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 March 1999 letter. 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.
I would like to thank Lord Thorvald Redhair, Lord Percival ap Gwilym Trefynwy, Finduthal, Master John ap Wynne, Lord Eirik Banna, Lady Mhorag inghean Dhuibhghiolla, Sayyida Shahira bint al-Sammad, Lady ’lfreda ‘t ’thelwealda, Lord Mikhail of Lubelska, and Lady Aryanhwy merch Catmael for their commentary this month.
This letter includes 2 administrative returns, 1 hardship case, 1 pended item from last month, and the transfer of 10 heraldic titles to the Kingdom of Ealdormere.
BAD SOURCE ALERT: There is a Web site called the Onomastikon at http://www.fairacre.demon.co.uk. This site is not an acceptable source for documentation. The lists of names on that site combine a lot of medieval names with some that are not. There are a many other sources for name information on the Web that are more reliable try www.panix.com/~mittle/names, www.s-gabriel.org, or www.sca.org/heraldry.
PER CHEVRON: I returned two submissions this month (#16 and #35) because they had per chevron field divisions that were too low. Laurel has returned other similar submissions recently. A per chevron field division should be drawn so that the tip nearly touches the top of the shield. This means that designs like the ones I returned are almost impossible to draw in a way that will get registered. If the per chevron is drawn correctly, any charge across the top would have to be so small that it would be unrecognizable. It's possible to squeeze everything on the shield and create a design that will probably pass, but it would be better to arrange the charges in a 2-and-1 arrangement or, if that won't work, to use a different line of division.
1) Bastian Wolfhart -- New Name {and Device
Argent, a mount vert, overall a wolf statant gules.}
The client enclosed a letter from the Academy of S. Gabriel as documentation. The letter dates Bastian to the 15th century from Scott, "Medieval Given Names from Silesia," and dates Wolfhart to 1257 in Brechenmacher. The client cares most about meaning and would like an authentic name. {We are pending this device because the emblazon and the blazon do not match. The large emblazon looks like a perspective rendering of the blazon. It is not too three-dimensional to pass, but the blazon would have to be changed. Since we don't want to saddle the client with a device blazon that doesn't match what he thinks he has, we are going to contact him and explain the situation before acting on it.}
2) Caitlin of Greencastle -- Device Resubmission
Argent, a horse rampant and a base purpure.
The client's name was registered 1/97. {The client's previous submission, Or, a castle within a bordure embattled vert, was returned by Rouge Scarpe in 11/98 for conflict with Sherri Lynn, Or, a tower vert. This is a complete redesign.}
3) Carrick MacCucharraige -- New Name and Device
Gules, a bull passant guardant Or.
Carrick and MacCuharraige are both documented from Black, s.n. MacCarrick. The client asked that we correct the grammar of the patronymic, but it is more likely that the given name will need correction. We were uncertain about the particular corrections that would be called for. Since the basic elements are documentable (if not the particular spelling or language used here), we are sending it on for further comment. The bull on the large emblazon has the right number of legs. {Congratulations to the one commenter who noticed the missing leg on the small emblazon.}
{4) Catriona MacKay -- New Name and Device
Vert, on a bend Or between two wolves' heads erased argent, three oak leaves vert.
The client documents Catriona from Dunkling, 32. It is also found in O'Corrain & Maguire, 45. MacKay is a proposed (but probably reasonable) English form of the Gaelic Mac Aoidh, which is found in Black, 387. Names that combine Gaelic and English spellings can now be registered, but since the client specifically asked for an authentic name, we will pend this and contact her to get approval to change it. An additional problem is that mac means "son of," and it would not be used by a woman. There are no problems with the device; the large emblazon looks better than the small one.}
5) Cecil Dupont -- Name Resubmission
An identical submission was returned by Laurel in 4/99 for administrative reasons. The name is intended to be French. Cecil is in Withycombe, 60, where it is called "not uncommon in England in the Middle Ages. Dupont is in Dauzat & Rostaing, 224.
{6) Clarissa Wykeham -- Change of Registered Device
Or, a seeblatt vert.
This device conflicts with Ysabeau of Prague, Or, a seeblatt vert and a base barry wavy azure and Or. There is 1 CD for addition of the base.}
7) Deirdre Wydeville -- New Device
Vert, on a spiderweb throughout Or, in bend a mask of comedy and a mask of tragedy argent.
The client's name was registered in 9/98. {The "bordure" on the small emblazon is the result of a bad cut-and-paste job.}
8) Elena of Myddle -- New Name and Device
Argent, a bend purpure between two bloodhounds statant gules.
