Greetings unto all who read these words from Lord Alan Fairfax, Rouge Scarpe Herald,
This is the Middle Kingdom Letter of Acceptances and Returns for Escutcheon's December 1998 Letter of Intent. 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 those who commented this month, particularly Lord Arnbjorn of Burning Stone, who is commenting for the first time this month, and Master John ap Wynne, Lord Mikhail of Lubeska, Lady Ælfreda æt Æthelwealda, Lady Aryanhwy verch Catmael, and Doré van der Zee.
1) Aíne inghean Cillín--New Badge
(Fieldless) A heart Or.
The client's name was registered in 10/98. The commentary raised an interesting {and rather complicated}SCA rules issue.
A fieldless badge with a design like (Fieldless) On a roundel gules a lion argent is considered to be identical to Gules, a lion argent. The reason is that the so-called "fieldless" badge will be indistinguishable from the device.
This rule applies to other shapes that were used to display heraldry, including the heart. The badge (Fieldless) On a heart Or a sword gules is identical to Or, a sword gules.
Following this idea through, one commenter suggested that (Fieldless) A heart Or is identical to Or, which can't be registered since it's field-only armory.
However, applying the rule in this way seems to ignore the reason for the original rule. A charged heart on a fieldless badge looks exactly like a legitimate piece of armory. However, an uncharged heart registers as a heart, not as a display of the field Or. Since there is no danger that (Fieldless) A heart Or will be interpreted as any other armory, there is no reason not to register it.
Thus, we are passing the badge on to Laurel.
{2) Alexander de Seton of Altavia--New Badge
Argent semy of maidens' heads argent crined Or, a beaver affronty maintaining two swords in saltire proper.
The client's name was registered in 9/96. There were varied responses to this heraldic display. This is a rather unusual situation in that the blazon of the badge, rather than the badge itself, is offensive--in fact, this is undoubtedly the first really filthy cant I've seen. The RfS don't make a provision for dirty cants, and so I would not return this badge for offensiveness without getting feedback from the College of Arms.
In this case, that isn't an issue because the badge violates the rule of tincture. The maidens' heads are metal-on-metal, and so we have to return this device (with a combination of regret and relief).
3) Aurich Greim--New Name and Device
Sable, on a chevron argent, three vols gules.
Aurich is in the English translation of Bahlow, 24. Greim is in ibid., 187.
We don't have the English translation of Bahlow, and the German version (naturally) has a different pagination. Aurich isn't a heading in our version of Bahlow, and so it's difficult to assess the documentation for the name. Given that Bahlow is a source for family names, I have doubts about the name, but I would rather send it on in any case.
4) Böjei Timür--New Name
This name is intended to be a Mongol name from between 1100-1300. The client has asked for her name to be corrected for this period (and means it). She has dated Böjei as a male given name from Boyle, The Successors of Genghis Khan, which is a partial translation of the World History by Rashid al-Dîn, which was written c. 1317. Although she could register Böjei as a male Mongolian name, she has included 9 names which are used by men and women to demonstrate that it was not uncommon in Mongolian for men and women to use the same names.
Second names were unusual for Mongols (they are still not generally used in Mongolia today), but the client has documented dozens of examples of the byname Timür. She points out that Mongol first and second names were typically related in meaning. For her this poses some difficulty, since the meaning of Böjei is unclear (although she hypothesizes that it may be related to the modern Mongolian Büjigç, meaning "dancer.") She suggests that "iron dance" is an apt name, but the point seems somewhat tangential, since Timür is one of the few Mongolian bynames that is used with any frequency (she has included several pages of the names index to Boyle which demonstrate this). Given our limited access to information about Mongol names, it is highly unlikely that we will find a more appropriate given name than Timür--and if we do, she would certainly be interested in using it.
The documentation includes copies from Boyle of every one of the 30+ citations of Timür, the citation of Böjei, all references to the 9 names used by people of both gender, and the relevant pages in the names index. It also includes most of a Web page on Mongolian names and a two-page summary with 16 footnotes.
{5) Bruenor Vallulf--New Name and Device
Argent, on a chevron vert between two swords and a phoenix rising gules, three pheons Or.
The client documented Bruennor from Le Morte D'Arthur, VIII:26. Vallulf is a construction from the elements Vall- and -ulf.
