Submitted as Éadaoin inghean Chanagáin, the name on which the patronymic is based, Canacan, is "a rare early name", according to Ó Corrain and Maguire, Irish Names. No documentation was submitted and none found to suggest that Canacan was found in an Early Modern Irish form; barring such documentation that form is not registerable. Therefore, we have changed the patronymic to its Middle Irish form and registered the name as Éadaoin ingen Chanacáin. We note that this name mixes Early Modern Irish and Middle Irish; this is one step from period practice.
Submitted as Marguerite de Neufchâteau, the circumflex mark did not come into general use in French until the 18th C:
The issue of whether the circumflex accent mark was used in period French spellings was raised several times this letter. This diacritical mark, which resembles a carat (^) over a vowel, is used in modern French to indicate a missing consonant, usually an s, after the marked vowel. While some historians suggest that this accent mark was introduced into use in French writing in the 16th C, it does not become common until the 18th C. The first edition of Dictionnaire de l'Académie française, published in 1694, does not use the circumflex. In addition, the College has found no evidence for the general use of the circumflex in French writing during our period. Therefore, we must conclude that modern French spellings that use the circumflex are not representative of period French forms. While words that can be found with this mark in original period texts may be registered using this mark, French words that use the circumflex are not otherwise registerable. [Cover Letter, January 2006]
As no evidence for the use of the circumflex mark with the name Neufchasteau prior to 1650 was found, we have changed this name to Marguerite de Neufchasteau in order to register it.
The submitter requested an authentic 15th C English name. Michael is a fine given name for this period; the name is found in this spelling in The Stonor letters and papers, 1290-1483; ed. for the Royal historical society, from the original documents in the Public record office, (Charles Lethbridge Kingsford, editor), dated to 1463. However, we have been unable to find the spelling Gladewyne later than the 14th C; we have also found Michael in that century. This is a lovely 14th C English name. We believe it is also a fine 15th C name as well, but without actual examples of the byname spelling in that century, we cannot make a definitive statement.
This is clear of Richard of Black Iron's badge, Argent, a single-horned anvil reversed sable, enflamed proper. There is a CD for adding the bordure and another for removing the significant enflaming of Richard's anvil. As Laurel has previously noted:
We considered reblazoning Richard's armory as a flame proper charged with an anvil sable, but the shape of the flame so generated would be so unusual as to be unacceptable. Therefore we are maintaining the current blazon. [Leonardo Giovanni, 09/02, A-East]
Please advise the submitter that the charges should be drawn larger and the per chevron line higher.
Blazoned on the LoI as banded sable, the banding is actually argent. This is an unblazonable artistic detail, similar to languing on a beast. In this case, the band is a narrow stripe near the top of the fishhook.
The submitter requested an authentic 12th-14th C name. However, we have found no examples of the given name, Gwyneth, before the late 16th C. As submitted, the name is certainly registerable, but it is not authentic for her desired time period. If the submitter is interested in a similar name authentic for the 13th C, we suggest Gwerith de Guher or Gwen de Guher. Both Gwerith and Gwen are 13th C spellings found in Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn, "A Simple Guide to Constructing 13th Century Welsh Names", while de Guher is dated to 1130 in Carmarthen (Wales) in Reaney and Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames s.n. Gower.
This device contains the first registration using the blazon term "escroll", although similar motifs have been registered before. Brooke-Little, An Heraldic Alphabet, defines "escroll" as "A ribbon or scroll usually bearing a motto". James Parker, A Glossary of Terms Used In Heraldry, p. 238, defines it as "A long strip of parchment .... Escroll occur rarely as charges". Inter alia, he cites the arms of Sir Roger de Clarendon, a natural son of Edward the Black Prince: Or, on a bend sable, three ostrich feathers argent, the quills transfixed through as many escrolls gold.
We will use "escroll" only for a small scroll or strip transfixed by or perhaps connected to a much larger charge, rather like a maintained charge. Such a motif does not fall afoul of the long-standing ribbon precedent, for the same reasons cited for Bronwen Selwyn, June 2005 LoAR, Ansteorran returns:
A ribbon is not registerable as a stand-alone charge; that is, as a primary, secondary, or tertiary charge. However, in this case [on a fox's tail] the ribbon is equivalent to a hawk's jesses: a blazonable detail or ornamentation, rather than a charge in its own right. As such, the ribbon is registerable, though submitters should be aware that the exact depiction of such ribbons will be considered an artistic detail.
Submitted as Inga Hraustlig, by precedent, Old Norse bynames must be registered in all lowercase. We have changed the name to Inga hraustlig in order to register it.
Lace bobbins are wooden and thus are brown when blazoned proper.
Submitted as Magnus inn T{o-}rshavn, the submitter requested a name authentic to 950 Faeroes Islands. At that time, the language spoken in the Faeroes was Old Norse. While we do not have an example from 950 for the placename written in modern Faeroese as T{o-}rshavn, we do have an example from around 1200 from Færeyinga saga. That form is Þórsh{o,}vn (the {o,} represents an o-ogonek character). In addition, the grammar of the byname is incorrect. The forms inn T{o-)rshavn and inn Þórsh{o,}vn mean "the Torshavn", not "from Torshavn"; í Þórsh{o,}vn would have the appropriate meaning. We have changed the name to Magnus í Þórsh{o,}vn to correct the grammar and partially fulfill the submitter's authenticity request.
The submitter requested minor changes only. However, correspondence with the submitter revealed that the changes made here were acceptable.
As ruled in the February 2006 LoAR (q.v. Decimus Aurelius Gracchus), a crab inverted is registerable but a step from period practice.
Registered in October 1982 with the blazon Per pale gules and sable, a winged sphinx sejant guardant erect argent and in chief a pinecone Or, this has been reblazoned to explicitly state the orientation of the pinecones. The SCA has been inconsistent over the years in whether stems to chief or stems to base is the default orientation of a pinecone; there is no default orientation. The orientation of a pinecone must be blazoned. We have also clarified the posture of the sphinx.
His old name, Hobbe de Conyers, is retained as an alternate name.
The default comb in mundane and SCA heraldry has rows of teeth on opposites sides (a double comb). For artistic reasons we are blazoning this as a single-sided comb, though there is no difference between the two types of combs.
Her badge registered in October 2000, Per pale sable and Or, in cross four birds migrant beaks conjoined counterchanged, is released.
The submitter has permission to conflict with Reynard de la Rochefoucauld, Gules, a bend sinister sable fimbriated between a compass rose and a sheaf of arrows Or. The LoI failed to mention that this permission to conflict was included.
Originally registered November 1981 with the blazon Per chevron inverted abased vert and argent, in chief a Great Horned Owl rising to sinister guardant proper. [Bubo virginianus], a bird rising has its wings elevated and addorsed by default. This has been reblazoned to describe the posture of the owl's wings. The Linnaean description is inadequate to describe the emblazon as the great horned owl can vary in color from a reddish brown to a grey or black and white. The Linnaean description has been removed. In this case the owl is cream/light tan with dark brown markings. Morsulus has been asked to include this description in the O&A.
Nice device!
There was some question whether Gwynethe was registerable as a variant of the given name Gwyneth, since the documentation showed this spelling only as a surname. The given name Gwyneth is rare in period; we only start to see it in the late 16th C. Morgan and Morgan, Welsh Surnames, s.n. Gwynedd, say this about the etymology of this name:
Before quoting from present-day registers it is necessary to inquire whether the very popular girl's name Gwyneth has its origin in the name Gwynedd.
...it is faintly possible that the word gwenith 'wheat' is connected with the use of 'Gwyneth' as a girl's name (i.e. that 'Gwenith' was first intended) for the word was used in poetry for 'the favourite' or 'the pick of the bunch'.
This suggests that, while there may be a different etymology, derivation from the surname is equally likely. Furthermore, the earliest examples cited in Morgan and Morgan, Gwyneth (1577) and Gwennett (1629), are also found as surname spellings, Gwyneth in 1578 and Gwennett in 1552. Given that the spelling Gwynethe is found in the discussion of this given name, we will give the submitter the benefit of the doubt that it is a reasonable variant spelling for this given name.
Nice 14th C English name!
This name mixes Gaelic and Scots; this is one step from period practice. If the submitter is interested in a fully Early Modern Irish form of this name, we suggest Odhrán Cille Meadhóin. Chille Medhóin is found in a 1595 entry of the Annals of the Four Masters; however, with this name Cille does not need to be lenited. In some Gaelic scripts, there is a character that looks approximately like a lowercase f, but without the crossbar. This character (represented by an underscored e, e, in the entry above) sometimes represents e and sometimes ea depending upon the context of the text.
