ÆTHELMEARC
COLLEGE OF HERALDS - commentary archive
Letter of Intent #98 Myfanwy ferch Rhiannon
Feast of St. Bavo
1 October AS XLI
Greetings from Myfanwy!
Herein pray find commentary on the first half of Æ LoI #98 (items
#1-20). No conflict checking, I’m afraid -- the first half of the
month was taken up with dealing with Coronation, after which I was
pretty fried. On a few items (#4, #6, #8, and #18), a bit more
checking of name stuff needed to be done, but there were problems with
accessing the Medieval Names Archive. On two others (#12 and #14), I
tried to check for relevant Precedents, but the link to the draft of
Precedents from François’ tenure as Laurel likewise appeared to
be
broken. Specifics have been noted in the commentary for the
individual items.
I remain your servant and the Society’s.
Lady Myfanwy ferch Rhiannon
Ruth Morrisson
myfanwy@nauticom.net
1. Adeliz Argenti (badge) -- Per saltire azure and Or, a bordure
gules.
This made me think of maritime signal flags, but I couldn’t actually
find any with which the submission conflicted. [Sorry -- I’ve read
too much Patrick O’Brien :-) ]
2. Aíbell Shúlglas (badge) -- Azure, in pale the letter S
and two
bars wavy argent.
The bars should perhaps be a bit thicker, since they are co-primaries
with the S.
Note that there is detailing on the S in the B&W html version [URL:
http://www.
aeheralds.net/Letters/AE98/iloi.html] that is
not as visible in the
color version [URL:
http://www.aeheralds.net/Letters/AE98/iloi-CLR.html].
3. Artemius Le Chaenier -- Per pale sable and vert, on a
plate a leaf vert.
The docs for the occupational byname are more or less as cited, except
that the word is not capitalized. Additionally, while in the
Occupational Bynames Index, the word does not seem to appear in the
general alphabetical index of given names [URL:
http://www.sca.org/heraldry/laurel/names/paris.html].
Can we find closer dates? There appears to be a temporal
incompatibility with the name elements. However, the submitter has not
requested authenticity.
The plate could be larger, but this is probably registrable.
This appears to be a default generic leaf [c.f.,
PIC-DIC, fig. 460.
4. Catrijn van der Hedde
The docs for the given name are as cited.
I’m afraid that I can be no help in locating the source documentation
for the byname. I thought about trying to check for it in Dutch or
Flemish names articles in the Medieval Names Archive [URL:
http://www.s-gabriel.org/names], but the links seem to not be working,
and haven’t been since Friday afternoon, Sept. 29; a Google search
[URL: http://www.google.com] likewise proved fruitless.
5. Ceridwen verch y Gof (resub name, pended device) -- Argent, a
lion’s head contourny vert.
The docs for the name elements are as cited.
Note that the documentation for the byname does not have <gof>
capitalized: the <Y> is sometimes capitalized, sometimes not.
Furthermore, the dated citations both appear to have the byname as one
word, not two; either <Ceridwen verch ygof> or <Ceridwen verch
Ygof>
may be better constructions.
It’s still lovely armory.
6. Cori Ghora -- Per pale sable and argent, three
fleur-de-lys [sic] counterchanged.
The TinyURL link is as cited. Unfortunately, as cited, it does not
document what the submitter wants as a valid name in Urdu. I suspect
there may have been some confusion between “Urdu” (the language) and
“Ordu” (which appears to be Mongolian for “horde”, but I can’t
double-check in the Medieval Names Archive [URL:
http://www.s-gabriel.org/names] at present).
In Davenport’s “Names from The Secret History of the
Mongols [URL:
http://www.laohats.com/Names%20from%20The%20Secret%20History%20of%20the%20Mongols.htm]
there are two instances of <Khori> as a name element:
Khori Shilemun Taisi
Khori Subechi
-- note that both names are masculine.
According to an online database of Mongolian etymology compiled by
Oleg Mudrak [URL:
http://starling.rinet.ru/cgibin/response.cgi?root=config&morpho=0&basename=%5Cdata%5Calt%5Cmonget&first=1&text_proto=&method_proto=substring&text_
meaning=&method_meaning=substring&text_rusmean=&method_rusmean=substring&text_wmo=&method_wmo=substring&text_mmo=
&method_mmo=substring&text_hal=&method_hal=substring&text_bur=&method_bur=substring&text_kal=&method_kal=substring&text_ord=&method_ord=substring&text_dun=&method_dun=substring&text_bao=&method_bao=substring&text_dag=&method_dag=substring&text_
yuy=&method_yuy=substring&text_mgr=&method_mgr=substring&text_mogh=&method_mogh=substring&text_reference=&method_
reference=substring&text_any=Khori&method_any=substring&sort=meaning]
<khori> appears to mean “skeleton” or “skull”. I found this site
as
a link in the Bibliography in Luigi Kapaj’s article “Researching
Mongol Names in the SCA” [URL: http://silverhorde.viahistoria.com/
main.html?research/ResearchingMongolNames.html], . I’m afraid that
that was the best I could do on this name.
Lovely armory!
7. Cormac O’Gadhra -- Per chevron sable and vert, in base a
lion dormant and in chief a decrescent argent, a bordure ermine.
Artist’s note: the somewhat clunky blazon is to make sure that the
decrescent is actually above the point of the per chevron line, and
that it is not considered a co-primary with the lion. (I don’t design
‘em, I just draw ‘em).
Complexity count is seven (whether the ermine tails on the bordure are
considered a charge group, or the entire bordure is considered (as a
fur) to be a separate tincture, it still counts up to seven.
8. Cristina inghean Ghriogair
The docs for the given name are as cited.
The Krossa documentation for <Griogair> is as cited. Note
however,
that the link for that name documents the spelling <Grigair>,
dating
it to 1467. The Black documentation is as cited; note, however, that
there is not a dated citation for this spelling (the closest being
<McGreigor> dated to 1682; the closest spelling in period is
McGrigour>, dated to 1586.
The lenition looks right, but I can’t be certain
since links to the
Medieval Names Archive site [URL: http://www,s-gabriel.org] seems to
have been down since Friday afternoon, Sept. 29.
9. Cynwyl MacDaire (name change from Cynwl MacDaire of Land’s End)
Barring any conflicts, there shouldn’t be a problem with dropping the
locative. Just to be sure, I did a Google search [URL: http://www.
google.com], but did not get any hits that were not in an SCA context
(there mostly were hits connected to this kingdom, the East Kingdom,
the Rhydderich Hael, and the College of Arms).
10. Cynwyl MacDaire (badge) -- Argent, two piles in point, each
charged with a plate.
Is it just me (it being 4:30 AM) or is this really supposed to look
like a badger’s face?
Both the color html and B&W versions appear to have the piles
conjoined in point. As drawn (at least on the color html version,
this could also be blazoned as: Argent, on a pile [throughout] sable,
a pile argent between two plates.
Possible reblazon: Argent, two piles [throughout] conjoined in point,
each charged with a plate.
Possible reblazon: Argent, on a pile [throughout sable], a pile argent
between two plates.
11. Dafydd MacNab (badge) -- Vert. a wall argent issuant from
base masoned sable with a door proper and on a chief argent three cups
azure.
The chief needs to come down farther on the field -- as is, it is
somewhat less than 1/4 of the field.
This is awfully busy for a badge -- complexity count of eight.
According to the PIC-DIC [sn. Wall, and c.f., fig. 784]:
The wall is embattled and throughout by default; it is very often
issuant
from base.... and it may have a port or gate; such details are
always blazoned.
Possible reblazon: Vert, a wall argent issuant from base masoned sable
with a [wooden(?)] door proper and on a chief argent three cups azure.
Possible reblazon: Vert, a wall argent issuant from base masoned sable
with a [wooden(?)] gate proper and on a chief argent three cups azure.
12. Dagr “Snaebjorn” Bjarnarson -- Azure, on a cross
throughout argent between four demi-bears rampant argent, armed and
langued gules, eight gouttes gules.
All of the name docs are as cited.
Okay, I’ll bite -- why *is* part of the name in quotes? Should it be
<Dagr Bjarnarson, called Snaebjorn>? <Dagr Snaebjorn
Bjarnarson>? It rather obviously can’t go up to Laurel in this form,
but I can’t
tell what the submitter wants.
As the primary charge, the cross should be thicker (even if the
demi-bears are smaller as a result). According to the PIC-DIC [sn
Cross, and fig. 150], this is the default for a cross.
Parker [p. 201, sn Demi] says: Demi, [sic[ or Demy [sic], i.e. fr.
for half: when applied to an animal, its upper
or fore half is always intended....
A demi-lion [sic] may be passant, rampant, or in
any of the other positions.
While the demi-bears are prettily drawn (it’s obvious that they *are*
bears), standard demi-creatures are drawn with the couping being
straight and horizontal, not curved and at an angle -- can
documentation for this styling can be provided? Additionally, theses
appear to be somewhat less than half the critter. I’m not sure how
picky Wreath is going to be about this, or whether this will actually
need a redraw or just an artist’s note. Given that the cross needs to
be bigger anyway, let me know and I’ll redraw it (I’ll try to match
the style of the bears’ heads and limbs as best as I can).
IIRC, current practice considers arming and languing to be artistic
details that need not be specifically blazoned. However, when I did a
Precedent dive I couldn’t find anything more recent that Bruce’s
tenure concerning blazoning artistic details:
One of this month's submissions (Shire of Vair Couvert) raised some
questions about exactly which artistic details are (or should be)
explicitly
blazoned. There's no question that any detail worth heraldic
difference, that isn't
a default, should certainly be blazoned. But which details
don't [sic] get blazoned,
and how do we decide?
There's no simple answer here. In general, I try to balance several
competing
principles. For instance, I won't blazon too many artistic details,
for fear that
someone might consider them "important" enough to be worth heraldic
difference. ("Well, the arming, languing and pizzling wouldn't have
been
mentioned if they weren't important...") Nor will I blazon so many
details as to
make the blazon more difficult to interpret; such clutter is not
usually found in
period blazonry.
In fact, period blazonry provides the best model for our own. I may
blazon
items worth no heraldic difference, depending on whether they're
large enough
to be immediately noticeable, or whether they were included in
period blazons....
I won't register a patently incorrect blazon, even if it's what the
submitter wants.
Nor will I blazon myriad artistic details that ought to be solely
between the client
and the scribe.
An earlier Precedent, from Wilhelm’s tenure, says:
With regard to small details on animals, such as claws and teeth,
these really
shouldn't clutter up the blazon unless really necessary. They should
either be of
the same tincture as the animal, or else colored to stand out in
contrast. The
standard tincture for such if the animal is Or or argent is gules,
unless the field is
gules, in which case it is azure. If the animal is colored then the
standard tincture
for the small details is argent, unless the field is argent, in
which case it is or.
Rather than clutter up the blazon it is much better to just use the
space for notes
to the scribe or artist on the picture sheet to detail just how to
color the small
details. Large details, such as a horse's mane, should be described
in the blazon.
WVS [12] [CL 18 Mar 80], p. 1
I kept thinking that there had to be something else, but the link to
the Draft of François’s Precedents appears to be down since
Friday
evening, Sept. 29 -- I could get from the Laurel page, but the link on
to the farreaches website wasn’t working.
Possible reblazon: Azure, on a cross between four demi-bears rampant
argent [armed and langued gules] eight gouttes de sang.
13. Edward of Freehold -- Vert, a double-bitted axe and on a chief
embattled Or an arrow reversed fesswise sable.
The Withycombe docs are as cited pp. 94-5, sn Edward], and the form
<Edwardus> is dated 1187-1219.; additionally, Reaney and Wilson
[pp.
151-52} cite William Edward’ [sic], also dated to
1219.
According to the PIC-DIC [sn Arrow], this is not in fact reversed, but
is the default for an arrow fesswise:
The arrow’s default posture is palewise, point down. When
fesswise, the
default posture is with point to sinister; but recent registrations
have explicitly
blazoned this.
Possible reblazon: Vert, a double-bitted axe and on a chief embattled
Or an arrow fesswise sable.
Possible reblazon: Vert, a double-bitted axe and on a chief embattled
Or an arrow fesswise, point to sinister, sable.
Nice device.
14. Elyenora Houll -- Argent, on a bend sinister argent
fimbriated sable between six dragonflies purpure three leaves vert.
The docs for both name elements are as cited.
Complexity count is 7 (four tinctures, three types of charges).
Having an argent bend sinister on a argent field (fimbriated or
otherwise) seems a bit dodgy. I’m not sure whether or not it’s
actually registrable. The only remotely relevant Precedent I could
find was from Shauna’s tenure as Laurel:
Fimbriated and Voided Charges [sic] [Azure, a bend sinister vert fimbriated Or
] [sic] This conflicts with Richard
Andreivitch of Rus, Azure, on a bend sinister Or an estoile
sable , [sic] and with
Denis Flaxenhelm, Azure, on a bend sinister Or, a goblet
upright sable [sic]. Per the
LoAR of June 2002 and Laurel precedent before and after that date,
an ordinary
voided or fimbriated can also be interpreted as an ordinary charged
with
another of the same type. Under this interpretation, Thomas's
submission must
also be treated as Azure, on a bend sinister Or a bendlet
sinister vert [sic]. Using this
blazon, there is only one CD between Thomas's submission and the two
registered armories for changes to the tertiary charges. [
Thomas van Lubeck
[sic], 05/04 , R-Meridies]
However, reblazoning this as a bend sinister sable charged with an
argent one would seem to be overly complex, since there would be
additional charges on a tertiary. It used to be that four layers deep
was disallowed, but I don’t know what current rulings are.
Earlier precedents suggest that this might be better blazoned as a
bend sinister sable voided, although I’m not sure whether adding
tertiaries to it would be allowed either.
Possible reblazon (aauming that charging a voided ordinary is
registrable): Argent, on a bend sinister sable voided, between six
dragonflies purpure, three leaves argent.
15. Erik von Wildflecken -- Gyronny of eight sable and Or, in chief
two keys, wards to base and facing, in chevron inverted, and in pale a
cross formy counterchanged.
I don’t have Bahlow. Nothing online in the Medieval Names Archive
indicates <Erik> (or even <Erich>) as a German name.
However, both
forms, as well as <Erick>, can be found as a 16th c. Swedish name
in
St. Gabriel Report #2296 [URL: http://www.
panix.com/~gabriel/public-bin/showfinal.cgi/2296.txt], cited from
Sveriges Medeltida Personnamn. Geirr Bassi [p. 9]
gives the Old Norse form <Eiríkr>
I’d be somewhat happier about the byname had the documentation been
from something other than Wikipedia, in order to corroborate the date.
However, a Google search [http:;//www.google.com] provided nothing
useful -- most of the hits were for the modern US military base, or
references to WW II.
The combination of German and either Swedish or Old Norse in a name is
one step from period practice [URL;
http://www.ellipsis.cx/~liana/sca/weirdness_table.html].
Possible reblazon: Gyronny of eight sable and Or, in chief two keys in
chevron inverted wards to base and facing, and in base a cross formy
counterchanged.
Possible reblazon: Gyronny of eight sable and Or, in chief two keys in
pile [pilewise?], wards to base and facing, and in base a cross formy
counterchanged.
16. Finn Folhare (badge) -- (Fieldless) A hare rampant argent
within and conjoined to a joscelyn wreathed gules and ermine belled Or.
17. Gwynnedd o’r Dyffryn -- Gules, a coney rampant contourny argent
and in chief three tau crosses Or.
In the PIC-DIC [fig. 219], a tau cross is drawn with the top arm
almost flat on top, with very little splay at the ends of the upper
arms except for their lower part. However, Parker [p, 178, sn Cross]
depicts a tau cross similar to that in the submission, and says:
§ 34. Cross tau [sic], or of S.
Anthony [sic], who s represented with such a cross
embroidered upon the left side of his garment. It is called cross
commisse [sic] by
some heraldic writers.... It should be drawn like a Greek Tau.
As emblazoned, these crosses should be acceptable.
Nice device.
18. Gunther von dem Isemann
My guess is that there was a transcription error between the worksheet
and the submission form, but someone may have to check with the
submitter to be certain whether he wants it with or without the
umlauts.
My high school German is extremely rusty. Would the masculine
genitive <von dem> generally be correct grammar for a placename,
or
does it depend on what the gender of the placename actually is? (I do
seem to remember that it can get contracted to <vom>.) Moreover,
if
the name really *does* mean “a man from the Ise River”, would <von
dem> even be the correct grammar? I would think that <Gunther der
Isemann> might be better grammar.
19. Jane Atwell (device resub) -- Sable, three candles in
candlesticks argent within a bordure embattled Or.
Nice armory!
Bibliography:
Black, George F. TheSurnamesofScotland:TheirOrigin,Meaning,andHistory.
Edinburgh: Birlinn Ltd., 1999, 2004 [copyright: The New York Public
Library, 1946].
Bruce Draconarius of Mistholme [Bruce Miller] and Akagawa Yoshio
[Kevin Munday]. APictorialDictionaryofHeraldryAsUsedinTheSocietyforCreativeAnachronism,
2nd Ed., 1992.