Unto François Laurel, Mari Pelican, Zenobia Wreath, and the commenting members of the College of Arms do Ailis Garnet and Roana Cornelian send greetings once again! It is the desire of the Æthelmearc College of Heralds that the following items be considered for registration. Unless otherwise noted, submitters will accept any changes.
1. Adelheidis Spätauf -- New device
Per chevron inverted azure and sable, in chief a cinquefoil Or, in base two arrows in chevron inverted argent.
Her name was on Æthelmearc's Letter of Intent dated October 22, 2002.
We were originally inclined to return this device, as it has a technical conflict with Arwenna of Kelsley, "Argent, chaussé-ployé azure, two arrows inverted in pile and in chief a mullet of eight points counterchanged" with one CD for changes to the field, but no CD for changes to the upper primary charge. From the draft of Elsbeth's precedents a CD can be granted for changing one charge in a group of three only when the changes are to the bottom charge in a two-and-one arrangement:
[Per pall sable, vert and argent, in pale two swords crossed in saltire argent and a cat's paw print counterchanged.] Conflict with ... Per fess embattled vert and argent, in pale two swords in saltire and a compass star counterchanged. There is one CD for the changes to the field, but none for change in type and tincture for only one of three of the primary charges (as they are not arranged two and one). [Roger de Kymberle, 09/99, R-Atlantia]
However, we read the following in the LoAR from 01/03:
Cassandra of Standing Stones. Holding name and device (see RETURNS for name). Per fess dovetailed azure and argent, three mullets argent and a wolf's head erased sable. The device does not conflict with a badge of the Kingdom of Caid, Per fess embattled azure and argent, two mullets of four points and a comet fesswise, head to sinister, counterchanged. There is one CD for changing the number of the charges in the group. There is a second CD for changing the type and tincture of the primary charge(s) on one side of the line of division, even though that portion of the primary group is only one quarter of the group, per the following precedent from the November 1995 LoAR:
There is ... a CD for the change to the field and another for changing the type and tincture of the primary charge group on one side of the line of division, even though numerically this is not "one half" of the primary charge group. For a fuller discussion of this precedent granting a CD for two changes to charges on one side of a line of division even when less than half the charge group is affected, see the December 21, 1991 Cover Letter (with the November 1991 LoAR). This situation arises very rarely aside from the well-known situation concerning the bottommost of a group of three charges two and one, which has its own different set of controlling precedents. The cited precedent appears to have remained in force; the registration history shows that this precedent has neither been overruled nor passively ignored. [Cassandra of Standing Stones, 01/03, A-Calontir]
So, we feel as though the 1995 precedent says that in our particular case, there is a second CD for changing the type and tincture of the charge on one side of the line of division. even though that charge is numerically less than one-half of the primary charge group. At the same time, Elsbeth's 1999 precedent says that there is not a CD for changing the type and tincture for only one of three primary charges (i.e., numerically less than one-half of the primary charge group), since the three charges are not arranged two-and-one. By our reading, Elsbeth's precedent should overrule the 1995 precedent. That 1995 precedent was then reaffirmed by yourselves with no comments concerning the effect on Elsbeth's precedent at all. We are left in confusion as to whether or not poor Adelheidis can be granted a second CD.
If there is a flaw in our logic, we ask the College to explain it to us. If on the other hand we have reasoned correctly, we then ask Laurel to clarify this issue, and to set down a comprehensive precedent indicating when it is and when it is not possible to get CD's for changes to less than one-half of a primary charge group.
2. Áine ingen uí Áengusa– New name, New device
Pean, a horse's head couped contourny and on a chief embattled argent three towers vert.
This name is intended to be feminine. The submitter cares most about the language/culture.
Submitted as Aine ingen uí Mac Aonghus, we have changed the name to conform to Gaelic name construction patterns, after consulting with the submitter to determine her preferences.
Áine is found 10 times between 1169 and 1468 according to Mari's Index of Names in Irish Annals.
ingen uí means 'daughter of the male descendant of.'
