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 October 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.
Thanks to Viscountess Morgan Bruce, who began commenting this month. Thanks also to Master John ap Wynne, Lord Thorvald Redhair, Lord Percival Gwylim ap Tryfanwy, Lady Adeliza de Saviniaco, Master Talan Gwynek, Lady AElfreda aet AEthelwealda, and Lord Mikhail of Lubelska for their comments this month.
This letter includes three items from the kingdom and one item.
{1) Aislinn Celine de Richmont-
Argent semy of roses gules, a cat sejant erect sable within an orle of ivy vert.
The client's name was registered in 4/94. Every commenter agreed that there were problems with the drawing, and so I will pend it for redrawing.}
2) Anders Olafsson-New Device
Per pale azure and argent, a cat's face and in chief three anvils counterchanged.
The client's name was registered in 2/99.
3) Artemesia of Nicaea-Device Resubmission
Purpure, a beehive argent within an orle of bees Or.
{The client's first submission, Purpure, on a sun Or a natural dolphin hauriant contourny azure, was returned by Rouge Scarpe in 5/96 for conflict. Her next submission, Purpure, on a sun Or eclipsed purpure a rose slipped and leaved argent, was returned by Rouge Scarpe in 8/98 for used of a charged eclipsed sun. This is a completely new design.}
4) Bran mac Tuathail-New Name and Device
Sable, a pale offset between two serpents erect, tails nowed, argent.
Bran is found in Jones, "100 Most Popular Men's Names in Early Medieval Ireland," 2. Tuathal is found in ibid (6), which also shows Tuathail to be the genitive form. The client cares most about having an Irish name. {The pale could be wider, but it isn't thin enough to warrant a redraw.}
5) Caenell verch Ailwyn--New Name and Device
Vert, on a pile between two escallops inverted argent, an otter statant proper.
Caenell is in Jones, Welsh Miscellany, 31. The client documents Ailwyn as a variant of Aylwin. Withycombe, s.n. Aylwin, includes the dated variants Ailwin (1189) and Aleywin (1273), so this seems like a reasonable English variant. The English/Welsh combination should be registerable. There are examples of more common English names used with Welsh given names, especially in late period (see Jones, "A Simple Guide to Creating 16th-Century Welsh Names in English Contexts, http:// www.panix.com/~mittle/names/tangwystyl/welsh16.html). I was unable to date Aylwin any later than 1247 (in Scott, "Given Names from Early 13th Century England," found at http://www.panix.com/~mittle/ names/talan/eng13/eng13.html). This suggests that Aylwin is an unlikely candidate to appear in a Welsh name, but that shouldn't be a bar to registering it. The client is interested in having a period Welsh name.
6) Conal Ó hAirt-Device Resubmission
Gyronny arrondi of six gules and argent, a wolf rampant sable winged argent maintaining a sword inverted proper.
The client's name was registered in 9/96. His previous device, Gyronny arrondi of six argent and gules, a winged wolf sable maintaining a sword inverted proper, was returned by Laurel in 12/98 for poor contrast. {This does not conflict with Cerdic Weyfare, Gyronny arrondi of six gules and argent. When a device has one or two types of charges on the field, it never conflicts against any design with a different primary charge-this is the "simple heraldry" rule. Since Cerdic's arms have no primary charge at all, these devices are completely different.}
{7) Duncan MacLachlan-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's previous name submission, Keeldar MacLachlan, was returned by Rouge Scarpe in 2/99 for lack of reliable documentation for the given name. The client's new submission is completely undocumented, but it is not unreasonable as a late-period English form of a Scottish Gaelic name. Duncan (as a given name) is in Black, 228. Maclachlan is dated to 1555-6 in ibid., 533.
If the client wants an authentic name for the period around 1300, he should probably use a Gaelic form. The appropriate Gaelic form for the period is most likely Donnchadh mac Lachlan. Since the client is looking for an authentic name from around 1300, we are going to pend it and see which form he would rather use.
The position of the thistles on the chief is highly unusual, but it doesn't violate any SCA rules.}
8) Francesca di Simoneti-New Name and Device
Azure semy of roses Or, a cat sejant argent.
{This name was pended in 9/99 because no copies of the documentation were included.} The name is documented from Scott, "14th Century Venetian Personal Names," which is included in the proceedings from the 1996 KWHS.
The device probably does not conflict with Jordre Pargon of Windhover's Reach, Azure, a snow leopard sejant argent, spotted sable. There is 1 CD for the addition of the roses, and probably also a difference for the removal of the spots. We will send the device forward with the name.
9) Freydís Sigurðardóttir in tryggva-- New Name and Device
Or, a chevron between three ravens close sable.
