PRECEDENTS OF THE S.C.A. COLLEGE OF ARMS

The Tenure of Bruce Draconarius of Mistholme

RAINBOW

[A] rainbow [proper]'s tinctures are counted individually; it could have been solidly tinctured, after all. If that means rainbows proper can only be used in very simple designs, so be it. (Yvon Bater of Darkwood, August, 1992, pg. 29)

The heraldic rainbow proper has four stripes, vert, argent, Or and gules, in that order (on a light-colored field, which [this submission] implies). The submitted rainbow [colors not given] isn't correctly tinctured for a heraldic rainbow; neither is it properly tinctured for a natural rainbow. And blazoning each of its stripes individually would only emphasize the non-heraldic nature of the submission [badge returned]. (Ruben Klaus Winterhalter, October, 1992, pg. 24)

REPTILE -- Norse Serpent

The Norse serpents (or "Norse twisty-beasties", as they're sometimes called) currently defined for SCA use are still permitted; the Laurel precedent that everyone half-remembers (LoAR cover letter of 12 July 86, p.3) banned any new types of Norse serpent. (Katherine Dun na nGall of Westmeath, August, 1992, pg. 12)

REPTILE -- Serpent

[A serpent nowed] The serpent was blazoned in the LOI as nowed in a Heneage knot. That wasn't strictly true --- at best, it would have been a Heneage knot fesswise --- and in any case, the exact form of a serpent's nowing is normally left to the license of the artist. We've done so here. (Ragnvald Bloodaxe, July, 1993, pg. 3)

[Aoife ni Aodhagain with Chevronelly azure and argent, a serpent glissant palewise gules holding in its mouth an apple slipped and leaved vert] It has been ruled acceptable (Thora of Thescorre, LoAR of Aug 92) to have a single armorial allusion to a deity name that's also a documented period given name. It's reasonable to extend the policy, in this case, to the Biblical name Eve (often used as an anglicization of Aoífe). The allusion here is mild, and acceptable. (Aoífe ní Aodhagáin, August, 1993, pg. 6)

REPTILE -- Turtle

The charge in base was submitted as a sea-turtle; but that term in heraldry would refer to a fish-tailed demi-turtle, not the natural sea-turtle. Since there's no heraldic difference between a natural sea-turtle and a regular turtle, we've used the latter term. (Alexander Michael Connor O'Malley, March, 1993, pg. 1)

ROD OF AESCLEPIUS

There was some question as to whether this serpent-entwined axe was too close to the rod of Aesclepius, a reserved charge; I decided that the prominent axe-head made it quite clearly not a rod of Aesclepius. (Olaf of Forgotten Sea, October, 1992, pg. 7)

ROUNDEL

[(Fieldless)A fountain palewise] There is no evidence that fountains were ever borne in other than their default orientation. I consider the "rotation" of a fountain to be a change in its partition, from barry to (in this case) paly. By definition, it then ceases to be a fountain --- just as it would if the tinctures were changed, say, to gules and Or. This submission must therefore be considered a display, on a roundel, of Paly wavy argent and azure; and it thus conflicts with the arms of Amesley ( Papworth 1017), Paly of six argent and azure. (Alden Pharamond, September, 1992, pg. 37)

We see no heraldic difference between a roundel and an egg. (Sarah Rumoltstochter, September, 1992, pg. 41)

I grant a CD between a roundel engrailed and a sun. (Solveig Throndardottir, October, 1992, pg. 10)

We're willing to grant a CD between a bezant and a hawk's bell, although perhaps not Complete Difference of Charge. (Meurisse de Blois, January, 1993, pg. 20)

[A roundel charged with five rays issuant from base throughout] While it is true that roundels may be charged with rayed objects in the SCA, those rayed objects are not normally issuant from the inner edge of a roundel. To have charges issuant from the edge of a roundel is to give the roundel the appearance of an inescutcheon of pretense. This appearance is heightened by the use of five tertiaries on the roundel. This is therefore returned for appearance of marshalling. (Alberic Kentigern, October, 1993, pg. 17)

ROYAL ARMORY

Neither France Ancient (Azure semy-de-lys Or) nor France Modern (Azure, three fleurs-de-lys Or) may be used in SCA heraldry, either as the field (or part thereof) or on a charge. To do so constitutes a claim to connection to French royalty, prohibited under Rule XI.1. [For full discussion, see under FLOWER -- Fleur-de-lys] (Raoul de Chenonceaux, July, 1992, pg. 23)

One of Master Da'ud's final rulings (LoAR of June 92) reversed a long-standing prohibition on the use of the field of Bavaria (Lozengy bendwise azure and argent): "[This precedent] appears to have been based on the use of the field by corporations in Bavaria `as a sign of the fact that they were in Bavaria'. It does not seem to me that this is sufficient grounds for a restriction on the use of this field." [DiA, June 92, p.4]

After reading all the documentation, I believe Master Da'ud's ruling was made in error. The original prohibition of the use of the Bavarian field (LoAR of 17 Jan 84, p.9) was not based on its use by Bavarian corporations. Rather, it was based on its use in corporate arms --- in other words, civic arms, the arms of city-states in Bavaria. Master Wilhelm, the Laurel at the time, made his ruling on the basis of research by Allyn O'Dubhda, then Nereid Herald:

"This field is used extensively in German civic heraldry, especially in those parts of Germany that are now or were under Bavarian influence. ...Furthermore, although it usually appears in modern civic arms as a plain chief or base, or as a quarter or half of a shield, it can also be charged, as in the arms of the `Landkreis' of Riedenburg: Bavaria charged with a harp Or and on a chief gules three roses argent, seeded Or. (Unter rotem Schildhaupt, darin nebeneinander drei silbern heraldishe Rosen mit goldenen Butzen, die mit einer goldenen Harfe belegten bayerischen Rauten.) ( Deutsche Wappen: Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Band I, Die Landkrieswappen. Klemens Stadler, Angelsachsen-Verlag, Bremen, 1964)." [Nereid LOC, 5 Jan 84, p.2] This is confirmed by numerous examples in Siebmacher's

Further examples are found in Neubecker & Rentzmann's 10 000 Wappen von Staaten und Städten, pp. 53-54. I must conclude that, in Germany, the field of Bavaria is used in very much the same way as the arms of France were used in France. I therefore restore the prohibition of Lozengy bendwise azure and argent in Society heraldry, as well as artistic variants such as Paly bendy azure and argent. I hope that, by doing this promptly, I have minimized any inconvenience to our submitters; to them, my apologies. (18 September, 1992 Cover Letter (August, 1992 LoAR), pp. 2-3)

The use of azure semy-de-lys Or has been prohibited in Society armory for many years; it is too strongly suggestive of a claim to a French royal connection. The prohibition was reaffirmed on the LoAR of July 92, p.23. The bordure azure semy-de-lys Or has been specifically disallowed: "A bordure of France (ancient or modern) may not be used in SCA heraldry." [LoAR of 20 Oct 85] (Rhiannon Saint Chamberlayne, November, 1992, pg. 16)

The use of paly bendy azure and argent has been prohibited in Society armory since 1984; it is too strongly suggestive of a claim to a connection to the rulers of Bavaria. The prohibition was reaffirmed on the LoAR cover letter of 18 Sept 92, p.3. In this case, the problem is particularly acute: the bordure is drawn so wide that this might be blazoned more accurately as Bavaria with an inescutcheon per pale Or and gules, thereon a castle counterchanged. This makes the problem of presumption more obvious, but either way, the use of the Bavarian field is unacceptable. (Siegfried Rupert Stanislaus, November, 1992, pg. 17)

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