His previous device, Azure ermined Or, a winged talbot segreant contourny and a demi-sun issuant from base argent, is released.
Submitted as Walja the Goth, the form Walja was a hypothetical reconstruction of a Gothic name based on a Latin spelling. While this may very well be a reasonable Gothic form, the fact is that we have no vernacular examples of this name (according to the client's documentation, we have very few actual examples of Gothic names); the Gothic spellings, taken from the Academy of Saint Gabriel letter #2392, are at best educated guesses. While we do occasionally register educated guesses (most notably in occasional reconstructions of Gaelic names where the orthographic rules are extremely regular), in most cases we do not do this. The Latin forms given in the Saint Gabriel letter are documentary forms. Therefore, we have changed the name to Valia the Goth, to match forms recorded in period in Latin documents.
His old name, Ottavio Todisco, is retained as an alternate name.
This name mixes a German spelling of a Danish given name and Icelandic; this is one step from period practice. If the submitter is interested in a fully Old Norse form of the given name, we suggest Valdimarr hamarhandar. Valdimarr is found in Haraldsson, The Old Norse Name.
Originally registered August 1998 and reblazoned in February 2002 as Vert, on a bend sinister argent between two falcons rising respectant, wings elevated and addorsed argent, three crosses patonce vert. The reblazon corrected the tincture of the birds to argent but left an extra argent in the blazon.
Blazoned on the LoI as pily bendy sinister, it is actually pily bendy. This fact was noted by enough commenters (indicating that they conflict checked the correct field) that this can be registered rather than pended for further conflict checking.
This is clear of Ronald of Flamming Hall, Lozengy barry ermine and gules. Pily bendy is substantially different from gridlike partitions such as lozengy and checky. It was argued that since pily bendy is not listed under RfS X.4.a.ii that it must have at most a CD from other partitions. It would be nearly impossible to list all possible types of partitions in this rule. As in other cases (e.g., checky vs. party of six, q.v. Jeanne Marie Lacroix, 3/02) where one or both partitions are not included in the list, a decision must be made on a case-by-case basis. Please advise the submitter to draw one fewer pile and to make sure that there are ermine spots on each pile.
Cassie is the submitter's legal given name.
This does not conflict with David of Lockerbie, Per bend sinister indented azure and argent, a horse rampant counterchanged, which is incorrectly listed in the O&A as Per bend sinister azure and argent, a horse rampant counterchanged. Morsulus has been asked to correct the blazon to match that given in the November 1989 LoAR. There is a CD for changing the line of division and another for the difference between the primary charges.
The submitter has permission to conflict with Sabine Berard, Per bend sinister azure and argent, a dragon segreant counterchanged maintaining in its sinister claw a bezant.
Blazoned on the LoI as Per fess embattled sable and argent masoned, a demi-cartouche issant from base sable and in chief three A-frame plumb lines Or , the submitter had originally blazoned this as a wall. Batonvert has provided some research on walls:
It's proven difficult to find examples of the wall, so blazoned, in period heraldry. There are numerous examples of what would, in modern terms, be blazoned a wall, but period blazons are lacking. Part of this is due to the fact that the blazons of all heraldic stonework edifices are, bluntly, arbitrary. (When the same charge can be blazoned either as a castle or a tower - depending solely on whether its bearer is Castile or Delatour - it becomes pointless to argue over exact definitions.)
That said, there are examples of walls in period armory. The Armorial de Gelre, c.1370, in the arms of Vinay (f.50), gives us a tower conjoined to a wall to sinister (la tour et son avant-mur); and an odd charge resembling a fess with spears issuant to chief (f.63), which is blazoned a mur (wall) because of the cant with its owner, Vilamur. It does not, however, give us an example of the charge normally deemed a wall, in either of its usual forms.
For these, we must look to the European Armorial, c.1460. On pp.46-47 we see an example of each type of wall: the arms of Wineck, with a wall of the "embattled fess" type, and the arms of Kettenberg or Calterburg, with a wall of the "per fess embattled" type. In each case, there are added details - masoning, three-dimensionality, portals or towers - to convince us that these are stonework edifices, not ordinaries or field divisions.
By the time of Siebmacher's Wappenbuch of 1605, many more examples make their appearance. Of the "embattled fess" walls, Wineck is still to be seen (pl.97), as are Auer von Auberg (pl.90), Ziegler (pl.161) and Lauternau (pl.200); there's also a wall bendwise in the arms of Lühe (pl.169). More frequently found, especially in civic arms, is the "per fess embattled" wall, issuant from base: in its simplest form, Per fess embattled gules and argent masoned sable (with no towers, portals, or other signs of depth), it's found in the arms of Wirsberg (pl.104).
Rietstap gives a modern blazon for Wirsberg: Coupé de gueules sur un mur crenellé de trois pièces d'argent, maçonné de sable (Per fess gules over a wall embattled of three argent masoned sable). This strange hybrid blazon of field division and charge, per fess and a wall, is used by Rietstap for the other examples in Siebmacher as well - even when (as in the arms of Pogrell, pl.50) the wall has towers issuant to chief and a portal in base.
Without period blazons or cants, I can't be sure that the "per fess embattled" wall was indeed considered a wall in period. However, the fact that it was frequently shown with doors, windows, and shields hanging from the battlements (Siebmacher, pl.225), does strongly suggest it: such artistic decorations wouldn't have been needed if it were simply a divided field, however complex.
Thus, this emblazon of a wall appears to be period; the blazon may be period. In this case the masoning and portal suggest an edifice, not a field division. As the submitter had blazoned this a wall, we will preserve that term.
Please advise the submitter to draw the fleur-de-lys larger.
Please advise the submitter that the lions should be drawn larger.
This is the first registration of a mitten. The submitter provided documentation from the Museum of National Antiquities (Historiska Museet) in Sweden showing that the Åsle mitten in their collection dates between 1510 and 1640 (http://www.historiska.se/collections/veckansfynd/vfynd1_012003_E.html). While there is a blazonable difference, there is not a CD between a mitten and a gauntlet or a hand.
Her previous device, Per saltire argent and azure, a sun counterchanged and on a chief azure three escallops inverted argent, is released.
When accepting Chlothar Bructerus's badge (August 2005, Trimaris), Laurel ruled, "a charge that may be voided may be borne voided as a fieldless badge." Prior precedent states "The compass star meets the guidelines established by Master Bruce for voiding and fimbriation. [12a/93, p.1]". As a compass star is simple enough to void, a voided compass star can be registered as a fieldless badge.
The submitter requested a name authentic to the 16th C but accepted no changes. The byname was documented from an early 16th C literary work about Robin Hood. The name as it appears in the cited work is borne by a character living some centuries before the work was published; it is not indicative of forms actually in use in the 16th C. If the submitter is interested in an authentic 16th C form of this name, we suggest Susanna Lee, Susanna Leie, or Susanna Leigh. These three surname spellings are found in Julie Kahan, "Surnames in Durham and Northumberland, 1521-1615" (http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/juetta/parish/surnames.html).
Please inform the submitter that the wavy should be drawn the same on both flaunches.
While the arrangement of charges is less than optimal as it causes the birds to be drawn so small, it is registerable. Please advise the submitter that the embattlements should be drawn deeper.
Originally registered October 1981 with the blazon Or, a unicorn rising to sinister, head lowered, and on a mount sable a point pointed embowed trefoilly vert, fimbriated and charged with a gout Or, rising is not a defined heraldic posture for a unicorn or other non-winged creature. We were unable to derive a better blazon for the combination of charges in base.
This name mixes Middle Gaelic with Early Modern Gaelic; this is one step from period practice. If the submitter is interested in a fully Early Modern Gaelic form of this name, we suggest Faolan Caimbeul.
This name as originally submitted as Foálan Campbell and changed to Fáelán Caimbeul at kingdom. This is a major change, which the submitter originally indicated was not acceptable. However, the LoI noted that this change had been made after consultation with, and with the full approval of, the submitter. This is exactly how such matters should be handled!
