ÆTHELMEARC COLLEGE OF HERALDS - commentary archive
Letter of Intent #50
Myfanwy ferch Rhiannon

Feast of St. Edburga of Winchester
15 June, AS XXXVI

Greetings from Myfanwy!

Enclosed pray find commentary on #Æ 50. I *really* meant to get this out sooner, since it was mostly done a couple of weeks ago, but I planted rosebushes instead. A lot. (15 at current count, although Alastar helped with the first two of them -- only 8 more to go for this season!!)

Lady Myfanwy ferch Rhiannon
mka Ruth Morrisson
RMorrisson@aol.com

NB: As a general comment on this letter, before I get started: There seems to have been some sort of glitch in copying/scanning the emblazons. There are very odd breaks in outlines, both in the shields/roundels and in the charges. I know that the stuff I drew for this letter did not start out with those line breaks, and I'm pretty sure -- seeing as how the glitches are fairly uniform in location -- that the other submissions didn't start out that way either. Please take that into consideration when examining the emblazons.

1) Ailis ingen ui Donnubáin -- Argent, three trefoils slipped vert, a chief embattled gules.

The name docs. are as cited; note, however, that 'Ailis' is under the header form 'Alis, Ailis'.

2) Anton Ivan Stanslovich -- Per fess embattled, sable and vert, three mullets Or and a horse courant argent.

A Dictionary of Period Russian Names (and some of their Slavic roots) by Paul Wickenden of Thanet [http://sca.org/heraldry/paul/a.html] gives a database of Russian names. From it, I find 'Anton' as a variant of 'Antonii', with the citation: 'Vars: Anton (Anton Sholukha, Vinnitsa craftsman). 1552.'; 'Ivan' is a variant of 'Ioann', with the citation 'Ivan (Ivan Fomin syn, governor). 1181-2.'

In addition to the cite for 'Stas', the database gives 'Stan (m) -- "stood." 'Stan. 1458' citing 'Stanko (Stanko Mordas) Recorded in 1452. ' as a diminutive form, with the patronymic form 'Stankovich [from Stanko]' and citing '(Bortko Stankovich, Gedroisk boiar). 1512.' I'm giving this somewhat extraneous information because it is unclear from the LoI whether the submitted spelling is supposed to be 'Stanslovich' or 'Staslovich'.

The line of division is too high on the field -- this looks more like a badly drawn (i.e., too large) chief. The mullets are badly drawn and the horse is a bit small.

Possible reblazon: Per fess embattled sable and vert, in chief three mullets in fess Or and in base a horse courant argent.

3) Antonio de Luna -- Azure, between two decrescent Or, a bend dovetailed argent.

I found 'Antonio' more or less as cited [http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~kvs/mnames.html]; however the online version does not give bynames that I could find, only mens' given names.

Reblazon: Azure, a between dovetailed argent between two decrescents Or.

4) Baraka bint Hasan al-Fahim -- Azure, a pair of zils within two scimitars crossed at the hilts in saltire argent.

The given name and patronymic are as cited. I could not find a citation for the byname, however.

The zils are as shown in the PIC-DIC (fig. 818).

I'm wondering if the scimitars should be reblazoned as 'crossed in saltire at the hilts', but it's a clunky blazon no matter what you do with it.

5) Briant Huntington -- Vert, in fess two dolphins naiant addorsed palewise, a chief wavy five decrescents vert.

Reblazon: Vert, two dolphins hauriant addorsed, on a chief wavy argent five decrescents vert.

6) Brigette de Sainte Mere Eglise (badge) -- Azure, on a pale argent, a rose barbed and seeded azure.

The rose should not be overlapping the edges of the pale.

7) Brigitte MacFarlane the Red -- Argent, vetu ploye purpure estencele argent a Ukrainian trident head sable.

The O'C & M docs are as cited; however, it is a good idea if a heading stretches over more than one page to say so, since the actual quoted citation is on p. 37.

The Reaney and Wilson docs. are as cited.

The PIC-DIC (fig. 684), under the header 'Sparks', says: 'In early Norman heraldry, a semy of sparks was termed 'estencelé', and was not uncommon. Estencelé is only found as a semy....'

I checked the Precedents, and did not find much concerning 'estencele'. I did find a number of rulings about semés in general, the most relevant being that semy as been treated as a group of charges since Baldwin's tenure:

I have decided to treat semy as a group of charges. This appears to be more consistent with mundane armory than our present policy of considering semy to be a treatment of the field.... Semy is defined as "strewn with as many identical charges as will reasonably fit." [BoE, cvr ltr, 30 Mar 86, p.1]

This ruling was reinforced by Daud during his first tenure:

It is Laurel's position that a semy is a group of charges in and of itself, separate and distinct from any other charge or group of charges (the exception being where the semy and the other charge(s) are the same). (LoAR 10/90 p.9).

