Middle Kingdom - Internal Letter of Acceptances & Returns – February 2003 

This is the February 2003 Middle Kingdom Letter of Acceptances and Returns for Escutcheon and Keythong’s November Letters. Unless otherwise noted, all clients will accept changes. {Comments in braces {} were removed from the Letter of Intent sent to Laurel and the College of Arms. Names, devices, or badges in braces have been returned or pended; general comments or replies to commentary are also placed in braces. Thanks to Aryanhwy merch Catmael, Knut, Emma Randall, John Kane of Kent, Berwyn Æthelbryght of Ackley, Rory mac Feidhlimidh, Ælfreda æt Æthelwealda, Mikhail of Lubelska, and Jaelle of Armida for their commentary this month.}

{A reminder that we have changed the due date for comments to the 25^th of the month (Jan ILoI commentary is due on 2/25/03). I can make exceptions to the deadline, but you must contact me prior to the 25^th. Because of my modern job constraints, production of the ELoI must begin promptly and commentary received after the deadline will likely be ignored.} 

 

1) Aislinn inghean an Bhaird. New Name.

Aislinn is found in Ó Corráin and Maguire (21) but is undated. It was, however, ruled SCA-compatible in 8/00. The masculine version (Mac an Bhaird) is found in “Choosing An Irish Name”at http://www.sca.org/heraldry/laurel/names/irishnam.html. The client submitted the name as “ingen an Bhaird” but this combined pre- and post- 1200 orthography so we have standardized the spelling. The client has requested an authentic Irish name. 

Name Commentary

Ary: <Aislinn> was ruled SCA-compatible on the 08/00 LoAR.  <ingen an Bhaird> is not in the cited article; only the masculine form <Mac an Bhaird> is.  <ingen an Bhaird> is incorrect in that it combines both pre- and post-c.1200 orthography in the same phrase.  It should either be <ingen in Baird>, pre c1200, or <inghean an Bhaird>, post c1200.  MacLysaght s.n. (Mac) Ward says "<Ward> is a common English name, but nearly all Irish <Ward>s are <Mac an Bháird> (son of the bard), the name of two noted bardic septs."  Either <Aislinn ingen in Baird> or <Aislinn inghean an Bhaird> are registerable. 

Emma: our only comments on this name are that (1) we really want to see more dating on name documentation and hope that submissions heralds will be encouraged to push this, even when using "no copy" documentation; (2) a search of the on-line armorial found no registered conflicts. 

 

{*) Aldred of Warwick. New Device. Quarterly pean and vert ermined Or, an equal-armed Celtic cross throughout within a bordure argent.

{Name submitted on 6/02 MK LoI}

The device is being returned for conflict with Baldwin Giffard (Gyronny of twelve Or and sable, a Celtic cross within a bordure argent) [reg’d 8/95]. There is one difference for the change of the field, but no difference for making the cross throughout because the Celtic cross is not one of the cross variants that can be an ordinary. And while it is now a moot point, the border and the cross needed to be drawn in a bolder and wider style.

{Knut: thanks for the conflict call. I would have missed this one.} 

Device Commentary

Knut: Quarterly pean and vert ermined Or , a Celtic cross throughout within a bordure argent

Baldwin Giffard - August of 1995 (via Atenveldt): Gyronny of twelve Or and sable, a Celtic cross within a bordure argent. Single CD for field.  Since the Celtic cross isn't one of the cross variants that can be an ordinary, no CD for throughout.

Return for conflict. 

Ary: Typo in the blazon, it's _C_eltic, not _c_eltic. The bordure is awfully narrow and should be redrawn larger. 

Rory: Quarterly sable and vert ermined Or, a celtic cross throughout within a bordure argent. According to the Pic Dict, this looks more like a very skinny Cross of Coldharbor than a celtic cross throughout.  Needs to be reblazoned to reflect this, and the cross should be drawn fatter. 