This device is evocative of Campbell, Duke of Argyll (important non-SCA arms), Gyronny Or and sable; however, as it has two CDs from the Campbell arms there is not an issue of pretense. This is an extension of the precedent set in the October 2001 Cover Letter, which stated in part "Note that if a real-world coat of arms is not considered important enough to protect in the SCA, a CD will certainly suffice to remove any problem of presumption due to the combination of name and armory." Laurel has previously ruled on the combination of the Campbell name and arms, in registering Gyronny Or and sable, a wolf's head cabossed argent, on a chief gules three crescents Or to Alasdair Iain Caimbeul in November 1990, stating "Several commenters expressed some qualms about the combination of the surname Campbell (in any form) and the gyronny arms of the Campbells. Given that the only allusion to the Campbells in the arms here is the gyronny field and that this proposal has three Clear Visual Differences from the Campbell arms, we felt that the allusion was not excessive."
For matters of conflict, the submitted armory is clear of Campbell under RfS X.1 by the addition of a primary charge.
Submitted as Zoë Rosalie de Rebelh, both given names were documented as saint's names from Withycombe, The Oxford Dictionary of English Christian Names. Both names are also found in Morlet, Dictionnaire étymologique des Noms de Famille. Neither source suggests that the names were found in either England or France in period. In addition, no documentation was submitted and none found to suggest that Zoë was known as a saint in either English or French culture, or in other cultures whose names are registerable with French or English names. Barring such documentation, Zoë is not registerable as part of an English or French name. Saint Rosalia is mentioned in Italian texts at the end of the 16th C; names combining French and Italian are registerable, but a step from period practice. We have changed the name to Rosalia de Rebelh in order to register it.
Her previous device, Azure, on a double-headed phoenix Or rising from flames a rose gules barbed vert, seeded argent, is released. Please advise the submitter that the bordure should be drawn wider.
The submitter requested an authentic Elizabethan English name, but allowed no changes. There was some question whether the name Trenchard was consistent with this wish, as the submitted documentation had this spelling in 1086. However, An Anthology of Chancery English contains a document titled "Petition of the inhabitants of the Isle of Wight" dated to 1450 that mentions an individual harri Trenchard. While this does not put the spelling quite in the Elizabethan era, it does get it within 100 years of that era. The formation of the name is consistent with Elizabethan practice. Mari Elspeth nic Brian's article, "Naming Practices in 16th C Gloucestershire" has several examples of names using the pattern [given] + [surname]+ of [locative].
The submitter requested authenticity for 15th C German. Although the documentation showed the locative as Schilperg, there were several examples of 'p' to 'b' switches in placenames in the same source. Therefore, we feel that the submitted Schilberg is also an authentic 15th C form.
Registered in October 1994 with the blazon Argent, a pine cone inverted and upon a chief vert, an arrow reversed argent, this has been reblazoned to explicitly state the orientation of the pinecones. The SCA has been inconsistent over the years in whether stems to chief or stems to base is the default orientation of a pinecone; there is no default orientation. The orientation of a pinecone must be blazoned.
Blazoned on the LoI as a pinecone inverted, the orientation of a pinecone must be explicitly blazoned. The SCA has been inconsistent over the years in whether stems to chief or stems to base is the default orientation of a pinecone; there is no default orientation.
This name mixes English and Spanish; this is one step from period practice. If the submitter is interested in a fully English form of the name, we suggest Drueta de la Rose. This byname is found in Reaney and Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames, s.n. Rose, dated to 1242.
Nice armory! Drueta has permission to conflict with John FitzArnulf de Lithia, Bendy sinister sable and gules.
This name mixes Welsh and Scots; this is one step from period practice.
Originally registered June 1975 and reblazoned in January 1985 as Purpure, flames of fire sable, fimbriated, surmounted by a falcon rising argent, a bird rising has its wings elevated and addorsed by default. This has been reblazoned to describe the posture of the falcon's wings.
Submitted as Elinor Strangewayes the Alchemist of Dorset, this name contains three bynames. No examples of English names with triple bynames were submitted, and none of the commenters were able to supply one. The submitter quoted a precedent from 1992 in support of four element names in English:
The use of four elements in an English name is anomalous (a "weirdness"), costing the submitter the benefit of the doubt (LoAR of July 92, p.18); it's permissible only if there are no other problems with the name. (Aric Thomas Percy Raven, October, 1992, pg. 30)
However, this is not explicit license to register a given name with three bynames. The name in this precedent is more logically parsed as a double given name and a double byname. We have examples of double given names and double bynames in English naming, but at the time the precedent was set, we had no examples of the two practices combined into one name. We still have no evidence of triple bynames in English naming practice. Therefore, barring evidence of triple bynames in English naming practice, such names are not registerable. We have dropped the element the Alchemist and registered this name as Elinor Strangewayes_of Dorset. While both occupation bynames and locatives are found in double byname formations in English, the most common second byname in a pair where one element is an inherited surname, such as Strangewayes, is a locative byname.
There was some question whether the byname the Alchemist of Dorset was presumptuous under RfS VI.1, which says "in some cases, use of an otherwise inoffensive occupational surname in a territorial context may make it appear to be a title or rank, such as John the Bard of Armagh or Peter Abbot of St. Giles." We believe that this particular combination does not violate this rule. Note the examples: Peter Abbot is an innocuous name, but adding of Saint Giles to it makes it a claim to be an abbot of a particular abbey -- a claim to a very real territorial rank. The bard of Armagh is analogous; while bard is a occupational term, it (or its Gaelic equivalent) was also used as a rank associated with a noble of a particular territory. Therefore, bard of [placename] is not registerable because it was sometimes a claim to rank in period. We know of no examples where Alchemist was used as a rank or title and not an occupation. Therefore, combining it with a locative is not presumptuous.
Nice device!
Originally registered July 1980 and reblazoned in October 1980 as Argent, a popinjay [Ara araravana] rising proper, and on a chief wavy gules a unicorn counter-dormant Or, a bird rising has its wings elevated and addorsed by default. This has been reblazoned to describe the posture of the popinjay's wings.
The arms of the cross are different lengths; however, they are drawn so as to fill the available space.
Her old name, Juliana de Kent, is released.
Submitted under the name Molly O'Raghallaigh.
Originally submitted as Nickolai Wegener, the name was changed to Nickel Wegener at kingdom because it was believed that Nickolai was a genitive form. However, Talan Gwynek, "Medieval German Names from Silesia", gives Nicolai as a nominative form of this name in 1347. As this is closer to the originally submitted form, we have registered this name to Nicolai Wegener.
Please advise the submitter to draw the flames larger.
Originally registered August 1976 with the blazon Argent, in saltire a garden rose gules slipped and leaved vert and a thistle slipped and leaved, in chief a falcon [Falco peregrinus anatum] rising proper, a bird rising has its wings elevated and addorsed by default. This has been reblazoned to describe the posture of the falcon's wings. In addition, the falcon is co-primary and all of the charges are proper.
Nice badge!
His old name, Samuel of Yorkshire, is released.
Originally registered August 1979 with the blazon Vert, a great horned owl [Bufo virginianus] rising proper maintaining in its dexter claw a quill argent and in its sinister claw a ladle Or, in base a tree bough fesswise proper, a bird rising has its wings elevated and addorsed by default. This has been reblazoned to describe the posture of the owl's wings. There was a typo in the Linnaean description; the great horned owl is Bubo virginianus, not Bufo. In addition, the Linnaean description was inadequate to describe the emblazon as the great horned owl can vary in color from a reddish brown to a grey or black and white.The Linnaean description has been removed. However, the copy of the emblazon in the Laurel files is only a faint outline so we cannot determine what the actual tinctures are. Thus this owl will conflict with either a primarily brown or primarily argent owl. Morsulus has been asked to note this in the O&A.
There is no difference between bamboo stems throughout and pallets; the bamboo detailing is artistic.
Registered in April 1975 with the blazon Argent, a fox's head erased sable, and in chief three pine cones proper, this has been reblazoned to explicitly state the orientation of the pinecones. The SCA has been inconsistent over the years in whether stems to chief or stems to base is the default orientation of a pinecone; there is no default orientation. The orientation of a pinecone must be blazoned.
Registered in August 1979 with the blazon Or, three pine cones proper [Pinus strobus], this has been reblazoned to explicitly state the orientation of the pinecones. The SCA has been inconsistent over the years in whether stems to chief or stems to base is the default orientation of a pinecone; there is no default orientation. The orientation of a pinecone must be blazoned. The Linnaean descriptor was dropped as it is not used in his device and because Pinus strobus (the Eastern White Pine) pinecone is simply a longish, brown pinecone. These pinecones fall within the standard variations of heraldic pinecones.
Submitted under the name William Graham.