Elena is dated to 1271 in Scott, "A List of Feminine Personal Names Found in Scottish Records." Myddle is the name of a town in Shropshire according to Darby and Versey, Domesday Gazetteer, 340. Although the documentation doesn't say so, we assume that the town is mentioned in the Domesday Book and is thus dated to 1086. The client cares most about having an English name.
9) Elspeth Clerk -- Name Resubmission
The client's original submission, Elsby MacKristinn, was submitted through ’thelmarc and returned by Laurel in 4/98 for lack of documentation for the given name. The client's documentation dated the name to somewhere in the mid-1600's. However, Elspeth is dated to 1539 in Scott, "A List of Feminine Personal Names Found in Scottish Records" http://www.panix.com/~mittle/names/talan/scottishfem/scottishfemlate.html. Clerk is found in Reaney & Wilson, 98.
10) Frederich Holstein der Tollhase -- Device Resubmission
Per bend sinister purpure and vert, a cow rampant ermine rising from flames proper.
{The client's original submission, identical to this one, was returned by Rouge Scarpe for redrawing in 8/98 because the large emblazon, produced by a color printer, showed azure for the purpure. However, I mistakenly told the client that the device would be processed with the correct color. Because his device has already been delayed for 9 months, I am sending it to Laurel immediately.}
{11) Giuliana Fornaciari -- New Device
Gules, a cross of flame Or, overall a bat sable.
We must return this device for several reasons. First, the bat is overall and not on the cross, so the device is color-on-color. Second, ordinaries of flame are prohibited in SCA armory (LoAR 2/94, pg. 22). Third, crosses of flame specifically are prohibited because of their association with the Ku Klux Klan.}
12) Isabella Somerhild -- New Name {and Device
Azure, on a chevron argent three roses azure, issuant from base a phoenix rising from flames argent.}
The client documents Isabella from Scott, "Women's Given Names in Early 13th-Century England." It is also dated to 1199 in Withycombe, 164. Somerhild is dated to 1297 in Reaney & Wilson, 434. {We must return the device for conflict with Elizabeth Cameron nic Iain, Azure, on a chevron throughout argent five roses azure and in base a lion rampant tail nowed argent. According to Laurel precedent there is no difference between a chevron and a chevron throughout because the two were used interchangeably in period. (4/87, p. 11)}
13) Istv n Valkai -- New Device
Gules, three chevronels enhanced and a basset hound Or.
The client's name was registered in 7/98. The client has included documentation which claims that basset hounds were bred by St. Hubert in the 6th century. While this claim is highly doubtful, the source includes more credible information to show that short-legged hunting dogs were bred and known in France before 1600. We don't know enough about the history of dog breeding to comment, so we give the submitter the benefit of the doubt.
14) Julianna de Pardieu -- New Name {and Device
Per pale purpure and vert, a unicorn rampant contourney Or.}
Julianna is documented from Scott, "Women's Given names from Early 13th-century England." With one n, it is dated to 1220 in Withycombe, 184. The client documents De Pardieu from the Onomastikon at http://www.fairacre.demon.co.uk/England-Medieval/Norman/Surnames.htm. This is not a reliable source for documentation, but Depardieu is found in Dauzat, 192. Dauzat derives it from the phrase "de par Dieu," meaning "in God's name." {The device conflicts with Ian Michael, Gules, a unicorn salient to sinister Or, attired, crined, and unguled argent. There is 1 CD for the field, but none for changing rampant to salient.}
{15) Lunari del Lupo -- New Name
There was no documentation for Lunari, and Lupo was documented as a given name but not as a byname. Thus we must return it.}
{16) Marguerite Gisele Mont du Chat -- Device Resubmission
Per chevron argent and azure, a natural panther couchant sable and a decrescent Or.
We are returning this device because the per chevron field division is too low. This can clearly be seen if you compare this device to the device of Ysabel Natalia Osorio de Leon on the 7/98 IloI, which was returned by Laurel in 1/99 for the same reason. We would pend this for redrawing, but raising the line of division to the appropriate height would require a complete redesign.}
17) Middle, Kingdom of the for Afon Fawr Herald -- Transfer of Heraldic Title to Ealdormere
18) Middle, Kingdom of the for Bucina Herald -- Transfer of Heraldic Title to Ealdormere
19) Middle, Kingdom of the for Calygreyhound Herald -- Transfer of Heraldic Title to Ealdormere
20) Middle, Kingdom of the for Gopher Pursuivant -- Transfer of Heraldic Title to Ealdormere
21) Middle, Kingdom of the for Green Mantle Pursuivant -- Transfer of Heraldic Title to Ealdormere
22) Middle, Kingdom of the for Inland Seas Herald -- Transfer of Heraldic Title to Ealdormere
23) Middle, Kingdom of the for Pentland Herald -- Transfer of Heraldic Title to Ealdormere
24) Middle, Kingdom of the for Seeblatt Herald -- Transfer of Heraldic Title to Ealdormere
25) Middle, Kingdom of the for Stave Pursuivant -- Transfer of Heraldic Title to Ealdormere
26) Middle, Kingdom of the for Trillium Herald -- Transfer of Heraldic Title to Ealdormere
27) Norborough, March of -- New Group Device
Or, a pavillion vert within a laurel wreath and on a chief vert, three compass stars Or.