Emma: Quarterly sable and vert ermined Or, a Celtic cross throughout within a bordure argent. Two comments:  1.  Blazon: According to our copy of the PicDic, under crosses, "the "equal-armed" form should be explicitly blazoned. They are considered artistic variants; the heraldic difference is negligible."  New blazon: Quarterly sable and vert ermined Or, an equal-armed Celtic cross throughout within a bordure argent. Our second observation is that  the addition of the bordure obscures the distinctive arm ends of a Celtic cross making it look more like a Cross of Coldharbour. Again this may be just a stylistic problem, but we believe the submitter should be instructed to add a little width to the ends of the arms just before they meet the bordure. 

 

2) Brjánn inn rammi. New Name. {and Device. Chevronelly vert and Or, a hammer argent.}

Brjánn is found in Haraldsson (9) and inn rammi is found in ibid (26). Client wishes the meaning “strong” in 10^th-12^th century Norse or Celtic.

{The device must be returned for conflict with Throgrim Defender (Per bend sinister azure and gules, a hammer argent) [reg’d 3/99]. Even if this was more clearly drawn as a Thor’s hammer inverted, we would probably not consider any difference between the two types of hammers. The change to the field, by itself, is not sufficient. The client may want to consider experimenting with increasing the number of hammers or the addition of a border.}

{To Ary: the device is clear of Galen’s device because of the change of orientation of the hammer as well as the change to the field. Thor’s hammers are haft to chief by default.} 

Name Commentary

Ary: <Brjánn> is listed in Geirr Bassi as being of Gaelic origin; it's likely a form of <Brian>.  <inn rammi> is found 7 times in the Landnamabok, and means 'strong.'  The article should not be capitalized.  For wanting a Norse or "Celtic" name, he's picked a good choice for his given name.  A fully Gaelic form, if he's interested, would be something like <Brian Farranta> or <Brian Mór>; <Farranta> means 'athletic' and <Mór> 'big, great', and both are found in Mari neyn Brian's "Index of Names in Irish Annals: Masculine Descriptive Bynames" (http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/mari/AnnalsIndex/DescriptiveBynames/).  <Brian> is in OCM s.n. Brian. 

Emma: The documentation notations are correct for page number in Geirr Bassi. The name would "mean" Brian the Strong in Old Norse. Brjann is a Celtic form acceptable in Old Norse for the period. 

Device Commentary

Knut: Chevronelly vert and Or, a hammer argent

The chevrons could be steeper.

Thorgrim Defender - March of 1999 (via the East): Per bend sinister azure and gules, a hammer argent. Single CD for field

Return for conflict 

Ary: The device may conflict with Thorgrim Defender, (reg. 3/99 via the East), "Per bend sinister azure and gules, a hammer argent," with one CD for the field, and probably not one for type of hammer.  It does not conflict with Bonifacius Finngall, (reg. 10/93 via the Middle), "Per chevron gules and sable, in base a Thor's hammer argent," with one CD for the field, and one for the unforced placement of Bonifacius' hammer.  Ah, here is an assured conflict:  Galen Brouwer, reg. (2/98 via Atenveldt), "Purpure, a Thor's hammer argent."  There is just one CD for the field.  "Chevronelly vert and Or, three Thor's hammers argent" looks clear. 

Rory: Chevronelly vert and Or, a Thor's hammer argent. 

        According to the Pic Dict, this should either be reblazoned as a Thor's hammer inverted argent or as a mallet argent.  Thor's hammers have their handles to chief by default. 

Emma: The device must be returned for a re-draw. Although this is a sort of good mallet, it is not a Thor's Hammer. Further, although there is no default position for hammers in SCA heraldry, a Thor's Hammer is essentially a religious symbol and as such, drawing it with the handle pointing upward would be similar to drawing a Latin Cross upside down. The position probably is not fatal though we would be loathe to pass it; the rendering of the hammer certainly is fatal. Further if the submitter were to reverse a correctly drawn Thor's hammer on this chevronelly field, it would be quite visually "distracting". We would recommend chevronelly inverted, since the point of the hammer, rendered in argent on the vert and Or field, would stand out nicely yet be symmetric with the field treatment. Because of the obvious need for re-draw, we did not conflict check this device. 

