APPROVALS 1 10 March XIX (1985)

THE FOLLOWING SUBMISSIONS ARE APPROVED:

Kingdom of Atenveldt

al­Barran, Barony of. Order of the Russian Thistle of al­Barran. Name and badge. Sable, a Russian thistle (tumbleweed) bush within an orle all within a bordure Or.

DISCUSSION: In the case of the Sable Thistle of Ansteorra (15 May 80, p. 2), Master Wilhelm held that the addition of both an adjective and the name of the branch were sufficient difference from the Order of the Thistle of Scotland. This is supported by the wording of Rule VI.4. The Russian thistle (Salsola pestifer) is one of the most common of the tumbleweeds. (NCE 2800)

Arik Alton. Device. Per fess gules and sable, on a bezant between two bars gemel Or, a horse passant sable.

Blue Rose, Brotherhood of the. Transfer of badge to Jonathan of Whitewolfe.

Citadel of the Southern Pass. Order of the Astrum Australis. Name and badge. Azure, two piles inverted Or, in chief a compass­star elongated to base argent.

Ceridwen ferch Rhys (submitted as Ceridwen Lliana ferch Rhys). Name and device. Per bend sinister wavy sable and Or, an estoile Or and a garden rose bendwise sinister sable, slipped and leaved vert.

NOTE: No documentation was provided for Lliana, and none of the people commenting on this submission could substantiate it. We have omitted it in order to register the device.

Daved Shmuail ben Rachon. Name change (from Daved Shmuel ben Rachon) and device. Ermine, two scarpes vert, overall a golden eagle stooping, wings elevated and displayed, proper bearing in its beak a garden rose gules slipped and leaved vert. (Aquila chrysaetos).

DISCUSSION: The golden eagle is sooty brown, with tawny head and neck feathers, not Or; so there is sufficient contrast against the ermine field. (NCE 818) "Stooping means that the bird is seen affronty, its wings addorsed and its talons extended as if about to pounce on something." (KFI­1, 11 Aug 77, p. 1; in Prec II 46) None of the examples we found in the Laurel files were affronty, including the submission on which the above comment was made, so I am forced to conclude that this was an error. A bird stooping is by default seen from the side.

Dennis the Wright. Name only.

Donal MacMurtrie. Device. Per chevron gules and ermine, on a chief embattled argent three mullets gules.

Eilidh MacMurtrie. Name and device. Gyronny argent and vert, on a lozenge pean a sprig of lilies of the valley argent.

Freodhoric J rgenssen Sj aureb rg. Name and device. Sable, on a billet engrailed Or, a trout haurient gules.

Helga Goldhaarig von Zurich (submitted as Helga Giltehaar von Zurich). Name and device. Per bend sinister nebuly Or and azure, a butterfly volant en arrierre and a hare couchant counterchanged.

NOTE: According to my paperback Langenscheidt's, German Haar 'hair' becomes haarig in compounds. (p. 132) None of the people commenting on this submission was able to find Gilte. At Crescent's suggestion, we have substituted Goldhaarig, which his Cassell's translates as 'yellow­haired'.

Inakayama Shirasu. Name only.

Jonathan of Whitewolfe. Badge for the Brotherhood of the Blue Rose (transfer). Sable, a rose azure imbrued gules.

Michael die Zauberzunge von Essen. Name change (from Michael von Essen).

NOTE: Appeal sustained. Given the additional documentation that was provided with the appeal, I feel the applicant is entitled to the benefit of the doubt.

Nonnie of Tornor Keep. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Phillipe des Pégases. Name and device. Sable, a pegasus salient to sinister argent between two scarpes, in dexter chief a compass star Or and in base a greatsword bendwise sinister proper.

Rhiannon ferch Eilonwy (submitted as Rhiannon merch Eilonwy). Name and device. Per pale rules and sable, in pale a flame and a goblet and in chief a decrescent and an increscent all Or.

NOTE: Welsh merch 'daughter of' mutates to ferch after a proper name.

Robin Vinehall the Ambivalent. Name change (from Robin the Ambivalent).

Sun, Principality of. Order of the Fanged Wolf. Name and badge. Argent, a wolf salient to sinister and a base rayonny gules.

Tristram of Tir Ysgithr (submitted as Tristram of the Coffins). Name and device. Sable, a pall between a fleur­de­lys and two coffins palewise argent.

NOTE: The name conflicts with that of author Tristram Coffin. We have used the name of his local branch in order to register the device.

Ursula d'Arcy. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Kingdom of Caid

Alianora of Aberdeen. Device. Per chevron sable and vert, a chevron engrailed between two Celtic crosses and a castle Or.

Brandr Thoralfsson the Skald. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

NOTE: According to Batonvert, the Old Norse form of the name would be Brandr Skald Thoralfsson.

Brian Kunaganos. Device. Argent, a cross parted and fretted within a bordure purpure.

NOTE: No one found any conflicts. Wow!

Caitlin MacGregor. Name and device. Per bend azure and gules, a unicorn salient and in saltire a threaded needle point in chief and a quill Or.

Douglas Orion. Device. Azure, in pale three comets fesswise and a chief nebuly argent.

Gideon ben Levi. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Karl von Alpenwald. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Marlena of the Sands. Name change (from Marlene of the Sands) and device. Purpure, in fess a seax inverted edge to dexter and a peacock feather embowed to sinister argent all within a bordure argent ermined purpure.

Siana Alyna of Muirwood. Name and device. Sable, two fir trees and on a roundel argent a spinning wheel sable.

William of Northumbria. Name and device. Per saltire azure and gules, two spears in saltire throughout Or, overall a pegasus salient to sinister, wings elevated and displayed, argent, all within a bordure ermine.

Kingdom of Calontir

Aelith Tourblanc. Name and device. Purpure, a tower and on a chief enarched argent two columbine flowers purpure.

Andrew Lyon of Wolvenwood. Name only (see PENDING for device).

Anne of Mag Mor. Name only.

Antonia d'Alessandria. Name and device. Per saltire indented vert and Or, four lozenges in cross counterchanged.

Arwyn Antaradi. Name and device. Or, a saltire cotissed gules, overall a horse rampant to sinister sable.

NOTE: Very striking.

