June 15, 1997

Greetings unto Master Dmitrii Volkovich, Dragon; Lord Emrys Eustace, Rouge Scarpe; and the commenting members of the Midrealm College of Heralds; from Lord Paul Wickenden of Thanet, Escutcheon.

Here are the May (and some June) 1997 submissions for your consideration and commenting. All commentary should be sent to the Rouge Scarpe Herald, Lord Emrys Eustace, by August 1, 1997, with copies to Dragon and myself. Unless otherwise stated, all name submissions will accept minor changes to grammar and/or spelling.

There is one return this month. Randolph Lee's name and device were pended on the March 1997 ILoI (#P2). It is my policy to pend no submission longer than 90 days. As the client never responded to my request for missing materials, I have been forced to return his submission. This information is being provided to the College for proper bookkeeping and as a warning to consulting pursuivants not to allow your clients to do this!

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1) Ailred Mac Pìoba An Thòrra Dhuibh. Name and Device Resubmission. Ermine, a wyvern volant wings elevated vert, bellied and winged gules, breathing flames proper, playing a set of bagpipes and a tower issuant from base sable. (M) Owls Haven.

Ailred is the name of the abbot of Rievaulx who lived c1100, according to The Lion in the North (40) by Prebble. Mac Pìoba is a constructed name (following RfS II.3, "Invented Names" -- a copy of which is enclosed by the client) meaning "son of the (bag) pipe." It follows patterns like Maclaverty (for a tatler) and MacSporran (for a purse-bearer) according to The Highland Clans (7). An Thòrra Dhuibh is meant to mean "of the the black hill/castle." It is supported with appropriate pages from The Pronouncing and Etymological Dictionary of the Gaelic Language. It also reflects a suggestion from Fause Losenge made on a previous (3/3/95) return.

The device has been previously returned (on 11/95 Trillium ILoAR) for conflict with Erik of Flamewood (Argent, a wyvern erect vert maintaining an oak leaf and a fireball gules) and the unusual coloring of the wyvern which Trillium felt was "artistic license." The client has solved the conflict with a charge of field tincture (from argent to ermine) but kept the wyvern's tincture. He encloses documentation from The Heraldic Imagination (191) and Heraldry: Customs, Rules and Styles (43) to support his preferred tinctures. He also notes that Laurel (who was Da'ud II at the time) supports the idea that a two-color wyvern is not "artistic license" but a blazonable difference

There is a very long history behind this name. It was first submitted as Ailred MacPiob O'Torr Dubh on the May 1994 ILoI and returned by Rouge Scarpe in July because of the name. It was apparently resubmitted under the same name (I think) later that year and returned in March 1995 by Rouge Scarpe. The device was returned along with the name. The revised version of the name (and device) were resubmitted in 1995 and the device was returned for the abovementioned conflict in November 1995 by Trillium. The name was sent to Laurel but rejected for "lack of documentation" (this, in spite of the fact that the client's extensive documentation probably deforested most of the northern woods of Canada! ). Apparently, the documentation was lost. The client is naturally a bit perturbed at being messed around with. I also apologize to the client if I have messed up the history a bit, but the key point is that the name and device have been up some four times for our consideration. We submit this for your speedy consideration.

2) Ailred Mac Pìoba An Thòrra Dhuibh. New Badge. Argent, a maltese cross elongated to base gules. (M) Owls Haven. {Name submitted above}

3) Ailred Mac Pìoba An Thòrra Dhuibh for Cinneadh Pìoba. Household Name and Badge Resubmission. Ermine, a wyvern volant wings elevated vert, bellied and winged gules, breathing flames proper, playing a set of bagpipes. (M) Owls Haven. {Name submitted above}

Cinneadh means "kin, kindred, tribe" according to the Gaelic Dictionary. Pìoba means "pipe" according to Ibid. The name is invented and follows the same documentation as given for the personal name above. It also follows the recommendations of Fause Losenge on the 3/3/95 LoAR.