Originally registered June 2005 with the blazon Per pall gules Or and azure, a buck springing azure and an owl rising Or , a bird rising has its wings elevated and addorsed by default. This has been reblazoned to describe the posture of the owl's wings.
As Nebuly noted "... we have two strong reasons to protect the arms of the Counts of Gelre. First, there is the historical importance of these arms as the inspiration for the national arms of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, a set of national arms that we already protect. Second, the arms are well-known in heraldic circles because they have been reproduced often in books on heraldry."
The name Christoph of Willaston was registered in September 1994. It was not discovered until later that this gentle already had a registered primary name, Christoph Breakshield, registered in 1993. The submitter has requested that Christoph of Willaston remain his primary name and that Christoph Breakshield be retained as an alternate name. We have done this.
His old name, Eberhart von Dorinberg, is released.
Registered in July 1989 with the blazon Per bend sinister azure and vert, in fess three pine boughs palewise and in chief three bunches of two pinecones, all argent, this has been reblazoned to explicitly state the orientation of the pinecones. The SCA has been inconsistent over the years in whether stems to chief or stems to base is the default orientation of a pinecone; there is no default orientation. The orientation of a pinecone must be blazoned.
Submitted as Genevieve d'Valois, the d' is an elided form of the preposition de. However, elided prepositions like this are only found when the first letter of the next name is a vowel. As a result, the grammatically correct form of the submitted name is Genevieve de Valois. The submitter specified that she preferred the form without the preposition if the d' was not registerable. We have changed the name to Genevieve_Valois to correct the grammar.
Blazoned as a hippogriff, the primary lacks the equine portions of a hippogriff and is thus simply a griffin.
Submitted under the name Katarina von Unterdrückt
Submitted under the name Seamus mac Alastair.
This name mixes English and German; this is one step from period practice.
Submitted as Vittoria Apollonia di Palumba, there are some problems with the grammar of the second byname. The preposition di in such constructions is generally found with given names. However, Palumbo (and the related Palumba) is a descriptive byname or possibly a placename. We have changed the name to Vittoria Apollonia da Palumba to make this clear; the preposition da indicates that Palumba is a placename.
Originally submitted as Carthach mac Cúán, the name was changed to Carthach mac Cúáin at kingdom. This change was the correct thing to do since this put the patronymic in the required genitive form. However, this change should have been mentioned on the LoI. Knowing the full submission history is important in evaluating a name. Even if changes are minor and do things like correct grammar, please mention them on the LoI.
The submitter requested an authentic 15th C French name. This is already an authentic 15th C French name.
The proposition was changed from du to de at kingdom to correct the grammar. This information was included on the LoI. Submissions heralds -- this is exactly what we expect when you make changes at kingdom. The LoI described the change and the reason.
Nice device!
Submitted as Elsbeth Leonhardt, the submitter requested authenticity for German. In late period German feminine names, patronymic bynames such as this one are written either in the feminine form or in the genitive case. We have changed the name to Elsbeth Leonhardtz, with the byname in the genitive case, to correct the grammar and make the name authentic as requested.
Registered in June 1983 with the blazon Argent, a fess bretessé vert between in chief three pinecones and in base a pine tree eradicated proper, this has been reblazoned to explicitly state the orientation of the pinecones. The SCA has been inconsistent over the years in whether stems to chief or stems to base is the default orientation of a pinecone; there is no default orientation. The orientation of a pinecone must be blazoned. An ordinary between two groups of charges will have one group on each side, thus in chief and in base is not required
Registered in May 2000 with the blazon Vert, an increscent between in fess two cinquefoils Or, on a chief argent a pine cone vert, this has been reblazoned to explicitly state the orientation of the pinecones. The SCA has been inconsistent over the years in whether stems to chief or stems to base is the default orientation of a pinecone; there is no default orientation. The orientation of a pinecone must be blazoned.
The submitter requested a name authentic for 14th-15th C Dutch. The given name is found in the mid-late 14th C while the byname is found in the early 15th C. This makes the name a very reasonable Dutch name for her requested period.
Jessyca is the submitter's legal given name.
Her old name, Rhiannon Jocelyn, is retained as an alternate name.
Please advise the submitter to add a third peak to the dance.
Submitted under the name Vashti bint Da'ud.
Nice 12th C English name!
Submitted as Melisenda Leonhardt, as submitted the name is two steps from period practice; names that are two steps from period practice are not registerable. First, it mixes a Latinized Italian or French given name with a German byname. No documentation was submitted and none found to suggest that a form of Melisenda was used as a German name in period. Second, there is a more than 300 year gap between the documented dates supplied for the two parts of this name. Fause Losenge notes:
Latinized <Leonardus> is found in France by the 13th century (Louis Perouas et al., Léonard, Marie, Jean et les Autres: les Prénoms en Limousin depuis un Millénaire, Éditions du Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Paris, 1984, Tableau 10). Old French <Melissent>, <Milesent>, <Milessent> was still in use in Paris in 1292 (Colm Dubh, 'An Index to the Given Names in the 1292 Census of Paris', <http://www.sca.org/heraldry/laurel/names/paris.html>). Thus, a 13th century <Melisenda filia Leonardi> in a thoroughly Latinized document is not out of the question. In a document in which only the forenames are Latinized, we might find <Melisenda Lienart>: Morlet, Étude d'Anthroponymie Picarde: Les noms de personne en Haute Picardie aux XIIIe, XIVe, XVe siècles, Les Presses du Palais Royal, Paris, 1967, p. 423 cites <Felipre Lienart> 1276, <Radulphus dictus Lienart> 1295, and <Lorens Lienart> 1404, and <Lienart> is found as a forename in the Paris tax roll of 1292.
We have changed the name to Melisenda Lienart in order to register it. We note that this is a French form of this name, not a German form.
The submitter requested an authentic German name. However, we have found no evidence that the given name was ever part of the German naming pool. Because of this, we are unable to fulfill this request.
Registered in April 1984 with the blazon Or, a coney couchant between in chief three pinecones and in base a sword fracted in chevron inverted azure, this has been reblazoned to explicitly state the orientation of the pinecones. The SCA has been inconsistent over the years in whether stems to chief or stems to base is the default orientation of a pinecone; there is no default orientation. The orientation of a pinecone must be blazoned.
Submitted as Ragnarr Blóðøx, current precedent says that Old Norse descriptive bynames are only registerable in all lowercase. We have changed the name to Ragnarr blóðøx in order to register it.
Originally registered March 1983 with the blazon Per chevron Or and sable, in pale a raven rising sable and a laurel wreath argent, a bird rising has its wings elevated and addorsed by default. Moreover, a check of the emblazon showed that the bird in this case was not rising, but volant. This has been reblazoned to describe the posture of the raven's wings.
The name Rowena is SCA-compatible.
Originally submitted as Sedeke Edye, the name was changed at kingdom to Sedeke Ide, a more authentic form. While the form on the LoI is, indeed, a lovely and authentic name, the submitter made no request for authenticity. The originally submitted form was registerable although a step from period practice for mixing Frisian and English. While we applaud the attempt to register more authentic names, the College of Arms is bound by the wishes of the submitter as expressed on the form. If the submitter does not request an authentic name, and the submitted name is registerable as submitted, the name should not be changed without consultation with the submitter. If consultation with the submitter results in a change in the name, then this MUST be noted on the LoI, because the College of Arms needs all available information about the submitter's wishes to properly evaluate a name. In this case, our best indication is that the submitter wants what they submitted if it is registerable. We have, therefore, changed the name back to the less authentic originally submitted form. We note that if the submitter prefers the form on the LoI, we would be happy to register it via a name reconsideration request.
Originally submitted as Stephanus Ó Miadhaigh, the name was changed at kingdom to Stiamhna Ó Miadhaigh, an authentic Early Modern Irish form, to fulfill the submitter's request for an authentic Gaelic name. However, the request for authenticity was completely omitted from the LoI. Had the form on the LoI not already been authentic, we would have been forced to pend this name for further commentary.
Nice late 12th/early 13th C English name.
This name mixes Frankish/French and German; this is one step from period practice.
This device is clear of Raúl de Paz, Azure bezanty, a bordure compony argent and gules. There is a CD for changing the tincture of the bordure and another CD for the difference between a roundel and a grenade.
While a quaver is a symbol, it is not an abstract symbol for the purposes of the March 2006 precedent (q.v. Yamahara Yorimasa) banning armory that consists solely of abstract charges. Multiple quavers thus can be registered as the only charges in an armorial design. A single quaver will continue to be considered a solitary abstract symbol per the July 2000 precedent (q.v. Iohann se pipere), and thus unregisterable as the only charge in an armorial design.