Barbara de Saint Michel. Name and device. Azure, a pile inverted bendwise sinister throughout ermine between a decrescent and a compass star argent.

Caitlyn of Penryn. Device. Counter­ermine, a phoenix gules issuant from flames proper within an English stirrup Or.

Calontir, Crown Prince of. Device. Purpure, a cross of Calatrava and in chief a crown within a bordure Or, overall a label throughout argent.

DISCUSSION: I returned the original arms of the Crown Prince (Calontir differenced by a label) with a certain amount of regret. If there were to be any exception to the rule that a laurel wreath may be used only in the arms of an SCA branch, this would be it. In making the decision, I had to weigh this desire against two other considerations.

The first was a growing unhappiness with the effect that such exceptions have on the rules. We are saddling ourselves with a system of heraldry that boasts more complexity than elegance, due in part to the frequency with which we try to write special cases into the rules. The second consideration was the precedent that would be set. If the heir to a kingdom may have a laurel wreath, why not the heir to a principality? Now that we have it registered, what about making this one little change? (Grandfather who?) Et­tmesis­cetera. Any restrictions I placed on the ruling would soon be challenged, as the flood of appeals that follows any change in Laurel policy readily demonstrates. Given the importance of the laurel wreath in SCA heraldry, I believed the simpler and (in the long run) better policy was to preserve the restriction.

I do not, however, consider it inappropriate for a Crown Prince to bear the arms of the King differenced by a label. This seems to me a valid form of display of the royal arms, and it appears to be consistent with our existing policies. ("The heir of an armiger may bear the armiger's arms with a label or other such mark of cadency ... These cadenced versions of the arms need not be registered to be borne." Rules XIV.D) As long as it remains a matter of usage, and not one of registration, I do not have to admit it as precedent.

Calontir, Kingdom of. Badge for Royal University of Scirhafoc. Purpure, on a pale between two hawk's lures Or a crane in its vigilance sable.

NOTE: Batonvert noted that Anglo­Saxon Scir­Hafoc 'bright hawk' would be better as a single word. This removes any confusion between scir 'bright' and scir 'shire', at which a couple of the commenters expressed concern, so we took her suggestion.

Calontir, Kingdom of. Cabochard Pursuivant (name only).

Caoimhin McKee. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Catherine de la Griffe de Lion. Name and device. Azure, a lion's paw palewise erased Or and on a chief argent five mullets azure.

DISCUSSION: According to Parker, "If couped or erased at the middle joint it [the leg of a beast] is not a jambe but a paw." (p. 282)

Ceridwen o Forgannwg ferch y Prydydd (submitted as Ceridwen o Glamorgan ferch y Prydydd). Name only (see RETURNS for device).

NOTE: Clamorgan is the English form of the place name; the Welsh form (which is what should follow the Welsh preposition) is Morgannwg. (Y Geiriadur Plawr II 324) This mutates to Forgannwg after the o.

Donato el Lobo. Device. Per pale sable and argent, in saltire a quill and a sword inverted and on a chief two wolves' heads caboshed all counterchanged.

Eleanor Margaret Marchand. Name and device. Argent, in pale a dragon passant gules and a chalice pean.

Eloisa von Metz. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Elrik Lionmaster. Name only.

Estasia Angele. Device. Per pale counter­ermine and ermine, in fess a garden rose slipped and leaved argent and another sable.

Estasia Angele. Badge. Ermine, two garden roses sable, their slips entwined palewise vert.

Felicia Olivier. Name only.

Geoffri of Wareine. Name and badge for T Wareine. Vert, a cross vert fretty and fimbriated Or.

Gwilym ap Gwilym. Name only.

Jörg Kratz. Badge for House of the Rosed Arrow. Argent, an arrow proper flighted vert entwined of two garden roses sable slipped and leaved vert.

DISCUSSION: An arrow is said to be flighted or feathered of the tincture of its feathers. (Parker 22).

Mag Mor, Shire of. Device. Sable, a winged bull passant reguardant between three laurel wreaths Or.

NOTE: Very nice. Please make the wreaths larger, so they stand out better.

Miklos Gajo. Name and device. Or, a tortoise rampant brandishing a scimitar azure within a bordure sable.

DISCUSSION: Gold Falcon was kind enough to include in his letter of intent the following comment from Lord Andreas of Green Village (the new Lanner Herald):

"To properly ramp, he [the tortoise] needs to be stepping off his left hind claw with his longest possible stride. His long neck should be at its fullest extension (preferably in a graceful reversed S­curve), his great jaws opened wide enough to sever the neck of a foe, his leathery tongue whipping about in his rage. His scimitar* should be at the apex of the backswing, about to deliver a mortal blow. Two useful images: a lion finds himself surrounded by wolves, an enormous pack of them. As they close in, he crouches, waiting. Suddenly he explodes up and forward onto the front ranks of the wolves, biting and slashing and knocking them in every direction, always surging forward, always seeking the center of the pack, until at last the scattered remnants flee for their lives.

Now imagine the tortoise doing the same thing to bears. We're talking fury here!

... I imagine a medieval heraldic artist would have thought a tortoise rampant was strange, but I bet he would have painted the most dangerous looking tortoise you ever saw. Otherwise it might as well be statant."

After reviewing the above dissertation, my staff voted to award Lord Andreas both ears and the tail. Touché away!

____________________

*With all this corroborative detail, I expected a snickersnee.

Pérégrin de Lorinet. Name only.

Phillipa Lloyd de Tarifa. Name and device. Gules, on a pile inverted throughout counter­ermine between two horses salient respectant, a dolphin hauriant embowed argent.

NOTE: Please make the pile narrower. What is drawn here looks more like chapé.

Randwulf Witlac. Name only.

Richard Randolf. Badge for Household of the Dizzy Key. Gyronny wavy of six azure and argent, three keys palewise inverted Or.

Rorik Galbraith (submitted as Rorik of Galbraith). Name and device. Sable, a bear's head erased argent muzzled gules between two swords in pile argent within a bordure argent semy of lozenges sable.

NOTE: According to Brigantia, Galbraith is a clan name. The name of the island in Loch Lomond is Inchgalbraith (roughly, "Galbraith's Island"). Either Rorik Galbraith or Rorik of Inchgalbraith would be correct. We have used the former; he may, of course, change this if he wishes.