The use of a name in fiction isn't documentation, and we weren't able to find any evidence that Bruenor was a historical name. We didn't find evidence for Vallulf, but we did find citations for the Norse given names Valr, Valbjorn, and Valþulfr suggests that Valulfr would be a reasonable Norse given name. The client asked for an authentic Germanic/Scottish name, and we will be contacting him to work out a registerable name with him.
The device is a fair example of 16th-century armory, but that probably isn't what the client is after. It is registerable, but we recommend redrawing it so that the pheonix is larger.}
6) Catalana della Quercia--New Name and Device
Per pale sable and gules, three oak leaves argent.
Catalana is dated to 1427 in Mittleman, Feminine Given Names from the Online Castato of Florence ( http://www.panix.com/~mittle/names/arval/castato). della Quercia is dated to 1374 from Encarta Online (http://encarta.msn.com).
7) Cathal Macdoyl--New Name {and Device
Bendy wavy argent and azure, a brunette mermaid proper maintaining a trumpet bendwise sinister Or.}
{This name was pended on the 11/98 LoAR.} Submitted as Cathal Kinhilt MacDoyl. Cathal is in Ó Corráin & Maguire, 47, where it is described as a common Irish name. Kinhilt is in Black, 401, as de Kinhilt. We didn't find the spelling MacDoyl in Black, 487, but given the other forms found there it is a reasonable form.
Thie client asked for the name to be authentic for an unspecified language. This combination of Scots and Gaelic is not likely. After contacting the client, we dropped the middle name Kinhilt. Cathal Macdoyl is a Scots spelling of a Gaelic name, and is a reasonable name.
{The device conflicts with Alexandra Idonea, Barry-wavy argent and azure, a brunette mermaid affronty proper, dexter hand raised, and a chief wavy counter-ermine. There is 1 CD for the addition of the chief. It does not conflict with Morgan Alanna Morcheartaigh, Per fess azure and sable, an auburn-haired mermaid proper, tailed argent, maintaining in her dexter hand a plate and in her sinister a sword bendwise sinister proper. There is 1 CD for the field and 1 CD for changing the tail (which is roughly half of a mermaid).}
8) Ceridwen du Bois du nord--New Name and Device
Argent, a popinjay affronty, head to dexter, on a chief vert three shamrocks argent.
{This name was pended on the 11/98 LoAR.} Submitted as Ceredwynn du Bois du Nord. Ceredwynn was proposed as a variant of the mythical Welsh name Ceridwen. Ceridwen itself is not a historical name and we did not find any reference to show that it has been ruled "SCA-compatible." However, since it was registered as recently as 1/97, it is probably registerable. The combination of Welsh and French is actually documentable; a record of Welsh archers who fought in France during the Hundred Years War has Welsh-French combinations.
The client appears to be claiming du Bois du nord through the grandfather clause, since it is registered to her husband. It is not clear to us whether this formation would be registerable without the grandfather clause, although the general concept can be found in English (see Reaney & Wilson, 325, s.n. Northwood).
9) Conchobar mac Gabhann--Device Resubmission
Vert, a bend sinister between six acorns argent.
The client's name was registered 10/98. {His previous submission, Per bend sinister azure and vert, an oak tree eradicated argent fructed proper charged with a mullet of five points sable, all within an annulet Or, was returned by Rouge Scarpe in 5/98 for his own good.}
10) Emma de Lyons--New Name and Device
Azure, on a chevron between two lions rampant and a crescent argent, three fleurs-de-lys azure.
Emma is dated to 1219 in Withycombe, 98. de Lyons is dated to 1296 in Reaney & Wilson, 289.
{The fleur-de-lys in these arms do not make this design "French." Fleur-de-lys are common in armory from almost every part of Europe.}
{11) Eirik the Dark--New Device
Argent, on a bezant fimbriated gules bezanty Or, an arm and an arm inverted and interlaced palewise sable.
The blazon of this design is questionable at best. We are returning it first because it can't be blazoned, and second because (depending on how you blazon it) it has either four layers or a charged fimbriation, both of which are not allowed in SCA armory.
If this were resubmitted as Or, an arm and an arm inverted and interlaced palewise sable within a bordure gules bezanty, it might be registerable. However, the design of the arms is not found in heraldry, and I can't imagine a blazon which would capture the effect of the arms correctly.
