November 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 October 1997 submissions for your consideration and commenting. All commentary should be sent to Rouge Scarpe Herald, Lord Emrys Eustace, early enough to arrive by January 1, 1998, with copies to Dragon and myself. Unless otherwise stated, all name submissions will accept minor changes to grammar and/or spelling.
First of all, please note my new address! Due to problems with the post office, I have been forced to close my P.O. Box. Please send all submissions and commentary to my street address.
Secondly, the ILoIs are now available on the web. The URL is: www.geocities.com/ Athens/Delphi/8437 or you can get to it through my homepage. Just as Broom has asked you if you will accept ILoARs electronically, let me ask you the same question: will you accept ILoIs electronically? Some reasons to consider just getting the page off the web: (1) It's faster (the web page will be mounted as soon as I have finished it -- which is often a week or more before I have the opportunity to drive up to Madison to get the copies made and mailed out); (2) It will save the Kingdom money; and (3) I WILL accept electronic commentary from anyone who is willing to forgo a paper copy of the LoI (printing out electronic commentary costs me money but I will personally eat the cost if you are willing to save us the postage). But as before, I will NOT accept electronic commentary from anyone else.
Finally, if you have web access, drop by the new ILoI page and let me know what you think.
1) Alexandra dei Finocchi. New Name.
(F) Waverly, OH.
Alexandra is in Withycombe (14) and dated to 1205 in England. De Felice, Cognomi (125) gives Finocchi as a variant of Finocchio based on a byname dating back to 1260. Fause Losenge considers it plausible in enclosed electronic correspondence. The client indicates a previous return of the name "Saidhbhin Anastasia Ni Dhuinn" but encloses payment, so we are treating this as a new submission.
The purely Italian form of the given name would be Alessandra (found in De Felice, Nomi [54]) and would certainly look better, but such a change would probably not be "minor."
2) Alexandra La Noire. New Name and Device. Gules, on a lozenge argent a rose sable, a bordure invected argent.
(F) Cleftlands.
Alexandra is in Withycombe (14) and dated to 1205 in England. La Noire is in Colm Dubh, "A Index to the Given Names in the 1292 Census of Paris" from the Meridien KWHS Proceedings.
3) Alf of the High Mountain. New Name and Device. Azure, a ??? argent.
(M) Steren Codha.
The client writes "I want Alf (or Alfred) for the first name, the rest to keep the meaning in the proper language." No documentation is provided. The client requests that the spelling and grammar be corrected for the indicated language and meaning.
The documentation obviously needs help. Withycombe (14) notes that "Alfred is vulgarly abbreviated to Alf" and provides no dating. This hardly sounds like a ringing endorsement. The byname sounds like a harmless byname but needs some documentation.
No blazon was provided and I have no idea of how to blazon the charge.
4) Alyna of the Ilex. New Name.
(F) Dernehealde.
This item was pended on last month's LoI for lack of a name form of any sort. This problem has now been rectified.
Alyna is a variant of Aline, found in Withycombe (16) and dated to 1346. Ilex is Latin for "the holm-oak" according to the Cassell's Latin Dictionary (285). The client requests that the spelling and grammar be corrected for the indicated language and meaning. The client cares most about language and meaning.
If the client really wants the name corrected for English, she would be better off with Alyna atte Oak.
5) Arianna Selvaggio. New Name and Device. Purpure, a bull's head caboshed and on a chief Or three fleurs-de-lys vert.
(F) Cleftlands.
Arianna is found in everyone's favorite Hanks & Hodges, Dictionary of First Names (35, under Ariadne. Selvaggio is found in the much more respectable De Felice, Cognomi (229). The client will NOT permit changes to grammar or spelling.
Ariànna is in De Felice, Nomi (74) and is probably a much better documentary source than H&H.
6) Armand le Charpentier for House of Carrick Bend. New Household Name and Badge. Vert, a pall Or, overall a carrick bend sable.
(M) Caer Anterth Mawr. {Name reg. 10/91}
Documentation is provided from Compton's Encyclopedia (XIV: 125) that the carrick bend existed (and was even used as a badge) in the 11th century.
The knot has little contrast against the field and thus this badge will probably need to be returned. I have kept the blazon as it was submitted in order to preserve the cant, however, the knot is usually known as a wake knot in Societal armory.
7) Brand Thorfinnsson. Change of Holding Name.
(M) Corbin, KY.