Sian ferch Rhys. Name only.

Kingdom of the East

Aislinn Ysobel d'Argentan. Name and device. Azure, a domestic cat dormant between three stars of David, all within a bordure argent.

André Louis de Vincennes. Badge (held jointly with Anastasia Vanessara iz Chernigova). Per pale azure and argent, a windmill and on a chief counterchanged in fess two fleurs­de­lys azure, banded Or, and two lilies argent slipped and leaved Or.

Anastasia Vanessara iz Chernigova. Badge (see André Louis de Vincennes).

Ariel of Caer Blyrddin. Name and device. Purpure, a greyhound passant reguardant coward and on a chief argent a grapevine fructed proper.

Arlin Throckmorton. Device. Argent, a bend per bend wavy sable and gules between two crosses moline sable, all within a bordure per bend wavy sable and gules.

DISCUSSION: This could also be blazoned, "Argent, a bend and a bordure per bend wavy sable and gules, and in bend sinister two crosses moline sable."

Barthel aus Pennswald. Badge. Per bend sinister gules and sable, a sword inverted bendwise sinister argent between two stags trippant Or.

NOTE: We would like to see some documentation (perhaps an example illustrating the pattern) for the word Calainar in the proposed designation, "Haus Calainar des Pennswalds." Batonvert has noted that it might also be Elvish cala 'light' + Ainur 'The Holy Ones' (< aina 'holy'), the Valar and Maiar, which makes us a bit nervous.

Beith Aonar, Shire of. Name and device. Azure, semy of estoiles, a laurel wreath, overall a blasted birch tree arising from a rock issuant from base, all argent.

Bjorn Sigurdsson. Name and device. Paly gules and argent, a bear's head cabossed sable.

Blodwen ferch Gruffydd ab Ifor. Name and device. Gules, semy of stitchwort blossoms argent, barbed vert, seeded, on a chief Or three Catherine wheels vert. (Stellaria graminea).

Bryn Canol, Shire of. Name chance (from Shire von Sosse); see RETURNS for device.

Carl of the West. Name and device. Per chevron inverted azure and sable, a chevron inverted cotised and in dexter chief a cinquefoil Or.

Christianna Weislea. Name only.

Delftwood, Barony of. Badge for Gallimaufry Cooks' Guild. Azure, a cauldron argent charred with a bunch of two cherries gules, slipped and leaved vert.

Donal MacAyre of Gorabh. Name and device. Barry wavy gules and Or, a pegasus salient to sinister argent.

Dragonship Haven, Barony of. Order of the Hawk's Bell. Name only (see RETURNS for badge).

East Kingdom. Badge for King's Champion. A tyger rampant guardant azure maintaining a spear bendwise proper.

Elwyn Arian. Name and device. Azure, a compass­star between three ash leaves stems to center, all within a bordure argent.

Ewen Ericsson. Name and device. Per pale gules and argent, a double­headed eagle displayed sable between three Thor's hammers counterchanged.

Fael MacLoarn. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Farasha Joralemon. Name only.

Fredrika of Hildesheim. Name only.

Godwyn Penkerris o Wythial. Name and device. Per fess vert, fretty Or, and Or, in base an oak tree proper, fructed Or, issuant from a mound vert.

Griffin's Keep, Canton of. Device. Vert, a griffin segreant and on a chief Or a laurel wreath vert.

Guillaume d'Essonne. Badge. Or, a cross potent surmounted by a delf voided gules within a bordure embattled sable.

Harold von Auerbach. Name and device. Vert, a bat­winged boar salient argent.

Harold of York. Name only.

Harry of Narrenbecic. Name only.

Hélène du Vent of Raventree. Name only.

Helm Egilsson of Birka. Name change (from Helm of Birka) and device. Vert, a spectacled spagen helm affronty Or, on a chief argent, a dragonfly volant inverted azure, winged sable.

Ian of Calais. Name and device. Sable, a grenade Or within a bordure potenty erminois.

NOTE: Nice heraldry.

Jorge Johansen. Device. Argent, an owl close affronty sable, gored Or, within an orle nebuly counter­nebuly sable.

DISCUSSION: Brachet has argued that an orle nebuly would have the projections opposing one another, and has proposed nebuly counter­nebuly for cases where they alternate (yielding, in the present case, an orle which describes a line nebuly). This seems reasonable.

Justin of Seven Oaks. Name and device. Azure, an oak leaf palewise Or within an orle of acorns argent.

Kyrth Greystone. Name only.

Matilde des Isles Froides. Device. Or, on a fess purpure between two closed books gules and a crab purpure a needle point to sinister Or.

Miles Long. Name and device. Per pale argent and gules, upon a nesselblatt a lion bicorporate rampant, all counterchanged.

DISCUSSION: The name is perfectly acceptable. It is correctly constructed of period components, and if it strikes some people as odd or humorous, well, so do many other aspects of the Middle Ages (as I am reminded every time I stop for ice on the way to a tourney: "Mommy, look, a man in a dress!").

Virgule has argued that the term Nesselblatt properly describes the border, not the center of the field. He offers as his source Neubecker's Heraldry: Sources, Symbols and Meaning,, pages 134 and 247. "It is the heraldic term, for a zig­zag bordure, which already in the late Middle Ages was becoming, divorced from its original meaning." A quick check of my other references turned up no additional information on the Nesselblatt, and I am reluctant to change our accepted definition (in the arms of Marten Jeros Broker) without something to corroborate Neubecker's opinion. Since there were no conflicts, I have registered this using the submitted blazon, and will await enlightenment at the hands of any whose researches prove more fruitful than mine.

Myfanwy ferch Rhiannon. Name and device. Purpure, three roundels in bend sinister erminois between two unicorns couchant argent.

Nordenhalle, Shire of (submitted as Nordenhal). Name only.

NOTE: According to Batonvert, German halle 'hall' and hall 'peal, sound' are different in pronunciation as well as in meaning. Nordenhal seems an unlikely variant of Nordenhalle.

Northern Outpost, Shire of. Device. Per chevron sable and argent, three piles throughout counterchanged, the center one debruised in base by a laurel wreath vert.