This submission (name and badge) has been through the same hassle as the client's personal name and device. The name was sent on to Laurel but returned for lack of documentation. The badge was returned with the device. It has been similarly modified but will have more of a possibility of conflict with Erik of Flamewood (it will need the decision that the wyvern's tincture is not an "artistic license" in order to clear the conflict).

4) Chen Yung Ho for House Terrae Finis. New Household Name and Badge. Vert, a pale checky gules and argent between a jaguar rampant to sinister and a crane in its vigilance argent. (M) Baile na Scolairi. {Name reg. 1/92}

The name is intended to mean "End of the Earth" in Latin. Terra means "earth" according to the Junior Classic Latin Dictionary (140) and finis mean "end" according to Ibid (47). Copies are attached. The client cares must about meaning.

5) Colin Brodie. New Name and Device. Sable, a double headed eagle displayed Or, maintaining two double headed axes argent, on a bordure argent, eight mullets gules. (M) Iron Oak.

Brodie is taken from that ol' time favorite Dictionary of Surnames by Hanks and Hodges and is derived from a castle and placename that is period. Colin is from an unidentified source and dated to "1200 onwards." The client will NOT accept changes to spelling or grammar.

Brodie is a header spelling in Dictionary of English Surnames (67) Reaney & Wilson. It is also listed as a variant of "Bradie" on p. 60. ODECN (71) Withycombe also notes that "Colin is found in England from 1200 onwards."

6) Dutch Gru. New Name and Device. Per bend purpure and sable, a ravenface argent. (M) Aquilon.

There is no documentation attached for the name but the client indicates that he cares most about "meaning." He will NOT accept changes to meaning or spelling.

I have problems with the identifiability of the primary charge and cannot provide any help on the name. I fear this will probably have to be returned.

7) Gwenllyen the Minstrel. New Name and Device. Argent, three sprigs of holly vert fructed gules. (F) Sundridge Faire.

Welsh Surnames (111) Morgan and Morgan list "Gwenllian" as a header spelling. On the same page it notes the name "Gwenllyen verch David" dated to 1551. The client cares most about sound.

The Dictionary of English Surnames (311) Reaney and Wilson have a "Mynstrall" dated to 1483.

8) Iron Oak, Canton of. New Branch Name and Device. Gules, a chevron argent, overall an anvil sable within a laurel wreath Or, on a chief argent three oak leaves vert. Royal Oak, MI.

No name form was supplied by the clients (I have filled out one for them) and no documentation. By default, I am assuming that they will NOT accept changes to the spelling or grammar. The attached petition of support states: "The following people support the proposed and submitted arms for Iron Oak." I am assuming that this means they support the proposed name "Iron Oak" as well, but it is not so clear. On that subject, I might note that the device forms are missing a contact name (although an address is included). With all these problems, I would be prone to pend this submission. However, it seemed that the most diplomatic thing was to send this up.

9) Janos der Wasserman. New Name and Device. Azure, maily Oo, a unicorn salient argent. (M) Falcon's Keep.

The client wants a German name meaning "January the Waterman." Deutshches Namenlexikon (545) Bahlow has "Der Wassermann" dated to 1396 in the case of Heinel der Wassermann. He also has Heincze Wassermann dated to 1372. Janos, according to the submitted pursuivant is either Hungarian, Slavic, Czech, or Polish version of John. What the client wants most is the proper meaning and the proper language and he requests that the grammar and spelling be so corrected. No copies are attached.

January in German is "Januar" but there is no German given name that approximates it that I could find in Bahlow or Brechenmacher. Janos is most definitely Hungarian (and not Czech, "Slavic," or Polish). It is easily found, but so we have a concrete cite, it is in Századi Magyar Megkülönböztet Nevek (118) dated to 1347. Deutsches Namenlexikon (262) Bahlow has "Janusch" which it identifies as the German spelling of "Janos."

10) Mieszko Stanislaus z Czestochowa. Name and Device Resubmission. Per pall inverted azure, Or, and argent, a Hungerford knot Or and a bunch of grapes purpure, slipped and leaved vert. (M) Baile na Scolairi.