The documentation for the byname was not summarized -- only the name of the source was given. For dictionary works such as Reaney and Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames, you must not only provide bibliographical information, but also summarize what the documentation says about the name. In this case, the cited spelling is a header form. This information should have appeared in the summary of the documentation. Had the commenters not provided missing information, we would have been forced to return this name.
His previous device, Gyronny arrondy sable and argent, a bezant between two wolves salient respectant Or, is released.
The submitter requested an authentic Welsh name but accepted minor changes only. The name here was documented from "A Simple Guide to Constructing 13th Century Welsh Names" by Tangwystl verch Morgant Glasvryn; however, the submitted forms are all header forms in that article. The standard modern forms are consistent with normalized spelling rules for 16th C Welsh, even though we don't have actual 16th C examples of these names. Therefore, the name is registerable, but we don't know if it is authentic. If the submitter is interested in an authentic 13th C Welsh name, we suggest the documentary forms of the name found in the cited article. This yields Kedivor Goch ab Leget. We would change the name to this form, but this is a substantial change in appearance that is too great to be called a minor change.
The fructing consists of Or roundels, not the acorns that would be expected on a default tree; we have thus blazoned this a fruit tree. Please advise the submitter to draw the fruit larger.
Submitted as Gabriela Wende, the byname is German and should be written in its feminine or genitive form. We have changed the name to Gabriela Wendin to correct the grammar.
Gabriela is the submitter's legal given name.
Submitted as Johannus Rodenwerper, no documentation was submitted and none found to suggest that this is a reasonable period spelling variant of Johannes. Indeed, it would be surprising to find such a variant. Bahlow/Gentry, German Names s.n. Johannes, say that this name is "Greek-Lat form of the Hebrew Jochanan"; this spelling is also found in the Vulgate Bible. Johannes is, or at least declines like, a 3rd declension noun in Latin. This means that the -is or -es ending is correct. In general, the -us ending is not found in third declension Latin nouns; German practice for names adopted from Latin seems to be to retain the appropriate declension endings. We have changed the name to Johannes Rodenwerper to match the documentation.
The submitter requested an authentic Russian name. However, the second patronymic is based on a Serbian name. As we have no similar Russian names, we cannot make this name authentic.
Submitted as Arianwen ferch Dafydd Mawr, the spelling Arianwen is a 20th C revival of a name found in a fairly different form in the 5th C. We have no examples of how the name appeared at the time it was actually in use. We did find a form of this name in a 12th C genealogy included in J. Gwenogvryn Evans, The Text of the Book of Llan Dav; this source shows the spelling Aranwen. Given that this is a name used by humans in a written record, we will give the submitter the benefit of the doubt that the form Aranwen might have been adopted for use in the 12th C as a literary name. However, barring documentation that some person actually bore this name later than the 5th C and earlier than 1650, the form Arianwen is no longer registerable. We have changed this name to Aranwen ferch Dafydd Mawr in order to register it.
Quentin is the submitter's legal given name.
Her previous device, Per pale argent and gules, all goutty, four mascles in cross, in base two bars wavy, a chief invected, all counterchanged, is retained as a badge. As only a device may bear an augmentation, the augmented form of her previous device is no longer protected.
Originally registered September 1973 with the blazon Per fess azure and argent, in chief a dove rising and in base three lozenges, all counterchanged, a bird rising has its wings elevated and addorsed by default. This has been reblazoned to describe the posture of the dove's wings. The in chief and in base are not required as the charges will fall on either side of the line of division by default.
Originally registered August 1981 with the blazon Argent, a pile throughout vert between two mermaids erect holding in their conjoined hands a water-lily blossom counterchanged, in chief a seagull rising argent, a bird rising has its wings elevated and addorsed by default. Moreover, the bird in this case is not rising but volant. This has been reblazoned to describe the posture of the seagull's wings as well as the correct placement of the mermaids.
Registered in May 1984 with the blazon Or, a pinecone inverted vert, this has been reblazoned to explicitly state the orientation of the pinecones. The SCA has been inconsistent over the years in whether stems to chief or stems to base is the default orientation of a pinecone; there is no default orientation. The orientation of a pinecone must be blazoned.
Originally registered April 1983 with the blazon Or, an eagle rising between two scimitars addorsed in demi-annulo between three crosses patée quadrate sable, a bird rising has its wings elevated and addorsed by default. This has been reblazoned to describe the posture of the eagle's wings.
- Explicit littera accipendorum -
This submission was withdrawn by the submitter.
None.
This name combines a Cornish given name (or in this case a Latin version of a Cornish name) and an Irish Gaelic byname, but no documentation was submitted and none supplied by the commenters to suggest substantial contact between Cornish and Irish Gaelic speakers in period. Barring such documentation, combinations of these languages is not registerable.
There was some question whether Wyllow was a male or a female name. It is a masculine name. The source cited by the submitted documentation, William of Worcester's Itineraries, says of this saint "Sanctus Wyllow heremita fuie consocius Sancti Mancus et Sancti Midbard et eius festum tenetur die Jovis proxima ante festum Pentacosten..." (Saint Wyllow, hermit, was companion of Saint Mancus and Saint Midbard; his feast is held on the Thursday before Pentecost).
This device is returned for lack of identifiability of the thistle heads. If drawn in an identifiable manner, the thistle heads would be registerable. They would be analogous to the teazel head, a 16th C. heraldic charge; using thistle heads would be a single step from period practice.
None.
Unfortunately, as drawn the mushroom's cap is tilted towards the viewer, making the top look somewhat spherical. The consensus was that this was a visual conflict with the arms of O Connor Don (important non-SCA arms), Argent, a tree eradicated vert. If the mushroom were redrawn so its cap was slightly round on top and definitely flat on bottom, the visual similarity would be greatly reduced.
This is returned as the base device is being changed as well as the augmentation, with the dragon's claws changing from in pall to in pall inverted, but no paperwork was received for the change of the unaugmented device. This was intended to be solely a change in augmentation; however, as emblazoned, the submission also included a change in the base coat as well as the change in augmentation. These are two separate but not independent actions. If the submitter wishes this device, she will need to resubmit with a device change and an augmentation change. If she wishes to change only the augmentation, she will need to resubmit the augmentation change with the emblazon matching her currently registered base coat ( Sable, an annulet surmounted by three dragon's claws in pall conjoined at the tips argent .
The submitter is a court baroness and thus entitled to display a coronet. We wish to remind the College of Arms that being a territorial baroness alone does not allow one to register armory with a coronet.
This device is being returned for a redraw. The per chevron line of division is low enough to blur the distinction between a line of division and a point pointed.
The submitter is a court baron and thus entitled to display a coronet. We wish to remind the College of Arms that being a territorial baron alone does not allow one to register armory with a coronet.
This submission has several problems. First, no dates are given for any of the name elements, and the submitted documentation is from a modern baby name book. No documentation was submitted and none found to suggest that Ahlam was found in period. Because the submitter will not accept major changes, this would be sufficient by itself to warrant returning this name. However, there are other problems. The commenters were able to document Hala as a period Arabic feminine given name. While the commenters found no examples of Amatullah, it is a reasonable constructed Arabic feminine given name. Palimpsest explains:
Amatullah is clearly a form of Amat All{a-}h, the feminine equivalent of `Abd All{a-}h. I've never seen it in period, but I have seen both `Abd All{a-}h and various women's names formed with the names of Allah, including Amat al-`Az{i-}z, Amat al-Q{a-}dir, and Amat al-W{a-}h.id (all from my "Jewish Women's Names in an Arab Context: Names from the Geniza of Cairo")
However, no evidence has been found to suggest that Arabic names ever contained double given names. Barring such documentation, double given names in Arabic names are not registerable.
While not a reason for return, the submitter indicated an interest in a 12th C Persian name. The submitted name is constructed from Arabic parts, not Persian parts. We would draw the submitter's attention to Aryanhwy merch Catmael and Ursula Georges's article "Persian Feminine Names from the Safavid Period" (http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/ursula/persian.html), which discusses the formation of Persian names and gives some late period examples of Persian feminine names.
This device is returned for conflict with the Earl of Warwick (important non-SCA arms) Checky Or and azure, a chevron ermine. Three ermine spots on an ordinary is equivalent to ermine.
