Ástrídr Oddsdóttir. Device. Lozengy ermine and vert, two corbies close respectant proper.
Conflict with Yamamoto (Hawley's Mon, p. 50), Two doves respectant. There is only one CD for fieldlessness, but the difference in type of bird is insufficient for the second here. (12/94)
Aarnimetsä, Barony of. Order name for Katkenneen Kynän Ritarikunta.
As no forms were ever received by Laurel, we are forced to return this. (11/95)
Aaron of the Black Mountains. Device. Argent, on a pile sable a Maltese Cross argent, a bordure counterchanged.
We need documentation for the motif of counter-changing a bordure over a pile before we can register this. (3/94)
Aaron Whyteshade. Badge. Or, a rose slipped inverted between two roses slipped all barbed and seeded proper interlaced with a sword fesswise between two more swords fesswise reversed sable, all within a bordure vert.
"A similar design was returned in July 1993 `because the arrows are pointing in four different directions, the blazon required to describe it would be so complex as to clearly show the non-period style of the submission.' We have the same problem here." (Da'ud ibn Auda, LoAR November 1994, p. 15) "The arrows are not in a blazonable heraldic posture. They aren't fretted `in cross', as blazoned on the LOI, but more like `in crosshatch' -- with two arrows fesswise and two bendwise sinister. Moreover, because the arrows are pointing in four different directions, the blazon required to describe it would be so complex as to clearly show the non-period style of the submission." (Bruce Draconarius of Mistholme, LoAR July 1993, p. 12) The style problem becomes even more pronounced with three each of two different types of charge. (5/96)
Aaron Whyteshade. Device. Vert, a phoenix rising Or from flames gules surmounted by a sword inverted sable all issuant from base in chief a crescent inverted Or.
Withdrawn from consideration by the submitter. (6/95)
Abaddon Barbarossa. Device. Per bend sinister sable and gules, on a cross formy Or a cross maltese gyronny sable and gules, a base Or.
While the argument that a Maltese cross is "four arms joined at a single point" is interesting, the visual reality is that it is seen as a single charge (a cross), and thus is seen as gyronny, not as four different charges each divided along a pale or fess line. The rules are quite clear that gyronny of two colors is not registerable. (3/94)
Abaddon Barbarossa. Name.
No evidence was presented either in the appeal or in the commentary that the given was ever used by humans, in or out of period. As a consequence, we are unable to register it here. (3/94)
Achbar ibn Ali. Badge. [Fieldless] A compass star issuant from each point a lightning bolt argent.
The overall effect of this badge is very modern, consisting as it does of a non-period charge treatment (the thunderbolts) of another non-period charge (the compass star). As such, it falls afoul of the strictures of RfS VIII.4. (Obtrusive Modernity) and VIII.4.d. (Modern Style).Additionally, there is a visual conflict with the badge of Cerelia de Lacy of Sherborne, Purpure, an escarbuncle argent. There is the fieldless CD, but it takes the eye too long to sort out the other differences between the two in all the "busy-ness" of the charges. (1/96)
Adam Polotsky. Badge. Erminois, a brazier sable enflamed proper.
Conflicts with the badge of Henry IV, [Fieldless] A blazing firepot sable, fired proper. There is one CD for fielded versus fieldless. (3/94)
Adam the Unexpected. Name.
As was noted in the 4/94 return of Deirdre the Distracted (Ansteorra), no evidence has been presented to show that fairly abstract past participles like this were used as nicknames in period. Lacking such evidence, we must return the name.(2/96)
Adelicia Gilwell. Badge change. [Fieldless] A Catherine's wheel gules.
Conflict with Akimoto (Hawley's Mon, p. 68), A wheel, with one CD for fieldlessness, and with Jago (Rietstap), D'argent à une roue de six rayons de gueules (Argent, a wheel of six spokes gules), with the same point count. (9/94)
Adelicia Gilwell. Badge. [Fieldless] A Catherine's wheel gules.
Conflict with Iathus of Scara, Ermine, a cog wheel gules. There is the fieldless CD, but a visual comparison showed that the only difference between the two wheels is the shape of the "bumps" on the outer edge. (10/95)
Adriana Mendeith. Device. Per chevron argent and azure, two mullets and a unicorn passant counterchanged.
The device conflicts with Day (Papworth, p. 994), Per chevron argent and azure, three mullets counterchanged. There is only one CD for the change to type of the bottommost of three charges two and one. (9/94)
Aduke Ayoka Opo. Name.
The 1/93 registration of Leona Serwa offers both a precedent for registering Yoruba names and some information on how they are formed; however, no documentation whatsoever was provided with the submission form, so we are unable to verify either the individual elements or the manner in which they are combined. (9/95)
Aedhán Brecc. Device. Vair, a bordure Or semy of wolves passant sable.