The client's current holding name is Alric of Flaming Gryphon (reg'd 6/97).
"The names 'Brand' and 'Thorfinn' are both taken from the following online article: 'Three Hundred Viking Names from the Sagas' by Lord Henry MacQueen of Longhouse. They are both under the heading 'Male Names for 1215 from the Gudmundar Saga Dyra.' [www.sca.org/heraldry/laurel/names/viking.html]" The client requests that the grammar and spelling be corrected for the indicated language.
Geirr Bassi (8) has Brandr and Þorfinnr [Thorfinnr] on (16). The patronymic of the latter would be Thorfinnsson.
8) Catlin Siobhan McNulty. New Badge. (Fieldless) A shamrock sable.
(F) Fort Wayne, IN. {Name reg. 10/92}
9) Cecily de Kenton. New Device. Per bend crusily fleury counter-crusily fleury azure and Or.
(F) Inner Sea. {Name submitted on 9/97 ILoI}
10) Celeste Dougherty. Device Resubmission. Per pale vert and azure, overall a goat rampant argent and in chief three clarions Or.
(F) Cleftlands. {Name reg. 8/97}
The client's original submission (Per bend sinister vert and azure, a goat rampant argent, maintaining in its forehooves a lyre Or) was returned by Laurel in 8/97 for conflict with Etaoin of Lough Gara (Lozengy Or and azure, a sheep salient maintaining a drop spindle, threaded of its own wool, argent). This redesign should be clear of the original conflict.
11) Charles William Drummond the Scot. New Name and Device. Per bend Or and vert, a thistle counterchanged.
(M) Shadowed Stars.
Charles is in Withycombe (62) which notes it became common as early as 12th century. William is in Ibid (293-4) and was introduced by the Normans in the 11th century. Drummond is in Reaney & Wilson (143) and dated to 1221. The Scot is attested to be "common English denoting one from Scotland." The client requests that the spelling and grammar be corrected for the indicated language and meaning. The client cares most about language.
We can do better. Reaney & Wilson (395), under "Scott" note Robertus le Scot dated to 1194 and add that the name was common and meant "a man from Scotland."
12) Cinnion map Liuelin map Higuel. New Name and Device. Azure, a comet bendwise sinister inverted between two estoiles in bend argent.
(M) Tirnewydd.
Extensive documentation from Harpy Herald is provided. The upshot is that a variety of given names close to Cinnion are possible. Harpy lists Cunnian, Cannian, Kynnyon, Kennyon, as well as a hypothetical Cyn(n)ian or Cyn(n)ion (she was, however, trying to document Cinnyon, not Cinnion as the client has submitted). "map" is an early 10th century Welsh spelling of "ap" ("son of"). Liuelin is a variant of the Welsh masculine given name known in its modern spelling as "Llywelyn." Higuel is a 10th century spelling of the name known in modern times as Hywel. The later two elements are documented in Jackson, Language and History in early Britain. The client cares most about language and sound.
13) Constantine Grayson. New Name.
(M) Falcon's Keep.
Constantine is in Withycombe (73) in this spelling dated to 1586. Grayson is in Reaney & Wilson (203) under Graveson and dated in this spelling to 1426. The client cares most about sound and spelling and will accept the following spelling variants: Grayson, Greyson, Grayyson, or Grayfson.
14) Dineen Berwick. New Name and Device. Azure, a mermaid erect between flauches argent.
(F) Winged Hills.
Dinnen is in Ó Corráin & Maguire (80) under Duinnín. Dineen is an anglicized form and also the client's legal given name. Berwick is in Johnston, Place Names of England & Wales (143) which dates the "Berwick" spelling to 1150. The client cares most about sound.
15) Dyddanwy Canwr, called Delia. New Name and Device. Purpure, a winged cat rampant guardant wings addorsed Or.
(F) Rivenstar.
The client writes: "Dyddanwy is listed in Heini Gruffudd's Welsh Names for Children. 'Canwr' is listed in the Collins Gem English/Welsh Dictionary as meaning 'singer.' The dictionary's introduction meantions how little Welsh has changed since the time of Chaucer; thus I think the word would have been the same in period. The form of the name (given name, descriptive or occupational byname) is mentioned in Y Camamseriad in the article 'The Basics of Welsh Name Formation' by Keridwen ferch Morgan Glasfryn." Delia is undocumented. The cares most about language, meaning (for byname only), and sound (for name only).
