Society for Creative Anachronism College of Arms 2212 S. 64th Plaza, #418 Omaha, NE, 68106 +1 952 412 4112 laurel@heraldry.sca.org For the September 2012 meetings, printed Saturday, November 3, 2012 To all the College of Arms and all others who may read this missive, from Gabriel Laurel, Juliana Pelican, and Emma Wreath, greetings. Items listed below in square brackets have not been scheduled yet. For information about future scheduling, please review the status table located on the Web at http://oscar.sca.org/index.php?action=137. The September Laurel decisions were made at the Wreath meeting held on Saturday, September 8, 2012 and the Pelican meeting held on Sunday, September 9, 2012. These meetings considered the following letters of intent: Laurel LoPaD (07 Jun, 2012), Middle (07 Jun, 2012), Atenveldt (25 Jun, 2012), East (25 Jun, 2012), {AE}thelmearc (27 Jun, 2012), Lochac (27 Jun, 2012), Atlantia (28 Jun, 2012), Caid (29 Jun, 2012), {AE}thelmearc (30 Jun, 2012), An Tir (30 Jun, 2012), Ansteorra (30 Jun, 2012), Drachenwald (30 Jun, 2012), Gleann Abhann (30 Jun, 2012), Meridies (30 Jun, 2012), and Outlands (30 Jun, 2012).*All commentary, responses, and rebuttals should have been entered into OSCAR by Friday, August 31, 2012.* The October Laurel decisions were made at the Pelican meeting held on Sunday, October 14, 2012 and the Wreath meeting held on Saturday, October 20, 2012. These meetings considered the following letters of intent: Northshield (08 Jul, 2012), Calontir (10 Jul, 2012), East (20 Jul, 2012), Atlantia (21 Jul, 2012), West (23 Jul, 2012), Outlands (24 Jul, 2012), Atenveldt (25 Jul, 2012), Meridies (25 Jul, 2012), Lochac (27 Jul, 2012), Middle (28 Jul, 2012), Caid (29 Jul, 2012), {AE}thelmearc (31 Jul, 2012), An Tir (31 Jul, 2012), Ansteorra (31 Jul, 2012), Artemisia (31 Jul, 2012), Gleann Abhann (31 Jul, 2012), and Laurel (31 Jul, 2012). *All commentary, responses, and rebuttals should have been entered into OSCAR by Sunday, September 30, 2012.* The November Laurel decisions will be made at the Wreath meeting held on Saturday, November 3, 2012, at the Pelican road show in An Tir held on Sunday, November 4, 2012, and the Pelican meeting held on Sunday, November 11, 2012. These meetings will consider the following letters of intent: Trimaris (25 Jul, 2012) (pushed due to lack of payment), Laurel LoPaD (05 Aug, 2012), Northshield (07 Aug, 2012), Outlands (17 Aug, 2012), Calontir (24 Aug, 2012), East (26 Aug, 2012), Gleann Abhann (27 Aug, 2012), Caid (28 Aug, 2012), Atlantia (29 Aug, 2012), Drachenwald (29 Aug, 2012), Ansteorra (30 Aug, 2012), Atenveldt (30 Aug, 2012), Lochac (30 Aug, 2012), Middle (30 Aug, 2012), An Tir (31 Aug, 2012), Meridies (31 Aug, 2012), and West (31 Aug, 2012). *All commentary, responses, and rebuttals should be entered into OSCAR by Wednesday, October 31, 2012.* The December Laurel decisions will be made at the Pelican and Wreath meetings held in December 2012. These meetings will consider the following letters of intent: [{AE}thelmearc (02 Sep, 2012)], Laurel LoPaD (08 Sep, 2012), Northshield (16 Sep, 2012), Caid (17 Sep, 2012), Middle (19 Sep, 2012), Outlands (23 Sep, 2012), [Atenveldt (25 Sep, 2012)], East (27 Sep, 2012), Gleann Abhann (27 Sep, 2012), [Trimaris (28 Sep, 2012)], Atlantia (29 Sep, 2012), Ealdormere (29 Sep, 2012), [Lochac (29 Sep, 2012)], An Tir (30 Sep, 2012), [Ansteorra (30 Sep, 2012)], [Calontir (30 Sep, 2012)], [Meridies (30 Sep, 2012)], West (30 Sep, 2012). *All commentary, responses, and rebuttals should be entered into OSCAR by Friday, November 30, 2012.* _Not all letters of intent may be considered when they are originally scheduled on this cover letter. The date of posting of the LoI, date of receipt of the Laurel packet, or other factors may delay consideration of certain letters of intent. Additionally, some letters of intent received may not have been scheduled because the administrative requirements (receipt of the forms packet, receipt of the necessary fees, et cetera) have not yet been met._ REMINDER: Until all administrative requirements are met, the letter may not be scheduled. **** From Laurel: Heraldic Wills **** While most heraldic wills transfer control of registered items to a specified individual, we are willing to allow some flexibility. In specific, we are willing to allow heraldic wills to name as the owners of items the offices of seneschal or herald of a kingdom or principality. **** From Laurel: Updates to the Admin Handbook and Standards for Evaluation **** Please note the following changes to the Admin Handbook and the Standards for Evaluation of Names and Armory. These changes were proposed on the June 30, 2012, Palimpsest Rules Letter. Admin Handbook V.B.2.g., Correction of Errors, currently reads: g. Correction of Errors - A designated preparer of a letter of intent may correct errors in a submission after a letter of intent is finalized by clicking on the link labelled "CORRECT" after the submission. Corrections should only be made when information necessary for the College of Arms to provide