ÆTHELMEARC COLLEGE OF HERALDS - commentary archive
Letter of Intent #48
Myrkfaelinn Commenting Group

Greetings unto Lord Dagonell Collingwood, Garnet Herald, from Lord Bertran de Mellegwenn, Dominion Pursuivant.

The Myrkfaelinn Guerilla Heralds met on February 22 to discuss the Aethelmearc Internal Letter of Intent #AE48. In attendance were Lady Adeliza de Saviniaco, Ruaidhri MacRaith O'Griobtha, and myself. Below please find our comments on this letter.

Yours in Service,
Bertran de Mellegwenn

We have a general comment concerning names: it would be helpful in framing our comments if future letters of intent could include the target culture and time period for name submissions.

#1. Name: Note the October 1999 Laurel returns of "Order of the Mountain Hart/Hawk/Lark." The reason for return is stated as: "No evidence was given that "mountain" is a reasonable adjective to apply to a hart. While there are no doubt harts in the mountains, we know of no particular mountain variety." This submission argues that sylvan is a reasonable adjective to apply to a hound. However, based upon the Laurel precedent it runs the risk of return unless evidence can be presented that a) the adjective "sylvan" was applied to animals before 1650, b) that any actual variety hound existed before 1650 that could be described as a sylvan hound, or c) that any mythical forest-dwelling hound was described before 1650.

#1. Badge: No conflict found.

#2. Name: The citation for Alana used here will also apply to last month's Alana, to which we objected. We stand corrected. :-)

#2. Device: No conflict found.

#3. Name: A summary of the St. Gabriel citation would be useful. However, investigation of the letter shows that the Academy believes the byname to be appropriate for our period.

#3. Device: Laurel allows this combination of charges in the 10/98 Cover Letter. However, we find a conflict with Fiacha Suileach, "Per pale azure and purpure, in fess an increscent argent, a bezant, and a decrescent argent." (One CD for the field. Since fewer than half of the primary group of charges are changed in tincture, we cannot count a second CD.)

#4. Device: There is a CD between a mascle and a rustre (LoAR 10/95 p. 4). No conflict found.

#5. Name: The name seems plausible, but we'd like to see better documentation. We have some qualms about the combination of elements, given that there is a breed of cattle called Angus, but this does not to our knowledge violate any rules.

#5. Device: There are some artistic problems with the device as drawn. The gate is not drawn as in the PicDic, although the difference is probably within artistic license. However, the animal's head is more problematic. A goat should have two more or less straight horns pointing backwards and a more pronounced beard. A bull should have two curved horns and a ring in its nose. A yale would have horns pointing in opposite directions, but should also have tusks. No conflict found.

#6. Name: Nothing to add.

#7. Name: We have a history of returning bynames formed from past participles. LoAR 7/99 R-Atenveldt, "Corwynn the Lost" : "English bynames were not formed from adjectival past participles, and previous Laurels have been returning names for that reason." See also LoAR 8/96 p. 8, 5/97 p. 8, 3/98 p. 20. My dictionary (Merriam Webster's Collegiate) does identify "beloved" as the past participle of the Middle English word "beloven", "to love."

#7. Device: No conflict found.

#8. Name: Nothing to add.

#8. Device: No conflict found.

#9. Although polygons have been used in SCA arms, I don't believe that they were truly period with a few exceptions such as the delf. Depending on the interpretation, there is a potential conflict with Mathias Sicco von Hagen, "Argent, a pall voided sable."

Voiding is traditionally considered equivalent to adding a tertiary charge (LoAR 12/92 p. 15). If we consider this, then "Argent, on a pall sable a sinister gauntlet clenched between three octagons argent" conflicts with "Argent, a pall voided sable" with one CD only for cumulative changes to the tertiary charges.

#10. Name: Nothing to add.

#10. Device: No conflict found.

#11. Name: Nothing to add.

#11. Device: Conflicts with Beautrice Hammeltoune, "Two horses rampant addorsed tails entwined argent." Perhaps someone is working with an out-of-date copy of the ordinary.

#12. Device: This conflicts with Dieter des Schwarzen Eichkätchens, "Per pale gules and argent, a squirrel sejant erect sable maintaining a sword inverted argent." There is one CD for the changes to the field but none for the maintained items.

#13. Device: We have problems with the depiction of the quatrefoil. A properly drawn quatrefoil would leave no room for the charge. The only example we find of a charged quatrefoil has the charge issuant from base - presumably on the bottommost petal. Placing the sea-lion overall would violate Laurel's policy on fieldless charges overall (LoAR cover letter of 3 August 1992). No conflict found.

#14. Device: No conflict found.

#15. Name: The submission should include documentation that "of the hillfolk" follows some period German (Dutch?) naming convention.

#16. Name: Additional documentation would be appreciated.

#16. Device: The chevron should be angled more steeply. We reblazon as "Per chevron azure and sable, a chevron between a heart in canton and a tower Or." No conflict found.

#17. Name: A Robert le Forestier is found in Reaney and Wilson dated to 1322.