We are unsure if "X called Y" names are acceptable with Welsh elements and Withycombe (81) hints that Delia is probably out of period. It may be best to drop off the latter part of this name.
16) Ealdormere, Principality of. New Group Device [sic]. Gules, a fleam between three trilliums argent slipped vert.
Ontario, Canada. {Name reg. 12/95}
While this is identified as a design for the chiurgeonate and thus obviously intended to be a badge, it was submitted on a device form (as an escutcheon) and thus must be returned. In addition, the fleam needs to be drawn in a bolder style.
17) Elizabella Marchant. New Device. Argent chappe ploye azure, a lacy knot purpure, in chief two roses argent.
(F) Cleftlands. {Name reg. 8/96}
18) Emelye Stewart. New Name and Device. Argent, a cat couchant guardant, on a bordure sable, three mullets argent.
(F) Inner Sea.
Emelye is in Withycombe (103) who says that Chaucer spelled it this way. Stewart is in Reaney & Wilson (427) as a Scottish form (found in Black) and dated to c1370-88. The client cares most about language and sound.
19) Falcon's Keep, Shire of. New Group Badge. Per fess embattled azure and argent, a peregrine falcon displayed guardant argent.
Central WI. {Name reg. 8/92}
20) Fiacc macAoidh. New Name and Device. Per bend sinister argent and vert, a raven rising displayed and elevated to sinister sable a knot quatrefoil and mascle interlaced argent.
(M) Red Spears.
Fiacc is in Ó Corráin & Maguire (98) and is an early period spelling. macAoidh is in Black (522), under "MacKay" as a Gaelic form. The client requests that the spelling and grammar be corrected for the indicated language. The client cares most about language and meaning.
21) Geoffrey Fauconnet. Device Resubmission. Gules, on a pile between two Latin crosses bottony argent a hooded falcon close gules.
(M) Cleftlands. {Name reg. 9/93}
Nothing is known about the client's previous submission.
22) Gerard de Lisieux. New Device. Per chevron paly bendy sinister sable and argent and azure estencelé argent.
(M) Nordskogen. {Name reg. 2/87}
23) Gevehard von Baden. New Name and Device. Per bend wavy azure and sable, a griffin sejant on a nest argent with two eggs Or.
(M) Inner Sea.
The elements of the name are cited from some sort of German genealogical database on the web (www8.informatik.uni-erlangen.de/html/ww-person.html). Gevehard is dated to 1363-1408. Baden is dated to 1353. The client cares most about language and sound.
The blazon is the client's. The eggs are poor contrast but are probably just artistic detail anyway.
24) Gwendolyn Arwen des Estoilles d'Or. New Device. Per pale and per saltire azure and argent, a pegasus passant contourney Or.
(F) Winged Hills. {Name reg. 12/83}
25) Gwydion ap Myrddin for Aethelwulf Grimsson. New Alternate Persona Name.
(M) Afonlyn. {Name reg. 1/95}
Aethelwulf is taken from the Domesday Book: Index of Persons (11) and is dated to 1086. Grimsson is in Geirr Bassi (17). The client will NOT permit changes to spelling, grammar, translation, or meaning.
26) Gwyneth Lynette Dennys. New Name and Device. Per chevron inverted vert and pean, overall a horse passant argent, crined Or.
(F) Greyhope.
Gwyneth is in Withycombe (143) and undated as an anglicization of the Welsh Gwynedd. Lynette is in Ibid (197) as a medieval French form for Welsh. Dennys is in Reaney & Wilson (131) as a header spelling and is not dated.
27) Hartmann von Augsburg. Device Resubmission. Argent, semy of grenades sable enflamed gules, on a pale sable a man-at-arms statant affronty, his hands clasped in prayer argent.
(M) Cleftlands. {Name reg. 4/97}
The client's previous submission (Argent, semy of grenades sable enflamed gules, on a pale sable a man armed cap-a-pie argent maintaining in both hands a sword inverted sable) was returned by Laurel on 4/97 for four layers (the sword counted as a fourth layer). The removal of the sword resolves this immediate problem. The blazon is the client's and he wonders if the figure on the pale could be blazoned as a "knight in his piety"?
28) Katharina von der Waldwiese. Change of Registered Device. Per pale azure and Or, a Russian firebird displayed counterchanged and in chief a coronet gules, a bordure engrailed counterchanged.