adequate commentary or for the item to be ruled upon is missing or incorrect; otherwise, changes should not be made. If a significant period of time elapses between the letter of intent and the correction, the corrected submissions may be pended until a later meeting. Effective immediately, we are changing this to read: g. Correction of Errors - A designated preparer of a letter of intent may correct errors in a submission after a letter of intent is finalized by clicking on the link labelled "CORRECT" after the submission. Corrections should only be made when information necessary for the College of Arms to provide adequate commentary or for the item to be ruled upon is missing or incorrect; otherwise, changes should not be made. If a significant period of time elapses between the letter of intent and the correction, the corrected submissions may be pended until a later meeting. If an emblazon image is completely incorrect, it may be replaced within seven days of the publication of the Letter of Intent with a correction noting the replacement. After seven days or if the correction is a redraw of the original emblazon, the associated armorial item should be withdrawn using a correction to the original item and then resubmitted on a new Letter of Intent. Standards for Evaluation of Names and Armory PN.2.C., currently reads, in part: In addition, the name as a whole must follow a period pattern for personal names. Any name must follow the pattern described in one of the two sections below. Effective immediately, we are changing this portion to read: In addition, the name as a whole must follow a period pattern for personal names. Any name must follow the pattern described in one of the two sections below; for the purposes of this section, name phrases documented under the Lingua Anglica allowance in PN.1.B.2.c above are considered equivalent in date and language to the untranslated name element. Standards for Evaluation of Names and Armory A., currently reads, in part: To be registered, an armorial submission must meet the following standards: * 1. The armorial elements, charge groups, and overall design must be demonstrated to be compatible with period style. That means demonstrating that it follows the rules in A.2 and A.3 or the rules in A.4. A.1 explains how to do this in more detail. Effective immediately, we are changing this portion to read: To be registered, an armorial submission must meet the following standards: * 1. The armorial elements, charge groups, and overall design must be compatible with period style. That means demonstrating that it follows the rules in A.2 and A.3 or the rules in A.4. The rule sets for this are described in more detail in A.1. **** From Palimpsest and Pelican: Mismatches in Appendix C **** A couple enterprising heralds pointed out to me that there were further mismatches in Appendix C of SENA beyond the two repaired in the June 2012 Cover Letter. After consultation with Pelican, it is clear that in all cases of mismatch, they should be resolved by making them compatible in both directions. Appendix C has been updated to resolve all the mismatches. For reference, the updates are as follows (all are listed by Regional Group name): Hungarian/Romanian is added as compatible to German and South Slavic for both 550-1100 and 1100-1600; Mongol is added as compatible to Arabic, Hungarian/Romanian, Russian/East Slavic, and Turkish for 1100-1600; Persian is added as compatible to Arabic and Turkish for 1100-1600; and Turkish is added as compatible to Italian for 1100-1600. Please note that these compatibilities were already listed in Appendix C in the other direction; their omission was an oversight uncaught in proofreading. **** From Pelican and Wreath: Submissions Analysis for September **** During this transition period, we are sharing our counts of the results of considering submissions this month under both the Rules for Submissions and the Standards for Evaluation. These counts include registered or returned items only; no administrative actions such as transfers or acceptances, associations of existing armory, heraldic wills, or other such letters will be included in these counts. "Armory style" and "armory conflict" indicate if a submitted item could only be passed under one rule set or the other due to conflict or style issues. For example, a submission that could not be registered under the old rules due to conflict but could be registered without conflict under the new standards will be counted as "passed under the new standards, but not old" as armory conflict. * Passed under both sets of rules: 183 total, 111 names, 72 armory * Returned under both sets of rules: 13 total, 2 names, 11 armory * Passed under old rules, but not new: 3 total, 0 names, 3 armory style, 0 armory conflict * Passed under new rules, but not old: 4 total, 2 names, 0 armory style, 2 armory conflict If math is not your thing, it may be interesting to note that if all submissions were considered only under the Rules for Submissions, there would be a 91% success rate. Considered