During his tenure, Bruce gave a CD between estencelé and ermine, although he noted:

(Though, to judge from the discussion in Brault's Early Blazon, no period difference would be granted between estencely and mullety or estoilly.) (Caitlin Decourcey Corbet, September, 1992, pg. 3)

There are also pertinent rulings in the Precedents about 'vetû' and 'vetû ploye'. Alisoun, during her tenure wrote:

Charging a chape or vetû is extremely bad practice in itself. (LoAR 30 Oct 88, p. 14)

Bruce worded this even more strongly:

Vêtu fields should not have charges in the "vested" portions of the field --- and although this was blazoned on the LoI as a lozenge concave throughout, the latter two adjectives almost mandate this be considered a vêtu field. (Caelina Lærd Reisende, December, 1992, pg. 15)

Given that estencelé is a type of semy (and that semés are considered charges), and given that vetû and vetû ploye should not be charged, I'm afraid that this should be returned. A possible suggestion for a resubmission would be, if the estencelé is desired, to move the semy to the field, leaving the vetû ploye uncharged (although the sparks would have to be a color, not a metal).

8) Constance Waite (badge) -- Vert, a cross pheony argent a bordure engrailed argent.

While the PIC-DIC (fig. 203) gives 'cross pheony' as an alternate mundane armory blazon, it does not cite a specific source. Without a citation, I find that blazon awkward, and can in fact not find it in any of my sources. In particular, Parker (p. 155) says: 'A cross composed of four escallop shells [sic], or of four pheons [sic], would only be blazoned as such.' The closest I could find in Foster is the arms of William Hurleton (from the Edward IV Roll), bearing 'four ermine spots in cross' [in the emblazon the bottom of the tails are in the center of the cross, BTW].

The bordure is invected, not engrailed.

Reblazon: Vert, a cross of [four] pheons [within] a bordure invected argent.

9) Cadell Blaidd du -- Gules, a pale chevronelly argent and sable.

Nice armory!

10) Cecily of Whitehaven (badge) -- Per fess argent and azure, in chief a lozenge fesswise gules.

11) Cordelia Colton -- Per bend sinister wavy Or and azure, a bend sinister wavy between two crosses bottony [sic] counter-changed [sic].

The bend sinister is too thin line -- it should be much thicker. In addition, the waves should be drawn as much more pronounced. (I'll happily volunteer to do so!)

Correction of blazon: Per bend sinister wavy Or and azure, a bend sinister wavy between two crosses botonny counterchanged.

12) Honorée d'Avallon -- Purpure, two horses rampant addorsed between three fleurs-de-lys argent.

Very nicely drawn!

13) Ivo Thorne

The Withycombe and Reaney & Wilson docs. are as cited. So is the cite for Julian Goodwyn [http://sca.org/heraldry/laurel/names/brasses/men.html]. In addition, In the citation for the "Brass Enscription Index" [http://sca.org/heraldry/laurel/names/brasses/lastnameTZ.html] I found the submitted spelling for the byname: 'Thorne - 1570'.

14) Khazira bint Hakim -- Vert, a pegasus rampant contourney [sic] between three decrescents argent.

'Hakim' is found in "Arabic Naming Practices And Period Names List" by Da'ud ibn Auda (David Appleton) [http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/daud/arabic-naming/]. However, the same source did not appear to include 'Khazira'. I don't know which is more recent -- the web article or the KWHS Proceedings (since I don't know which year the Proceedings were from).

15) Klaus Von Isenfaust -- Per pale vert and argent, a tower between three butterflies counter-changed [sic].

There are numerous variants of 'Nicolaus' in Talan's article on Silesian names [http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/talan/bahlow/bahlowMasc.html]. The closest documented spellings I can find to 'Klaus' are 'Clawis' (dated to 1381), 'Close' (dated to 1406), 'Cloze' (dated to 1399), 'Klose' (dated to 1444), 'Klas' (dated to 1420), 'Clösel' (dated to 1403) and 'Klösel' (dated to 1373).

From the little I recall of my high-school German, 'Von' actually translates as 'from'; unless 'Isenfaust' is a placename, it should probably be dropped. In any event, it should not be capitalized.

16) Leonor Farfán

The cite for 'Leonor' is as given [http://www.sca.org/heraldry/laurel/names/spanish.html]. However, the website only lists given names, not bynames.

17) Mea the Bold -- Per pale argent and vert, a butterfly counter-changed [sic].

'Mea' can be found in "Italian Renaissance Women's Names" by Rhian Lyth of Blackmoor Vale (Jo Lori Drake) [http://www.sca.org/heraldry/laurel/names/ italian.html], which says in part: 'Some of these names are diminutive forms or nicknames derived from other name, but all were used independently in formal legal documents.'