[Vert, a bend sinister argent ermined vert between three ermine spots argent] When there are three or more ermine spots on a stripe ordinary such as a bend or fess or chief, the ordinary will be interpreted as ermined, as this is a standard way of drawing an ermine stripe ordinary. It is also true that small numbers of ermine spots on the field may be interpreted as charges, rather than part of an ermined tincture. Three spots around a bend sinister are so sparsely distributed that they can only be interpreted as charges. No documentation was presented, and none was found, for the combination of ermine spots as distinct charges and ermine spots as part of an ermined tincture in the same armory. Until documentation for this combination is presented, this combination will be considered a weirdness. [Edmund Sharpe, 02/02, A-Atlantia]
Therefore there is a single CD for changes to the field between this submission and the arms of the Earl of Warwick. While equivalent to ermine, the fact that there are only three ermine spots on the chevron is a blazonable detail, if the submitter wishes it.
This is returned for multiple conflicts. It conflicts with Brann Morgan Dunmore, Argent, upon a pile inverted throughout, between two ravens sable, a tower argent. This was mistakenly ruled clear when it was pended, with Wreath granting a CD for changing the orientation of half the secondaries and another for changing the type of tertiary per X.4.j.ii. However, both pieces of armory must be conflict checked as per chevron field divisions as well as piles inverted. Considering Brann's device as Per chevron throughout argent and sable, two ravens and a tower counterchanged, the conflict is more apparent - there is a CD for changing the bottommost of three charges but there is nothing for changing the orientation of only one or three charges. Had this been the only conflict, it is likely it would have been registered since the Letter of Pends and Discussions explicitly ruled it clear. However, the submitted device also conflicts with Tangwystl Tyriau Gleision, Per chevron argent and sable, two towers and a horse rampant counterchanged. A horse is significantly different (a CD) from a pegasus, but not substantially (X.2) different. Therefore RfS X.2 (complete change of primary charges) does not apply and there is only a single CD for changing the type of primary charges.
Blazoned on the LoI as Per chevron throughout Or and sable, two ravens addorsed and a pegasus segreant counterchanged, this was pended to correct the tinctures of the field and the pegasus. At that time Wreath reblazoned the device as Argent, on a pile inverted throughout between two ravens addorsed sable a pegasus segreant argent stating "Given the relative sizes of the charges, this is more accurately blazoned as a pile inverted.". As was pointed out in commentary, we routinely blazon this arrangement as per chevron throughout regardless of the relative sizes of the charges. This is one reason that such designs must be conflict checked under both interpretations. We are therefore restoring the original blazon.
Conflict with the registered name Màiri ni Raghallaigh, registered in August 1990. RfS V.1.a.i says that "Irrespective of differences in sound and appearance, a given name is not significantly different from any of its diminutives when they are used as given names." The name Molly is a diminutive of the name Mary; Màiri is the Gaelic form of Mary. Normally, a diminutive in one language would not conflict with a full name in another language. However, the name Molly O' Raghallaigh or Molly Ó Raghallaigh can only be interpreted as a partial English translation of the name Màiri inghean ui Raghallaigh; it is highly unlikely as an independently occurring name. In this circumstance, it is reasonable to consider a diminutive of the Anglicized name the equivalent of a diminutive of the Gaelic name.
Had the name not been in conflict, the spelling and grammar would have had to be corrected. The patronymic O' Raghallaigh mixes the Anglicized patronymic marker O' with a Gaelic given name in the genitive case. This violates RfS III.1.a, Linguistic Consistency, which says that a name phrase may only contain elements in a single language. In addition, Gaelic grammar requires that a patronymic used in a feminine name use a feminine patronymic marker. This is because the markers are specific in meaning and gender: "mac" means "son", "inghean" means "daughter", "Ó" means "male descendent of". Hence, the patronymic, to be registerable, would either need to be Anglicized or changed to the feminine equivalent inghean ui Raghallaigh (daughter of the male descendent of Raghallagh). Woulfe, Irish Names and Surnames has several late 16th-early 17th C Anglicizations of this name including O'Realy, O'Reely, and O'Riellie. Had the name not had a conflict, we would have registered it as either Molly O'Riellie or Molly inghean ui Raighallaigh. Note that the second form combines English and Gaelic; this is one step from period practice.
Her armory has been registered under the holding name Molly of Iron Bog.
This device is returned for violating RfS VIII.1.b, Armorial Balance. That rule requires that "Armory must arrange all elements coherently in a balanced design." The use of two small charges in canton with a charge bendwise is overwhelming unbalanced. A single charge in canton, while still somewhat unbalanced, would be acceptable. On resubmission, please advise the submitter to drawn the charges to fill the available space. Additionally, we note that this appears to be a modern shovel. If resubmitted with this emblazon of a shovel, the submitter should be prepared to show that this represents a period spade or shovel.
Conflict with the 20th C evangelist, Billy Graham, born William Franklin Graham. He has his own article in Britannica Online. Billy Graham is arguably as well known worldwide as other religious figures like the Dalai Lama or the Pope. This name conflicts with both the popular form of the name, Billy Graham and the full form, as names and their diminutives are not different for terms of conflict.
His armory has been registered under the holding name William of Gleann nam Feorag Dhuibhe.
None.
None.
Unfortunately, this nice device must be returned for redraw. The bend sinister should issue from the corner of the shield.
No documentation was submitted and none found to suggest that von Unterdrückt is found as a German byname (or even as a German word) in period or that it follows a pattern use in constructed German bynames. Barring such documentation, bynames using the word Unterdrückt are not registerable. Furthermore, the construction of this byname is grammatically incorrect. The submitter suggested that Unterdrückt meant "the oppressed"; therefore, this is a descriptive byname. The preposition von "from" is found in locative bynames; we have no evidence of its use in descriptive bynames.
The submitter asserts that the byname means "of the oppressed," but provides no further information about it. Kingdom provided no further documentation. Even a dictionary citation showing that this word had the appropriate meaning would have been better than no documentation at all.
Her armory has been registered under the holding name Katarina of Vulpine Reach
Conflict with Megge de Northwode, registered December 2000. The name Megge is a diminutive of Margaret, and the bynames are variant forms of the same name, nearly identical in sound and appearance.
Aural conflict with James MacLeister, registered October 2003. The given names Seamus and James are almost identical in sound when pronounced correctly (Seamus is a Gaelic form of the English James). The difference in the pronunciation of the bynames rests mostly on an unstressed vowel following the patronymic particle.
His armory has been registered under the holding name Seamus of Vulpine Reach.
This is returned for conflict with Nikolas Alexander Blackmoore of Aylesbury Tor, Masculy sable and Or, on a pale gules, a quill Or. There is a CD for changes to the tertiary charge. There is no CD for changes to the field as both fields consist of sable and Or lozenge shapes (in the same arrangement).
This device is returned for lack of contrast. A counter-compony non-peripheral ordinary cannot share a tincture with the field. Laurel has previously ruled when returning William of Bellwood's device, Sable, a chevron checky sable and Or and in dexter chief a lion passant Or, in July 1985:
The chevron does not have sufficient contrast half of it vanishes into the field, leaving the viewer with a confused visual impression. A charge checky, compony, or countercompony should not be placed on a field which is the same tincture as part of the charge.
While period examples have since been found of ordinaries checky sharing a tincture with the field, the ban still applies for compony and countercompony ordinaries until evidence is provided that such compony and countercompony ordinaries shared a tincture with the field in period heraldry. Evidence has been provided for compony and countercompony bordures, and for countercompony chiefs, that share a tincture with the field. Thus such bordures and chiefs may be registered.
The byname beytill was ruled unregisterable as offensive in January 2006:
The byname, beytill--"horse-penis" or "banger/pounder"--is offensive per RfS IV.1 which says "Pornographic or scatological terms will not be registered. Obscene terminology, sexually explicit material, bathroom or toilet humor, etc. are considered inherently offensive by a large segment of the Society and general population." There is some merit to the argument that beytill is a species of plant that resembles a horse's member, including the definition in Richard Cleasby's, An Icelandic English Dictionary. However, two other reasonably scholarly sources give it the meanings listed above, Haraldsson, The Old Norse Name, and Finnur Jónsson: "Tilnavnene i den islandske Oldlitteratur" in Aarbøger for nordisk oldkyndighed og historie 1907 vol. 22.
