June 15, 1999

Greetings unto Lady Clarissa Wykeham, Dragon; Lord Alan Fairfax, Rouge Scarpe; and the commenting members of the Midrealm College of Heralds; from Lord Paul Wickenden of Thanet, Escutcheon.

Here are the May 1999 submissions for your consideration and commenting. All commentary should be sent to Rouge Scarpe Herald, Alan Fairfax, early enough to arrive by August 1, 1999, with copies to Dragon and myself. Unless otherwise stated, all name submissions will accept minor and major changes to grammar and/or spelling.

1) Anne of Dragonhurst. New Name and Device. Per bend sinister gules and argent, a dragon sejant erect contourney, wings elevated and addorsed argent and a hurst of three pine trees atop a mount couped gules.

The client provides a list of famous people named Anne, including Anne Boleyn and Anne of Cleves. She asserts that the name construction was common in period and cites Anne of Brittany as an example. "The dragon a [sic] mythological beast was known as far back as Babylonia. The dragon was in the folklore of the pagan tribes of Northern Europe. In Christian Art it was often a symbol of sin." The client then argues that because the beast was known in period that it could have been used to create a compound locative and cites Wearmouth, Rivenhall, and Peterborough as examples. A hurst is a clump of trees. The client attaches a bibliography but includes no photocopies and provides little citation. The name is mostly conjectural. The client will NOT accept major changes.

Ekwall provides no examples of place names with "Dragon-" as an element, but that has never stopped the SCA (Drachenwald, Dragonspire, Dragonship Haven, etc).

2) Arnbjorn Brandkjarni. New Name and Device. Argent, an eagle displayed, on a base indented sable, a bear statant argent.

The name is intended to mean "Arnbjorn of Burning Stone" (the locative is the name of the client's first group) in Norse. The name Arnbjorn has a dot or a hook under the "o" which I cannot recreate on my computer. It is found in Geirr Bassi (7). Brand- means "burn," according to ibid (5) and Kjarni- means "stone," according to ibid (28). The client cares most about the meaning and language of the last element.

3) Bebhinn Dubh. New Name and Device. Vert, on a fess between three roundels argent, a sea turtle contourney azure.

Bébinn, Béfind, and Béibhinn are all found in Ó Corráin & Maguire (29-30) but not the spelling the client wants. Todd, Celtic Names for Children (19) provides the spelling Béibhinn. Rule, Name Your Baby (36) under "Bevin" says that "Bebhinn or Bevin was the daughter of Brian Boru." Dubh means "black" according to Todd (35). MacLysaght (18) observes that Black was a Scottish name that was numerous in Ulster and often was a translation of Duff or Kilduff. At ibid (77) we have several examples of compund names using -dubh- as an element -- Duibhginn, Duibhghiolla, and so on. Finally, ibid (92) has Duffin as a modern var of Duibhinn (and Duibhghinn) which the author suggests might be a compound of dubh and ceann. The client cares most about language and wants an authentic 12th century Irish name.

Woulfe (353) has MacDuib and also mentions the Scottish connection. Bell, Ulster Surnames suggests that the Gaelic spelling would be Ó Duibhin (which I believe may be dubh in a genitive form).

The turtle is difficult to identify.

4) Bebhinn Dubh. New Badge. Argent, a sea turtle displayed azure.

{Name submitted above}

The turtle in this emblazon is also difficult to identify.

5) Bettina von Haschenfeld. New Name.

Bettina is listed in "Feminine Given Names from the Online Catasto of Florence of 1427" (http://www.panix.com/ ~mittle/names/arval/catasto/). Bettin is listed in "Dutch Womens' [sic] Names before 1100" (http://www.sca.org/ heraldry/laurel/names/earlydutchfem.html). The byname is constructed using a German-English Dictionary which has "hase" for "hare" and "feld" for "field." The name is intended to mean "Bettina of the Hare Field." The client will NOT accept major changes and cares most about meaning.

Brechenmacher (I:657) has Haschentaler (under Hasch) and dates the surname Hase itself to 1173. None of which documents the surname but it does suggest its plausibility.

6) Black Hart the Smith. Name Resubmission and New Device. Argent, in pale a heart and an anvil, a bordure sable.

While I distinctly recall this submission, I can find no mention of it in the Rouge Scarpe database. If Rouge Sarpe cannot find any record of it, the entire submission should probably be returned to the client for lack of payment.