(F) Fenix. {Name reg. 10/94}
If this device is registered, the client requests that her current device (Per pale azure and Or, a Russian firebird displayed counterchanged and in chief a coronet gules, all within on a bordure engrailed three roundels counterchanged) be changed to a badge.
29) Líadan na Caimròn. New Name and Device. Azure, a seal couchant argent, on a chief Or a vine vert.
(F) Schattentor.
Líadan is in Ó Corráin & Maguire (122). The meaning of "na" is not known (although my Gaelic Dictionary gives it as "and"). Caimròn is a constructed byname from the elements Caim ("protected circle", according to Matthews, Encyclopedia of Celtic Wisdom: The Celtic Shaman's Sourcebook [329] -- but I cannot confirm this meaning) and Ròn ("seal" according to the client and my Gaelic Dictionary). Can anyone confirm that words can be combined this way in Scots Gaelic? The client requests that the grammar and spelling be corrected for the indicated language and cares most about language and sound.
The device will probably have to be returned for having the seal drawn in trian aspect. In addition, the chief is too small.
30) Lothar Von Brandenburg. Device Resubmission. Per chevron inverted argent and sules, a cross of cleves and a bird volant, a bordure invected counterchanged.
(M) Blackhawk. {Name reg. 1/95}
The client's previous submission (Per bend sinister argent and gules a latin cross gules and a dove argent) was allegedly lost somewhere at the kingdom level. This is a complete redesign.
31) Marien Aurele de Belvoir. Name and Device Resubmission. Vert, a winged unicorn passant Or and on a chief gules three trilliums argent slipped vert.
(F) Caer Draeth.
This exact name was returned in 12/95 by Laurel for lack of documentation. It was resubmitted with documentation after this and lost. Marien is in Dauzat, Noms et Prénoms (416). Aurele is in Morlet (II: 23). Belvoir is listed on a National Geographic map of Medieval England and is located near Nottingham. The client is aware that the name is masculine. The client requests that the grammar and spelling be corrected for the indicated languages.
The town was apparently known in period as Belveder, according to Mills (31) who dates it to 1130.
The device is color on color and thus must be returned for poor contrast.
32) Marien Aurele de Belvoir. New Badge. (Fieldless) On a trillium argent, slipped vert, a fleam gules.
(F) Caer Draeth. {Name submitted above}
33) Morgan Murphy. New Name and Device. Or, between two flaunches vert charged with two double-bitted axes Or, a bear rampant sable.
(M) Rokeclif.
Morgan is found in Withycombe (222) and is undated. Murphy is in Reaney & Wilson (317) and is also undated. It is also the client's mundane surname. The client requests that the spelling and grammar be corrected for the indicated language and meaning.
The submitted blazon was pretty bad but I am not so sure I have made any sort of improvement. Can anyone nurse the blazon for me?
34) Padraig MacAindreis. New Device. Per chevron sable and azure, a cross fleury between four compass stars argent.
(M) Inner Sea. {Name submitted on 10/97 ILoI}
35) Padraig MacRaighne. Device Resubmission. Per pale embattled argent and vert, two three-leaf clovers counterchanged and in base a crane statant sable.
(M) Northwoods. {Name reg. 6/94}
The client's first submission was returned for conflict and the client's second submission was lost somewhere in Kingdom. It looks like this crane fell asleep (what do you think?).
36) Shlomo Korobeinik. New Device. Azure, two lions combattant reguardant maintaining between them a Mogen David Or between three bezants.
(M) Cleftlands. {Name reg. 8/96}
The blazon is the client's. Using the English "Star of David" seems to be the preferred way of referring to this charge in SCA armory.
37) Skapti Herjolfsson. New Badge. (Fieldless) A triskelion of legs Or.
(M) Tirnewydd. {Name reg. 6/92}
38) Thora Grimsdóttir. New Name.
(F) Afonlyn.
Þora [Thora] is in Geirr Bassi (16) and Grímsdóttir is in Ibid (17). The client will NOT permit changes to spelling, grammar, translation, or meaning.
39) Thyra Thorkillsdottir. Name and Device Appeal. Gyronny arrondy vert and Or, a Lisbjerg gripping beast sable.
(F) Ben Dunfirth.
The original submission was returned by Laurel on 12/95 for rather extended reasons. To summarize: (1) The original submission was Thorkillsdattir and the client refused to accept changes. No documentation was provided for the -dattir spelling.