Some commenters argued that, because the name was in a language that few SCA members understand, the sexual reference would go unnoticed and hence the name would not be offensive. This argument carries some weight. However, the rule does not make exceptions for "offensive terms in the SCA lingua anglica". We apply the same rules to non-English languages for documentation, construction, and grammar; we must, therefore, apply the same standards in matters of offensive. The rule doesn't say that the Society has to understand it, but strongly suggests that the very nature of the name is what makes it offensive, and once the translation is made known, the name itself would be inherently offensive to a large segment of the Society. [Finnr beytill, January 2006]
We would drop the offending element, but the submitter would not accept major changes. Therefore, we are forced to return this name. We note that Kaðall Bjarnarson is still registerable.
This is returned for non-period style as no evidence was present that the use of an office title (or an unrelated name) on a chief is compatible with period armorial practices.
This is returned for using fimbriation with a complex line of division. Precedent states
A pile rayonny is a voidable charge. Most ordinaries with complex lines are considered to be voidable charges. At this time we hold that ordinaries with the following complex lines are voidable charges when drawn correctly: engrailed, invected, indented, dancetty, embattled, raguly, dovetailed, urdy, wavy, nebuly, and rayonnny. The College may consider the question of the voidability of ordinaries with some of the more complex lines, such as flory counter-flory, on a case by case basis. [Augusto Giuseppe da San Donato, 10/03, A-Æthelmearc]
While a bend with a complex line of division can be fimbriated, the line of division of the fimbriation must match the line of division of the bend. If resubmitted with a bend flory fimbriated, the submitter should be prepared to argue why the fimbriation should be allowed.
Another option is to submit Vert, on a bend flory argent a bendlet azure. This would have a similar look; however, due to the layer limit the bendlet could not be charged.
This is returned for conflict with William of Woodland, Vert, on a tankard Or a cross crosslet fitchy vert. A tankard is too complex to void, thus it is not a suitable charge under RfS X.4.j.ii and changing the type only of the tertiary charge is insufficient for a CD. Precedent states "[Gules, a two-handled tankard Or within an annulet argent] Conflict with ... Gules, a tankard of beer Or, headed argent. There is a CD for adding the secondary charge, but nothing for adding the second handle nor for the removal of the head. [James Dexter, 07/01, R-Calontir]". As there is no difference for the number of handles, there is no difference for the orientation of the handle. Thus there is only the single CD for fieldlessness.
This is also returned for violating the reconstruction requirement of RfS VII.7.b. The dragon nowed is not in a blazonable posture. It closely resembles Celtic artwork, such creatures have long been unregisterable.
This device conflicts with Magnus Ragnarsson, Gules, two flanged maces in saltire Or surmounted by a sword inverted proper. Both devices consist of a single sheaf of charges so there is single CD for changing the type of two of the three charges. Changing the tincture of only one of three charges (the sword) is insufficient for the second CD.
This is returned for redraw. The "fess" is drawn so wide that it blurs the distinction between what heraldic custom dictates (a fess) and what the eye sees (a chief and a base). If the submitter wishes this basic design, it should be emblazoned such that the center portion of the shield is clearly a charged fess and not a dolphin between a charged chief and charged base.
This badge is returned for violating VIII.3, Armorial Identifiability. Most commenters saw this as a lion's head, not a bear's head. If it is a lion's head, it will conflict with Conan Goldenhair, Gules, a lion's head erased reversed Or.
The use of a thorn vine on a chevron is two steps from period practice and must therefore be returned. The Livro da Nobreza, c.1520, cites the coat of Barbalonga: Argent, a cross flory voided sable within an orle of ivy vert. The use of a vine on a chevron, rather than as an orle, is one step from period practice. The use of a thorn vine is also a step from period practice, as no evidence was presented (nor could we find any) for a thorn vine in period heraldry.
No evidence was submitted and none found to suggest that random Biblical names were used as part of the naming pool in Arabic. The name Vashti is the name of the Persian queen from the Book of Esther. Barring documentation for regular adoption of Biblical names in Arabic, such names are not registerable in an Arabic context unless they are supported by non-Biblical references.
Her armory has been registered under the holding name Kelly of Drakelaw.
This is returned for conflict with Codran Bloodaxe, Per pale argent and sable, two battleaxes, blades to center, and a chief all counterchanged. There is a CD for removing the chief. Due to the various ways that axes can be drawn, there is no difference for the orientation of one axe head (blade to dexter versus blade to sinister).
This is returned for redraw as the stick shuttle is not identifiable as such. The winding of the thread in this manner (corner to corner so that a lozenge is formed on the stick shuttle) significantly hinders the identifiability of the stick shuttle.
This is returned for redraw. While tables are period heraldic charges, the table in this submission is not identifiable as such. Tables are found in the arms of Marschalgk (Siebmacher 101) and Ratzinger (Siebmacher 137), but they are "trestle" tables, and are shown end-on. However, given that other legged furniture is depicted in Siebmacher (the stools of Schoner, pl.121; the chairs of Doltsky, pl.144) with all legs visible, it's reasonable that tables be depicted the same way.
This is returned for redesign. As Brachet noted, "These are bat wings. Once separated from the pithon there is nothing to identify their previous owner." Wings in pairs are usually displayed. If the submitters want wings addorsed, they will need to provide period heraldic examples of this posture for unattached wings.
None.
This title plays an important factor in the history of heralds and their function. As such, it is important enough to continue protecting. Metron Ariston notes:
Based on the evidence in Wagner (Heraldry and Heralds in the Middle Ages, pp. 34-35) I strongly oppose releasing this title. As Wagner notes, Carlisle Herald appears in the first clear instance of an English herald serving as a messenger of war in a very famous episode from Froissart, i.e., the opening of the Hundred Years' War in April, 1338. His role is significant not only in the general history but even more so in the history of formal heraldic service since he not only delivers the letters to King Edward III that are the precipitating factor in the onset of the war but also, as Wagner notes, "This is our first evidence (so far as I know), not only for the employment of an English herald in this way, but for the calling of one by a name of office. The evidence, happily, is as plain as possible. The king had given this man the name Carlisle when he created him herald in the course of a Scottish campaign. . ."
This appears to be a heraldic title with true territorial jurisdiction, albeit created after our period. Therefore, it should continue to be protected.
As the title of a king of arms, this title is worthy of continued protection. Metron Ariston explains:
In this regard Wagner's Heraldry and Heralds in the Middle Ages is instructive, particularly the chapter entitled "The Rise of the Heralds" which discusses the evolution of the heraldic functions and ranks. While Wagner notes several early instances of the use of the title "king" in conjunction with heraldic titles and notes that in the earliest periods it may have been linked to a fixed allegiance rather than the transient service that some heralds appeared to provide, he also says the following when discussing a charter dated to March, 1276: "Here we need only note that the attached seal when complete showed a shield with three crowns. Later instances suggest that it was customary for early Kings of Arms to bear crowns in this way as an ensign of their office, which it seems unlikely they could venture upon without some royal or princely warrant such as their own formal creation or coronation would afford." Later discussions, including the role that Chandos Herald assumed when he was made king of arms by Richard II, the discussion of provincial authority of the king of arms in the later medieval period and its apparent origin in the specific act of the sovereign by creating the king of arms generally by coronation which might also be documented in a charter or letters patent. In the last paragraph of that chapter he notes "Though the little captains of fortresses might have their pursuivants, the great Kings of Arms were favoured servants of the Kings of France and England"
This is effectively a title of a herald in direct service to a sovereign. As such, it is worthy of continued protection. The Duchy of Burgundy was not, in 1425, annexed to France. Charolais was in direct service to the Duke of Burgundy. In 1425, when this title was in active use, the Duke of Burgundy was, in effect, an independent territorial ruler--the equivalent of a sovereign.
This is effectively a title of a herald in direct service to a sovereign. As such, it is worthy of continued protection. The Duchy of Lorraine was not completely controlled by France until the mid 17th C.
This is the title of a herald in direct service to a sovereign. Such titles are generally worthy of protection.
This is returned for a redraw. There is no internal detailing on the mullet; thus this cannot be blazoned as interlaced, and in fact cannot be blazoned. His previous submission was voided and interlaced. The addition of the annulets clears the previous visual conflict with Cynedd ap Gwen, Sable, a sun eclipsed within a bordure argent.
The previous return, from May 2005, cited only the visual conflict; no mention was made of any potential problem with mullets of nine points voided and interlaced. We decline to rule on the general acceptability of this charge. However, given the wording of the original return, if this is resubmitted with internal detailing Christoff may register it (barring other conflicts or emblazon problems). We suggest that the mullet be drawn somewhat larger so that the voiding of the points is more obvious; the width of the line should remain about the same to avoid "thin-line heraldry".