Percival de Courcée. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Peter Raventree. Name only.

Reynard des Montaignes. Name change (from Reynard des Montagnes; see RETURNS for device change).

Rhiannon o'r Goeden Wen (submitted as Rhiannon o Goeden Wyn). Name and device. Per fess sable, semy­de­lis argent, and azure, in base an oak tree eradicated argent.

NOTE: According to Batonvert, Welsh Goeden (the mutated form of Coeden, tree') requires the feminine adjective gwen 'white', which mutates to wen following the preposition o. O Goeden Wen means "of (a place called) White Tree." The applicant indicated that she wished to be "of the white tree," so we have substituted o'r 'of the' for o 'of'.

Rhydderich Hael, Barony of the. Badge. Per pale vert and sable, a dragon segreant Or.

Rhydderich Hael, Barony of the. Badge for Jugglers' Guild. Per fess azure and sable, in chief three bezants, one and two, and in base a pair of hands couped apaumy inverted argent.

Rhys ap Rhodri. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Richard Tyler of Swiftwater. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Robert Whitcome of Brandywine. Name only.

Roswitha Magdalene von Bannenberg. Name and device. Per fess embattled gules and sable, in pale three acorns in fess Or and a winged fish hauriant embowed argent.

Runolfr Audsson. Name only (see PENDING for device).

Sine ni Mhoraig. Device. Per chevron vert and sable, two mullets of eight points and a linden tree eradicated argent.

Sorcha ar Menez. Device (reblazon). Vert, a triskelion of spirals argent between in cross four mullets pierced Or.

Tads ui Duinn of Isle Magee. Name change (from Teige ui Duinn of Isle Magee).

Tadhg ua hIcidhe An­Artuil. Name only.

Tearlach the Profane. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Theresa Hume. Name and badge for Friends of the Midnight Dragon. A dragon dormant to sinister gules.

NOTE: Nice badge.

Vera z Czezecze. Name only.

Vladimir Ivanovitch Kazalcov. Name and device. Argent, on a saltire azure between in pale two crows displayed sable, two tilting spears in saltire argent.

William of Arindale. Name and device. Azure, a tortoise tergiant Or and on a chief invected argent a drakkar sailing to sinister sable.

Kingdom of Meridies

Alianore Astralis (submitted as Alianore d'Astralis). Name only.

NOTE: According to Brigantia, Astralis has the form of a Latin adjective, not a French noun, so the preposition d' should be omitted. As an alternative, she has suggested using a French ending to form a place name of origin: d'Astralie.

Anna Alicia Rheinhardt (submitted as Anna Alicia von Rheinhardt). Name only.

NOTE: To the best of our knowledge, Reinhardt is a personal name, not a place name, so it does not take the preposition von.

Colin Hugh O'Duncan of Eagle Haven. Name only.

Duncan Angus MacDonald. Name only.

Elphin Alan Moray. Name only.

DISCUSSION: When the name Elphin was originally submitted, Batonvert and Laurel Emeritus expressed concern over "confusion with the word elfin, elven 'elf­like' and the "apparent claims to other­worldliness." Since the device had to be returned anyway, this seemed sufficient grounds to return the name as well, on the assumption that the issue would be addressed more fully when the name was resubmitted. The appeal garnered six comments in support (including one from Laurel Emeritus) and none in opposition, which answers the question to my satisfaction.

Julia Alys Torrbrand of Scinmoor (submitted as Julia Alys Torrbrand of Moorscin). Name only.

NOTE: According to Batonvert, the correct Old English for 'haunted moor' is Scinmoor. We have amended the name accordingly.

Linnet Lorraine (submitted as Linnea Lorraine). Name only.

NOTE: According to Brigantia, Linnea is the Latin female form of the family name Linnaeus, and not a given name. We have substituted the suggested base form, Linnet, or she may choose another name if she wishes.

Loren of Blackthorn. Name only.

Morgan Lyonel (submitted as Morgwn Lyonel). Name only.

NOTE: According to Batonvert, Morgwn is not a variant spelling of Morgan; the vowels are unrelated, so a Welshman wouldn't spell the name this way, and it cannot be an English spelling since w is not a vowel in English." We have used Morgan; Gruffudd also lists Morgant, which is another possibility.

Otto Bötticher von Spreebrucke. Name only.

NOTE: There is only one "n" in von.

Sergio Descarado. Name only.

Kingdom of the Middle

Anne Kent. Device. Per saltire azure and argent, in pale two foxes' masks and in fess two roses counterchanged.

Arminius Aquilinius. Name only.

Catlin Kavanaugh. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Ceridwyn Nith of Caxhel. Name and device. Gules, a pall between a trefoil and two pithons nowed erect respectant argent.

DISCUSSION: An heraldic pithon is a winged serpent.

Danianós Arrianus Alexius Nicosiaios. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Erik of Northhold. Device change. Bendy­barry argent and vert, a base rayonny gules.

NOTE: The base should be drawn as rayonny, not wavy­crested. Please correct the emblazon.

Fiona Macgregor. Name and device. Sable, three thistles slipped and leaved, the stems inward and the leaves intertwined, argent.

DISCUSSION: "I hereby relinquish all hold and title to the name of FIONA MACGREGOR and wish the new holder all good luck and past associations that may accrue thereto. /s/ Natalya de Foix, Duchess."

Geoffrey Mathias. Name and device. Gules, a saltire parted and fretted between two crescents in pale argent.

NOTE: Nice device.

Giles Devon. Badge for Family Uphold. Per pale rules and Or, a mascle within a bordure sable.

Hrothebert van Dylie. Name and device. Or, a panther rampant guardant sable, armed and incensed gules, and on a base embattled azure two bars wavy Or.

Laurelen Darksbane. Badge for House Elamon. Per chevron azure and vert, a demi­compass star issuant from the line of division Or.

Mary Pauline Esther. Name only.

Kingdom of the West

Adriana Sabatini. Badge. A hand of Fatima purpure charged with a mullet of six points argent.

Alaryn Aecanstaef (submitted as Alaryn Gierdaecen). Name and device. Per chevron embattled Or and sable, two lions passant guardant gules and a sword argent.