I have a nagging feeling that I've seen this design before, but I can't place it. If anyone knows where it comes from, I would appreciate some enlightenment.}
12) Gabriela Maria dei Clementini {for Domus Felum Aquiloniorum}--New {Household Name and} Badge
Azure, a cat statant contourney between three estoiles argent and a chief wavy paly Or and vert.
The client's name was registered in 3/92. {The name is intended to mean "Household of the Northern Cats," in Latin. The grammar is a bit off--a more accurate Latin version is Domus Felibus Aquiloniorum (the diacritical marks are not really part of the name's spelling. However, there's a more serious problem in that we weren't able to think of a period group that would be called "House of the Northern Cats." Therefore, we're returning this for non-period construction. We are, however, passing on the badge to Laurel.}
{13) Keeldar MacLachlan--New Name and Device Resubmission
Azure, a stag rampant and on a chief argent a thistle fesswise and a thistle fesswise to sinister proper.
The client documents Keeldar from Yonge, lxxxvii. Unfortunately, Yonge is not a reliable source and we weren't able to find anything similar to Keeldar in any of our sources. MacLachlan is dated to 1308 in Black, 533.
The client's original device submission, Argent, on a chevron enhanced between two acorns and a stag rampant argent, two thistles bendwise sinister and bendwise proper, was returned by Rouge Scarpe in 7/98 for lack of a name. This device is probably registerable, but would be much improved if the thistles were put in a more standard arrangement, or--better still--removed altogether.}
{14) Leolin Gofar--New Name and Device--Pended
Per pale azure and vert, a lion rampant Or, armed and langued gules, in canton a Latin cross argent.
Leolin is described as a 13th-century Anglicization of Llewelyn in Withycombe, 197. Gofar is dated to 1223 in Reaney & Wilson, 201. The client wants an authentic 13th-century Welsh or English name. He also says that the given name must mean "lion."
This poses a problem. Withycombe says that Llewelyn was described as meaning "like a lion" by a 17th-century author, but she gives the name an uncertain meaning. Thus, it appears that the name Leolin doesn't have the meaning the client intended for it, although it is perfectly registerable. Therefore, we're pending this name to see if the client wants to choose a name that really does mean "lion."
The device is registerable as is. It does not conflict with Aron Rose of Nairn, Azure, a winged lion rampant, between its forepaws a rose Or. There is 1 CD for the field, 1 CD for the removal of the wings, and 1 CD for the addition of the cross. Charges can be placed in canton as long as they're not placed on a canton.}
15) Oriana Felstead--New Name
Oriana is dated to before 1602 in Withycombe, 234. Felstead is a header in Reaney & Wilson. This spelling isn't dated, but we haven't assumed that a change was necessary.
16) Seumas of Loch Ness--New Name and Device
Per pale embattled azure and argent, a dragon rampant and a unicorn rampant addorsed counterchanged.
Submitted as Seamus of Loch Ness, we have modified it to the more common Scots Gaelic form of the name.
The client documents Seamus from Kolatch, which is an unreliable source. He documents the Loch Ness monster to 565 from the World Book Encyclopedia, 12:347. This doesn't provide us with a definite date for the name Loch Ness, but since the client cares most about meaning, it might be possible to find an appropriate period form of the name.
The client allows minor, but not major, changes. We have some doubts that the name can be passed without major changes, but we have forwarded it to the College of Arms for further commentary.
{17) Titus Brutus--New Name and Device
Argent chape sable, two shazams in chevron Or and a sword gules hilted sable.
The client dates Titus to 69 AD in Kebric, Roman People, 152. He dates Brutus to 500 BC in Sharp, Handbook of Psuedonyms and Personal Nicknames.
Roman names can be registered in the SCA. As far as we know, this name does not follow Roman naming patterns. The classical pattern consisted of a praenomen (one of a few traditional names), a nomen or family name, and a cognomen or nickname (sometimes more than one). Titus and Brutus are both cognomens, and it isn't clear that a Roman name could be composed of two cognomens without a family name or a praenomen. The classical pattern broke down somewhat in later times, but without some kind of evidence for this naming pattern, we have to return the name.The device also needs to be returned because it uses the prohibited lightning-flash or shazam.
Done by my hand this 6th day of February, anno societatis XXIII, being the feast of saint Dorothy.
Alan Fairfax, Rouge Scarpe
Alan Terlep
5401 S. Cornell
Chicago, IL 60615
(773) 324-1366 (after 11am ET)