Ælfreda: As drawn, this is not "Chevronelly vert and Or", but "Vert, three chevrons Or". 

 

3) Estienne de Boucicaut. New Name.

Estienne is found in Friedemann, “French Names from Paris, 1423 & 1438” (http://www.sit.wisc.edu/~sfriedemann/names/paris1423.htm). Boucicaut is found in Dauzat (55) who describes the name as “personnage du XIVe s.” The client will NOT accept MAJOR changes and wishes a name authentic to 15^th century France. 

Name Commentary

Ary: That's by Sara Frie_de_mann, not Frie_d_mann. (Yes, I like it when my name is spelled correctly. :)) 

Emma: We no nothing about French names and therefore cannot comment on the documentation.  We found no conflicts with any names registered on the on-line armorial. 

 

{*) Gavin the Healer. New Device. Quarterly argent and Or a feather per bend azure a bordure embattled gules.

{Name reg’d ??/??}

This is being pended for lack of a registered name. The name appears to be arriving next month and we will rule on this device then.}    

Device Commentary

Ary: I find no evidence that his name has been either previously registered or submitted.  <Gavin> is dated to 1604 in England, according to "Concerning the Names Gavin, Gawaine, Gavan, and Gabhainn," by Arval Benicoeur (http://www.medievalscotland.org/problem/names/gavin.shtml).  Earlier forms of the name all tend to use <w> rather than <v>: Walwein  (1169); Wawanus  (1208); Wawayn  (1255); Gawyne  (1273, 1279); Wawwayne  (1315); Gawynus  (1332); Gawyn  (1379); Gawin  (1530); Gaven  (1631). These are all listed in the Problem Names article, cited from Withycombe and Reaney & Wilson.

  R&W doesn't have <Healer>, but there is another surname with the same connotations.  <Leach> is from the OE <l{{ae}-}ce>, 'leech, physician,' and R&W s.n. Leach have the forms <Leche> c1250, <le Leche> 1279.  <Gawyne le Leche> is a lovely name, if the client is interested.

The bordure is too narrow and needs to be drawn larger with more pronounced embattlements.  No conflicts found. 

Knut: The bordure needs to be thicker.

Clear. Return for redraw. 

Rory: Can not find that this name is registered or submitted.

Bordure could be drawn bolder, with more depth to the embattlements 

 

4) Isabella Beatrice de la Rosa. New Name.

Submitted as Isabella Beatrice Dela Rosa, we have modified the byname to a form we can document.

Isabella and Beatrice are both found at www.s-gabriel.org/names/arval/catasto/and are both dated to 1427. Both can be found in Withycombe also. The client did not provide documentation for the byname, but some industrious commentators located a useful tidbit from The Academy of St Gabriel (case #1554) which does support the byname as Spanish :  “<de la Rosa> is a fine late-period surname.  We have found three examples in Toledo in 1561 [4].  We also found shorter <Rosa> in the 15th century [3].  It's not unlikely that the name was used earlier, too.  It originally would have identified someone who lived in a place called <La Rosa> or perhaps who lived near a notable flowering tree.” In this report, the references cited are:

[3] Cuentas de Gonzalode Baeza Tesorero de Isabel la Católica. Eds. Antonio De La Torre and E. A. de la Torre. Madrid: Biblioteca "Reyes Católicos", 1956.

[4] Martz, Linda; Julio Porres; and Martin Cleto, “Toledo y los Toledanos en 1561” Publicaciones del Instituto Provincial de Investigaciones y Estudios Toledanos, Monografias 5: ??-??.

The client has requested an authentic name but not specified a particular language. There was significant interaction between Spain and Italy in period.

{To Berwyn and Ary: Please remember to include the sources used in the Gabriel reports that you cite. While Gabriel reports do not require copies, they do require reference to the original sources cited. Giving me that information can save me from having to look it up and is much appreciated.} 

Name Commentary

Berwyn: According to Withycombe, the given name <Rosa> is a 19th century Latinization of <Rose> which is itself derived from A-S "hros"(horse). Therefore, the provided documentation would not support De La Rosa as a byname.  However, the following from The Academy of St Gabriel (case #1554) does support the byname as Spanish :

  "<de la Rosa> is a fine late-period surname.  We have found three examples in Toledo in 1561 [4].  We also found shorter <Rosa> in the 15th century [3].  It's not unlikely that the name was used earlier, too.  It originally would have identified someone who lived in a place called <La Rosa> or perhaps who lived near a notable flowering tree."