Áengus is a male given name found in Tangwystyl's article, 100 Most Popular Men's Names in Early Medieval Ireland. Áengusa is the genitive form used in byname copnstruction, according to the same article.
3. Angus MacBain– New badge
(Fieldless) A thistle per pale sable and Or.
His name was registered in 12/95.
4. Aurenca Mouly – New name, New device
Or, on a chief gules three crosses moline Or.
This name is intended to be feminine. The submitter is interested in an Occitan name (but does not specifically request authenticity); she cares most about the given name's sound and the surname's meaning, "mill" or "windmill".
Aurenca is a header form in Anne Brenon's book, Le petit livre aventureux des prénoms occitans au temps du catharisme. The entry says "Il fut porté notamment, au milleu do XIIIe siècle, par un Parfaite des Cassès …" (Notably, it [the name] was borne in the 13th century by a Perfect/Prefect of Cassès …) and lists the name as Occitan. The submitter also included documentation showing that this spelling of the name (there are other forms listed in the Petit livre) is the one appropriate to her persona. :)
Mouly is found at Villeneuve d'Aveyron's history page, where one E. Mouly was a signatory to the creation of the town's new motto in 1584. Mouly is also listed as a variant spelling in Morlet Noms de Famille s.n. Moulin (which is the French word for 'mill').
5. Fintan na Coilled– New name, New device
Argent, a stag rampant gules and on a chief azure two pairs of arrows in saltire argent.
This name is intended to be masculine. The submitter cares most about the meaning "white fire / ancient of the woods."
Fintan is found 28 times in Tangwystyl's "100 Most Popular Men's Names in Early Medieval Ireland."
na Coilled is cited as early as 1270 in the Toponymics section of Mari's "Index of Names in Irish Annals: Descriptive Bynames" article – look in the alphabetic list of all descriptive bynames. It means "of the wood."
This name is intended to be feminine. The submitter allows minor changes only, cares most about language/culture, and requests authenticity for 10th century Norse. If her new name passes, she wishes to release her old name.
Hrefna is found on p. 11 of Geirr Bassi, which says it occurs once in the Landnamabok.
in heppna is the feminine version of 'in heppni,' which appears on p. 22 of Geirr Bassi. The epithet means "the happy" or "the lucky;" it is from the Landnamabok and has been feminized according to the rules on p. 19 of Geirr Bassi.
Þorgímsdóttir is a patronymic byname meaning 'daughter of Þorgímr.' Þorgímr is found on p. 16 of Geirr Bassi; it occurs 41 times in the Landnamabok. The patronymic has been formed according to the rules on p. 17 of Geirr Bassi.
This name is intended to be feminine. The submitter allows minor changes only, requests authenticity for Byzantine, and cares most about the meaning, where Agrissa is a byname meaning "wild" and Sgourina is her husband's byname meaning "curly." Her primary name was registered in 08/90.
The name pattern <given name><descriptive byname><husband's byname> is documented from "Personal Names of the Aristocracy in the Roman Empire During the Later Byzantine Era" by Bardas Xiphias.
Maria is found in "Byzantine Seals 1025-1261" (http://www.kcl.ac.uk/humanities/cch/PBE/seals/). It is also listed in the Feminine Given Names section of Bardas Xiphias' site, cited in the 4th century and also in 1351.
Agrissa is a feminized version of the Greek word "agrios," which means "wild." The feminization was done according to the rules explained in "Personal Names of the Aristocracy in the Roman Empire During the Later Byzantine Era" by Bardas Xiphias. The "Family Names" section of the Bardas Xiphias' site gives a list of family names, some of which have been converted from patronyms, attributives, and descriptives into hereditary surnames. Given the examples of surnames derived from descriptives that were listed in this section (including "Eirenkios" meaning "peaceful" and "Kaloethes" meaning "of good character"), we feel that "Agrissa" is a reasonable extrapolation for a surname meaning "wild."
Sgourina is a byname also found in "Personal Names of the Aristocracy in the Roman Empire During the Later Byzantine Era" by Bardas Xiphias.