NOTE: According to Batonvert, the byname Gierdaecen is not correctly constructed. Aecen is not a form of acan 'ache, hurt', but appears instead to be aecan 'oaken'. Gierd can mean 'staff', but it is more commonly used to mean a measure of land; staef is a likelier choice. In normal Anglo­Saxon word order, the adjective precedes the noun. At Batonvert's suggestion, we have substituted Aecanstaef 'oaken­staff', which is what the applicant seems to have had in mind.

Aldwin Longwalker. Device. Sable, on a sinister gore Or, a cross crosslet fitchy sable, issuant out of dexter chief a sun Or.

Alison Mackenzie of Glen Carron. Device. Vert, a doe lodged reguardant, on a chief engrailed argent, a thistle fesswise reversed slipped and leaved proper.

Ambrose of Parduin. Badge. An apple voided purpure.

Andrei the Wanderer. Name only.

Claire FitzEdwin of Crestwood. Name and device. Per fess wavy sable and Or, a swan naiant argent and a fleur­de­lys sable.

NOTE: Very nice.

Colin MacOwen. Name only.

Dafydd ap Hywel Trawsfynydd. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

NOTE: According to Brigantia, there is only one n in Trawsfynydd.

Demetri the Greek. Name change (from David Dimitri).

Deorwulf Rathbrand. Name and device. Per chevron argent and sable, three crosses of four mascles counterchanged, a chief gules.

Edwinna of Hawk's Bluff. Name only.

Eileen Kathryn Brent. Name and device. Per fess azure and Or, a coney rampant to sinister between in pale two suns in splendor counterchanged.

Elaine de Charvigne (submitted as Elaine du Charvigne). Name and device. Azure, a fess dovetailed between a hound courant and a tower Or.

NOTE: Du charvigne 'of the wagon­vine' does not seem to be a plausible French construction; a wagon driver would probably be called charretier 'carter'. Batonvert has suggested treating Charvigne as a made­up place name (using de 'of [a place]' instead of du 'of the [masculine thing]').

Emeric Mallikson. Name only.

Eric Bearsbane. Badge. Argent, on a bear's pawprint sable, a flaming sword proper.

Etain la Gamine. Name only.

Fanchion Mountainrider of Skyhaven. Device (reblazon). Per pale gules and argent, on a chevron inverted counterchanged a lute and a falchion inverted proper and in chief a seagull displayed counterchanged.

Kaja Kristianna Kaviar. Name only.

Lauren Grey. Name only.

Lucrezia Lorenz. Name only.

Malak Boga. Name only.

DISCUSSION: Boga is a Turkish noun meaning 'bull'. Redhouse English Turkish Dictionary, page 122. Redhouse Press, 1974.).

Martha Aardvarkkeeper. Name only.

DISCUSSION: After reviewing the comments on this submission, I have decided to accept Aardvarkkeeper as being consistent with SCA, if not period, practice. Although the word aardvark is out of period, the beast is not; we have registered several of them, and I cannot in good conscience permit the term to be used in blazon and not in names. I couldn't find any mundane surnames ending in ­keeper (the English used various forms of ­herd: Reaney OES 176­177), but the O.E.D. does cite period instances of the words horsekeeper and swinekeeper.

Meaghar O'Brollacháin. Name and device. Argent, in fess three pommes, a chief engrailed azure.

Megan MacFhiodbhuidhe of Westmeath. Name only.

Mirriam Francoise. Name and device. Purpure, a sea­stag erect, on a chief engrailed Or, three whelks fesswise purpure.

Morgan of the Wood. Name only.

Oertha, Principality of. Device. Azure, a wolf sejant, head erect, between in chief two compass stars and on a base argent, a laurel wreath vert.

Piers DeGrey. Name only (see RETURNS for device).

Piers DeCrey. Badge. Gules, a beehive and a bordure Or.

Raimund Brent of the Forest. Name and device. Per pale rayonny sable and argent, two roundels counterchanged.

NOTE: Very nice.

Rhiannon Lighthawk. Name and device. Purpure, a hawk displayed, head to sinister, and on a chief triangular argent, three decrescents purpure.

Richard the Steadfast. Name only.

Ruth de Lorient. Name only.

Sean ó Miadhacháin. Name only.

Siobhan MacDonald. Name and device. Per pale gules and argent, three crosses crosslet fitchy within as many annulets, all counterchanged.

Susan of the Black Forest. Device. Sable, a hurst of pine trees atop a mount couped argent, a bordure compony gules and argent.

NOTE: Appeal sustained. The examples cited by Vesper show that, at least within the SCA, the charges depicted here lie within the definition of the term hurst. It appears, however, that the mount needs to be mentioned in the blazon.

Tovye Woolmongere. Name and device. Tierced per pall azure, Or, and argent, a bordure sable.

DISCUSSION: This is technically only one point of difference (for field) from BASING, "Ermine, a bordure sable." (Papworth 342) If we disregard the bordure, however, the two fields differ in three of the categories (line of division, tincture, and addition of semy) laid down for field­only submissions in Rule XII.10. The bordure is both unmodified and uncharged, so it is not unreasonable to extend the bordure rule (XII.5) to apply to this case.

William of Brittany. Device. Per pale vert and argent, two spears in saltire and a chief embattled counterchanged.

Yrjö Kirjawiisas. Change of device. Ermine, a lion passant guardant between three battle axes sable.

THE FOLLOWING SUBMISSIONS ARE RETURNED:

Kingdom of Atenveldt

Nonnie of Tornor Keep. Device. Per saltire purpure semy of cat's paw prints argent, and argent, a sword inverted proper.

NOTE: The device conflicts with NEAL GYRFALCON, "Purpure, on the pommel of a sword inverted proper a gyrfalcon reversed argent." (SCA) There is a major point for field, and a minor for removing the gyrfalcon. It is also too close to DIERDRE LLYN STORMDREAMER, "Per saltire azure and argent, in pale a sword between two compass stars argent." (SCA).

Sorcha of Sherwood. Device. Per pale purpure and purpure semy­de­lys, a chevron and in base a swan naiant argent.

NOTE: Semy should cover a defined area, not part of a field. The effect here is visually confusing and unbalanced. Please distribute the fleurs-de­lys across the entire field.