The Reaney & Wilson docs. are as cited.

I do wonder, however, about an Italian given name and English byname. Would it be better to find an Italian equivalent for 'the Bold'?

Correction of blazon: Per pale argent and vert, a butterfly counterchanged.

18) Murdoch Bayne (badge) -- Per pale ermine and vert, a lion's head cabossed Or.

This is not a particularly heraldic looking lion's head, but it is probably registerable.

19) Reynold Wolferton

The Withycombe docs. are as cited.

The "Brass Enscription Index" by Julian Goodwyn (mka Janell K. Lovelace) [http://sca.org/heraldry/laurel/names/brasses/lastnameTZ.html] gives the form 'Wulvedon' and dates it to 1514.

20) Rosalinda of Castile

The Withycombe docs. are as cited, although not specifically dated.

21) Tarlach 'Shadowraven' McLave (badge) -- Per fess sable and gules rayonny, a horse running argent sinister a chief embattled argent.

What's the deal on this submission? Is the name being resubmitted/appealed? If not, it should have been submitted under the registered name (so as not to drive the Laurel completely bonkers trying to find the file!).

Much can be said about this badge submission, and I'm afraid that none of it is good. The blazon is very garbled, but that's the least of the problems (I *do* understand that Isake is a baby herald -- please take this as constructive criticism and part of the learning process). This is *very* complex for a badge, especially with the chief (which is, BTW, too small). In addition, overlapping a low-contrast (i.e., of two colors in this case) and complex line of division with a charge is not allowed. [RfS VIII, 3, which states in part:

3. Armorial Identifiability - Elements must be used in a design so as to preserve their individual identifiability. Identifiable elements may be rendered unidentifiable by significant reduction in size, marginal contrast, excessive counterchanging, voiding, or fimbriation, or by being obscured by other elements of the design. For instance, a complex line of partition could be difficult to recognize between two parts of the field that do not have good contrast if most of the line is also covered by charges.

BTW, if this submission *were* legal, it would be reblazoned as: Per fess rayonny sable and gules, a horse courant contourny and a chief embattled argent.

22) Tessa la Hunter -- Azure, a ferret sejant erect maintaining three arrows argent, a bordure ermine.

In searching the Academy of St. Gabriel reports, I found in Report #2106 (dated 2 October 2000) [http://www.panix.com/~gabriel/public-bin/showfinal .cgi?2106+0]

<Tessa> is an English pet form of <Theresa>. The name <Theresa> was not introduced to Ireland until after our period [2]. We strongly recommend you avoid this name.

The Reaney & Wilson docs. are as given.

Reblazon: Azure, a ferret sejant erect maintaining a sheaf of three arrows argent, a bordure ermine.

23) Wülfer von Drachenhand -- Sable three decrescents in bend between two wolves' heads erased uluant [sic] contourney [sic] argent.

Correction of blazon: Sable, three decrescents in bend between two wolves' heads erased ululant contourny argent.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Brooke-Little, J. P. An Heraldic Alphabet. London: Robson Books; 1973, 1975.

Bruce Draconarius of Mistholme and Akagawa Yoshio [Kevin Munday and Bruce Miller]. A Pictorial Dictionary of Heraldry, 2nd ed., 1992.

De Cadenas y Vicent, Vincente. Diccionario Heraldico. Madrid: Ediciones Hidalguia, 1954.

Foster, Joseph. The Dictionary of Heraldry: Feudal Coats of Arms and Pedigrees. London, Studio Editions Ltd., 1992. [formerly published as: Some Feudal Coats of Arms. (London: ?): James Parker and Company, 1902.]

Fox-Davies, Arthur Charles. A Complete Guide to Heraldry. New York: Bonanza Books, 1978.

Neubecker, Ottfried. A Guide to Heraldry. London: Cassell Ltd.; 1979, 1981.

O' Corráin, Donnchadh, and Fidelma Maguire. Irish Names. Dublin: the Lilliput Press; 1981, 1990.

Parker, James. A Glossary of Terms Used in Heraldry. Rutland, VT: Charles E. Tuttle Co., 1970.

Reaney, P. H., and R. M. Wilson. A Dictionary of British Surnames, 3rd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1995, 1997.

Rogers, Colonel H. C. B., O.B.E. The Pageant of Heraldry: An Explanation of its Principles & its Uses To-day. London: Seeley Service & Co., Ltd., 1957.

Withycombe, E. G. The Oxford Dictionary of English Christian Names, 3rd ed. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press; 1977, 1988.

Woodward, John, and George Burnett. A Treatise on Heraldry: British and Foreign. Rutland, VT: Charles E. Tuttle Co., 1969.

URLs and Academy of St. Gabriel letters as cited.