only under the Standards for Evaluation, there would be a 92% success rate. **** From Pelican: Late Period English Given Names Derived from Family Names **** For the last two years, we have registered given names derived from late period English family names, based on a well attested pattern. Commenters have provided dozens of examples of this pattern for masculine names, as well as several examples of this pattern for feminine names (including _Smith_ as a feminine given name). These examples are found both in the IGI index and in Withycombe, which mentions a grey period example of a woman named _Essex_. Various commenters have called for us to restrict the registration of these given names to submissions that are completely late period English names. However, this limitation would be a sharp departure from current policy. First, we would have no grounds to place this limitation on attested given names, which would include _Smith_, _Leach_, _White_, _Bainbridge_, _Guildford_, and _Richardson_, among others. A system which would allow _Smith_ as a given name to be registered more easily than _Ashley_ would create confusion. Second, by long precedent we treat constructed name elements exactly as attested ones. Therefore, we will continue to register these constructed given names in any context suitable for an attested late period English given name. We note that this pattern has not been documented in Scotland or Ireland. As such, family names only found in Scotland and Ireland cannot be used to create given names. However, many family names spread from Scotland and Ireland into England. In general, family names documented in sixteenth century England may be used to create given names, even if they are of Scottish or Gaelic origin. **** From Pelican: About Using the IGI (International Genealogical Index) Search Forms **** As most of you doubtless know, the IGI (International Genealogical Index) website is in a state of flux. At this time, Edelweiss' IGI Parish Records search does not work; this will continue until he is sure that they will not be making additional changes. This means that it is harder to find appropriate citations. If you use the IGI search directly from the familysearch.org site, you must use caution. First, we recommend you limit your search to IGI records, which you can do at: https://familysearch.org/search/collection/igi (this site has worked only intermittently). You should limit it to the Indexed IGI. If you use another interface, be aware that most items will not be appropriate for our purposes. Whatever the source, you must make sure that the batch number indicates that the records are from an extraction program and that the source of the records is acceptable. A description of the batch numbers can be found at: https://www.familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/IGI_Batch_Number_Descriptions In general batches beginning with C, J, K, M (except M17 and M18), or P are acceptable. If you use another batch, please address why you believe it to be a period spelling of the name. For example, I batches are taken from indices created at various points in the past. Thus, some names in this batch are normalized, and earlier indexes may reflect out of date scholarship. When citing an IGI record be sure to include the batch number. **** From Pelican: Some Name Resources (a series) **** Last month, we discussed matronymic bynames from northern Europe. This month we're continuing the tour. We'll continue this discussion with matronymic bynames in southern Europe, the Middle East, and the little we know about Eastern Europe. On the Iberian Peninsula, there are a few relatively early examples of literal matronymics in Spanish and Catalan. They are found either as unmarked name elements like _Maria Teresa_ or as descriptions like _Johan, fijo de Toda Soriana_. However, these names did not survive to create family names. In sixteenth century Portuguese, on the other hand, unmarked matronymics like _Lianor_, _Maria_, and _Antonia_ (all from Aryanhwy merch Catmael "Portuguese Names from Lisbon, 1565." Literal matronymics are also found in Basque country, in forms like those found elsewhere in the Iberian Peninsula. Karen Larsdatter (in "Basque Onomastics of the Eighth to Sixteenth Centuries") reports a c. 1200 _Urraquarena_ that may be an inherited matronymic byname; other examples follow Spanish or Catalan patterns. Literal matronymic bynames are found in Italian, taking the form _di Francesca_ or _di Monna Angela_. A few of them become family names: _Giovannella_ or _Pera_. However, they are not common. Matronymic bynames are rare in Arabic, but we have found dozens of examples. The information we have is found in "Son of the Hot-Tempered Woman" (http://medievalscotland.org/jes/ArabicMatronymics/). The notable thing is that these matronymics are found only alone or as family names which can follow a literal patronymic byname. Our data from Eastern Europe is scanty, which means that lack of data for matronymic bynames is not conclusive. We know that