Freydís is said to be found in the Vinland Saga. It can also be constructed from the elements Frey- and -dís, which are found in the names Freygerðr and Eydís (both found in Geirr-Bassi, 9). Sigurðr is in ibid.,, 14; the male byname in tryggvi is found in ibid., 29. It is feminized according to the rules given in ibid., 19. The client cares most about meaning and language/culture and would like an authentic Old Norse name.
10) Gerlinda Uda Agast-New Name and Device
Vert, a increscent between two cinquefoils Or, on a chief argent a pine cone vert.
Gerlinda is in Speer, "Dutch Women's Names Before 1100." (http://www.geocities.com/Athens/ 1336/name1100vr.html). Uda is in ibid. Agast dated to 1572 in de Grood, "Flemish Bynames from Bruges, 1400-1600." (http://www.s-gabriel.org/docs/bruges/). No further documentation is provided.
There is no evidence that double given names (a first and middle name) were used in any Dutch-speaking area in period. In addition, this name combines two earlier-period given names with a later-period byname. I'm inclined to return this name, but I am sending it to the College of Arms for further commentary.
{The increscent in these arms is does look rather like a banana, but I believe that it's within the range of registerable depictions of an increscent.}
11) Harald Cristianson-New Name and Device
Per fess sable and Or, a demi-bear issuant from a cauldron counterchanged.
Harald is a header in Sveriges Medeltida Personnamn (XI: 118). Cristianson is dated to 1324 in Reaney & Wilson, s.n. Christison.
12) James Barkley-New Name and Device
Argent, an oak tree purpure, on a chief embattled sable three goutes argent.
James is a header in Withycombe. Barkley is described as a variant of Barcley and Barklye, which are found in Reaney & Wilson, 27. Given these variants the submitted spelling seems entirely reasonable. The client cares most about sound and language/culture. He would like an authentic 16th century English name but will not permit major changes.
13) John Paul Devereaux-Device Resubmission
Azure, a mullet gules fimbriated between two battleaxes Or.
The client's name was registered in 2/94. His previous submission, Azure, in fess a mullet gules fimbriated between two double-bitted battleaxes fretted Or, was returned by Laurel in 4/98 for conflict with Morgan Bloodaxe, Azure, a triangle of three battleaxes fretted Or. This submission should give 1 CD for a change in the number of primary charges and 1 CD for a change in arrangement.
14) Marjory Ayson de Dundee-Name and Device Resubmission
Per fess vert and Or, two cats couchant respectant argent and a cat sejant affronty sable.
{The client's previous name submission, Marjory Ayson de Dundee, Clann Gillacattan, was returned by Rouge Scarpe on 2/98 for use of illegal punctuation. The client has dropped the latter elements. Her pervious device submission Or, a cat statant affronty sable, on a chief azure two cats couchant respectant argent, was returned by Rouge Scarpe on 2/98 for unrecognizable tinctures.}
Marjory is in Withycombe (207). Black, s.n. Eason, dates Ayson to 1392, in the form aysoñ. It appears likely that Dundee was founded in 1296, according to ibid., 229. The client wants to have an authentic 14th century name.
We did not find any precedent saying that three charges in different postures should be returned, but we believe that this device should not be registered. However, in the absence of a clear precedent we are sending this to the College of Arms for further commentary.
15) Middle Kingdom for Bronze Ring, Order of the-New Badge
Gules, two rapiers in saltire argent within an annulet or.
The order name was registered in 8/99.
16) Middle Kingdom for King's Chalice, Award of the-New Badge
(Fieldless) A chalice sable.
The award name was registered in 1/98.
17) Middle Kingdom for White Lance, Order of the-New Badge
(Fieldless) A lance argent.
The award name was registered in 8/99.
18) Olaf Blodhøx for Shadewes Company-New Badge
Per bend sinister sable and gules, a bend sinister argent, overall a bull's skull argent.
The client's name and the household name were registered in 4/96.
Many commenters felt that the bull's skull would be unidentifiable against the bend if it were drawn at a more standard width. The client was made aware of these issues and so we are sending it to the College of Arms for a final decision.
19) Richard Hode-New Name and Device
Vert, a phoenix rising and on a chief Or three towers vert.
Ricard is dated to 1066 and Richardus to 1127-34 in Reaney & Wilson, 377. Hode is dated to 1242 in ibid., 234. The client cares most about sound and will not permit major changes.
20) Roderick McCracken-New Device
Sable, a kraken argent orbed gules.
The client's name is included on the 11/99 Midrealm letter of intent to Laurel.
Many commenters appreciated the cant in these arms.
Done by my hand on the xxiv day of December, anno societatis xxxv, being the vigil of the feast of the Nativity of Our Lord.
Alan Fairfax, Rouge Scarpe
Alan Terlep
92 Ridgemont
Pontiac, MI 48340