Society for Creative Anachronism
College of Arms
For the May 2021 meetings, printed July 4, 2021
To all the College of Arms and all others who may read this missive, from Emma Laurel, Elisabetta Pelican, and Oddr Wreath, greetings.
This month I would like to call out two fairly new heralds: Malys mac Néill, Blue Inkhorn Herald of An Tir, and Ané{zv}ka Li{sv}ka z Kolína, Pantheon Herald of the East. These two gentles have dove right into research in areas of onomastics where the College of Arms is lacking data. They have stepped up into roles for their Kingdoms and have also been heavy contributers to monthly Pelican decision meetings and proofreading. I'm really looking forward to watching both of you continue to grow.
The Rules Letter issued by Palimpsest on February 28, 2021 included a proposal to add the gender-neutral title nobile to the Alternate Titles table for the Italian language. We hereby accept this proposal and approve nobile as a gender-neutral title in late period Italian at the rank of an Award or Grant of Arms. This title can be used either before (nobile Barbara Bossa) or after (Tristano Calco, nobile) the name. Use of the forms il nobile or la nobile will cause this title to become gendered. We direct Palimpsest to update the Alternate Titles list appropriately.
We thank Gwyneth ferch Aeddan for her extensive research on this item.
This month we were presented with a submission involving grey proper as a tincture.
Existing precedent considers the contrast of grey charges based on how light or dark it is in the emblazon. This, naturally, relies on a clearly light (argent) grey or a clearly dark (sable) grey. Documentation provided by the submitter showed a variety of grey-shaded quadrupeds from German armorials (where grey-tinctured charges may be described as eisenfarb/"iron colored", steinfarb/"stone colored", or an seiner farb/"in its color" [i.e., "proper"]), including light greys on light fields and dark greys on dark fields.
a dark grey cat on a gules field, from the arms of Von Zebingen depicted in Wappenbuch, 1500-1550 (München, BSB Cod.icon. 392d), f. 256r (https://app.digitale-sammlungen.de/bookshelf/bsb00018706?page=579)
a dark grey cat on a gules field, from the canting arms of Katzenstein, in Virgil Raber's Wappenbuch der Arlberg-Bruderschaft 1548 (Weimar, Herzogin Anna Amalia Bibliothek, Fol. 220), p. 272 (http://bilderserver.at/wappenbuecher/VirgilRaberEXAv2_52z2/)
a grey ass on an argent field, from the arms of Rietheim also seen in Virgil Raber's Wappenbuch, above
a grey mouse on a bend sinister argent, from the canting arms of Hans Mausyel, again in Raber
a grey wolf on an argent field, from the Stammbuch of Johann Rentzel (Hamburg, Staats- und Universitätsbibliothek Carl von Ossietzky, Cod. Stammb. 46), p. 158
a grey beaver on a bend sinister argent, from Wappen deutscher Geschlechter, last quarter of 15th C German (München, BSB Cod.icon. 311), f. 40v
a grey wolf on an argent field, from Botenbuch der Bruderschaft St. Christoph auf dem Arlberg, 1394-1407 German (München, Bayerisches Hauptstaatsarchiv, Geheimes Hausarchiv, Bände 3), f. 15r
We are satisfied with the documentation and have decided that, where grey proper against a light or dark background is concerned (as here), it is to be interpreted as either sable or argent based not on the specific shade seen in the emblazon (the existing, subjective estimate), but however is most favorable to registration. That is, however it best avoids both contrast issues and conflict. We note that contrast against a neutral, divided background may require a shade of grey that unambiguously contrasts on its own, or additional documentation addressing ambiguous contrast in such cases.
This month we were presented with a comet having straight rays for its head, and a single elongated, straight ray for its beard, matching that seen in the arms of Beneditti referenced on the October 2013 Cover Letter:
However, we do have period evidence of mullets elongated to base (i.e., only the basemost ray is stretched out), but those appear to be a variant of a comet, not normal mullet. An example of such a comet can be seen in the 16th century Italian armorial Insignia Nobilium Patavinorum, BSB Cod.icon. 275, on f.65r (found at http://daten.digitale-sammlungen.de/~db/bsb00001422/image_137).
