vert. This blazon led commentors to believe that the charges were co-primary; that is not the case. The tower is the sole primary charge on this emblazon, with the falcon clearly a secondary; we have reblazoned it accordingly. The evidence suggests that this was not checked for conflict under the correct interpretation. We are, therefore, pending this device so that it may be checked for conflict as a single primary charge with a secondary charge in canton.
Created at 2004-11-14T20:28:34