For documentation of the name elements, the client cites Reaney & Wilson for Black (46) and Hart (219). He also cites Black for Black (78) and Hart (345). Neither source indicates that these elements were used as given names. There is no documentation provided for the occupational byname (but it seems fairly straightforward). The client will NOT permit minor changes to the name.

7) Cassandra of Glastonbury. New Name and Device. Azure, a triskelion, in chief a stick shuttle argent.

Cassandra is found in Scott, "Feminine Given Names in 'A Dictionary of English Surnames" (91) and dated to c 1182-1211, 1208. Glastonbury is mentioned in Mills (144).

8) Cathal Macdoyl. Device Resubmission. Per bend sinister wavy vert and azure, a thistle and a compass rose Or.

{Name submitted on 2/99 ELoI}

The client's previous submission (Bendy wavy argent and azure, a brunette mermaid proper maintaining a trumpet bendwise sinister Or) was returned by Rouge Scarpe on 2/99 for conflict with Alexandra Idonea (Barry-wavy argent and azure, a brunette mermaid affronty proper, dexter hand raised, and a chief wavy counter-ermine). This is a complete redesign. I'm concerned that the field division is difficult to see on the large emblazon (it is certainly impossible to see on the mini!).

9) Christopher Jameson. New Name and Device. Gules, a pale bretessed argent, in chief three crosses crosslet counterchanged.

Christopher is the client's modern name and was also common in period. Jameson is found in a marriage record (dated 1593) of a Jenet Jameson, located in the "Greatham Marriage Registers" (http://www.cs.ncl.ac.uk/ genuki/Transcriptions/DUR/GRE.html). The client cares most about sound and would like an authentic (presumably English) 16th century name.

10) Clarissa Wykeham. Device Resubmission. Or, a seeblatt azure.

{Name reg'd 11/92}

The client's previous submission (Or, a seeblatt vert) was returned by Rouge Scarpe on 5/99 for conflict with Ysabeau of Prague (Or, a seeblatt vert, and a base wavy azure and Or). The client's changes clear that conflict. If this device is accepted, the client wishes to have her current device (Or, on a chevron azure between three hearts gules two swords conjoined at their points Or) released.

11) Clarissa Wykeham. Release of Badge. Or, on a chevron azure between three hearts gules two swords conjoined at their points argent all within a bordure embattled gules.

{Name reg'd 11/92}

The client has also asked to have one of her badges released. [Fairfax, please prepare whatever paperwork Laurel will need for this -- I have enclosed Clarissa's note. Gee! WHO does she think she is??!! :)]

12) Colban Silver. New Name and Device. Per bend sable and azure, a bend between a descrescent and a wolf's head erased contourney argent.

Colban is in Black (160-1) as a header spelling. Black notes a Colbanus of 1107-24 who used the name as a given name. Silver is in ibid (726) and dated in this spelling to 1506. The client cares most about sound and language and wants an authentic Scottish name. The client will NOT permit major changes.

13) Eloise of Tree-Girt-Sea. New Name and Device. Argent, masoned sable, on a bend sinister azure a unicorn's horn argent.

Eloise is the client's modern name. The client's branch is Tree-Girt-Sea (reg'd ??/??). The client says that she wants an authentic name for the language/culture of the "SCA" [!]. I think she has succeeded.

14) Fásach Mór, Canton of. New Branch Device. Per chevron vert and Or, a chevron cottised between two laurel wreaths and an oak sprig, all counterchanged.

{Name submitted on 4/99 ILoI}

This device was pended on the April ILoI for lack of forms. The clients have rectified the problem. The clients also asked for consideration of an "alternate device" (with two sprigs and one laurel wreath, charges reversed) but as we do not allow submission of an alternative device, commentators should not feel obliged to conflict check the "alternate." A petition of support is enclosed.

15) Gudrún of the hills. New Name.

Ekwall, Early London Personal Names (41) notes that the name Godrun may be derived from the Old Scandanavian name Gurn. Guðrún was the daughter of Gjúki in the Edda, according to Young, The Prose Edda (113). Gudrun is a character in The Saga of the Volsungs (96) in which the editor/translator notes (132) that the name is traditionally spelled Guðrún. No documentation is provided for the rest of the name, nor is there any indication that the name was used by people.

The name should probably be spelled as Guðrún (particularly if the client wants to preserve the accent). The word "hills" should be capitalized. Guðrún is also found in Geirr Bassi (10).

16) Iohannes de Glenfinnan. Device Resubmission. Gules, a Maltese cross fitchy argent between three gouts in pall Or.