It was later ruled in January 2015 that "This badge is clear of conflict with the device of Deirdre de Clarik, Per chevron sable and azure, a comet palewise argent, bearded Or. There is a DC for fieldlessness, and another DC for the difference in tincture of the comet, as a comet's tincture is based on the tincture of the beard." [emphasis added]
Citing that precedent, Anna Syveken's badge, Per chevron ployé azure and sable, a comet Or was returned in 2019 and similarly this badge would also be returned, each for conflict against Deirdre de Clarik's device, which has both an argent estoile as its head, and an Or beard approximately as long as the estoile is tall.
However, commentary by Ané{zv}ka Pantheon and Iago Boar provided evidence of a variety of depictions of comets in period armory: some with dominant beards supporting the current precedent regarding tincture, and others with more balanced or even dominant heads, going against the idea of tincture being beard-focused. We have therefore decided to overturn past precedent: Comets will take their tincture equally from head and beard, similarly to how we consider sunbursts ("The cloud and the rays are each half of the charge." [Windhaven, Barony of, 01/2020, A-Northshield]). We note that comets with beards so diminutive that the whole charge passes for a simple mullet may fail to be granted any DC for difference in type for those cases.
SENA A3A3 is updated to allow poor-contrast augmentation of arms as proposed on Palimpsest's February 6th Rules Letter. The new wording of that section is:
3. Augmentations of Honor: An augmentation is a mark of honor bestowed by the Crown that is added to an existing device. An augmentation may not be added to a badge. An augmentation may take many forms, including but not limited to a charged canton, a charged chief, charges in canton or chief, a charge associated with the Crown, or a charge associated with the individual receiving the honor.
While the right to an augmentation is bestowed by the Crown, its specific form must be determined through the normal registration process. Both the augmentation itself and the augmented device must follow the style rules and restrictions on charges. Because an augmentation adds complexity, augmented devices are often allowed to violate certain style rules, such as allowing charges on tertiary charges or a complexity count of greater than eight, as long as the identifiability of the design is maintained. Charged cantons and inescutcheons of pretense may have poor contrast with whatever they happen to overlay, whether the field or another charge, provided identifiability is maintained. Other augmentations may not violate the rules on contrast.
For example, the arms of a branch may not be granted as an augmentation, because they contain a laurel wreath, which cannot be registered to an individual.
An augmentation that appears to be a display of independent armory, such as a charged canton, a single charged lozenge, or a single charged escutcheon, must also be evaluated as if the augmentation itself were a submission of independent armory for purposes of style, conflict, offense, and presumption. Kingdoms may designate a badge as a standard augmentation for its subjects who receive augmentations. Such a badge is considered to be subject to the existing registration allowance and does not need to be further checked for style, conflict, offense, or presumption.
The insert/delete version:
3. Augmentations of Honor: An augmentation is a mark of honor bestowed by the Crown that is added to an existing device. An augmentation may not be added to a badge. An augmentation may take many forms, including but not limited to a charged canton, a charged chief, charges in canton or chief, a charge associated with the Crown, or a charge associated with the individual receiving the honor.
While the right to an augmentation is bestowed by the Crown, its specific form must be determined through the normal registration process. Both the augmentation itself and the augmented device must follow the style rules and restrictions on charges. Because an augmentation adds complexity, augmented devices are often allowed to violate certain style rules, such as allowing charges on tertiary charges or a complexity count of greater than eight, as long as the identifiability of the design is maintained.
Charged cantons and inescutcheons of pretense may have poor contrast with whatever they happen to overlay, whether the field or another charge, provided identifiability is maintained. Other augmentations may not violate the rules on contrast.However, theyFor example, the arms of a branch may not be granted as an augmentation, because they contain a laurel wreath, which cannot be registered to an individual.
