Society for Creative Anachronism
College of Arms
For the March 2024 meetings, printed May 3 2024
To all the College of Arms and all others who may read this missive, from Birgitta Laurel, Elisabetta Pelican, and Iago Wreath, greetings.
The changes proposed in Palimpsest's December 18th Rules Letter are accepted with some minor changes. These changes add an item category of Ancient Branch Name to the Administrative Handbook, the definitions of Ancient Branch Name and Ancient Arms to the Glossary of Terms, and update SENA to include how these items are treated for registration purposes. An Ancient Branch Name cannot become a Branch Name and Ancient Arms may not become Branch Arms. The Board of Directors approved the changes to the Administrative Handbook at their April meeting.
The revised versions of the Administrative Handbook (https://heraldry.sca.org/admin.html), the Glossary of Terms (https://heraldry.sca.org/coagloss.html#coagloss), and SENA (https://heraldry.sca.org/sena.html) will be available within the next days.
At their September 1983 meeting the Board of Directors, advised by Wilhelm Laurel, ruled that the names and arms of defunct Society branches may not be reused, although the arms may be differenced for the use of a new branch in the same location. Forty years later, the Board revisited this decision in their April meeting and amended it to account for new developments by approving changes to Section III.C.2 of the Administrative Handbook. This change too will be available within the next few days.
Some kingdoms are authorised to have Hamlets as a type of semi-official branch. Usually this is used as a springboard for becoming a full branch, but there have been cases when an already established branch has requested change in status to Hamlet. Formally, such changes are made by dissolving the branch and founding a new Hamlet in its place, but the Board agreed that in terms of heraldic registrations these cases should be considered changes in branch status.
A recent submission for a branch name also included a request that the name and arms of their defunct predecessor be retained in the Ordinary and Armorial. Now that we have Ancient Branch Name and Ancient Arms as item categories, they can be used to accommodate such requests. Therefore, from now on a Kingdom may transfer the name and arms of a defunct branch to a new branch in the same location as Ancient Branch Name and Ancient Arms, although in keeping with the original ruling not as currently active Branch Name or Branch Arms.
We recently discovered a few past registrations of lynxes proper. Based on examination of those emblazons, and on period heraldic examples, we define lynxes proper as a tawny gold (somewhere between brown and Or), marked sable and argent. They will be considered light (and conflict with Or) on a dark field or dark (and conflict with brown) on a light field; on a neutral field or on a fieldless badge they must be a shade that is clearly light or dark. We ask Palimpsest to add this information to Table 4 of the Glossary of Terms. Existing registrations are reblazoned on this letter.
Readers of the LoARs will notice a large number of reblazons in the last two months, and we'd like to explain why. There are some charges that have a default type when the blazon term is unmodified. For example, when a blazon says simply pen, we can safely assume it to be a quill pen. Many of these defaults are found in precedent, but some are little more than custom and have never been stated officially. We have identified a number of these, and make the following defaults explicit:
Candlesticks. Our default candlestick is a column or pillar type, with a spike on top.
Chairs. Our default chair is a simple chair with a high, straight back.
Chimeras. Our default chimera is a monster with a lion's body, a dragon's tail, a lion's head, a goat's head, and a dragon's head reguardant.
Columns. Our default column is a Greco-Roman column; the exact architectural style is an unblazoned artistic detail not worth difference.
Drums. Our default drum is a cylindrical marching drum, tensioned by rope.
Fans. Our default fan is a handheld folding fan.
Gate. Our default gate is a field-gate or farm-gate.
Hammers. There is no default hammer; if the type is unspecified any type of hammer may be emblazoned.
Hats. There is no default hat; the type must be specified.
Horns. As the two most popular types of horns, hunting horns and drinking horns, appear in about equal measure in the Ordinary, and nearly all of them specify the type, we are ruling that there is no default horn, and that the type must be specified.
Needles. Our default needle is a sewing needle.
Skeletons. Our default skeleton is a human skeleton.
Skulls. Our default skull is a human skull with its lower jaw; when missing the lower jaw it is blazoned as a death's head.
Staves. Our default staff is a simple, smooth pole, which can also be blazoned as a rod.
Wings. Our default wing, both as a standalone charge, and when added to another charge, is an eagle's wing.
Registered armory using these terms has been examined, and any that have a version of the charge other than the default type have been reblazoned.
We would like to add a table of default charge types to the Glossary of Terms, and ask Palimpsest to draft a Rules Letter on this topic.
A submission this month raised the question of how we treat charges within other charges. By repeated precedent, most recently upheld in the return of the device of the Canton of Isenholz in October 2019, we have held that a charge and a charge within it are considered to be part of the same charge group when they are not in the center of the design. We are explicitly upholding this precedent.