This name does not follow a pattern found in period Gaelic placenames. No documentation was provided and none found for compound Gaelic placenames where the descriptive element precedes the topographic feature it describes. To register a constructed placename, it must be demonstrated that the name follows period patterns for the language in which it is submitted. This problem was stated as part of the previous return.
Furthermore, no documentation was submitted and none found to suggest that the placename Óban is found in period. While the indexes to Watson, The Celtic Placenames of Scotland, the work from which both elements were documented, can be a great starting place for constructing Gaelic placenames, it should not be an ending point. Many names found in this index are post-period. Óban is one such example. Also, not every reference in the index is an actual placename element. The index entry for fittich (from which fiach was documented in the submission), is one such entry. While some pages point to actual placenames using this element, others point to descriptive features that aren't part of an actual placename. Page 17 shows one example of this: "The people of Lochcarron, in Ross-shire, are still called Fithich dhubha Loch Carrann, the black Ravens of Lochcarron, which reference to their swarthy colouring." This is a strong indication that using just the index is not sufficient for documenting Gaelic placenames; the book itself must also be cited.
The submitters indicated that they wished a name similar in sound and appearance to the one submitted. If that is the case, we would suggest Shire of Fiodh Ógáin, Fiodh Ógáin may be translated "Ógán's Woods." Fiodh is a well attested placename element in the various Irish annals, including Fiodh Chuilinn in 956, Fiodh Gatlaigh in 1225, and Fiodh Doradha in 1345, all from the Annals of the Four Masters. Ogan is an Early Modern Irish name found in Ó Corrain and Maguire, Irish Names s.n. Ócán. The pattern [toponym] + [given name] is also well attested; [toponym] + [saint's name] is particularly widespread. The pronunciation of Fiodh Ógáin, \FIH OHG-an\, is reasonably close to Fiach Oban, and it is closer yet in sound and appearance to the name Fiach Ogan, which the shire has apparently been using. We would make this change, but the submitters will not accept major changes. We believe the changes here are more than just minor changes; therefore, we are forced to return this name.
If the submitters are interested in a name that uses the element Fiach, "raven", then they will need to accept a significant change in the sound and appearance of their name. As noted in the first paragraph, there are no examples of compound Gaelic placenames with Fiach preceding the toponym. However, Mari neyn Brian suggests several possible names using the element Fiach with the meaning "wood of the raven":
Coill na Fiach
Coillte na Fiach
Fiodh na Fiach
Ros na Fiach
All elements in the names above are found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a work which was completed in 1636 using mainly older documents as sources.
In addition, the submitted name does not include a designator indicating the group's status. In resubmitting, please include an appropriate designator. A designator in English should be fine in this case. All branch names are required to include an appropriate designator.
Because the name was returned, the armory must also be returned, since we can not form holding names for groups.
This is returned for multiple conflicts. The LoI asked if there was a CD between a ruined tower and a completed tower. There is not. Therefore, this conflicts with Michael Oldcastle of Ravenspur's device, Azure, a castle tripletowered Or, environed of an annulet issuant of eight arrows argent, and badge, Azure, a tower Or within an annulet argent. In both cases there is a single CD for removing the secondary charge(s). This also conflicts with Ivanov von Schloss, Ermine, a tower Or, with Brusten de Bearsul, Per fess embattled azure and vert, a tower Or, Ellen of Neglamer, Sable, a conical roofed tower Or, ajouree in the upper sinister part. In each case there is a CD for changes to the field. Other conflicts may exist.
The precedent
Saint Basil the Great, College of. Device. Per pale sable and argent, a tower broken counterchanged and on a base Or two laurel sprigs bases crossed in saltire vert. Barring evidence of period armorial towers or castles being broken in such a manner as this, this broken tower motif is not registerable. [04/2004, R-Lochac]
does not apply in this case. The tower here appears to be a single tower with the sinister chief portion missing. In the prior submission, the castle was actually in two parts with the top part hovering above the bottom part of the tower.
None.
- Explicit littera renuntiationum -
The tincture of the roses was omitted from the LoI; they are gules. The device is pended to allow conflict checking under the correct tinctures.
This was item 3 on the Ansteorra letter of November 23, 2005.
This badge conflicts with Talanque, Azure, a horned demon's head erased Or. A letter of permission was received from Rowen Lynn of Woodvine as the executor of Talanque's estate in the modern world; however, proof that she is actually the executor was not included. This is pended until the May 2006 LoAR to allow receipt of that proof.
This was item 3 on the Caid letter of December 21, 2005.
The submitter requested a household name authentic for Gaelic. Significant new information about Irish Gaelic household names came to our attention after the commenting process for this LoAR was over. Because this information has the chance of significantly changing the way household names in Gaelic are registered, it is important for the College to see and consider it before it can be used in the decision making process. Please consider the information below, and discuss the questions presented at the end of this information.
The information below is a summarization of a document Rowel brought to our notice during the proof pass stage of this LoAR. The handout for Mari Elpeth nic Bryan's class titled "Constructing SCA Household Names Using Irish Gaelic Family and Clan Name Models", presented at the 2006 Known World Heraldic Symposium, covers examples of family and clan names found in the various medieval Irish annals. The handout focuses on such usages in the 8th - 11th C, although the same forms are also found in later centuries. The section of the handout titled "Terms used to refer to the family as a group" notes:
Uí Néill 'grandsons/descendants [of] Niall'
Clann Néill 'children/descendants [of] Niall'
Muintear Néill 'family/people [of] Niall'
Regarding the use of Clann in this situation, Woulfe [Irish Names and Surnames] (p. 686) states that "Muintear and Clann which occur so frequently in clan-names are also used to form the collective plural of family names, as Muintear Loingsigh, the O'Lynches, Clann tShíthigh, the MacSheehys, or Sheehys." Woulfe (pp. 25-26) states that "Muinntear is used in the case of Ó-surnames; Clann, with a few exceptions, is confined to Mac-surnames. Siol is now only used in literature. Muinntear and Clann are sometimes prefixed to the gen. case of the surname, as: Muinntear Ui Cheallacháin, the O'Callaghans; Clann Mhic Conmara, the MacNamaras." [Note, Woulfe is inconsistent regarding whether the spelling is Muinntear or Muintear. On pp. 25-26, he uses two 'n's. In the "Clan-Names" section on pp. 685-696, he uses one 'n'.]
I am unsure whether the use of Muintear and Clann with the genitive case of the surname (including the particle, as in Woulfe's examples) is a post-period practice. The only examples I have found so far in the annals only use this construction when specifically referring to children of a chieftain with a title that is the same as the surname. So, for example, children of a chieftain with the title of Ó Néill would literally be clann Uí Néill, 'children [of the] Ó Néill'.
The handout also notes that:
...household name takes one of the following forms (where "genitive of given" indicates the genitive form of the head of household's GIVEN name and "family name" indicates the head of household's FAMILY name).
Referencing the head of household's FAMILY name only:
household name meaning
Uí [family name] "grandsons, descendants of ..."
Clann [family name] "children, descendants of ..."
Muintear [family name] "family, people of ..."
Note: I do not know if Uí is registerable as a household designator. If not, register using either Clann or Muintear.
Referencing the head of household's GIVEN name only:
household name meaning
Clann [genitive of given] "children, descendants of ..."
Siol [genitive of given] "seed, progeny of ..."
Sliocht [genitive of given] "progeny of ..."
Referencing the head of household's FULL name:
household name meaning
Clann [genitive of full name] "children, descendants of ..."
Sliocht [genitive of full name] "progeny of ..."
Given this information, these questions are relevant:
Can/should Uí "grandsons/descendants" be used as a designator for a Gaelic household name formed from an ancestor's given name, or from the full name of an ancestor?
In a name such as House O Miadhaigh, does the designator "House" function like the word "Clann" in the examples given above, making a name with this construction a presumptuous claim?
Considering the answers to the questions above, what form of this name is both registerable and best preserves the sound of the originally submitted name?
Thank you for your discussion and attention in this matter. For those interested, the entire handout may be accessed at http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/mari/ClassHandouts/Irish_Clan_Names_v2.doc.
This was item 34 on the Middle letter of December 16, 2005.
No petition accompanied this submission. Any change to a territory's arms must be accompanied by a valid petition. As the wording of the Administrative Handbook is not as clear as it could be, we are pending this until the May LoAR to allow receipt of the paperwork.
This was item 7 on the Northshield letter of December 30, 2005.
- Explicit -
Created at 2006-07-14T01:55:08