there are matronymic bynames in late period Hungary; details can be found in the Academy of Saint Gabriel report 2956 (http://www.s-gabriel.org/2956). Matronymic bynames are also found in Russian (see Paul Wickenden's Dictionary of Russian Names http://heraldry.sca.org/paul/zgrammar.html for more details). I do not currently know of matronymic bynames in other Eastern European languages, but that may be due to a lack of data. **** From Wreath: Unity of Posture Revisited **** Precedent set on the May 2012 Cover Letter would have us consult Appendix L to determine if the charges in a mixed-type charge group have comparable postures. This may not always be adequate. Sea-creatures and similar monsters are generally composed of the front half of a quadruped combined with the back half of a fish or wyvern; their default posture is erect, which in this case is equivalent to rampant or sejant erect. They may also be statant or passant, and, possibly, sejant. For purposes of the unity of posture clause of A3D2c, sea-creatures and other similar monsters must be in as similar a posture as possible to any quadrupeds in the same group. Sea-creatures and other monsters not formed from quadrupeds will be decided on a case by case basis. So for example, _a lion-dragon passant and a horse passant_ has no unity of posture problem since both are passant, whereas _a sea-horse and a lion statant_ does have a unity of posture problem, as a sea-horse's default posture is erect, which is not identical to statant. **** From Wreath: On Lotuses **** The issue of whether or not the use of a lotus should be a step from period practice has been raised several times recently. While the modern association of a lotus is with the South Asian flower, the lotus motif in art is well known in both Egyptian and Islamic art, and certainly the Greeks and Romans wrote about a flower they called a lotus. The Indian lotus flower is today understood to be distinct from the European water lily, also known as lotus. The white waterlily, or white lotus as it is commonly known, is native to Europe. As the two flowers look alike, and both are known colloquially as a _lotus_, we will assume it is the European flower that is being referred to in blazon. To be clear, the use of a lotus is not a step from period practice. The leaves of the water lily are not infrequently found in period European armory. To avoid confusion, we prefer to use the term _water lily_ for the plant itself, and _lotus_, or _water lily blossom_, for just the flower. **** Society Pages **** On Saturday, October 6, 2012, at Great Western War, Cormac Mor, Crescent Principal Herald of Caid, was inducted into the Order of the Pelican by Patrick and Kara, King and Queen of Caid. On Saturday, October 13, 2012, on the occasion of their coronation in the Barony of Concordia of the Snows, Their newly crowned Majesties of the East, Edward and Thyra, called forward Brunissende Dragonette de Broc{e'}liande, formerly Blue Tyger Herald, and presented her with a writ of summons to attend them at their Court on the occasion of 12th Night on January 5, 2012, there to sit vigil and answer them whether she would become a member of their Order of the Pelican. Immediately afterwards, without dismissing the Order, Edward and Thyra dispatched a messenger to bring them another of their subjects who they would have words with. Their messenger returned with Alia Marie de Blois, known to our readers as Clarion, Palimpsest, and a former White Stag and Rampart. She, too, was presented with a writ, likewise calling her to sit vigil and answer on membership in their Order of the Pelican on the occasion of 12th Night. **** Send What to Whom **** Letters of Intent, Comment, Response, Correction, et cetera are to be posted to the OSCAR online system. No paper copies need be sent. Submission packets (one copy of each name form plus documentation, including petitions; two colored copies of each armory form plus two copies of any associated documentation, including petitions) to the SCA College of Arms, 3101 Lee Hwy Ste 18/19 #178, Bristol VA 24202. Cheques or money orders for submissions, payable to "SCA Inc.-College of Arms" are to be sent to David Duggar, Attn: Laurel Chancellor of Exchequer, 1705 Holiday Pl, Bossier City, LA 71112-3706. Send roster changes and corrections to Laurel. College of Arms members may also request a copy of the current roster from Laurel. For a paper copy of a LoAR, please contact Laurel, at the address above. The cost for one LoAR is $3. Please make all checks or money orders payable to "SCA Inc.-College of Arms". The electronic copy of the LoAR is available free of charge. To subscribe to the mailings of the electronic copy, please see the bottom of http://heraldry.sca.org/heraldry/lists.html#lists for more instructions. For all administrative matters, please contact Laurel. Pray know that I remain, In service, Gabriel Kjotvason Laurel Principal King of Arms =============================================================================== Created at 2012-11-03T12:24:01