Ursula d'Arcy. Device. Purpure, on a pale endorsed Or, an iris purpure slipped and leaved vert.

NOTE: This conflicts with WILLIAM OF BLACKMOOR, "Purpure, on a pale between two double­bitted axes Or, a sword purpure." (SCA) There is a major point of difference for change in type of secondaries (endorses vs. axes), and a minor point for the tertiary charge.

Wind Dragon, Shire of. Name only.

NOTE: The name conflicts with that of the SHIRE OF WYNDWYRM. Wyrm is an archaic spelling of worm 'a serpent, snake, dragon'. (OED)

Kingdom of Caid

Brandr Thoralfsson the Skald. Device. Vert, a harp reversed Or enflamed proper, on a chief rayonny Or an ash slip vert.

NOTE: The heraldic convention appears to be to depict a charge enflamed as outlined with flames, rather than actually burning, as is shown here. The device conflicts with RHYS IAN GLENOWEN, "Vert, a harp and on a chief Or a flanged mace fesswise sable." (SCA) We count a major point for the line of partition of the chief, and a minor for differences in type and tincture of the tertiary charge; we do not feel the changes to the harp constitute a sufficiently large minor to make up a second full point.

Gideon ben Levi. Device. Per bend sinister argent and azure, a sinister mailed fist aversant sable, maintaining a horn purpure.

NOTE: The device conflicts with THOMAS FOR THE INTERIM, "Vert, a dexter gauntlet sable, grasping in saltire a rose gules, barbed, seeded, and slipped proper, and an artist's brush sable, ferruled and all fimbriated Or." (SCA) [Point for the field, minor for the charges held.] We are also bothered by the name GIDEON, used in conjunction with the horn, although I am inclined to agree with Batonvert: "The line between deliberate use of a charge to allude to a famous person and actual infringement is not very clear, but this seems to be the former case.".

Karl von Alpenwald. Device. Per chevron azure and Or semy of fir trees vert, in chief a dragon courant, wings addorsed, Or.

NOTE: This conflicts visually with AMBER OF DRAGONHYRST, "Per chevron azure, a dragon volant to sinister Or, and argent, three oak trees couped vert." (SCA).

Keradawc an Cai. Device chance. Sable, a pheon inverted within three scimitars in annulo argent.

NOTE: This infringes on AVERENCK, "Sable, a pheon [point in chief] argent." (Rietstap) According to Virgule, "Rietstap is in the habit of specifying 'point in base' when that is meant." Lord Wilihelm checked the emblazon in Rolland's Illustrations to the Armorial Général (volume I, plate XCII1) and confirmed Baron Alfgar's supposition.

Kingdom of Calontir

Caoimhin McKee. Device. Counter­ermine, a rose gules barbed vert and seeded sable between in saltire four keys, wards to center, Or.

NOTE: This conflicts visually with YAROSLAV RURIKSSON, "Counter­ermine, a rose gules, barbed and seeded, surmounted by a sword inverted proper." (SCA).

Ceridwen o Glamorgan ferch y Prydydd. Device. Azure, a bend Or between a mullet of ten points and a kettle argent.

NOTE: The name Ceridwen should not be used in conjunction with a cauldron or kettle ­ the cauldron of Ceridwen was the fount of poetry and knowledge. (The tale of Gwion Bach. The Mabinogi and Other Medieval Welsh Tales, pages 162­164. Edited by Patrick K. Ford. University of California Press, 1977.) The device conflicts with IAN MACANGUS, "Azure, a bend between a mullet of eight points and a tree eradicated argent." (SCA) It also infringes upon JAN ZLOTSLY MEC, "Azure, on a bend Or between two mullets of four points argent a sword gules." (SCA).

Conmara O Mactire. Name only.

NOTE: Conmara appears to be a component of a surname, and not a given name in its own right. Brigantia has suggested that the applicant use Connor, from the Irish Conchobhar.

Deirdre Llyn Stormdreamer. Badge for Haven of the Silver Mist. Vert, a castle and on a chief per fess embattled vert and argent a pomme.

NOTE: The chief has the appearance of an SCA comital coronet (a coronet embattled, which is a reserved charge) set with a green stone. Please redesign.

Eloisa von Metz. Device. Argent, two arrows proper flighted gules in saltire and overall a dogwood flower rules.

NOTE: The device conflicts with MARRIE BERCEAU DU CHAT, "Argent, two arrows in saltire inverted gules and overall a daffodil seeded proper." (SCA).

Jörg Kratz. Badge. Argent, a stag's attires sable pierced of an arrow palewise proper flighted vert.

NOTE: Given the spiky nature of a stag's attires, we do not feel the arrow merits a full point of difference. This therefore conflicts with ZAKESLEY, "Argent, a hart's attire sable." (Papworth 948).

Luciana di Ridolfi. Name change (to Luciana della Ridolfi) and device. Per bend sinister fleury counterfleury Or and gules.

NOTE: The examples cited by the applicant appear to be surnames of place: della Casa 'of the house', della Fonte 'of the spring', della Rovere 'of the oak', etc. (The preceding glosses were produced with the aid of my paperback Italian dictionary, and are not to be regarded as authoritative.) According to Brigantia, Ridolfi as a component of a surname is almost certainly patronymic in origin, so the preposition della is not grammatically correct. She suggests Luciana della Casa Ridolfi or Luciana Ridolfi as possible variants.

The device conflicts with SCHELCK, "Per bend sinister Or and gules." (Rietstap).

Moonstone, Shire of. Name only.

NOTE: The name conflicts with HOUSE MOONSTONE, registered to Theresa of the Blue Rose.

Oak Heart, Shire of. Device. Argent, a bend between a heart gules environed of a laurel wreath vert and an acorn inverted slipped and leaved proper.

NOTE: This conflicts with JEROME OF MCKENNA, "Argent, a bendlet between in chief a dexter mailed fist from the sinister grasping a cross botonny fitchy and in base a lymphad sails furled and oars in action all gules." (SCA) There is a point and a half of difference for chances in the secondary charges.

Kingdom of the East

Bryn Canol, Shire of. Device change. Per fess indented of three vert and argent, upon a pale counterchanged, in chief a laurel wreath vert.

