Laurel Letter of Pends and Discussion (LoPaD): April 21 2005

Society for Creative Anachronism

College of Arms

15910 Val Verde Dr

Houston, TX 77083-4921

+1-281-277-4055

herald@sca.org

For the January 2005 meetings, printed April 21 2005

To all the College of Arms and all others who may read this missive, from François Laurel King of Arms, Gwenllian Wreath, and Margaret Pelican, greetings.

This letter contains the issues raised in the January 2005 LoAR for CoA discussion. The text in this letter is copied verbatim from that LoAR; it is provided here for convenience. As with a January LoI, these matters are currently scheduled for the Laurel meetings in August 2005. Original commentary must be in the College's hands no later than June 2005. Responses and rebuttals to commentary must be in the College's hands no later than July 2005.

1. Ása Starradóttir. Device. Argent, a reindeer salient contourny sable and on a chief gules three coronets argent.

Blazoned on the Letter of Intent as Argent, a reindeer salient contourny and on a chief gules three coronets argent, the reindeer was clearly sable on the color emblazon. We have pended this device to allow the College to research potential conflicts using the correct tinctures.

The submitter was made a countess in January 2001 and a duchess in July 2004 and so is entitled to use a coronet in her armory.

2. Jocosa d' Auxerre. Device. Azure, two stalks of wheat in saltire Or and on a chief embattled argent two acorns proper.

Blazoned on the Letter of Intent as Azure, two stalks of wheat in saltire proper, on a chief embattled Or two acorns proper, the chief was clearly argent on the color emblazon. We have pended this device to allow the College to research potential conflicts using the correct tinctures.

3. Katerine Martel. Badge. (Fieldless) On a mullet of nine points argent, in pale a crescent azure and a pawprint vert.

Blazoned on the Letter of Intent as (Fieldless) On a mullet of nine points a crescent azure and a paw print vert, the tincture of the mullet was omitted. We have pended this device to allow the College to research potential conflicts using the correct tinctures.

4. Northshield, Principality of. Award name Award of Bellerophon.

By precedent, Order names formed from names of characters from ancient myth are registerable:

[Order of Perseus] Unlike the cases of Compaignie Mercurie (returned Oct 92) and House Sirius (returned Oct 91), the use of a constellation name here neither infringes on an important location, nor appears to be a claim to extraterrestriality. On the first point, a constellation is not a place; it's a pattern of lights. On the second point, most constellations were named either for artifacts or after characters from ancient myth --- which, during the Renaissance, were also the source for Order names. Given the recent registration of the Order of the Pisces (LoAR of June 92), this is acceptable. (Order of Perseus (Barony of Carolingia), June, 1993, pg. 7)

However, a recent search for such Renaissance Order names has turned up no examples. . Exactly what patterns period Order names follow has been a hot topic of late. This month's Cover Letter opens a discussion of which patterns are used to form period Order names, how the patterns should be interpreted, and what sorts of names follow these patterns. As names of characters from ancient myth must, necessarily, be part of this discussion of Order names, we are pending this name until August, 2005. For more information, see this month's Cover Letter.

5. Northshield, Principality of. Order name Order of Tyr and badge. (Fieldless) On a hand fesswise sable a Týr rune argent.

Conflict with the registered name, An Tir, Kingdom of. The designator and the article, An are transparent for purposes of conflict. The descriptive element is identical in sound and nearly identical in appearance. It is also in conflict with the historical city of Tyre, which was a major Phoenician seaport from 2000 BC through the Roman period. The town was well known in period through the frequent mentions of it in the Bible; it was also one of the principal cities of the crusaider kingdom of Jerusalem..While an Order name cannot conflict with a personal name, it can conflict with any category of non-personal name, such as a place name,a household name, a heraldic title, or another award/order name.

We note that Tyr is also the origianl Germanic god of war, precursor to the Norse Odin. This month's Cover Letter opens a discussion of which patterns are used to form period Order names, how the patterns should be interpreted, and what sorts of names follow these patterns. Names of non-Christian gods and holy relics must, necessarily, be part of this discussion of Order names. As the matter is current under discussion,, we cannot say whether names following this pattern will be registerable in the future.

6. Northshield, Principality of. Order name Order of Bridgets Flame and badge. (Fieldless) A torch argent enflamed proper.

This Order names uses a saint's name Bridget without the modifier Saint with an object that is often shown as an aspect of the Goddess Brigit or Breganti. Such names have not yet been considered. It's arguable that, if Order names patterns show "Order of holy name" and "Order of holy relic", some form of this Order name is consistent with period practice. It is equally arguable that if Order name patters show "Order of Christian holy name", that such names are either not registerable, or are one step from period practice. Exactly what patterns period Order names follow has been a hot topic of late. This month's Cover Letter opens a discussion of which patterns are used to form period Order names, how the patterns should be interpreted, and what sorts of names follow these patterns. As names of non-Christian Gods and holy relics must, necessarily, be part of this discussion of Order names, we are pending this name until August, 2005. For more information, see this month's Cover Letter.

7. Svanhild bogsveigira færeyjaska. Device. Per saltire azure and vert, on a swan naiant contourny reguardant argent, an arrow fesswise reversed vert maintained in the swan's beak, an orle argent.

Blazoned on the Letter of Intent as Per saltire azure and vert, a swan naiant contourny respectant, bearing in its beak against its body an arrow reversed vert, and an orle argent, the swan's tincture was omitted from the blazon. We have pended this device to allow the College to research potential conflicts using the correct tinctures.

Pray know that I remain

In service

François la Flamme

Laurel Principal King of Arms