Mieszko was the name of the first Polish king, crowned in 965, according to The Land of the Polish People (10) Kelly. Stanislaus was the name of several Polish notables, including the patron saint of Poland, born in 1030, according to The New Encyclopedia Britannica (10: 522). Czstochowa is a city founded in the 13th century, according to Ibid (3: 336). This was originally submitted at Mieszko Stanislaus Czestochowa and was returned by Rouge Scarpe in July 1996. In his LoAR, Broom writes "It seems that locatives in Polish require either use of the preposition 'z' or (especially in later period) addition of the suffix '-ski' or '-cki.' We would love to simply change this name to 'Mieszko Stanslaus z Czestochowa', but the client has forbidden this action." The client cares most about spelling.

The preposition "z" takes the genitive case, and thus the final element needs to be changed to Czestochowy. The addition of the diacritical marks and a more Polish spelling of the second given name would not hurt either. As an external commenter, I'd be happier with Mieszko Stanisaw z Czstochowy. The Sownik Staropolskich Nazw Osobowych (III: 470) as a header spelling and dozens of variant spellings for Mieszko but no date or cite for the name itself. Sownik Nazw Osobowych i Elementów Identyfikacyjnych Sdecczyzny (170) dates Stanislaus to 1488.

The device was returned with the name. Rouge Scarpe notes "The knot would be more visible, if drawn with thicker rope. The grape cluster has what resembled holly leaves more than grape leaves. these are very minor style points." The submitting pursuivant (Rory) spoke with the client and, while the changes are not reflected in the enclosed paperwork, the client agreed and will make the suggested changes in his heraldic displays.

11) Robert of Starleaf Gate. New Name and Device. Sable, a mullet of twelve points, four greater and eight lesser argent, overall a torteau. (M) Starleaf Gate.

Robert is the name of archbishop (crowned Charles IV the Fir in 1322) according to Lives of the Kings and Queens of France by Duc De Castries (no copies attached). Starleaf Gate is a SCA branch name registered in 8/91. The client requests that the grammar and spelling be corrected for the intended meaning in the indicated language (but does not indicate a meaning or a language).

Robert is in ODECN (254) if anyone questions its period nature.

I am unhappy with the supplied blazon but unsure of how to fix it.

12) Wind's Reach, Canton of. New Branch Name and Device. Purpure, a chevron embattled to chief and in base a laurel wreath, on a chief Or, three dragonflies purpure. Gambier, OH.

There is no documentation for the name, but the clients care most about language, meaning, sound, and spelling. This, is, however, quite moot as they will NOT permit changes to spelling or grammar.

13) Wind's Reach, Canton of. New Branch Badge. Purpure, a dragonfly, a bordure Or. Gambier, OH. {Name submitted above}

14) Wulf Thorunsson. New Device. Argent, a cross moline, on a chief indented azure, two bulls Or. (M) Mundelein, IL. {Name reg. 12/90}

The following submissions have been PENDED and the clients notifed:

P1) Bjoern hinn Heppni for Hose Skaðarholt. Household Name Resubmission.

Gaylord, MI. {Name reg. 1/92}

This has been pended for a complete absence of forms and only one copy of the documentation.

P2) Galan Stuart. New Name and Device. Lozengy vert and argent, a tulip sable.

(M) Three Hills.

This has been pended for inadequate forms.

P3) Gregor Omolegane. New Name and Device. Or, on a saltire between two reremouses in chief and in base sable, two polearms crossed in saltire argent.

(M) Three Hills.

This has been pended for inadequate forms.

Yours In Service,

Paul Wickenden of Thanet
c/o Paul Goldschmidt
P.O. Box 56
Platteville WI 53818
608-348-6209

goldschmidt@uwplatt.edu

Dragon:

Dmitrii Volkovich
John Polzinetti
8142 Towson Blvd
Miamisburg OH 45342-6120

Rouge Scarpe:

Emrys Eustace
Joe Marfice
233 Perrine St
Dayton OH 45410