Æthelmearc Letter of Report Æ107
September 30, 2007 (AS 42)

Greetings from Alheydis Garnet,
We would very much like to thank those who commented on this exceptionally large collection of items: Aryanhwy merch Catmael, The Heronter Heralds and Myfanwy ferch Rhiannon!
The items accepted on this letter have been forwarded to Laurel for further consideration, where we expect they will be decided on in January of 2008.
1: Ælfra Long - New Device Change Accepted 
Per pale argent and lozengy argent and purpure, three domestic cats rampant contourney sable crowned Or.
2: Æsa Helgulfsdottir - New Name  & New Device Accepted
Per pend argent and sable, a flame azure and an arrow bendwise argent. 
3: Æthelmearc, Kingdom of - New Badge Returned
(Fieldless) On a barrel proper, an escarbuncle argent.
This conflicts with Concordia of the Snows, Barony of (reg. 07/1996 via the East), "(Fieldless) On a barrel proper a snowflake argent environed of a snake involved Or." There is 1 CD for fieldlessness. Although there is a change in number to the teriaries, there is only a change of type to half the tertiary charge group. RfS X.4.j.i states:
Changes of type, number, tincture, posture, or independent changes of arrangement may each count as one of the two changes. Generally such changes must affect the whole group of charges to be considered visually significant, since the size of these elements and their visual impact are considerably diminished. For example, Sable, two mullets and a fleam argent and on a chief Or three mullets gules would not have a clear difference from Sable, two mullets and a fleam argent and on a chief Or a mullet between two lozenges vert.
Commenters suggest setting the barrel palewise, rather than fesswise, to clear the conflict. Another suggestion would be to make the barrel gules, or another color other than brown.
4: Aquila Blackmore - New Device Change Accepted
Gules, on a lozenge ployé argent between in chief two coronets Or, a mullet sable, a bordure embattled argent.
5: Beniamin Hackewode - New Name  & New Device Accepted
Vert, a wolf rampant contourny maintaining a halberd argent, in dexter chief a mullet Or.
6: Brandubh Ó Donnghaile - New Badge Accepted
(Fieldless) A drum bendwise argent.
7: Caitrióna inghean Uí Chonaill - New Name  & New Device Returned
Per chevron azure and vert, two cats sejant addorsed tails entwined and on open book argent each page charged with a triquetra sable.
The name conflicts with Caiterína inghean uí Chonaill registered in April 2001 via Atlantia.
The device must be returned without a name submission to accompany it. However, even if the name had been approved, the device has several problems. The field division is drawn too low on the field to be "per chevron." Making the lower part of the field a point pointed would introduce two problems: (1) a color peripheral charge would appear on a color field, and  (2) the triquetras would then be placed on a fourth layer. The Heronter Heralds suggest blazoning the field division as "per chevron abased." However, we note that a device was fairly recently returned using this blazonry:
Stephen Aldred.  Device change. Per chevron abased vert and argent, a dragon passant argent and a hunting horn reversed gules.
The line of division is much too low to be per chevron, and too high to be a point pointed. We note that this line of division does not match the one on his currently registered device, and as such the Grandfather Clause does not apply. (LoAR 8/2004)
8: Catrijn van der Hedde - New Device Accepted
Or, a dragon's head cabossed sable and on a chief vert three triangles inverted Or. 
9: Däumler Helm - New Name Returned
The name Däumler is an occupational byname, which may not be used as a given name, unless evidence can be provided that occupational bynames were adopted as given names in period German usage. Thus, this name uses two bynames, but no given name, which violates RfS  III.2.a.
10: Éamonn mac Alaxandair - New Name  & New Device  Accepted
Per bend sinister argent and Or, three dexter hands in bend sinister and a lion rampant gules, a bordure sable.