While interpreting charge groups in this way may seem counterintuitive when one of the charges has significantly less visual weight than the other, it results in heraldry that aligns remarkably well with known period practice. A review of period armory turned up no examples of primary charge groups of multiple charges where only one charge either surrounded, or was surrounded by, another charge. There are period examples of central charges-within-charges, and of charges-within-charges with non-central placements when there are no other primary charges, which this interpretation would still allow.
We would like to clarify that this precedent only applies to charge groups directly on the field. As noted in the acceptance of the device of Timeria Sthenonos in October 2021, the determination of charge groups for charges-within-charges as tertiaries is "decided on a case-by-case basis for each submission".
Applying this precedent to crescents partially overturns the May 2013 Cover Letter item "From Wreath: Crescents and Things Revisited" - this precedent still applies when the crescent and other charge are in the center of the design, but not when they are non-central:
We will therefore treat charges entirely within or between the horns of a crescent, conjoined or not, in a similar manner as to how we treat other paired charges as set forth in the February 2012 precedent on sustained and maintained charges: the more substantial charge is the primary or co-primary charge, and the other charge if smaller is a secondary charge or, if conjoined and less than half the visual weight of the other charge, a maintained charge.
The terms interlaced, braced, fretted, and enfiled are all used when two charges are bundled together in some way, so it is worth clarifying the distinction between them.
Interlaced is typically used when two or more charges are woven together. For example, three annulets interlaced, a triquetra braced with an annulet, or a sword interlaced with a Hungerford knot. Interlaced is also used for mullets voided where the lines forming the arms are woven across the center.
Braced is most often used for overlapping chevrons, but it is also often used synonymously with interlaced.
Fretted is most often used for multiple long charges interacting with each other in some way, such as three fish fretted in triangle, as well as four swords fretted in mascle, or a cross triply parted and fretted (cross triply parted being shorthand for three pallets and three bars). It is also used when multiple long charges interact with a different charge, such as two arrows in saltire fretted with a mascle. However, fretted is also occasionally used synonymously with interlaced.
The overlap of meanings between the above terms is also found in period sources. For example, the motif blazoned as three fish fretted in triangle is also found blazoned using braced. A similar motif with three crescents is found in period blazoned as interlaced, and two crescents overlapping each other is blazoned as braced.
Because mixing these terms has a long history, both in the SCA and in period, so long as the intent is clear we will not enforce distinctions between the overlapping uses of interlaced, braced, and fretted.
Enfiling is used when one charge passes through a single opening in another charge. To enfile is to "thread", so the charge with the opening is enfiled ("threaded") by the other charge, or the other charge is enfiling ("threading") the charge with the opening, depending on which order makes the most sense for the blazon. Enfiling is not interchangeable with interlaced, braced, or fretted.
Transfixing is similar to enfiling, but is used when used when one charge (typically something "sharp") passes through another charge that doesn't have a natural opening. For example, a sewing needle would transfix a lozenge, but would enfile a mascle.
Palimpsest is directed to add these terms to Appendix 1 of the Glossary of Terms.
On the reblazon of the device of Aleksandr Vasilyevich Lev on the February 2024 LoAR, we wrote: "we are clarifying that the arch and doors are the primary charge, and the lion is secondary." This is incorrect. As noted in the acceptance of the badge for the Barony of Wintermist's Order of Winters Door on the same letter, charges within the opening of an open door are considered tertiary charges, not secondary. We apologize for any confusion.
On April 6, at Meridies Spring Coronation, Their Majesties Timothy and Ysmay elevated Kurt Bogner, current Cypher Herald, to the Order of the Pelican during their final court. Meister Kurt has served the Meridian College of Heralds as both Cypher and Pennon before returning to the office of Cypher which he currently holds. He has also recently run Herald's Point at Gulf Wars.
On April 13, at Storvik Novice Tourney in the kingdom of Atlantia, Their Majesties Christoph and Adelhait elevated Johanna le Paumer, Most Pursuivant, to the Order of the Laurel for her work as a scribe.
That same day, Their Majesties elevated Seumas ap Gwalchmai, called Hamish, herald for the Shire of Roxbury Mill, to the Order of the Pelican.
Additionally, Their Majesties recognized Iacobo ibn Daoud, a voice herald, with the Order of the Opal. The Opal is Atlantia's AoA-level service award.
And still at the same event, John and Gracia, Thegns of Storvik, gave Patricia of Trakai, Sea Tyger Pursuivant, the Baronial Award of Excellence for her diverse contributions to the Barony of Storvik.