On the other hand, Case # 2286 speaks agains <Dellarosa> as Italian. The passage is too long to quite here, but can be found at http://www.panix.com/~gabriel/public-bin/showfinal.cgi?2286+0 

Ary: <la Rosa> is an Italian byname meaning "the red"; I don't believe <de la Rosa> is a correct Italian byname.  This form is both Spanish and English, meaning "of the rose" or "from La Rosa," but since <rosa> appears to mean"red" and not "rose" in Italian, this doesn't support the construction <de la Rosa> in Italian.  Perhaps she'll accept just plain <la Rosa>?  It is found in De Felice s.n. Rosa.  Ah ha - here's even more evidence that <della Rosa> is not appropriate for Italy.  This is from Academy of S. Gabriel report #2286:

Unfortunately, we also cannot recommend your byname <Dellarosa> "of the rose" without reservation.  Although it is a modern Italian surname, according to a search of the web, we have not found a medieval example of

it nor any other medieval byname based on the Italian word for "rose".

<Isabella Beatric la Rosa> would be a fine name, but I can't support <dela Rosa>. 

 

5) Lán Ying. New Name

All names referred to in this documentation use Pinyin romanization. The surname Lán (“blue”) does not appear in any historical documents that could be located. However, a Gabriel report (#2346) http://www.panix.com/~gabriel/public-bin/showfinal.cgi/2346.txt discusses Zhû (“red”) and Huáng (“yellow”) as being in use before 1600. It is not easy to determine where Gabriel staff found these particular names. Report #2342 also endorses Cui (“blue”) as a period surname, although it is found only in a period work of fiction.

The given name Ying (“hawk”) is also unattested, but period examples from Gabriel report #2342 include a variety of miscellaneous nouns including various birds and flowers. Again, the examples are fairly random.

Client wishes to have an authentic Mandarin Chinese name and cares most about meaning. She will NOT accept MAJOR changes. 

Name Commentary

[none] 

 

6) Magnus de Tymberlake. Change of Registered Name from Brondolf the Stout / Morgan Greenleaf

The client’s current name (Morgan Greenleaf) was registered on 10/02 (and is in turn a change of registered name from Kenric of Rohan [reg’d 3/02]). Just to confuse matters, the client also submitted on the 11/02 MK LoI the name Brondolf the Stout. The client wishes to replace whatever his registered name is with this one. We have long since given up on counseling the client on waiting for a while before submitting new names.

Magnus is found in O’Brien, “Masculine Given Names Found in the 1332 Lay Subsidy Rolls for Lincolnshire, England” (http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/mari/LincLSR/GivenMasculineAlpha.html) and in Withycombe (94-95) dated there to 1200 and 1207. de Tymberlake is found in Reaney and Wilson (448) dated to 1281, the name is a locative, referring to a lost Timberlake in Worcestershire. The client cares most about sound. 

Name Commentary

Ary: If the client hasn't specified what to do with previously registered armory or names, the default is to release them. 

Rory: This strikes me as a *VERY* confused client - given the number of submissions, changes, withdrawals, etc. that he's put in in a very short period of time, I wonder if 1) he really understands how the College of Arms & the registration procedure works and 2) he has really decided on a name. 

        As far as "Brondolf the Stout", if it passes Laurel before this submission reaches that stage, "Brondolf" will be released (Admin Handbook IV.C.7: Instructions for Disposition of Changed Items - If the submission involves a change of name or armory, the forms should include specific instructions for the disposition of the changed items. If no instructions are included on the forms, the name and/or armory will be automatically released when the change is approved.) if Magnus is registered.  I would assume that any arms registered to "Brondolf" would then be transferred by Laurel to "Magnus"  (unless the client submits something *else* before then....).