NOTE: This conflicts with MELUCINE DE RONCEVERTE, "Vert, on a pale argent, a greenbriar slip vert." (SCA) [Major for counterchanging across a line of division, minor for type and position of tertiary.] A change in number, from one to two laurel wreaths on the pale, should be sufficient to raise the difference from a minor to a major.

Fael MacLoarn. Device. Per pale wavy sable and argent, a wolf passant counterchanged.

NOTE: The device conflicts with LUPIN AUF ILLERFELD, "Per pale sable and argent a wolf passant counterchanged." (Rietstap).

Karl Helweg. Device. Gules, a bull's head caboshed within a bordure wavy Or.

NOTE: This infringes on PONS DE CELLES, "Gules, a bull's head cabossed Or.".

Morgan Sheridan. Badge. Vert, four mullets in cross Or.

NOTE: This infringes upon SORCHA AR MENEZ, "Vert, a triskelion of spirals between [in cross) four mullets pierced Or." (SCA).

Moriah Elliot. Name only.

NOTE: Moriah is the site of the mountain where Abraham was to sacrifice Isaac (Gen 22.2); Mount Moriah is the biblical name of the hill of East Jerusalem, and the site of Solomon's Temple (2 Chron 3.1). (NCE 1832).

Percival de Courcée. Device. Or, chapé rayonny azure, a heart gules.

NOTE: This conflicts with LASTIC (Rietstap) and CORTI (Woodward 202), "Or, a heart gules." There is a major point of difference for the field.

Reynard des Montaignes. Device change. Barry dancetty argent and azure, a fox's mask gules.

NOTE: This conflicts with the British 10th Armoured Division, "Sable, a fox's mask gules marked sable." (MilOrd #782) The sable marking lies so far within the bounds of artistic license as to be negligible.

Reynard des Montaignes. Badge. Gules, a foxglove blossom Or.

NOTE: This conflicts visually with KLOCK, "Gules, a bell Or." (Rietstap).

Rhys ap Rhodri. Device. Vairy vert and argent, a wyvern passant, tail forked, each fork terminating in a morningstar, and elevated above its head, Or.

NOTE: This conflicts with PERCIVAL DE TOULOUSEE, "Per fess indented azure and gules, a wyvern passant Or." (SCA) There is a major point for the field, and a minor point for the tail.

Richard Seaton. Device. Argent, a sword fesswise between in pale two quills fesswise within a double tressure embattled counterembattled grady, all azure.

NOTE: It was the consensus of the College of Arms that this tressure should not be allowed. Batonvert noted that "It is not directly analogous to a double tressure flory counter­flory, which is ornamented with discrete charges, or with a double tressure with a line of partition, since the 'grades' are not regularly spaced." Please redesign.

Richard Tyler of Swiftwater. Device. Azure, on a pile wavy Or in chief a rose, overall a fess gules.

NOTE: "A charge that is overall or surmounting another charge obeys the Rule of Tincture with respect to the field, not the charge(s) beneath it." (Rules IX.5) This submission violates the Rule of Tincture. Brigantia has noted that she disagrees with this definition; see the cover letter for the text of her comment.

Robyn of Deira. Device. Per chevron rules and vert, a chevron sable fimbriated between a decrescent, a sun and a stag passant Or.

NOTE: The device infringes upon FIONA O'MORAIN, "Vert, a chevron sable, fimbriated, between three estoiles Or." (SCA) [Minor for field, major for change in secondaries.).

Scorched Earth, Shire of. Name only.

NOTE: The name conflicts with the Shire of TERRA TORRIDA, whose name means "dry or parched earth." 'the two are unlikely to be confused, so a letter of permission would suffice. [The seneschal, according to the February issue of Southwind, is: Master Zsoltan Kovacs (Kirby Wise). P. O. Box 531, Bouse, AZ 85325.).

Tearlach the Profane. Device. Vert, two mallets in saltire within an orle Or.

NOTE: This conflicts visually with COLLEGE OF ARMS, "Vert, two straight trumpets in saltire, bells in chief, Or." (SCA) The trumpets and the mallets have the same basic shape: a long, skinny stem flaring out at one end. We feel the probability of confusion is too high.

Kingdom of Meridies

Arianwyn ferch Comyn o Klynydd Emrys. Name only.

NOTE: Mynydd mutates to Fynydd after the preposition o. The applicant has asked that we not make any changes to her name.

Kingdom of the Middle

Arthur Fitzwilliam the Scholar. Device. Per pall azure, vert and sable, a pall argent between an eagle rising, a dolphin hauriant, and three wolves' heads couped affronty conjoined at the necks Or.

NOTE: The device conflicts with BENEDICT FINNIAN O'BRYAN, "Vert, a pall argent between a shamrock and two Celtic crosses Or." (SCA) There is a minor point for partial change in the tincture of the field, and a major point for difference in type of a group of secondary charges. This is also busy, particularly given the complexity of one of the charges (the wolves' heads). Please choose a simpler design.

Catlin Kavanaugh. Device. Per chevron sable and azure, a chevron argent between two fountains and a fleur­de­lis argent.

NOTE: This conflicts with WOLF MICHAELSON, "Per chevron sable and azure, a chevron argent and in base a wolf's head erased Or." (SCA) There are differences in type, number, and tincture of a group of secondary charges, but since they are applied to the same group of charges, the later changes demote, yielding less than two points. Alternatively, we could treat the two charges in chief as a group (worth a major point, since they're being added) and the charge in base as a less important secondary (two minor points, one demoted, for change in type and tincture). The result is still less than two points.

Crossings of the Red Spears, March of the. Device. Argent, two spears in saltire surmounted by a third palewise gules, the head of the center one environed of a laurel wreath vert.

NOTE: We did not receive any forms for this submission. The device conflicts with FERRAN DE MONTFERY, "Argent, an escarbuncle of spears offset deasil gules." (SCA) The laurel wreath should also be a more prominent component of the design.

Damianós Arrianus Alexius Nicosiaios. Device. Argent, on a pale between two swords inverted sable hilted gules a Gorgon's head cabossed argent.