The group's name was registered in 9/98. A petition of support is included.
28) Philippe de Lyon -- New Name and Device
Gules, three torches in pall inverted bases to center Or.
Philippe is in Dauzat, 481. De Lyon is in Ibid., 401. The client cares most about the language and wants an authentic name.
29) Saint Michael and All Angels, College of -- Group Name and Device Resubmission.
Azure, on an open book between three angels argent, a laurel wreath vert.
This name was returned by Laurel in 4/99 for administrative reasons. No documentation is provided for the name, but Withycombe, 218, mentions that this was one of the most popular Church dedications in England.
30) Savaric de Pardieu -- Device Resubmission
Quarterly argent and sable, five crosses swallowtail in saltire counterchanged.
The client's name was registered in 6/98. His previous device, Quarterly argent and sable, a Maltese cross betweeen four others, all counterchanged, was returned by Laurel in 6/98 because the center cross was larger than the others. This resubmission solves that problem.
31) Seamus Albanach Mac Roibeirt -- New Name and Device
Bendy sinister sable and argent, an equal-armed Celtic cross gules.
Submitted as Seamus Albanach Mac Roibert. The client included a letter from the Academy of S. Gabriel that dated Albanach to 1467 from Baoill, "Scotticisms in a Manuscript of 1467." However, Seamus can be documented from O' Corrain & Maguire, 163. The name mac Roibert is found in Black, 562, but it is described as a form of the Gaelic mac Roibeirt. Since the client asked for an authentic 15th-century Gaelic name, we have made the minor modification to the spelling so that the whole name is Gaelic. {This is a pretty close copy of the equal-armed Celtic cross in the PicDic. It does look modern, but not too modern to register.}
32) Simon Justus -- Device Resubmission
Azure, a saltire couped Or, overall a feather inverted argent.
The client's name was registered in 12/98. His previous submission, Azure, a saltire coupled Or, overall a feather inverted argent, tipped sable, was returned by Laurel in 12/98 for poor contrast and the ambiguous coloration of the feather. The client has solved these problems by making the feather argent. {There is no problem with contrast in this device; the feather is an argent charge on an azure field.}
33) Thora Grimsdottir -- Name Resubmission
The client's previous submission, Thora Grimsd¢ttir, was returned by Laurel in 5/98 for inconsistent spelling of the byname. The client has changed the spelling to one of the forms suggested by Laurel. The client cares most about Old Norse language and wants an authentic 10th-century Scandinavian name.
{34) Vladislav de Jaffa -- Device Resubmission
Per chevron sable and ermine, in chief a lion's head argent.
The client's previous submission, Argent, a paw print counter-ermine, was returned by Laurel in 1/97. This is a complete redesign. We have to return this device because the field division is too low to be a per chevron division. The client blazoned the bottom as a point pointed ermine; a pointed pointed has curved sides and is lower than this (see the PicDic). Since this device can't be blazoned, we are returning it.}
35) Wynter Poe -- New Name
Submitted as Wynter Aline Poe; we dropped the middle element after consultation with the client because Wynter is a masculine name and Aline is a feminine one. The client is female, but elected to keep Wynter as her given name. The client documents Winter as a given name from Pine, The Story of Surnames, 131. Winter is also described as an Old English given name in Reaney and Wilson, 496. The i/y variant is common in Middle English. Poe is found in Matthews, English Surnames, 161.
36) Ysabel Natalia Osorio de Le¢n -- Device Resubmssion
Per chevron purpure and vert, two lions combattant Or and a chalice argent.
The client's name was registered in 1/99. The client's previous submission was returned by Laurel for redrawing in 1/99 because the per chevron division was too low. The client has redrawn the device.
Done by my hand, on the thirteenth day of May, anno societatis xxxiv, being the feast of Saint Erconwald of London.
Alan Fairfax, Rouge Scarpe
Alan Terlep
5401 S. Cornell
Chicago, IL 60615
(773) 324-1366 (after 11am ET)