7) Mirabel de Tymberlake. Change of Registered Name from Gwen Wirion and New Device. Quarterly argent and vert,four squirrels rampant counterchanged.

The client’s current name (Gwen Wirion) was registered on 3/02.

Mirabel is found in Scott, “Feminine Given Names in a ‘Dictionary of English Surnames’” (http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/talan/reaney/reaney/cgi?Mirabel) and dated to 1273 and also found in Withycombe (102) dated prior to the middle of the 14^th century. Scott’s article is also found on the Laurel homepage. de Tymberlake is found in Reaney and Wilson (448) dated to 1281, the name is a locative, referring to a lost Timberlake in Worcestershire. The client cares most about sound. 

Name Commentary

Ary: If the client hasn't specified what to do with previously registered armory or names, the default is to release them.  Her previous name was actually registered 03/02, not 05/02.   

Rory: According to the Administrative Handbook,  "Gwen Wirion" will be released by Laurel if Mirabel de Tymberlake is registered.  (Admin Handbook IV.C.7: Instructions for Disposition of Changed Items - If the submission involves a change of name or armory, the forms should include specific instructions for the disposition of the changed items. If no instructions are included on the forms, the name and/or armory will be automatically released when the change is approved.). 

Device Commentary

Knut: Quarterly argent and vert, four squirrels rampant counterchanged

Clear 

Ary: This is not a new device, but a device resubmission; her previous submission "Quarterly ermine and vert" was withdrawn at kingdom level 08/02.  Lovely arms! 

Rory: Device - Quarterly argent and vert, four squirrels rampant counterchanged. 

        This submission could be seen as quartered arms, and as such may run afoul of RfS XI.3:  Marshalling (Armory that appears to marshall independent arms is considered presumptuous.  

        Period marshalling combined two or more separate designs to indicate descent from noble parents and claim to inheritance. Since members of the Society are all required to earn their status on their own merits, apparent claims to inherited status are presumptuous. Divisions commonly used for marshalling, such as quarterly or per pale, may only be used in contexts that ensure marshalling is not suggested.  

a. Such fields may be used with identical charges over the entire field, or with complex lines of partition or charges overall that were not used for marshalling in period heraldry.  

b. Such fields may only be used when no single portion of the field may appear to be an independent piece of armory.  

No section of the field may contain an ordinary that terminates at the edge of that section, or more than one charge unless those charges are part of a group over the whole field. Charged sections must all contain charges of the same type to avoid the appearance of being different from each other. )

Although the charges are the same over the field (rampant squirrels), does their different tinctures make them the same charges or different? 

Emma: We found no conflicts to this device. 

 

8) Nikolai of Trakai. Change of Registered Badge. Vert, two arrows inverted in saltire Or, surmounted by a tower argent.

{Name reg’d 9/93}

The client wants us to correct what is currently registered (Vert, two arrows inverted in saltire surmounted by a tower Or) [reg’d 8/94]. He claims that he submitted this with the tower as argent and not Or. Unfortunately, we do not have a file copy of his original submission, so we cannot check this. Regardless, he would like to have his badge registered with an argent tower.

{Keythong: Please remember to include the date that the client’s name was registered in your LoIs.} 

Badge Commentary

Ary: His name was registered 09/93 via the Middle.  His current badge was registered 08/94; there was nothing on the LoAR to indicate that this was a mix-up.  Rouge Scarpe will have to check the files to make sure that this is indeed a badge correction rather than a badge change.  (A correction needs no fees, a change does.  Did the client provide fees?) 

Knut: Clear 

Rory: Name was registered September 1993. 

Ælfreda: Possible conflict with Border Vale Keep, Shire of (reg 4/85) "Vert, two swords in saltire Or surmounted by a stone tower, the top enflamed, proper."  There's one CD for type, swords vs. arrows.  We are not sure if there's a second CD for removing the flames from the tower. 