There was mild concern among some commenters that the use of a red hand with an Irish name was evocative of the so-called "Red Hand of Ulster," a restricted charge. However, precendent states:
There was some concern whether this was too reminiscent of the Red Hand of Ulster, a prohibited charge in the SCA. It turns out that the Red Hand of Ulster was used as an augmentation, not as a main charge. We would certainly return a device that used a canton argent charged with a hand gules, and perhaps even a chief argent charged with a hand gules would be too suggestive; but the use of red hands, gloves, gauntlets, etc., on white backgrounds is not, in and of itself, cause for return. (LoAR August 1992, s.n. Guillaume de la Rapière [Atenveldt])
We note that Table 2 of the Glossary of Terms [URL: http://www.sca.org/heraldry/coagloss.html] does list among the restricted charges the "Red Hand of Ulster" blazoned as A sinister hand appaumy gules on argent canton or inescutcheon on the grounds that it is the augmentation used British Baronets. The online O&A lists the registration of the augmentation (without reference to Ulster) as follows:
# Great Britain
      * The following augmentation associated with this name was registered in May of 1999 (via Laurel):
     Argent, a sinister hand appaumy gules.
     Important non-SCA augmentation
The charge in question, while in fact the badge of British Baronets, is not the equivalent of the "Red Hand of Ulster." The Red Hand of Ulster, as it appears on the Ulster flag and arms, and on the former flag of Northern Ireland, is a dexter hand. (The hand appears on a white escucheon on the Ulster arms, and on a white mullet of six points on the flag of northern Ireland.) Conversely, the hand used as an augmentation by British Coronets is a sinister hand. This was confirmed to Garnet in private correspondence from Richmond Herald of the College of Arms, London, dated February 19, 2007:
Thank you for your e-mail of 12 February addressed to the College of Arms. As far as I know (and I have had a quick look at some 17th century recordings), the badge of a baronet has always been a sinister hand. The emblem associated with Ulster is indeed a dexter hand while the hand in the arms of the O'Neills seems usually to have been a sinister one.
Lynch-Robinson, Intelligible Heraldry (London, 1948), p. 179, traces to confusion to Fox-Davies:
The Baronet's Augmentation. The hand in the officially registered arms of the Province of Ulster is the Red Hand of the O'Neills, and is a dexter hand[sic]. It will be seen on the Eire 2 1/2 d. stamp, in the arms of the Government of Northern Ireland and on many Irish documents. The hand of the Baronet's Augmentation is a sinister [sic] hand, and - despite all English heraldic authority to the contrary - it is not the Red Hand of Ulster. One or two instances can be found (e.g. Campbell, of Succoth, Co. Dumbarton) where a dester hand is used for the badge, but these are exceedingly rare. We find that Fox-Davies, with beautiful impartiality, refers, in his blazons, to both sinister and dexter hand as "...his Badge of Ulster as a Baronet". Undoubtedly, ninety-eight percent of more of the baronets' arms bear the sinister hand...
Therefore, Garnet has requested that the restricted charge no longer be refered to as the "Red Hand of Ulster" in the Glossary of Terms. Such use perpetuates the long-standing confusion of the two charges. And while no difference is granted in SCA armory between a dexter hand and a sinister hand, the modern and historical political context makes it most prudent to clearly differentiate between the (dexter) Red Hand of Ulser and the (sinister) augmentation of the Baronets of the United Kingdom.
11: Erasmus Fryermut - New Name Accepted
12: Ernine ingen Duib Dara - New Name  & New Device Accepted
Argent, an oak leaf bendwise sinister vert and on a chief sable three triquetras argent. 
13: Helena Lyncoln of Norfolk - New Name  & New Device Accepted
Quarterly gules and azure, four griffins argent. 
14: Iohann filius Agustin - New Name  & New Device Accepted with revised blazon
Azure, two axes in saltire and on a chief argent two eagles displayed heads to sinister sable.
The blazon was corrected to reflect that the heads are to sinister.
15: Iwan Dyerrics - New Name  & New Device Accepted with revised blazon
Quarterly argent and azure, a winged moose passant guardant sable.
The posture of the moose was reblazoned as passant, rather than statant as it appeared on the ILoI. Also, the field was reblazoned Quarterly argent and azure, rather than "quarterly azure and argent" as it appeared on the ILoI.  Ailis confirmed via the Æthelmearc heralds dicussion list that the color emblazon was revised in consultation with the submitter to improve the identifiability and contrast of the moose against the field.
16: Jakob Heckrath - New Name  & New Device Accepted
Per chevron argent and gules, a dragon's head erased and a chief azure. 