An augmentation that appears to be a display of independent armory, such as a charged canton, a single charged lozenge, or a single charged escutcheon, must also be evaluated as if the augmentation itself were a submission of independent armory for purposes of style, conflict, offense, and presumption. Kingdoms may designate a badge as a standard augmentation for its subjects who receive augmentations. Such a badge is considered to be subject to the existing registration allowance and does not need to be further checked for style, conflict, offense, or presumption.
However, it must maintain good contrast with the field or charge that it is on.
The proposal on Palimpsest's February 14th Rules Letter to exclude from protection single tincture flags as armory of significant geographical locations outside the Society is accepted. The new wording of this section is:
2. Armory of Significant Geographical Locations Outside the Society - All national arms are considered sufficiently significant to protect. Flags that consist solely of one of the standard heraldic tinctures (argent, azure, gules, Or, purpure, vert, and sable) will not be protected; however, all other national flags are considered sufficiently significant to protect. The historical or modern armory of other geographic locations may be protected on a case-by-case basis. Armory is likely to be considered important enough to protect if the location is associated with important administrative, social, political, or military events and the arms themselves are important or well-known. Armory so protected will be listed in the Society Armorial and Ordinary when it is brought to Laurel's attention, but it is protected prior to that addition.
The insert/delete version:
2. Armory of Significant Geographical Locations Outside the Society - All national arms
are considered sufficiently significant to protect. Flags that consist solely of one of the standard heraldic tinctures (argent, azure, gules, Or, purpure, vert, and sable) will not be protected; however, all other national flags are considered sufficiently significant to protect. The historical or modern armory of other geographic locations may be protected on a case-by-case basis. Armory is likely to be considered important enough to protect if the location is associated with important administrative, social, political, or military events and the arms themselves are important or well-known. Armory so protected will be listed in the Society Armorial and Ordinary when it is brought to Laurel's attention, but it is protected prior to that addition.and national flags
With the change to the Administrative Handbook section III.B.2 accepted above, the flag of Libya, Vert, is no longer protected. This means that the example in SENA A6F3a under "Designs which May or May Not Create the Appearance of Marshalling" needs to be updated to remove the reference to Libya's flag. The revised wording is:
a. Plain Sections Without Charges: When each section of the design appears to be an independent coat of arms, it creates the unmistakable appearance of marshalling. A section of the design does not appear to be an independent coat of arms if it is a plain tincture or fur (such as vair or argent ermined gules) that we do not protect as arms.
For example, Per pale ermine and gules, a leopard's face argent has the appearance of marshalling, but Per pale argent and gules, a leopard's face argent does not. Quarterly azure and ermine, two maunches argent has the appearance of marshalling, since the protected arms of Brittany are Ermine.
The insert/delete version:
a. Plain Sections Without Charges: When each section of the design appears to be an independent coat of arms, it creates the unmistakable appearance of marshalling. A section of the design does not appear to be an independent coat of arms if it is a plain tincture
or fur (such as vair or argent ermined gules) that we do not protect as arms., including a fur, which
As the protected arms of Brittany areErmine, the use of an uncharged ermine section or sections when combined with a charged section creates the appearance of marshalling. However, since flags would not be used as part of quartered arms, the use of an uncharged vert section or sections does not create the appearance of marshalling, even though we protect the flag of Libya asVert.For example, Per pale ermine and gules, a leopard's face argent has the appearance of marshalling, but Per pale argent and gules, a leopard's face argent does not. Quarterly azure and ermine, two maunches argent has the appearance of marshalling, since the protected arms of Brittany are Ermine.
, butQuarterly azure and argent, two maunches argentdoes not.