 

{*) Nikolai of Trakai. New Badge. (Fieldless) a doubled cross vert

{Name reg’d 9/93}

{This is being pended because a badge can only be co-owned by two individuals. While the Admin Handbook may not phrase this clearly, there is a precendent from 01/00 in which Laurel clarifies that badges can only be registered to two people – Yin Mei Li (Artemisia Returns).}

{Keythong: Please remember to include the date that the client’s name was registered in your LoIs.}

This badge is to be co-owned with Tatiana of Varena (reg’d 9/93) and Talon Ravenesclawe (reg’d 3/97). Documentation for the double cross is enclosed from the Encyclopedia Lituanica II: 99 which dates to symbol to 1388 in the seal of King Jogaila. 

Badge Commentary

Ary: His name was registered 09/93 via the Middle.  This is a badge resubmission.  His previous submission, "[Fieldless] A doubled cross sable fimbriated argent" was returned by Rouge Scarpe on the 01/01 LoAR, for conflict. 

Knut: Clear 

Rory: Name was registered September 1993. 

 

9) Rhys ab Idwal. New Badge. (Fieldless) A wolf couchant sable.

{Name reg’d 2/00}

A possible conflict was called with Thylacinus Aquila of Dair Eidand ([Fieldless] A thylacine couchant gardant proper, orbed and langued gules) [reg’d 10/79], however, a thylacine proper would be tan with black stripes so we do not believe that the tinctures are similar enough. We call one CD for tincture and another CD for fieldlessness. However, a visual comparison with Thylacinus’s armory is probably called for. 

Badge Commentary

Knut: Clear 

Ary: I'm not sure what a thylacine is, but a thylacine proper is listed under "beast - dog - sable", and so I believe this conflicts with Thylacinus Aquila of Dair Eidand, (reg. 10/79 via the East), "(Fieldless) A thylacine couchant gardant proper, orbed and langued gules. [THylacinus cynocephalus]."  It might be worth getting a copy of Thylacinus's emblazon to see if there is enough visual difference for the needed second CD.  Otherwise, this looks clear (and is a very lovely badge!)

Rory: Very nice, simple badge! 

Emma: Consider:  Thylacinus Aquila of Dair Eidand registered in October of 1979 (via the East): (Fieldless) A thylacine couchant gardant proper, orbed and langued gules.

[THylacinus cynocephalus]    1 CD for fieldless and 1 CD for change of tincture (the thylacine proper is tan-colored with black stripes)

This badge is one more example that simple armory can be passed. 

Ælfreda: Possible conflict with Thylacinus Aquila of Dair Eidand (reg 10/79) "(Fieldless) A thylacine couchant gardant proper, orbed and langued gules. [Thylacinus cynocephalus]"  There is one CD for fieldlessness.

While a thylacine is not a canine, the above badge is indexed under "Beast-Dog-One-Sable-Couchant" in the O&A. There is no CD for type.

Dame Elsbeth Anne Roth, Laurel Queen of Arms Cover letter dated July 20, 2001 "However, responses substantially opposed the change, and therefore the precedent that all canines conflict will remain in place."

There is no CD for changing the position of the head.

Also from Elsbeth  "[Gules, a ferret statant argent] Conflict with ... Gules, an ermine statant guardant proper, with no CD's for tincture (ermines are primarily white) or the position of the head. The device is also in conflict with the badge for Brittany, An ermine passant argent marked sable. There is only a CD for fieldlessness. [Alycie Stirling, 04/00, R-Lochac]"

However, even though the Thylacinus badge is indexed under "Sable", this may be visually different enough from Rhys's sable wolf to grant a second CD.

from the online edition of the Encyclopedia Britannica "Tasmanian wolf (also called Tasmanian Tiger, or Thylacine) ...The Tasmanian wolf was yellowish brown, with about 16 to 18 dark bars on the back and rump...

From   www.naturalworlds.org/thylacine/introducing/what_is_thylacine.htm ...The upper part of the body is of a greyish brown to tawny grey to yellow brown hue, with between 13 - 19 (this number is variable, according to reference) very dark brown stripes traversing the area from the upper back to the base of the tail..." 