17: John Lionheart - New Name Changed & New Device Accepted
Vert, a lion's head affronty and on a chief Or three hearts vert.
Originally submitted as John atte Lionheart, we found no evidence of the byname as a toponym, locative or sign name. We have therefore dropped the prepostion, treating the byname as a descriptive. I had meant to reblazon the position of the head as cabossed, but neglected to make the change to the blazon in OSCAR.
18: Katarzina Pogonowska - New Name Changed & New Device Accepted
Vert, a fox sejant argent, a trimount Or.
Submitted to kingdom as Katarzina Poganowski, commenters alerted us to the need to match the gender of the locative byname to the gender of the bearer. We have changed the byname to Pogonowska to make it feminine.
19: Katerina of the Debatable Lands - Resub Name Changed & New Device Accepted
Per bend Or and vert, two linden leaves in bend sinister stems issuant from the line of division counterchanged.
Submitted to kingdom as Katerina of the Debateable Lands, the spelling of the locative was changed at kingdom to reflect the registered spelling of the SCA group name.
20: Katheryn M'Kethirryke - New Name Change & New Device Change Accepted
Per chevron azure and argent goutty de sang, two wolves combattant and a chief fleury argent.
21: Magdalena de Mayfeld - New Name  & New Device Accepted
Argent vetu ployé counter-ermine, a winged dragon sejant contourny purpure maintaining an egg sable.
Commenters noted that the egg is very small, even for a maintained charge. We note the following precedent:
Aurelia du Coeur Sincère. Device. Per pale gules and argent, a goblet bendwise distilling a gout, within a bordure "nebuly" counterchanged.
The nebuly line of partition is unidentifiable on the emblazon; it more strongly resembles a potenty line with the corners rounded off. This must be returned for redrawing.If she resubmits with this motif, also instruct her to draw the gout larger. Even as a "maintained" charge, it should be drawn large enough to see. (LoAR August 1993, s.n. Aurelia du Coeur Sincère [returns - East])
Since the small size of the gout in Aurelia's device was not the cause for return, we defer to Wreath to decide on whether the size of egg in Magdalena's emblazon warrants an artist's note or a return for redraw.
22: Maghnus an Chnoic na n'Iora - New Badge Returned
Azure, in pale a chevron couped and a single-headed chess knight argent.
This drawing uses a modern Staunton-style chess knight, which is not registerable. Note the following recent return:
Durko Vadas.  Device. Sable, on a mullet of seven points inverted Or a chess knight purpure, a base rayonny Or.
This device is returned for using a modern, not a period, chess piece. The emblazon represents a chess knight from the Staunton chess set, which was created in the mid-nineteenth century. The period heraldic chess knight, as found in the arms of Hertzheim (Siebmacher, plate 95) is double-headed; we permit single-headed chess knights in the SCA if they are explicitly blazoned, but they still can't be the Staunton form. That, alone, has long been reason for return, as far back as the case of Graça d'Alataia (returned February 1985). [LoAR December, 2006]
An image of period chess pieces may be viewed at http://oscar.sca.org/cImages/47/2006-10-17/23-24-21_Chessmen.jpg. For convenience, I have mirrored the image at http://www.aeheralds.net/Letters/AE107/23-24-21_Chessmen.jpg.
23: Morien MacBain - New Badge Accepted
(Fieldless) Four arrows fretted in saltire, overall a sword palewise inverted argent.
Commenters reached no concensus as to whether this would conflict with Ingilborg Sigmundardóttir, (Fieldless) A sheaf of a sword inverted between four arrows argent bound with a garter sable. (reg. 06/2006 via Caid). We defer to Wreath's judgement.
24: Nefyn merch Cinuin ap Maelgwn - New Name & New Device Returned
Argent, a cinquefoil purpure seeded vert within an annulet sable, a bordure vert.
The given name Nefyn is a modern form. The May 2007 LoAR included the following decision:
Nemania Brigans.  Name and device. Sable semy of decrescents argent, a torch Or enflamed gules and in chief a coronet Or.