Palimpsest's letter dated February 14th proposed adding Ruthenian to the East Slavic regional naming group. This proposal is accepted and we direct Palimpsest to add Ruthenian to this group for the 1100-1600 period, as the language was not spoken during the 550-1100 period. Additionally, the regional naming group Russian/East Slavic will be changed to East Slavic in both SENA Appendix A and SENA Appendix C to reflect the numerous cultures and languages contained in this group. This does not change the fact that Russian is part of the East Slavic regional group.
We wish to thank ffride Morelle for her research regarding the Ruthenian language.
With some changes to the examples, Palimpsest's February 14th proposal to modify the examples in this section is accepted. These examples make it clearer that names used by normal humans in period can be registered even if the meaning implies supernatural powers. The revised wording of this section is:
C. Claim of Powers: Names may not contain an unmistakable claim of superhuman abilities, magical powers, or divine origin. In general, a name phrase used by normal human beings during our period is not considered to be a claim to superhuman abilities or divine origin.
For example, we will register Odinson, because Odin was used as a human given name in Middle English and in Norwegian. Similarly, we will register an English byname Devil, because it is attested as a human descriptive byname in medieval England. On the other hand, we will not register a name like Lokasson as a patronymic constructed from the name Loki, because the only known use of Loki is as the name of an Old Norse god. Such a name would be a claim to a divine origin.
There are examples of attested given names and bynames that are claims to magical abilities or other superhuman abilities. Such names will not be registered unless they can be demonstrated to have been used in contexts that are not claims to magical abilities. Use of them by multiple individuals is often sufficient to do so, unless they all were understood to have the same magical power.
For example, the Norse byname sundafyllir is a reference to a story in which the owner filled a strait with fish through magic. Such a name would not be registerable as no evidence has been found that it was used by normal humans in period. The English name Beelzebub is found in the Bible; however, as no evidence has been found of ordinary humans being named after specific devils in period, the name is not registerable.
For example, the English byname Warlock has been shown to have been used by ordinary humans in period. It is therefore registerable. The German Trolle which means Troll and the Old Norse hálftr{o,}ll which means half-troll are both registerable as they were used by normal humans in period.
The insert/delete version:
C. Claim of Powers: Names may not contain an unmistakable claim of superhuman abilities, magical powers, or divine origin. In general, a name phrase used by normal human beings during our period is not considered to be a claim to superhuman abilities or divine origin.
For example, we will register Odinson, because Odin was used as a human given name in Middle English and in Norwegian. Similarly, we will register an English byname Devil, because it is attested as a human descriptive byname in medieval England. On the other hand, we will not register a name like Lokasson as a patronymic constructed from the name Loki, because the only known use of Loki is as the name of an Old Norse god. Such a name would be a claim to a divine origin.
There are examples of attested given names and bynames that are claims to magical abilities or other superhuman abilities. Such names will not be registered unless they can be demonstrated to have been used in contexts that are not claims to magical abilities. Use of them by multiple individuals is often sufficient to do so, unless they all were understood to have the same magical power.
For example, the Norse byname sundafyllir is a reference to a story in which the owner filled a strait with fish through magic. Such a name would not be registerable as no evidence has been found that it was used by normal humans in period. The English name Beelzebub is found in the Bible; however, as no evidence has been found of ordinary humans being named after specific devils in period, the name is not registerable.One example isFor example, the English byname Warlock has been shown to have been used by ordinary humans in period. It is therefore registerable. The German Trolle which means Troll and the Old Norse hálftr{o,}ll which means half-troll are both registerable as they were used by normal humans in period.
On June 5 at Storvik Novice and Unbelt Tournament, Their Majesties Anton and Luned of Atlantia bestowed upon Ealdthryth of Humberstone, Herring Herald, an augmentation for her services to virtual court heraldry during the plague year.
On June 13, in their Tenth Etheral Court, Their Majesties Tindal and Alberic of the East did elevate Theodora Bryennissa called Treannah, currently Terpsichore Herald and formerly Dextrochere and Eastern Crown Herald, to the Order of the Pelican.
On June 19, Their Majesties Ciaran and Elis of Northshield elevated Katerinka Lvovicha, Polaris Principal Herald of Northshield, into the Order of the Pelican.
On June 25 at Coronation in Atlantia, as one of the last actions of Her Majesty Luned, Eldred Ælfwald, Triton Herald, was named to the Queen's Order of Courtesy.
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. While black-and-white emblazons must be included in the Letter of Intent, 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.
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.
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 May Laurel decisions were made at the Pelican meeting held on Sunday, May 16, 2021 and the Wreath meeting held on Saturday, May 8, 2021. These meetings considered the following letters of intent: Trimaris (01 Feb, 2021), Meridies (02 Feb, 2021), Calontir (04 Feb, 2021), Laurel LoPaD (05 Feb, 2021), Palimpsest Rules Letter (06 Feb, 2021), An Tir (11 Feb, 2021), Palimpsest Rules Letter (14 Feb, 2021), Æthelmearc (20 Feb, 2021), Ealdormere (24 Feb, 2021), Atenveldt (25 Feb, 2021), Lochac (25 Feb, 2021), Caid (27 Feb, 2021), Ansteorra (28 Feb, 2021), Avacal (28 Feb, 2021), Drachenwald (28 Feb, 2021), East (28 Feb, 2021), Palimpsest Other Letter (28 Feb, 2021). All commentary, responses, and rebuttals should have been entered into OSCAR by Friday, April 30, 2021.
The June Laurel decisions were made at the Pelican meeting held on Sunday, June 6, 2021 and the Wreath meeting held on Saturday, June 5, 2021. These meetings considered the following letters of intent: Calontir (02 Mar, 2021), Meridies (02 Mar, 2021), Atlantia (05 Mar, 2021), Palimpsest Rules Letter (06 Mar, 2021), Laurel LoPaD (07 Mar, 2021), An Tir (09 Mar, 2021), Artemisia (13 Mar, 2021), Æthelmearc (20 Mar, 2021), Middle (21 Mar, 2021), West (23 Mar, 2021), Ealdormere (24 Mar, 2021), Atlantia (26 Mar, 2021), Lochac (27 Mar, 2021), Northshield (28 Mar, 2021), Caid (29 Mar, 2021), Atenveldt (30 Mar, 2021), Avacal (31 Mar, 2021), Drachenwald (31 Mar, 2021), Laurel LoPaD (20 Apr, 2021) (redraws). All commentary, responses, and rebuttals should have been entered into OSCAR by Monday, May 31, 2021.
The July Laurel decisions will be made at the Pelican meeting held on Sunday, July 18, 2021 and were made at the Wreath meeting held on Saturday, July 3, 2021. These meetings will or did consider the following letters of intent: Trimaris (01 Apr, 2021), Meridies (02 Apr, 2021), Calontir (07 Apr, 2021), Laurel LoPaD (11 Apr, 2021), An Tir (12 Apr, 2021), Palimpsest Rules Letter (17 Apr, 2021), Æthelmearc (22 Apr, 2021), Atlantia (24 Apr, 2021), Ealdormere (24 Apr, 2021), Atenveldt (25 Apr, 2021), Gleann Abhann (25 Apr, 2021), Palimpsest Rules Letter (27 Apr, 2021), Lochac (28 Apr, 2021), Outlands (28 Apr, 2021), Palimpsest Rules Letter (28 Apr, 2021), Atlantia (29 Apr, 2021), Caid (29 Apr, 2021), Ansteorra (30 Apr, 2021), Avacal (30 Apr, 2021), Drachenwald (30 Apr, 2021), Northshield (30 Apr, 2021), West (30 Apr, 2021), Laurel LoPaD (19 May, 2021) (redraws), Laurel LoPaD (02 Jun, 2021) (redraws). All commentary, responses, and rebuttals should have been entered into OSCAR by Wednesday, June 30, 2021.
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.
Pray know that I remain,
In service,
Emma de Fetherstan
Laurel Queen of Arms
Created at 2021-07-04T14:35:53