Laurel Letter of Pends and Discussion (LoPaD): May 31 2005

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

This letter contains the issues raised in the March 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 May 2005 LoI, these matters are currently scheduled for the Pelican and Wreath meetings in September 2005. Original commentary must be in the College's hands no later than July 31 2005. Responses and rebuttals to commentary must be in the College's hands no later than August 31 2005.

1. Arielle Makcristyne. Name.

   This submission raises the sticky question of whether names combining Hebrew names not found in the Bible and Scots or Scottish Gaelic should be registerable. There is evidence of Jews living in Ireland during our period. The website "The Irish Jewish Museum - Tracing the History of Ireland's Jews" by Carol Sorgenson, http://www.gallagherstravels.com/international_places/Ireland/irishjewishmuseum/ notes:

   The earliest reference can be found in the Annals of Innisfallen which record the arrival in 1079 of five Jews from "over the sea," very likely merchants arriving from Rouen, the capital of Normandy, in France. More Jews arrived following the expulsion of the Jews from Spain and Portugal in 1496. The first Jewish Mayor of Ireland was William Annyas, of Youghal in County Cork, elected in 1555.

   However, searches for information about Jewish history in Scotland suggest that Jews in Scotland were practically nonexistent until the late 17th C. What evidence is there for the kind of Jewish/Scottish contact in period that would allow the registration of Jewish/Scots or Jewish/Scottish Gaelic names? We are pending this name to give the College time to research and answer this question.

   There was some question about the status of the name Arielle, both whether it was ever declared SCA-compatible, and whether it follows patterns for feminizing masculine Hebrew names. Precedent states:

   The name Ariel is found in the Bible, in Ezra, as the name of a male leader. While no one could produce documentation showing that Arielle is a period name, Hebrew names of this sort are frequently feminized by adding an "a" or an "e" at the end. For instance, Rafael becomes Rafaelle, Gabriel becomes Gabrielle, Uriel becomes Urielle, Michael becomes Michaela, etc. Since our sources for period Hebrew names give us many more for men than for women, we are registering this as a compatible name. [Arielle the Golden, February 1997]

   This precedent does not declare the name Arielle SCA-compatible. If it did, it would have used the phrase SCA-compatible. Instead, it says that the name Arielle is compatible with documented naming practice demonstrated by the pairs of names listed in the precedent. However, Siren notes: "research on Jewish names since 1997 has made it clear that feminine names were not formed in period by adding -a or -e to the end of masculine names. A few names of major saints were feminized *by Christians*, but none by Jews." Given this new information, barring other documentation of the name Arielle as a period name, we will discontinue registering this name beginning at the decision meeting in September of 2005.

   Her armory has been registered under the holding name Arielle of Eisental.

   This was item 3 on the Ealdormere letter of November 15, 2004.

2. Eleanor of Huntingdon. Device. Per saltire vert and argent, in pale two open books argent and in fess two daggers sable.

   Blazoned on the Letter of Intent as Per saltire argent and vert two daggers sable and two open books in cross, the field is actually Per saltire vert and argent and the books are argent. We have pended the device to allow the College the opportunity to research it using the correct tinctures.

   This was item 3 on the Ealdormere letter of November 15, 2004.

Pray know that I remain,

In service,

Elisabeth de Rossignol
Laurel Principal Queen of Arms

Created at 2005-07-13T01:12:43