Submitted as Nyfain of Brigantia, the submitter requested a name authentic for 6th century Britain. The name Nyfain is a standard modern form of a name found in the 6th C. The bearer of this name is found in genealogies written between the 10th through the 14th C. The name is not a saint's name. Early names found in later genealogies that are not saint's names are not registerable in standard modern (or standard later medieval) forms unless documentation is provided that the name was in use when such a spelling would be appropriate. Barring documentation that this name was in use in later period, the form Nyfain is not registerable. The article used to document the name, Heather Rose Jones, "Names of Women of the Brythonic North in the 5-7th Centuries" (http://heatherrosejones.com/names/welsh/brythonicnorth/5th-7thbrythonicwomen.html), notes that a Latinized Nemania would be appropriate to this period. With a Latinized given name, we would expect a Latinized form of the byname; Harpy suggests that Brigans is an appropriate Latin adjectival form. We have changed the name to Nemania Brigans in order to register it and to partially address the submitter's request for authenticity.
We note that the combination of Welsh and (Roman) Latin is not registerable. Therefore, the entire remainder of the name would likely need to be rendered into a Latinized form. Although the submitter allows all changes, I am loathe to make such sweeping revisions without consulting the submitter. Therefore, I am returning the name outright to allow the submitter to craft her preferred alternate form as a resubmission.
25: Sebastian Wolfgang von Bayern - Resub Device Accepted
Per fess argent and bendy sinister azure and argent, on a demi-eagle issuant from the line of division sable a mullet Or.
26: Shait ben Mikha'el - New Name Change Accepted with Change
This was submitted to kingdom as Shait ben Michael. The documentation provided by the submitter gives Michael as an English equivalent, rather than an alternate transliteration of the Hebrew. We have changed the patronym to be wholly transliterated Hebrew to avoid violating RfS III.1.a which disallows the combination of more than one language in a single name phrase.
27: Sion ap Rhainallt - New Device Accepted
Per chevron azure and vert, an armoured arm embowed sustaining a spear fesswise argent.
28: Þorvaldr friðsamr - New Name  & New Device Accepted
Per pale Sable and Or, a sheaf of swords, the center inverted, counterchanged, a chief enarched counterchanged erminois and pean.
Although only two examples of thin items counterchanged along the long axis were provided, given that the sword so counterchanged here is part of a larger sheaf, we defer to Wreath's judgement.
29: Ulfkell Dungalsson - New Name  & New Device Accepted
Sable, a wolf's head erased contourney argent and a base barry argent and azure.
30: Ulfkell Dungalsson - New Household Name  & New Badge Returned
Domus Canis Bellatoris
Vert, on a sinister hand couped argent a dog's paw print vert.
Aryanhwy merch Catmeal commentary sums up the reasons for return, and I quote her here:
The example of "Dragon Overthrown" does not support this household name for two reasons:  One, it is an order name, not a household name, and household names must be documented to follow period patterns of households, not period patterns of order names.  Two, there was no such order in period.  The pre-1600 order is the <Order of the Dragon>.  The addition of "overthrown" or "defeated" didn't occur until some time after our period.  (In fact, it is still primarily known as the <Order of the Dragon> today, per Wikipedia.)
As documented, the grammar is not correct; the name would literally translate to <House Dog of Warlike>.  If the intended meaning is "house of the warlike dog" (the LoI notes that meaning is most important, but doesn't say what the meaning is...), then it needs to be noted that <canis> is also the genitive form.  I know of no period household names that are formed in this fashion, and note that the cover letter of 01/2007 specifically says that the model pattern has to be documented _in the language of the submitted name_, which has not been done.
Without the accompanying household name, the badge could be registered to Ulfkell personally. However, because the intent was to register the badge in associate with this household name, I think it best to return the badge and allow the submitter to decide whether to resubmit it without a household association. If that is the submitter's desire, I will waive internal commentary on the badge and accept it directly to the next XLoI.
31: Viðarr Hrafnsson - New Name Accepted & New Device Accepted with reblazon
Argent, a raven displayed sable and on a chief azure, an increscent between two triskelions of legs argent.
The triskelions had been blazoned on the ILoI as triskeles.
This concludes our Letter of Report Æ 107 dated September 30, 2007.