{Name submitted on 4/99 ELoI}

The client's previous submission (Paly wavy azure and sable, on a pall Or, three crosses fitchy gules) was returned by Rouge Scarpe on 3/99 for poor contrast and poor drawing of the crosses. This redesign addresses all of these problems. The client blazoned his design as having "goutes of flame" -- I see no reason for this florid description, but perhaps I do not understand the blazon.

17) Kennasport. Group Name Submission.

The group would like to have a name which means "Kenna's Port" but have enclosed no documentation. A petition of support is included.

18) Meave Caldwell de Sayers. New Name and Device. Argent, a fret vert between two fleurs-de-lys in fess gules, a rose azure, barbed vert, seeded Or in base.

Meave is in Withycombe (216). Caldwell is in MacLysaght (34) and Sayers is an English surname, according to ibid (265). The client will NOT permit major changes but wants an authentic 14th-16th century Irish name. She will NOT permit the creation of a holding name.

The blazon is a bit clumsy and the fleurs-de-lys and the rose are a bit small. The rose overlays the fret slightly.

19) Merwyn of the Run. New Name and Device. Argent, on a lozenge azure, four sunbursts Or issuant from clouds argent.

For Merwyn, the client uses the ever unreliable Dunkling and Gosling (n.p.). No documentation is provided for the rest of the name.

The client submitted the following proposed blazon: "Azure, 4 sunburst in cross Or issuant from clouds argent." This appears to suggest that the client was submitting a lozenge, using the device forms. I think that this should be pended by Rouge Scarpe for clarification (and possible redrawing) as an escutcheon (as we no longer register lozenge-shaped devices in the Midrealm).

20) Midewinde, Shire of. Group Device Resubmission. Azure, a bend sinister cottised argent, in dexter chief a laurel wreath Or.

{Name reg'd 2/98}

The client's previous submission (Per fess azure and gules, an open gate argent and a moon in her plenitude, all within a laurel wreath Or) was returned by Laurel on 12/98 for use of a banned charge (gateway). This is a complete redesign.

This was pended on the April ILoI for lack of a petition. The petition has now been provided.

21) Otto Volkmar Tannhäuser. New Name.

Otto is found in Scott, "Medieval German Given Names from Silesia" (http://www.sca.org/ heraldry/laurel/names/bahlow_v.htm) and in Scott, "German Given Names 1200-1250" (http://www.sca.org/heraldry/ laurel/names/germ13.html). Volkmar is in Scott, "Medieval German Given Names from Silesia." Tannhäuser means "people of the pine forest" in German and is the name of a 15th century German myth (and later a Wagner opera) and is based on a French story. There is no indication it was used by humans as a byname. The client cares most about meaning and wants an authentic German name. He will NOT accept major changes.

Brechenmacher (I: 270) has Tannhäuser as an alternate header spelling but does not date this form specifically.

22) Philip de Sayers. New Name and Device. Argent, on a bend azure, four Maltese crosses argent between a book closed vert, tooled Or and three fleurs-de-lys bendwise gules.

Philip is in Withycombe (245) and Sayers is an English surname, according to MacLysaght (265). The client cares most about sound and language and wants an authentic 14th-16th century Welsh (!) name. He will NOT accept major changes and will NOT allow the creation of a holding name.

The device has a complexity count of nine and should be returned. The fleurs-de-lys need to be drawn larger and centered in the lower part of the field.

23) Sigrid de la Mare. Device Resubmission. Per pale sable and vert, a cross crosslet Or.

{Name reg'd 9/98}

The client's previous submission (Vert, an eagle rising, wings elevated and addorsed Or and on a chief sable three crosses crosslet Or) was returned by Rouge Scarpe on 4/98 for poor contrast. This is a complete redesign.

24) Stephana Relicta le Clark. Device Resubmission. Or, pily to point azure, a comet palewise Or.

{Name reg'd 5/98}

The client's previous submission was returned by Rouge Scarpe on12/97 for conflict. We have no copy of the 12/97 ILoAR and cannot provide the original conflict.

25) Tairdelbach ua Conaill. New Name.

Tairdelbach is in Ó Corráin & Maguire (169). Conall is in ibid (56). The genitive form is Conaill. The client cares most about having an Irish name and would like an authentic 7-9th century Irish name. He will NOT permit major changes.

Yours In Service,

Paul Wickenden of Thanet

c/o Paul Goldschmidt
3071 Cimarron Trail
Madison WI 53719
608-288-0255
goldschp@uwplatt.edu

Dragon:

Rouge Scarpe: