ÆTHELMEARC
COLLEGE OF HERALDS - commentary archive
Letter of Intent #81
Myfanwy ferch Rhiannon
Feast of St. Francis of Assisi
4 October, AS XXXIX
Greetings from Myfanwy!
Enclosed pray find the first part of the commentary on Æ LoI #81
(I
had to break it up since it wound up being about 17 pages of text!). I
tried to be fairly thorough on conflict checking, but did not have
the time to go through any of the LoARs more recent than than what’s
currently in the O &A (which is apparently about a year behind in
updating). I admit that I’m still being a bit conservative on calling
conflicts, but I think it’s necessary at this level.
The Bibliography will be in the last part (rather than copying and
pasting it for every piece of this).
I hope the next letter is a little smaller!
I remain your servant and the Society’s.
Lady Myfanwy ferch Rhiannon
Ruth Morrisson
myfanwy@nauticom.net
1. Adriana Michaels -- Per saltire sable and Or, four crosses
crosslet counterchanged Or and vert.
probably clear of: Karl Moennich von Nord Mark (11/91 Atlantia) --
Per saltire sable and Or, four oak leaves, slips to center, fructed,
counterchanged.
There is a CD for change of type, and one for changing the tincture of
half of them.
NB: also clear of #47 (Thyri the Herbalist -- Per saltire azure and
argent, four crosses clechy counterchanged.
There are CDs for changing the field, and for changing the tinctures
(and probably the type as well) of the crosses.
2. Adriana vander Brugghe -- Azure a chief ermine.
Nice armory!
possibly not clear of: Ivan Geronovich (10/95 An Tir) -- Per pale
sable and gules, a chief ermine.
There is a CD for changing the field.
3. Aiden MacLachan [sic]
ÓC & M (pp. 13-14, sn Áedán) says:
This was a relatively common name in Early Ireland, both for clerics
and laity. It
was borne by some twenty-one saints.... Perhaps the most famous
bearer [p. 14]
of the name was Áedán, the missionary sent by Iona to
christianise
[sic] the
north of England and who founded the monastery of Lindisfarne. The
name is
commonly anglicised [sic] Aidan [sic] and
Edan [sic]....
It does not give the submitted spelling. Withycombe gives the form
“Aidan” (p. 7, sn Aidan); there are no dated citations given, but says
that the Old English form of the name is Æthan [sic].
Is there a typo on the LoI? The byname is spelled “MacLachan” but the
documentation says “MacLachlan”.
Reaney and Wilson (p. 292) gives “MacLachlan”` as a header form
variant of “Lachlan”. It also gives (p. 269) “Lachlan” as a header
form, citing Eugene filius Loghlan [sic], dated to
1296, and Reginald son of Lauchlan [sic], dated to
1327, but does not given any dated citations for “Mac” forms of the
name.
I now have -- as of the Highland Games in Ligonier, PA on September 11
-- a British edition of Black [YAY! :-) :-) ]. The cite is mostly as
given (p. 533, sn MACLACHLAN), but does not have the capitalized “L”
(i.e., the cite is “Maclachlan); additionally, however, Black cites
GIllaspy Mac-[sic]Lachlan, dated to 1308.
4. Alexandra Gray -- Quarterly sable and ermine, a tiger rampant
contourny azure.
The documentation from Withycombe is mostly as given (p. 14); the 1218
citation is actually for the form “Alexandria”.
The Reaney and Wilson cite is as given (p. 203). Interestingly
enough, this is what is normally considered the “American” spelling of
the word (the “English” spelling having an “e” instead of an “a”), but
both spellings are documented to that date.
Nice armory!
no conflicts found
5. Alis inghean Máelán -- Per pale Or and sable, three
mullets
counterchanged.
ÓC & M (p. 21, sn Alis) gives this as as coming from the
Norman-French
form Aliz [sic] and says “By the twelfth century it
had become very common in England and France and was brought into
Ireland by the Normans.”
The docs for “Alis” are more or less as given, except that the name
actually seems to appear twice, once in 1267 and once in 1285 [URL:
http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/mari/AnnalsIndex/Feminine/Alis.shtml].
The ÓC & M docs for “Máelán” are as given (p.
131).
Nice armory!
no conflicts found
6. Avelina Deldolce
The Withycombe docs are as given; they are found under the header
“Evelina” (p. 113, sn Evalina). Additionally, although I could not
find any Italian forms online, I did find a French form in Colm Dubh,
“An Index to the Given Names in the 1292 Census of Paris” [URL:
http://www.sca.org/heraldry/laurel/names/paris.html}, with the name
“Aveline fame Raoul le pavéeur”.
The docs for the byname are as given [URL:
http://www.stg.brown.edu/projects/
catasto/newsearch/family_names.html].
9. Brion Donall Gilbert -- name change from Brion Domhnall Mac Ghille
Brighde
The ÓC & M cite is not quite as given. The actual header
form (pp.
35-6) is “Brian”; ÓC & M says:
The original form was Brion [sic] (two syllables
which later developed into Brian
[sic] with a new genitive, Briain [sic]).”
There are, however, no dated citations for this spelling, nor are
there any in either Reaney and Wilson (pp. 63-4, sn Brian) or
Withycombe (p. 53, sn Brian); the closest in the latter is the form
“Brior”, said to be a 9th century Breton form. That being said,
however, since the form is already registered to the submitter it
should be grandfathered.
The Black cites for both “Donald” and “Gilbert” are as given (pp.
214-15 and p. 298, respectively. The Black cite for “MacDonald” (p.
486) is mostly as given -- there appears to be a typo on the LoI (the
actual cite is “McDonyll”, not “McDonylll”).
10. Cadell Blaidd Du (badge) -- Gules, on a fess argent three mallets
gules all within a bordure argent.
The bordure may be a bit too thick (as per what the artists were being
told from next door -- between 5/8” and 7/8” was the thickness we were
to use). Not my decision, mind -- if we hadn’t been getting grief
about it I would have said this was fine.
Possible alternate blazon: Gules, on a fess within a bordure argent,
three mallets gules.
no conflicts found
11. Catherine Sheffield -- Argent, a chevron between two garbs and a
cross bottony gules.
The chevron is much too shallow -- it should be at a steeper, and more
acute, angle (think 90° or less). The garbs are not particularly
identifiable as such (they kinda look like salt shakers).
probably clear of: Morton the Grey (1/74 ??) -- Argent, a chevronel
gules, in chief a killer whale [Orcinus orca] proper, in base a bow
and arrow gules, bent and nocked, to sinister.
There are CDs for changing the type and number of secondaries, and
possibly one for changing the tincture of half of them.
possibly not clear of: Basileios Philanthropenos Philomathes (1/00
Meridies) -- Argent, a chevron between three crosses of Jerusalem
gules.
There is a CD for changing the type of half the secondaries; there may
or may not be one for changing the type of cross.
possibly clear of: William the Wicked (11/01 Calontir) -- Argent, a
chevron gules between two hounds passant addorsed sable and a torteau.
There is a CD for changing the type of secondaries; there may be one
for changing the tincture of at least half of them.
12. Cera inghean Cernaich
The ÓC & M docs are as given; it is indeed a header form,
and my
understanding is that header forms before a colon are pre-1200 forms.
The docs for “Cernaich” are also as given [URL:
http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/tangwystyl/irish100/#alpha]
13. Cett Donegal -- Gules, three eagle’s jambes erased contourny Or.
I drew ‘em. As far as I’m concerned, they’re contourny. I do,
however, see that a case could be made for calling them “reversed” --
it would depend largely on whether or not they were considered an
inanimate object (the way a sword or an arrow would be) or it they are
considered as part of the critter (a bird’s head, for example, would
probably be blazoned as “contourny” and we would not think twice about
it.
no conflicts found
14. Constantine Blackhart -- Per pale vert and sable, a crux ansata
within an orle Or.
The Withycombe docs are as cited (p. 73).
The Reaney and Wilson docs are also as cited (p. 486). Additionally,
although there is no citations from Reaney and Wilson for “black +
animal”, there are citations for “grey + animal”: on p. 203 (sn
Graygoose) can be found John Gregose [sic], dated to
1524, Mary Graygoose [sic], dated to 1662, Thomas
Graydere [sic], dated to 1373-5, and William
Grehound [sic], dated to 1327.
probably clear of: Christian Darmody (badge, 6/92 Atlantia) -- Paly
bendy sinister azure and argent, a cross flory within an orle Or.
probably clear of: Francesca Lucia Sammicheli (9/98 ??) -- Purpure, a
Bowen cross within a tressure Or.
In each of these, there is a CD for changing the field, and probably
one for changing the type of cross.
possible visual conflict: Malachi Delacot (8/85 Ansteorra) -- Per
bend sinister gules and sable, four lozenges conjoined in cross within
and conjoined to an annulet Or.
There is a CD for changing the field. If displayed on a roundel, I’m
not sure that an annulet would have a CD from an orle; it would have
to be determined whether, from a distance, the two cross types would
be distinguishable and whether the conjoining is obvious.
probably clear of: Eldred Ulfsson (10/00 Meridies) -- Per pale vert
and sable, a cross formy and a bordure embattled Or.
There is a CD for changing the orle to a bordure, and probably one for
the type of cross.
15. Dmitrii Zhirov -- Per bend sable and bendy argent and sable, a
bend sinister per bend argent and bendy sable and argent.
I remember this one coming through the artists’ tent. There was
discussion at the time on trying to find a less clunky blazon. One
suggestion was “Per bend sable and bendy argent and sable, a bend
sinister counterchanged” but it was shot down by someone else on the
basis that that implied the upper part of the bend sinister would be
bendy.
Another one that I just now thought of might be “Per bend sable and
bendy argent and sable, a bend sinister counterchanged across the line
of division” but I’m not sure whether that would make the same
implication.
clear of: Magnus Schatan (1/95 West) -- Per bend sable and bendy Or
and sable, in sinister chief a bezant charged with a cross of ermine
spots vert.
There is a CD for changing the primary charge, and one for adding the
tertiary to it. However, I’m not sure whether there is a CD for the
field, since the top half is the same and the bottom half is only
partly changed (i.e., from argent to Or).
16 Dyfan ap Idris -- Per pale vert and sable, a chevron raguly on the
upper edge and in base three roundels two and one argent.
Unbeknownst to me, I’ve had a copy of Tangwystyl’s [Keridwen’s] “Names
and Naming Practices in the Merioneth Lay Subsidy Roll 1292-3” kicking
around for a while now (Y Camamseriad, #1, Summer, 1992, pp. 58-90). I
didn’t find “Dyfan”, per se, but I did find what seems to be the
similar name “Dwfn”; the article says [p. 64]:
Dwfn [sic] -- Bartrum lists a Dwfn [sic]
and the same element is found in the
compound Dyfnwal [sic]. However this instance might
instead by [sic] a byname (q.v.) [sic]. Doun [0,1]
[sic]
I can’t find my copy of the “Welsh Miscellany”. I did eventually find
“Idris” in Tangwystyl’s [Keridwen’s] “Given Names from P.C. Bartrum’s
‘Early Welsh Genealogical Tracts’“(Y Camamseriad, #1, Summer, 1992,
pp.35-6.) One caveat, however: in the overview, she says;
The spelling of these names in primarily “standard, correct, modern
Welsh” [sic].
(For a few, it is not clear what the “standard, correct” [sic] form
would be.) These
forms are considered acceptable for registration even they [sic]
might never have
appeared in this form in period.
Possible reblazon: Per pale vert and sable, a chevron raguly on the
upper edge argent and in base three plates, two and one.
clear of: Aarnimetsä, Barony of (badge, 6/97 Drachenwald) --
Sable, a
chevron throughout raguly on the upper edge, in base a wolf’s head
caboshed argent.
clear of: Aarnimetsä, Barony of (12/92 East) -- Sable, a chevron
throughout raguly on the upper edge, in base a wolf’s head cabossed
within a laurel wreath argent.
In each case, there is a CD for changing the tincture of half the
field, and one for the type and number of secondaries.
clear of Daniel of Stonemarche (11/91 East) -- Azure, a boar’s head
cabossed argent and in base three plates two and one.
There is a CD for changing the field, and one for changing the primary
charge.
Greetings from Myfanwy!
Herein pray find Part 2 of the commentary on Æ LoI #81. I've been
doing some proofreading as I cut and paste sections, and adding Rich
Text back in as I go (sorry for those who can't read it, but I tend to
copy stuff exactly as I find it, and if it's in italics or boldface,
I'm going to keep that in).
Lady Myfanwy ferch Rhiannon
Ruth Morrisson
myfanwy@nauticom.net
17. Elaine Flamme -- Azure, three open books and a bordure engrailed
argent.
Do we know if redrawing was done as requested?
no conflicts found
18. Eldjarn the Thoughtful -- Quarterly azure and argent, a mermaid
embowed and a merman embowed inverted in annulo counterchanged.
Is there some reason why there is an accent in the documentation for
“Eldjarn” but not in the submission, or is this just a typo?
The Geirr Bassi cite is as given.
Well, I guess this could be considered in annulo (that’s one of those
gacky TSCA terms that I wish would just go away). Not really coming
up with a better blazon; a possible reblazon might be “Quarterly azure
and argent, in fess a mermaid embowed and a merman embowed inverted
counterchanged.
clear of: Ane-Marie Varre of Helsingor (6/75 ??) -- Azure, a mermaid
and a merman affronty proper, their adjacent arms elevated and crossed.
There is a CD for changing half the field and one for the tincture of
the merfolk. There is probably also one for the orientation of the
second one.
19. Elizabeth Stephenson -- Sable, a horse rampant and on a chief
argent three crescents azure.
The Withycombe docs are as given (pp. 99-100).
The Reaney and Wilson docs are also as given (p. 426).
The chief is kinda small -- it should come down lower on the field,
even if the horse then has to be made smaller (did the artist not
understand what the tick marks on the device form were for?). That
would also help to center the crescents on the chief better. Nice
device otherwise.
possibly not clear of: Eleanor Mabille (8/89 West) -- Azure, a horse
rampant argent, hooved and crined Or, on a chief rayonny argent, a
tree eradicated proper between two roses azure.
There is a CD for change of field tincture; while there is a change of
type of tertiary, there is not a change of number or tincture for the
majority of the charge group
possibly not clear of: Christina MacKay (1/91 An Tir) -- Azure, a
horse rampant barded, upon a chief argent three crosses crosslet
fitchy azure.
There is a CD for change of field tincture; there is only a change of
type of tertiary, not number or tincture.
clear of: Diana Rhys of Carmarthen (10/96 Atlantia) -- Vert, a horse
rampant and on a chief argent three ravens close sable.
There is a CD for change of field tincture and one for changing the
type and tincture of the charges on the chief.
clear of: Alfgar the Sententious (1/73 ??) -- Sable, a pegasus
rampant argent, on a chief argent a stag’s attire fesswise sable.
There is a CD between a horse and a pegasus (if there isn’t, there
should be, since winged critters are generally given a CD between them
and the normal, unwinged version); there is also a CD for significant
changes to the tertiaries.
20. Emma Idunn -- Purpure, a foxglove slipped and leaved argent and
in chief three mullets Or.
This appears to indeed be a foxglove; doing a Google search
[http://www.google.com] for images got me to an image that shows the
leaves as well as the flowers {URL:
http://www.washacadsci.org/meadowlark-gardens/ornamentals/foxglove.jpg].
no conflicts found
21. Emrys Gwynedd
The Morgan and Morgan cite is pretty much as given (pp. 118-19),
except that the dated citation appears to be 1614, not 1616 (the
complete name cited appears to be:
Nestia, ux’ Joh’is Hughe Gwynedd.
It is probably okay, and not a conflict. The “k” sound should be
sufficiently different from “gw” (try saying both and pay attention to
the way your lips move when you ). I’m not sure whether this is a
case of “gw” as a consonant, or “wy” as a diphthong vowel (in which
case it’s sort of “oo-ee”-- as in “gwoo-ee” as *almost* two syllables
-- and therefore even more different from the sort of “keh” sound
gotten from “Cy”.
22. Faílenn ingean Cernaich -- Purpure, a Celtic horse and on a
base
argent. three triquetras two and one vert.
ÓC & M (p. 93, sn
Fáilenn) gives this as the pre-1200 (i.e., before
the colon) header form; I’m not bothering to check Mairi’s article,
because ÓC & M says: “Another king of Cashel, Faílbe
Flann
(`637/9),
had a daughter called Faílenn.”
ÓC & M (p. 50, sn Cernach)
says: “Perhaps its most famous bearer was
Cernach Sotal (‘the Arrogant’) [sic], son of the high-king Diarmait
(`
665)....” The docs for the genitive form of the byname
are also as given [URL: http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/
tangwystyl/irish100/].
Sigh. It’s a horse. I *think* it’s passant; although it could just
as easily be statant or couchant. It’s gonna conflict with any other
white passant (or statant, or couchant) horse on a purple field if
there’s a base. And this, boys and girls, is why we don’t *do* things
like this.
Once it’s redrawn in a more standard heraldic style, so it can be
conflict checked and (hopefully) registered, the submitter can draw it
any damn style she wants. But in the meantime, it’s a horse, Celtic
or otherwise.
probably clear of: Troy of Nodham Whyre (4/84 Caid) -- Purpure, a
Trojan horse between three decrescents argent.
There is a CD for changing the crescents to a base, and one for
charging it. I’m not sure I would give much between a Trojan horse
(defined in the PIC-DIC, sn Horse, as “a horse statant upon a wheeled
platform”), given the uncertain posture of the horse on the submitted
emblazon.
clear of: Cynegyth de Hauteville (1/94 Atlantia) -- Purpure, ermined
Or, a horse couchant argent.
There is a CD for adding the ermine spots, and one for dropping the
charged base.
23. Gavin Kent -- Azure, a fret couped, on a bordure argent an orle
of oak leaves vert.
This is not particularly good style. The oak leaves should all be
oriented the same direction (yes, it’s obvious that it was done to fit
on the bordure but it’s wrong). They should also be spaced more
evenly.
Possible reblazon: Azure, a fret couped, a bordure argent semy of oak
leaves vert.
probably clear of: Otto Blauschild (8/00 Atenveldt) -- Azure, a fret
argent, a bordure ermine.
There is a CD for changing the type and tincture of the charges on the
bordure (yes, I know that ermine spots (as a tincture/fur) is
technically different from a semy of leaves, but at a distance it may
not be so obvious). There is probably one for couping the fret.
clear of: Cellach inghean ui Dhubhthaigh (1/03 Calontir) -- Per pale
azure and vert, a fret and bordure argent.
There is a CD for changing half the field, and one for adding the
tertiaries to the bordure. There may be one for couping the fret as
well.
24. Gavin Kent (badge) -- Per pall purpure, azure and vert, a fret
couped argent.
There should probably be a comma after “azure”.
Do we allow per pall of three colors? I checked the RfS [URL:
http://www.sca.org/
heraldry/laurel/rfs.html#7] which says: “
VIII.2..b.v. Elements evenly divided in three tinctures must have
good contrast
between two of their parts.
This does not appear to be the case. It should be noted, however,
that nothing since the mid to late 1980’s has been registered with a
per pall field of three colors, with the exception in 1995 for
protection of the arms (badge? flag?) of South Africa: South Africa
(badge, 9/95 West) -- Per pall fesswise gules, sable and azure, a pall
fesswise vert fimbriated to dexter Or and to sinister argent.
[important non-SCA badge]. Additionally, I did a fairly extensive
Precedent dive [URL:
http://www.sca.org/heraldry/laurel/precedents.html], but found nothing
relevant.
possible conflict: Anézka z Rozmitála [An{e’}{zv}ka z
Ro{zv}mit{a’}la] (badge, 8/03 Ansteorra) -- (Fieldless) A fret couped
argent.
There is a single CD, for field vs. fieldless.
possibly clear of: Anézka z Rozmitála [An{e’}{zv}ka z
Ro{zv}mit{a’}la] (11/01 Ansteorra) -- Gules, in dexter chief a fret
couped argent.
There is a CD for changing the field tincture. There may be one for
the position of the fret, since it is not a forced change.
possibly clear of: Meredudd Brangwyn (4/97 Ansteorra) -- Per saltire
gules and pean, a fret argent.
There is a CD for changing the field. There may be one for couping
the fret.
possible visual conflict: Frank the Illiterate Scribe (8/79
Ansteorra) -- Sable, a fret of six quill pens argent.
There is a CD for changing the field tincture. There may or may not
be one for the type of fret.
25. Katerina McGilledoroughe (badge) -- Per pale gules and vert, a
panther sejant argent spotted sable and on a chief raguly argent a
chain throughout sable.
This is awfully busy for a badge. The complexity count is seven (four
tinctures, three types of charges); eight if you count the complex
line on the chief.
Artist’s note: This is *not* a panther, having a distinct lack of
flames. It’s what the submitter wanted, apparently, but it isn’t a
panther.
Possible reblazon: Per pale gules and vert, a cat sejant argent
spotted sable, on a chief raguly argent a chain throughout sable.
Possible reblazon: Per pale gules and vert, a cat sejant argent
pellety, on a chief raguly argent a chain throughout sable.
probably clear of: Tamara Devereaux (10/82 Caid) -- Azure, a tabby
cat sejant argent, striped sable, its dexter forepaw raised and
maintaining a quill, on a chief embattled argent two quills addorsed
sable.
probably clear of: Anastasiya Fedorovna (11/93 Ansteorra) -- Azure, a
lynx sejant guardant and on a chief indented argent a garden rosebud
reversed, slipped and leaved, sable.
In each case, there is a CD for changing the field, and one for
changing the type of complex line on the chief. I don’t think I
would give anything, however, for the type of cat. I’m not sure I
would give a CD for the tertiaries, either, since they all appear to
be long black fesswise thingies.
27. Kyriell Hawkmoon (badge) -- Argent, a hawk close belled azure
within a bordure embattle [sic] sable.
I presume that there was just a typo on the LoI, and that it’s
actually supposed to be “embattled”.
possibly clear of: Holleigh Falcon (9/91 Meridies) -- Argent, a
falcon azure, hooded, jessed and belled gules, within an orle of holly
leaves vert, fructed gules.
There are CDs for changing the type, number and tincture of the
secondaries.
possibly clear of: Eliska Polacek (5/88 Middle) -- Argent, a swan
naiant azure within a bordure sable.
There is a CD for adding a complex line to the bordure. There may be
one for the type of bird.
possibly clear of: Elizabeth FitzRandolph (3/81 Meridies) -- Argent,
an owl close guardant azure, orbed, beaked and taloned Or, grasping in
its dexter talon a book and in sinister chief an increscent azure.
There is a CD for adding the bordure and one for removing the
increscent. There may be one for the type of bird.
possibly not clear of: Gabriel de Haan (7.96 Drachenwald) -- Argent,
a dunghill cock contourny azure and a bordure embattled sable.
There is a CD for the orientation of the bird. There may or may not
be one for the type of bird.
28. Mairi filia Andreas (badge) -- Barry wavy argent and azure, a
bordure sable semy of broadarrows, points to center, Or.
The cite for “Mairi” is as given [URL:
http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/mari/
AnnalsIndex/Feminine/Maire.shtml]. Note that one must scroll down to
the raw data section to find the actual dated spelling.
The docs for “Andreas” are also as given URL:
http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/
tangwystyl/lateirish/ormond-given.html#Given]. Note that the article
is not listed separately on the Medieval Names Archive, but under
“Fourteenth to Sixteenth Century Irish Names and Naming Practices”
[http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/
tangwystyl/lateirish/] with a link to “The Red Book of Ormond (14th
Century Ireland)”.
This looks relatively simple, but has a complexity count of six (four
tinctures, two types of charges); if you consider the orientation of
the broadarrows as a weirdness, it’s seven, making it pretty busy for
a badge.
This could almost be reblazoned as “Sable, a fountain within an orle
of broadarrows, points to center, Or.
no conflicts found (I checked it both as blazoned and as if if it
were a fountain (roundel) within broadarrows)
29. Matteo Pesci -- Per fess engrailed argent and azure, a
natural catfish embowed and a bordure counterchanged.
I don’t have De Felice. The online article “Florentine Renaissance
Resources: Online Tratte of Office Holders 1282-1532” (David Herlihy,
R. Burr Litchfield, and Anthony Molho, eds.) {URL:
http://www.stg.brown.edu/projects/tratte/doc/name1.html] gives
“Matteo”, citing over 1100 records for the name. The same website,
under the surname section, gives five instances of “Pesci”.
The Online Catasto of 1427 [URL:
http://www.stg.brown.edu/projects/catasto/
newsearch/first_names.html] gives 137 instances of Matteo as a given
name; additionally the same source, under family names [URL:
http://www.stg.brown.
edu/projects/catasto/newsearch/family_names.html] gives one cite each
for “Matteo” and “Pesce”.
Is this embowed enough? It seems to be somewhere between hauriant and
embowed, but not really either.
I presume that it’s blazoned as “natural” to differentiate it from
some form of heraldic sea-beast (like a sea-lion) but I’m not sure
it’s necessary.
Possible reblazon: Per fess engrailed argent and azure, a natural
catfish hauriant embowed and a bordure counterchanged.
no conflicts found
30. Megan the Mad -- Per bend sinister vert and azure, a
dragon segreant maintaining a rapier and an arrow inverted in saltire,
a chief indented Or.
Withycombe (p. 216) gives “Megan” as a header form, but says:
this Welsh name, now sometimes used in England, is apparently a
fairly modern
coinage, perhaps a diminu- [sic] tive of Margaret
[sic]. The earliest example noted
is Megan [sic} Lloyd George MP, d. of the Prime
Minister.
The name appears to be SCA compatible, but the Precedent dates back to
Baldwin’s tenure [URL:
http://www.sca.org/heraldry/laurel/precedents/baldwin.html]:
There are some twenty Megans, Meghans,
and Meggans [sic] already registered.
As with Fiona [sic] and
Corwin [sic], I consider the name to be
so much a part of
SCA culture as to be acceptable, even if it is recent coinage. [BoE,
14 Apr 85, p.4]
There does not appear to be any ruling more recent than that
Complexity count of seven (three tinctures, four types of charges);
eight if you count the complex line on the chief. Ironically, while
the rapier and arrow add to the complexity count, they do not -- as
maintained charges -- count for difference.
no conflicts found
31. Megan the Mad (badge) -- Per pale vert and gules, a dragon’s head
couped Or, overall two rapiers crossed in saltire argent.
The dragon’s head is not couped. It appears to be somewhere between
couped and erased (it’s not really erased, either).
I’m not sure that the rapiers are completely identifiable as such, and
with the blades that thick it is causing some identifiability issues
with the dragon’s head as well.
Complexity count of six (four tinctures, two types of charges).
clear of: Dubghall Domnall MacNayre (6/92 East) -- Per pale vert and
gules, two swords inverted in saltire argent, overall a thistle Or.
There is a CD for changing the head to a thistle, and one for
arrangement of the charges (i.e., the thistle is overall vs. the
swords being over the head). There is probably one for inverting the
swords, as well.
32. Muireann Ni Muirchertaig -- Vert, a bend wavy sinister, in
chief an oak tree eradicated, in base a doe couchant argent.
The online cites from the Annals are all more or less as given, except
that in the first one ‘URL:
http:/www.ucc.ie/celt/published/T100005B/text002.html it is actually
Muireann, daughter of Suart (not Stuart, as on
the LoI), and that I presume the second cite is right (appearing to be
in Old Irish) and that the third cite is the translation of the second.
The Ó C & M cite (p. 141, sn Muirenn) gives the submitted
spelling for
the given name as an after the colon (i.e., post-1200) header form,
and says:
The name was borne by four abbesses of Kildare among whom was
Muirenn,
sister of Fínnechta, king of Leinster who died in 831. An Irish
princess, Muirenn,
is mentioned in the Icelandic Landnámabok [sic] in
the form Myrun [sic].
The cite for the byname as the genitive form is as given [URL:
http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/tangwystyl/irish/100/].
The bend sinister should be thicker, and the complex line of division
somewhat more pronounced so that it’s more obviously wavy.
Reblazon: Vert, a bend sinister wavy between an oak tree eradicated
and a doe couchant argent.
possisbly not clear of:Niamh inghean Bheoaodha uí Chriomhthainn
(8/97 Caid) -- Vert, a bend sinister wavy between a mullet and a fox
sejant argent.
There is a CD for changing the type of secondaries.
probably clear of: Rosamund Tindmielle (1/78 ??) -- Vert, a bend
sinister Or between a white oak and a lyre argent entwined of a vine
Or.
There is a CD for changing the tincture of the ordinary, and one for
changing the type of half the secondaries.
33. Myghin Ine Skylycorne -- Per pale argent and sable, two griffins
sejant respectant, forepaws raised, counterchanged.
The first cite for “Myghin” is as given [URL:
http://www.isle-of-man.com/
manxnotebook/famhist/fnames/kpn.htm], but the name is undated. The
second one [URL:
http://www.isle-of-man.com/manxnotebook/manxsoc/msvol32/index.htm]
does not appear to have any sort of translation; although I found the
word “myghinyn”, I have no idea what it means from context.
The docs for the byname appear to be as given; both the forms
“Skylycorn(e)” and “Ine Skylycorne” are given. Additionally,
“Skkylycorne” appears to be dated to 1511 in the Manx Notebook as a
name possibly of Scandanavian origin [URL:
http://www.isle-of-man.com/manxnotebook/manxnb/v10p053.htm]:
SKILLICORNE, [sic]a name peculiar to the
Isle of Mann, is puzzling. It is most
probably derived from a local name now forgotten, beginning with the
word skellig [sic], 'rock.' We
have Skellig [sic]and
Cornaa [sic] separately among our
local names, but not in combination.
CORNI is found as a personal name in the
Landnamaboc [sic], and SKYLI in the Flateyjarboc [sic].
Sir Philip SKILLICORNE was a vicar in 1521.
[Skylyngcorne 1428] SKYLYCORNE [1511],
SKILLICORNE [1521],
SKYLLESKORN [1540], SKILLICORN [1650], SKILLECORN [1651].
There has to be a better blazon than this, because the
current one kinda implies sejant erect (i.e., *both* forepaws raised).
I’m just not sure what it should be. Maybe: Per pale argent and sable,
two griffins sejant respectant, one forepaw raised, counterchanged.
Nice armory, otherwise.
clear of: Grifphon Shadow, Shire of (1/97 Meridies) -- Per pale
argent and sable, two griffins combatant each maintaining a chalice
and a laurel wreath counterchanged.
There is a CD for adding the laurel wreath, and one for changing the
posture of the griffins.
Greetings from Myfanwy!
Herein pray find the third section of commentary on Æ #81.
Lady Myfanwy ferch Rhiannon
Ruth Morrisson
myfanwy@nauticom.net
34. Oeric Lestrange (new household name House Gold Scorpion, and
badge) -- Purpure, a scorpion tergiant within a bordure embattled Or.
clear of: Prospero de San Giuseppe Iato (badge, 11/98 Æthelmearc)
--
Azure, a scorpion, a bordure Or.
There is a CD for change of field tincture, and one for adding the
complex line to the bordure.
NB: also clear of #44 (Sophie Davenport -- Gules a scorpion tergiant
bendwise sinister argent.
There are CDs for changing the tinctures of the field and primary
charge, and one for adding the bordure.
35. Pepin le Fouinon -- Ermine, two weasels combattant within a
bordure sable.
The docs for the given name are as cited [URL:
http://www.sca.org/heraldry/laurel/names/paris.html#P]; the actual
cite is for “Pepin [un] vallet”.
The cite for the byname is also as given [URL:
http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/arval/crusades/].
Nice name!
probably clear of: Yazida bint Zarif (11/02 Outlands) -- Ermine, two
goats clymant addorsed within a bordure sable.
There is a CD for changing the type of critters, and probably one for
changing their orientation (i.e., from combattant to addorsed).
36. Renata Rouge -- Per bend purpure and sable, a winged tower wings
inverted argent.
Withycombe (p. 251, sn René) says “The German f. name Renate
[sic] is
also sometimes used.” It does not, however, give any dated citations.
The Morlet, Noms de Famille cite is as given; additionally, it
says:
Rousé [sic], aussi n. de lieu (Loire-Atl,), [in condita
Rubiacinse [sic] 845, Rugiacum
sic] xiie [sic] s.], n. de domaine gallo-romain
Rubiacum [sic]....
Dauzat and Rostaing (p. 577) gives Rouge (La) as a header form, saying:
lat. rubeus, -a, [sic] rouge,
appliqué ici soit à une maison, soit à la terre.
L’épithète rouge [sic] entre en comp. avec le lat.
gutta [sic], goutte, petit ruisseau: Rougegoutte, [sic] terr. de Belf (Rubea
Gura [sic], xive [sic] s.);...-- lat.
pirarium [sic],
poirier: Rouge-Perriers, [sic] Eure
(Rou- [sic] gerié [sic], 1326); --
lat. aqua [sic], eau: Rouges-Eaux, [sic] Vosges (le ruisseau de la
Rouge Eauue [sic], 1617).
possible visual conflict: Guillaume di San Marino (badge, 3/89
Middle) -- Pean, a tower argent, issuant from its battlements two
plumes pendant to base argent.
There is a CD for changing the field tincture. Without actually
seeing the original paperwork, it is unclear what the position and
size of the plumes are (i.e., are they “maintained” or are they big
enough to be co-primaries?).
37. Richart Parion -- Azure, a falcon striking to sinister and on a
chief argent three praying mantises contourny vert.
The Colm Dubh citation for “Richart” is as given [URL:
http://www.sca.org/heraldry/laurel/names/paris.html#R]; the actual
cite is for “Richart l’Escot”.
Morlet, Noms de Famille (p. 757, sn Parier) appears
to give “Parion” as a diminutive form of “Parier” but does not give a
dated citation.
Okay, I’ll bite. What is the posture of the insects (especially after
all the flak we got from next door about the wing position on the
dragonflies? Are they an Old or New World critter? Why are they
“contourny” but the hawk not (i.e., why is *it* “to sinister”)?
Possible reblazon: Azure, a falcon striking contourny and on a chief
argent three praying mantises contourny vert.
posssibly not clear of: Helvig Ulfsdotter (1/98 Drachenwald) --
Azure, a duck rising wings elevated and addorsed and on a chief argent
three shamrocks vert.
There is a CD for changing the orientation of the bird, but there may
or may not be one for the type of bird, and there is only change of
type of tertiary.
clear of: Cassandra Cappelletti (4/02 Calontir) -- Azure, a goose
rousant contourny and on a chief wavy argent three hurts.
There is a CD for changing the line on the chief to a complex one, and
one for the type and tincture of tertiaries.
38. Rosamund Peacock (resub) -- Azure, on a chevron between three
peacocks in their pride Or three roses proper.
Very nicely drawn. Don’t know whether it’s Tudor style or not, but
having a charged chevron between three (identical) charges certainly
seems English enough. The complexity count is seven (four tinctures
-- if you count the barbing on the roses-- and three types of
charges), even though this is simple armory, which seems to be leaning
toward Tudor style as well.
Nice armory.
I do have one question about the jpg for this submission [URL:
http://www.
scawebserver.com/~aeherald/Letters/AE81/Rosamund_color.jpg]. The
“eyes” on the tails of the upper two peacocks appear to be argent. Is
this a function of how the jpg was created, or a bad scan, or a bad
Internet transmission, or just a bad coloring job on the original
artwork? Or have I just been staring at this letter way too long?
possibly clear of:
Valentine Michael de LaFère (12/95 Outlands) -- Azure, on a
chevron Or three hearts palewise gules, issuant from base a demi-sun
Or.
There is at least one CD for type and number of secondaries.
probably clear of: Christina of Castleglen (8/79 ??) -- Azure, on a
chevronel Or, between an owl displayed argent and a lymphad Or, three
roses gules.
There are CDs for changing the type and number
of secondaries, and
the tincture of half of them.
39. Ruaidri Gabhair -- Vert, a goat rampant within a bordure Or.
The ÓC & M docs are more or less as given, except that the
accent
appears to have been dropped: the actual citation (as well as the
header form) gives “Ruaidrí” (i.e., with the accent on the final
vowel).
The cite from Mari’s article appears to be as given [URL:
http://www.s-gabriel.org/
names/mari/AnnalsIndex/DescriptiveBynames/Topic.shtml].
no conflicts found
40. Sáerlaith an Einigh -- Per chevron vert and argent, two
triskelions arrondi argent and an acorn slipped and leaved proper.
clear of: James Ericsson (1/91 West) -- Per chevron azure and Or, in
pale a comet fesswise headed of a compass star Or and an acorn proper.
There is a CD for changing the field, and one for changing the type of
at least half the charges.
41. Séamus Mapherson
The ÓC & M docs are as given (p. 163).
The Black cite is also as given (p. 557).
Greetings from Myfanwy!
Enclosed pray find the rest of the commentary on Æ #81 (whew). A
side
note to Aryanhwy, who has already done comments on comments (!):
I was using the farreaches website. I don't know which is the most
updated -- the page with all the O&A links [URL:
http://www.sca.org/heraldry/OandA/index.html] says that the
downloadable version is up through 9/03. If the alternate sites are
more current, cool.
Lady Myfanwy ferch Rhiannon
Ruth Morrisson
myfanwy@nauticom.net
42. Sebastian Wolfgang von Bayern -- Per fess argent and paly bendy
argent and azure, on a demi-eagle issuant from the line of division
sable a mullet Or.
Talan Gwynek’s article “Medieval German Given Names from Silesia”
[URL: http://www.sca.org/heraldry/laurel/names/bahlow_v.htm] does not
have “Sebastian” per se, but dates the form “Bastian” to 1546; it
dates Wolfgang to 1491 and 1527. His article “Late Period Medieval
German Masculine Given Names” gives “Sebastian” as being from 15th
century Plauen [URL:
http://www.sca.org/heraldry/laurel/names/germmasc.html#plauen15]
dating it to 1401-1450; “Wolf(gang) is given as being from 16th
century Plauen, and dated to 1501-1550 [URL: http://www.sca.org/
heraldry/laurel/names/germmasc.html#plauen16]. Additionally,
“Sebastian” is dated to 1495 in Aryhanhwy merch Catmael’s article
“German Given Names from 1495” [URL:
http://www.ellipsis.cx/~liana/names/german1495.html].
I know that the per fess line is where the tick marks are, but
visually, this seems to be a bit high.
Complexity count of six (four tinctures, two types of charges).
no conflicts found
43. Seth MacMichael (badge) -- (Fieldless) A gorilla passant
contourny maintaining a processional lantern Or and charged on the
shoulder with a beehive gules.
I don’t know what a “processional lantern” is, or if this is how it is
emblazoned. The PI
PIC-DIC says nothing on the subject. Parker (p. 364, sn Lantern)
shows a ship’s lantern (which appears to be a globular framework,
somewhat similar to the PIC-DIC’s description of the mundane default);
Parker says: “The fr. Falot [sic] is somewhat
similar, being a sort of lantern borne on a pole or handle.” Woodward
(p. 730, in the glossary of French terms) calls a falot “A torch, or
fire grate.” ; there is no mention of lamps or torches in the general
text, however, that I can find.
Possible reblazon: (Fieldless) A gorilla passant contourny charged on
the shoulder with a beehive gules, and maintaining a staff topped with
a lantern Or.
no conflicts found
44. Sophie Davenport (resub) -- Gules, a scorpion tergiant bendwise
sinister argent.
probably clear of: Robin the Ruthless in Battel (3/88 West) -- Gules,
a scorpion tergiant, maintaining in each pincer a heart, and in base
within the curve of its tail another heart, all Or.
There is a CD for changing the tincture of the scorpion. There is
probably one for orientation (i.e., from [upright] tergiant to
bendwise sinister. I suspect that all of the hearts are maintained
charges, and therefore count for no difference.
possibly clear of: Sigurjón Haraldsson (badge, 5/89 Caid) --
Gules,
in fess two scorpions argent.
There is a CD for number of scorpions. There may also be one for
their orientation.
possible visual conflict: Allyn O’Dubhda (1/73 ??) -- Purpure, a
scorpion argent.
There is a CD for change of field tincture. There may or may not be
one for posture/orientation.
NB: also clear of #34 (Oeric Lestrange, household name House Gold
Scorpion and badge -- Purpure, a scorpion tergiant within a bordure
embattled Or.
There are CDs for changing the tinctures of the field and primary
charge, and one for removing the bordure.
45. Tat’iana Kionova -- Azure, two natural dolphins in annulo argent
and on a chief ermine a brown stag at gaze proper.
The dolphins are not *quite* conjoined in annulo, but it’s pretty darn
close.
This is not particularly good style. It would be *so* much better if:
a) they had been heraldic dolphins
b) the stag had been a real tincture.
The stag at gaze is as shown in the PIC-DIC, fig. 235.
no conflicts found
46. Thorgrim Skullsplitter -- Per pale gules and sable, two wolves
addorsed, that to dexter rampant and maintaining an axe, that to
sinister salient and maintaining a sword, on a chief argent an eagle
per pale sable and gules.
The Geirr Bassi docs are mostly as given, except that the accent on
the “i” in “-grímr” was left off (I presume that this was just a
typo,
since the accent the byname docs is there).
This is not particularly good style. If you don’t include the
maintained charges, the complexity count is seven (three tinctures and
four types of charges). Because the wolves are in different postures,
I’m considering them as different charge types -- it could also be
counted as a single type of charge, but then adding a weirdness for
the differing postures. If you *do* count the maintained charges,
it’s a complexity count of nine; if you also consider the per pale
eagle as another (I won’t quite call it a weirdness) point, it’s ten.
no conflicts found
47. Thyri the Herbalist -- Per saltire azure and argent, four crosses
clechy counterchanged.
The Geirr Bassi cite is as given.
no conflicts found
NB: also clear of #1 this letter (Adriana Michaels -- Per saltire
sable and Or, four crosses crosslet counterchanged Or and vert.
There are CDs for changing the field, and for changing the tinctures
(and probably the type as well) of the crosses.
48. Tuathflaith ingen uí Cellaich
The ÓC & M docs are as cited (p. 173 and pp. 48-9,
respectively).
The genitive form of “Cellach” is not provided on the LoI; however,
the genitive form is given in Tangwystl’s article “100 Most Popular
Men’s Names in Early Medieval Ireland” [URL:
http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/tangwystyl/irish100/].
49. Wilhelmina von Ravensburg (resub) -- Quarterly argent and azure,
two ravens azure.
If you want to argue that ravens don’t have to be hairy, then they’re
ravens. If you want to argue, as I’m inclined to, that ravens *are*
hairy, then they’re generic birds.
no conflicts found
50. Zomyw Chenad -- Azure, a lambda and on a chief argent a carrot
azure.
Without seeing the documentation source, I’m not even going to pretend
to comment on this name.
Is the carrot fesswise? Fesswise reversed?
Possible reblazon: Azure, a lambda and on a chief argent a carrot
fesswise reversed azure.
no conflicts found
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