(2) Thyra is problematical and found only in Gwyn Jones but will probably be accepted. (3) The gripping beast is not a reproducable charge and has only been registered once in the past. In 11/86, the gripping beast was returned as unreproducable. "Given the obscurity of the charge, its difficulty of reproduction from the blazon, and the fact that it has not been registered since the time of the original registration some 17 years ago, we do not feel it remains appropriate for registration in the SCA."
The problems have been addressed as follows: (1) The client now accepts changes and has submitted the standard -dottir form. (2) Thyri, notes the submitting pursuivant is not only in Jones, but was also registered twice after this return (to Thyri Beiskaldi and to Thyra Jadvardsdottir) [although we should note that prior registration is not a grounds for current registration -- still, the Jones cite should be sufficient]. (3) "The Lisbjerg gripping beast as a device, may well now be a restricted charge, at the time of the submission it was not..." The appellant then notes that Laurel has registered the name Amber one last time before declaring a precedent that it is no longer registerable. At the time that the client made her submission, "all that had been stated was that 'no new styles of Norse beast are presently permitted in Society heraldry....The Norse beasts already defined [including the submitted Lisbjerg gripping beast] are still permitted.'"
Documentation is attached for the name. It is extensive and basically from Gwyn Jones, History of the Vikings. The submitter cares most about language and meaning.
Adding my own two cents, I would not support the appeal of the device (although the name should be fine): (1) The gripping beast had been returned as early as 11/86 (as the 12/95 return noted) and thus was not an acceptable charge when the client submitted. (2) The practice of accepting a bad name is very different from the practice of accepting an unreproducable charge. The former is annoying to onomasticians, the latter is an unsurmountable problem for scribes. However, there is probably enough here to justify kicking this appeal up to Laurel.
40) Tormod the Red. Device Resubmission. Per chevron sable and gules, three crosses formy fitchy Or and a boar courant countourney argent.
(M) Falcon's Keep. {Name reg. 10/97}
The client's previous submission (Per fess arched and debased sable and gules, a cross formy fitchy Or) was returned in kingdom on 6/97 for contrast problems. These have been rectified.
41) Tsivia bas Tamara of Amberview. Change of Registered Device. Azure, a doe proper lodged, collared, and with broken chain, on a chief embattled argent a sin in its splendor gules.
(F) Caldrithig. {Name reg. 6/82?}
If this device is registered, the client would like her current device (Azure, a camel passant sinister Or, carrying in its mouth three white trilliums proper and chained by the neck to a doe couchant Or, on a chief embattled argent, a sun wavy gules) released.
42) Wolfram von Stuttgart. Device Resubmission. Argent, a dragon rampant, a bordure embattled gules.
(M) Cleftlands. {Name reg. 4/97}
The client's original submission (Gules, upon a plate a dragon rampant wings displayed gules) was returned by Rouge Scarpe on 12/28/96 for conflict with the flag of Nazi Germany. The original conflict has been cleared with the redesign.
43) Wulfgar Hlotharius von Aachen. Name and Device Resubmission. Per bend sinister embattled Or and pean, in chief a sea unicorn maintaining a sword sable.
(M) Cleftlands.
This appeared on the 5/95 ILoI but then dropped out of sight (it was probably rejected by Rouge Scarpe) and the client was never notified as to the cause. This is a resubmission of the same name and device.
The current submission cites Wulfgar as coming from Beowulf and Hlotharius as coming from Searle, Onomasticon Anglo-Saxonicum with no page numbers or copies provided. The documentation for Aachen is "of course." The client asks that the grammar and spelling be corrected for the indicated language but will NOT permit changes to spelling or grammar (!).
The original submission had slightly better documentation. It noted that Wulfgar was also found in Searle (507-508) and that Hlotharius was in Searle (299). "von Aachen is cited as Standard German construction." Aachen is dated to 1353 in the Webster's Geographical Dictionary (1).
The nonstandard ermine spots are from the Pic Dict (although they appear to be a shamzam! variant of a design on #263).
Yours In Service,
Paul Wickenden of Thanet
c/o Paul Goldschmidt
755 Siemers
Platteville WI 53818
608-348-6209
goldschmidt@uwplatt.edu
Dragon:
Dmitrii Volkovich
John Polzinetti
8537 White Cedar Dr, #331
Miamisburg OH 45342-5346
Rouge Scarpe:
Emrys Eustace
Joe Marfice
233 Perrine St
Dayton OH 45410
broom@dnaco.net