NOTE: This conflicts with LIN THE BAKER, "Argent, on a pale sable a garb Or." (SCA) [Major for addition of secondaries, two minors for type and tincture of tertiary.].

Elfriede of Rhosymedre. Name only.

NOTE: We would like to see some documentation for Rhosymedre.

Erik of Northhold. Badge for House of the Goldenfist. Or, on a sun gules a sinister fist couped Or.

NOTE: This conflicts with HAYS, "Or, a sun gules." (Papworth 1100) The fist, being a tertiary charge, is only a minor point of difference.

Kingdom of the West

Brusi of Orkney. Badge. Sable, a leopard's face holding in its mouth a chevronel couped Or.

NOTE: This conflicts with ELWANGER, "Sable, a leopard's head Or" (Rietstap) and CLEDEROW, "Sable, a leopard's head Or jessant a fleur­de­lys argent." (Papworth 911).

Cloondara, Shire of. Name chance (from Floating Castle).

NOTE: The name conflicts with the town of Cloondara in Ireland. Pale cites O'Connell, The Meaning of Irish Place Names, p. 25, where it is said to mean "meadow of the two ring forts.".

Dafydd ap Hywel Trawsfynydd. Device. Per saltire Or and gules, on a saltire, two swords in saltire, counterchanged.

NOTE: The Laurel office has held previously that a skinny object such as a sword should not be counterchanged along its long axis because of the lack of contrast. The College of Arms concurs with Crux Herald in his earlier decision to return this submission.

Piers DeGrey. Device. Potent, on a pale gules, three beehives Or.

NOTE: This conflicts with "Vair, on a pale gules three trefoils Or." (Papworth 1006) The heraldic references seem to agree that potent originated as an artistic variation of vair. There is at best a minor point of difference between the two.

Politikopolis, Shire of. Name and device. Argent, two chevronels gules between two griffins combattant azure and a castle sable environed of a laurel wreath vert.

NOTE: Polis is the Greek noun meaning 'city'; politikos is the adjectival form 'of the city'. The branch is thus "City of the City" (not "city of promise" or "city of fellowship"), which is incorrect. The device is busy, especially for the arms of an SCA branch. Please simplify.

Robert of Starmount. Badge. Per pale and per chevron azure and argent.

NOTE: This is only a minor point of difference (for interchange of field tinctures) from PEDDER, "Quarterly per pale and per chevron argent and azure." (Papworth 1036).

William Blackstone of Blackmoor. Name only.

NOTE: The name conflicts with that of Sir William Blackstone (1723­1780), the noted author of Commentaries on the Laws of England, and with WILLIAM OF BLACKMOOR. (SCA).

THE FOLLOWING SUBMISSIONS ARE PENDING:

Kingdom of Caid

Adrian Buchanon. Badge. Azure, a tower within a bordure wavy argent.

DISCUSSION: The Baron of Dreiburgen has given Duke Adrian permission to register a badge similar to that borne by the Dreiburgen archers. The question has also been raised of whether or not this conflicts, under Rule XII.12, with DELATOWRE, "Azure, a tower argent." (Papworth 364). Unfortunately, the discussion which follows XII.12 does not make clear the extent to which it is to be applied. In its broadest sense, it could apply to a group of identical secondary charges, a charged bordure, and even, in some cases, an ordinary. I think this is far more sweeping than was intended. My impression, in fact, is that this rule is an orphan that has been used to deal with a few specific cases, but has never really been integrated with the remainder of the rules on difference.

The language in the discussion of Rule XII.12 implies that it is intended to apply primarily to marks of cadency for the first generation in their simplest form. Thomas Innes of Learney (Scots Heraldry, p. 102) says that sons of the main line normally et simple bordures, the modified bordures making their appearance in the coats of younger sons of younger sons. It would appear, therefore, that a bordure wavy is sufficient difference under our rules from DELATOWRE.

Kingdom of Calontir

Andrew Lyon of Wolvenwood. Device. Azure, on a fess engrailed Or between two lion's heads erased addorsed and an acorn argent, a bar azure.

NOTE: The device appears acceptable ­ there were no conflicts cited ­­ but I need a correctly­tinctured emblazon for the files.

Kingdom of the East

Dragonship Haven, Barony of. Order of the Hawk's Bell. Badge. Azure, a hawk's bell within a bordure embattled argent.

NOTE: This conflicts with SARADWEN ARIANDALEN, "Azure, a triquetra within a bordure embattled argent." (SCA) There is a point of difference (for type of charge); and because the bordure is not "simple," the badge does not qualify for complete difference of charge under the bordure rule.

This is an instance in which we clearly undervalue the importance of the primary charge. It could be dealt with by permitting complete difference of charge in the case of a single charge and a modified (but uncharged) bordure, or by extending the point­and­a­half rule proposed in my letter of March 2 to cover all modified bordures, and not just charged ones. Any comments?.

Runolfr Audsson. Device. Per chevron sable and gules, papelonné argent, in chief a wolf courant to sinister argent.

NOTE: The tincture of the wolf was omitted from the original blazon.

Shoshonnah Jehanne ferch Emrys. Name only.

NOTE: We did not receive an information sheet for this submission.

Kingdom of the Middle

Edward FitzRanulf. Device. Quarterly Or and gules, four crosses couped counterchanged.

NOTE: Virgule has noted that, according to the Rules for Submissions, this conflicts with the arms of WALES, "Quarterly Or and gules, four lions passant guardant counterchanged." The discussion on the complete­difference­of­charge rule (XII.4) states, "any use of more than three charges cannot invoke complete difference due to the visual importance of the arrangement." There is thus a single point of difference, for type of charge, since the tincture of the field and the tincture and placement of the charges are the same.

DISCUSSION: Is this reasonable? Gayre notes, "That form of differencing which resulted in a changing of the actual charges on a shield for others to denote cadets is of a very radical nature. It could only be practiced at a very early stage of heraldry when there was plenty of scope for making such changes without infringing the forms of the arms of other houses." Given the number of potential conflicts we must consider, mundanely as well as in the Society, can we can afford to consider this a conflict?

Given the examples cited in XIII.3.b of the RFS, I am inclined to consider this clear of CHETWODE, "Quarterly argent and gules, four crosses patty counterchanged." (Papworth 673).