 

10) Tófa Asgeirsdóttir. Change of Device Resubmission. Per pale argent ermined azure and argent ermined gules, on a pale cotised sable a double bladed axe Or.

{Name reg’d 12/91}

Her first device change (Per fess argent ermined gules and argent ermined azure, on a fess cotised sable a threaded needle palewise between two spiders argent) was returned by Laurel 11/01 for conflict with Bedwyr Danwyn (Argent, on a fess cotised sable, three plates) [reg’d 5/97]. If registered she would like her old device (Argent ermined gules, a fox's mask azure and on a chief invected sable three spiders argent) [reg’d 9/95] released.

{Escutcheon: please remember to include the reasons for the previous return in your LoI, thanks!!} 

Device Commentary

Knut: Per pale argent ermined azure and argent ermined gules, on a pale endorsed sable a double bladed axe Or

Clear 

Ary: This is not the greatest of style, but is probably registerable 

Emma: Reblazon - Per pale azure and gules all ermined, on a pale cotised sable a doublebladed axe Or.  We found no conflicts in the on-line ordinary. 

 

{*) Zacarias el Silento. Device Resubmission. Purpure, a bend sinister argent, overall three mullets of six points voided and interlaced bendwise sinister Or.

{Name submitted on 11/02 MK LoI}

{We are returning this for redrawing. We do not register single diminuitives of ordinaries, so the scarpe must be reblazoned as a bend sinister. However, in order to do so, it needs to be widened significantly. We are not certain how the design will look when this is done, so we are returning it to the client so he can try it out.} 

Device Commentary

Knut: Purpure, a bend sinister argent, overall three voided mullets of six points interlaced in bend sinister Or.

We don't register single diminutives of ordinaries.  A mullet of six voided and interlaced is the star of David.  The given blazon calls for three of them two and one leaning oddly.

Normally I would put the term voided after the charge it applied to but I wanted separate it from interlaced to avoid confusion with voided and interlaced.

The thinly drawn ordinary, the fact that the mullet of six is pushing the limits of voidability, and the motif of interlacing the mullets which, as a step from interlacing annulets, is probably a weirdness, combine to make me question the ultimate registerability of this device.

Clear. Pass it up. 

Ary: I could've sworn that there is a precedent against using single diminutives of ordinaries, but my foray into the precedents did not find anything conclusive (even with the help of Alia Marie and Cnut from SCA-Heralds).  What we found are these:

From Baldwin:

The diminutive names of ordinaries are used only when there is more than one of the ordinary in question (or when the ordinary is otherwise reduced in importance, as in a "bar enhanced"). Since there is only one diagonal stripe, it is blazoned as a bend sinister rather than a scarpe, no matter how wide it is. [BoE, 15 Sept 85, p.11]

SCA practice allows a diminutive name of an ordinary to be used only when there is more than one of the ordinary, or when the charge has been so positioned as to reduce its importance in the coat. One might thus have "a fess", "two bars", or "in base a bar", but never simply "a bar". [BoE, cvr ltr, 25 Apr 86, p.2]

From the precedents of Alisoun:

"We do not use single diminutives and so this [single tressure] has to be an orle. (LoAR Jun 88, p. 20)"

One more also from Baldwin:

"Thin-line heraldry" [is] either discouraged or disallowed (depending on the degree) in SCA armory. [BoE, 6 April 86, p.10]

This needs to be returned and redrawn as a full bend sinister.  The mullets are not "bendwise sinister" but "in bend sinister."  I have my doubts about the periodicity, as well as the identifiability and representability, of this device. 

Emma: Purpure, a scarpe argent and overall three mullets of six points voided and interlaced bendwise sinister Or.  We simply wish to note that the more common period practice would have been to place the scarpe over the mullets; however, that is simply an artistic conceit and not fatal to the design.

We found no conflicts with the on-line ordinary. 

 

 

Done by my hand this 17^th day of February, 

Paul Wickenden of Thanet, Rouge Scarpe 

Paul W Goldschmidt

3071 Cimarron Trail

Madison WI 53719

goldschp@mailbag.com