On April 19, we lost one of the greats as Baron John ap Griffin, Herald Extraordinary, died. John had been a member of the SCA since AS I, and over the course of its history served it in various capacities, such as a long-time herald in Caid, Baron of the Angels, and on the Board of Directors. The Society is poorer for his loss and richer for having had him.
Please send information about happenings to major heralds and major happenings to all heralds to Laurel, so that it can be published here.
Letters of Intent, Comment, Response, Correction, et cetera are to be posted to the OSCAR online system. No paper copies need be sent. All submission forms plus documentation, including petitions, must be posted to the OSCAR online system. Only colored armory forms need to be posted in the forms area.
Cheques or money orders for submissions, payable to "SCA Inc.-College of Arms" are to be sent to Trent Le Clair, 928 Frazier Dr, Walla Walla, WA 99362.
Send roster changes and corrections to Laurel. College of Arms members may also request a copy of the current roster from Laurel.
To subscribe to the mailings of the LoAR, please see the bottom of https://heraldry.sca.org/heraldry/lists.html#lists for more instructions.
For all administrative matters, please contact Laurel.
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 https://oscar.sca.org/index.php?action=137.
The March Laurel decisions were made at the Pelican meeting held on Sunday, March 10, 2024 and the Wreath meeting held on Saturday, March 16, 2024. These meetings considered the following letters of intent: Meridies (07 Dec, 2023), Artemisia (16 Dec, 2023), Calontir (17 Dec, 2023), Palimpsest Rules Letter (18 Dec, 2023), Ansteorra (21 Dec, 2023), An Tir (23 Dec, 2023), Middle (23 Dec, 2023), An Tir (29 Dec, 2023), Atenveldt (30 Dec, 2023), Lochac (30 Dec, 2023), Avacal (31 Dec, 2023), Drachenwald (31 Dec, 2023), East (31 Dec, 2023), Laurel LoPaD (12 Feb, 2024) (redraws). All commentary, responses, and rebuttals should have been entered into OSCAR by Thursday, February 29, 2024.
The April Laurel decisions were made at the Pelican meeting held on Sunday, April 14, 2024 and the Wreath meeting held on Saturday, April 13, 2024. These meetings considered the following letters of intent: Ealdormere (24 Dec, 2023) (pushed due to lack of packet), Palimpsest Rules Letter (04 Jan, 2024), Palimpsest Rules Letter (05 Jan, 2024), Laurel LoPaD (07 Jan, 2024), Meridies (09 Jan, 2024), Northshield (09 Jan, 2024), Artemisia (19 Jan, 2024), East (21 Jan, 2024), Atenveldt (25 Jan, 2024), West (25 Jan, 2024), Outlands (26 Jan, 2024), An Tir (28 Jan, 2024), Ansteorra (28 Jan, 2024), Ansteorra (29 Jan, 2024), Ealdormere (30 Jan, 2024), Lochac (30 Jan, 2024), Atlantia (31 Jan, 2024), Drachenwald (31 Jan, 2024), Middle (31 Jan, 2024), Palimpsest Rules Letter (31 Jan, 2024), Laurel LoPaD (14 Mar, 2024) (redraws). All commentary, responses, and rebuttals should have been entered into OSCAR by Sunday, March 31, 2024.
The May Laurel decisions will be made at the Pelican meeting held on Sunday, May 12, 2024 and the Wreath meeting held on Saturday, May 11, 2024. These meetings will consider the following letters of intent: Middle (01 Feb, 2024), An Tir (05 Feb, 2024), Northshield (05 Feb, 2024), Calontir (06 Feb, 2024), Palimpsest Rules Letter (07 Feb, 2024), Meridies (08 Feb, 2024), Artemisia (11 Feb, 2024), Caid (11 Feb, 2024), Laurel LoPaD (13 Feb, 2024), Palimpsest Rules Letter (14 Feb, 2024), Gleann Abhann (20 Feb, 2024), Ansteorra (23 Feb, 2024), East (25 Feb, 2024), An Tir (26 Feb, 2024), Outlands (26 Feb, 2024), Ansteorra (27 Feb, 2024), Atenveldt (27 Feb, 2024), Ealdormere (27 Feb, 2024), Lochac (27 Feb, 2024), Avacal (29 Feb, 2024), Drachenwald (29 Feb, 2024), Middle (29 Feb, 2024), Laurel LoPaD (16 Apr, 2024) (redraws). All commentary, responses, and rebuttals should have been entered into OSCAR by Tuesday, April 30, 2024.
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.
Be assured that I remain
In service
Birgitta Lulli
Laurel Queen of Arms
Created at 2024-05-03T20:41:58