The wolves are in no known heraldic posture [one of those suggested was "slinkant" ], and are not identifiable without recourse to the blazon, in violation of RfS VII.7.a. ("Identification Requirement. Elements must be recognizable solely from their appearance."). This is being returned for redrawing the wolves more identifiably as wolves and in a clearly passant posture. (2/95)
Aelfric of the Black Arrow. Device. Gyronny gules and argent, an arrow sable.
Conflict with Ota (Hawley, p. 53), An arrow. There is only one CD for fielded versus fieldless. Additionally, the head and fletching of the arrow are drawn too small, which alone has been grounds for return in the past. (11/93)
Aelfwyn Huntingdon. Badge. [Fieldless] A tricorporate killer whale proper.
Because the orcas do not really have a discrete "head", the tricorporation of the beast does not work very well, making as it does identification a bit problematical. (See, e.g., RfS VII.7.a. "Identification Requirement - Elements must be recognizable solely from their appearance." and RfS VIII.3. "Armorial Identifiability - Elements must be used in a design so as to preserve their individual identifiability.") (3/95)
Ælfgar Hæweneage. Device. Argent, a chevron sable overall a wyvern displayed azure, a bordure sable.
Many commenters noted that apparently a tincture was missing from the blazon (in fact, the chevron is, as many thought, sable rather than azure) which would reduce the identifiability of the wyvern unacceptably. This would normally cause the submission to be pended for research under the correct blazon. However, the wyvern is not drawn a azure, it is mixed azure and purpure in a way which is not describable heraldically. Please have him redraw with an azure wyvern if that is what he wants. (5/95)
Ælfgar the Irrepressible. Device. Checky argent and sable, a chief engrailed gules.
Conflict with Brock (Papworth, p. 371), Checky argent and sable. A chief is not a primary charge and so X.1 can not be invoked here, as a consequence there is only once CD for the addition for the peripheral charge. (4/94)
Ælflin Wodende. Name change from Affelin of Wodende.
Listed on the LoI as an appeal of a Laurel respelling, because the submitter is changing the construction of the given and dropping the particle, this should really be classified as a name change. (She isn't appealing the Laurel change, she's making changes of her own.)The byname is fine. The diminutive suffix -(e)lin, however, is of Continental Germanic (CG) origin, and no one found any evidence for its use in Old English. The prototheme Ælf-, on the other hand, is only Old English; its CG cognate is Alb-, Alp-, Alv-, Alf-. The CG diminutive Alflin would be entirely acceptable and indeed is attested by Morlet in the form Albilinus; but since she allows no changes, we must return the name. (10/95)
Ælfwine Akeworthe. Badge. Vert, a tree blasted and eradicated argent and overall a sinister fist Or.
Conflict with Ioseph of Locksley (SCA), Vert, a tree eradicated argent. There is a CD for the addition of the overall charge, but as has been noted before, in period trees were often drawn with branches each ending in a single leaf, which is not sufficiently different from a tree blasted to allow us to grant a CD between them. (8/94)
Ælfwyn av Bornholm. Device. Azure, a sword inverted proper, flaunches argent each charged with a mullet azure.
Conflict with Roderick Gilchrist (SCA), Azure, a sword inverted proper, a pair of flaunches argent one charged with a dexter and one with a sinister wing vert. There is one CD, for the changes to the tertiaries. (10/94)
Ælric Kyrri. Device. Argent, on a cross azure a compass-star elongated to base Or, and a bordure embattled azure.
Conflict with Madeleine FitzRobert da la Foret (SCA), Argent, on a cross azure an escallop inverted Or, overall a bordure embattled counterchanged. There is a CD per X.4.j.ii. for the change to type of tertiary, but X.4.d. does not allow a second for the change in tincture to well less than half the bordure, and a visual comparison demonstrated the overwhelming visual resemblance. (5/95)
Ælric Kyrri. Device. Argent, on a cross cotised azure a compass-star elongated to base Or, a bordure embattled azure.
Conflict with Garth of Windhaven, Argent, on a cross cotised azure a heart Or pierced by a sword inverted proper. There is a CD for the addition of the bordure, but as this is not a "simple" device per X.4.j.ii, the change to type only of the tertiary charge does not apply. A visual check showed that the heart and sword combination appears as a visual unit, not as two charges, so we cannot grant a CD for change to type and number of the tertiaries. (3/96)
Aengas Macc Laídig. Device. Per chevron argent and gules, two wolves combattant sable maintaining a heart gules.
Conflict with ?ent (Chesshyre and Woodcock, p. 266), Azure, two greyhounds combatant sable. There is one CD for the change to the field, but nothing for either the maintained charge or for the difference in canines. (10/94)
AEsilief inn Harlogi. Name.
The byname, given as inn Hárlogi on her form, is incorrectly constructed for the desired meaning of `the Flame-hair', which in any case does not appear to be compatible with the literal nature of Old Norse bynaming. (The only period language in which a byname with this meaning has been found is Greek; synonymous constructions in other languages have consistently been returned, most recently Fiona Flamehair (5/93 LoAR, An Tir).) The actual meaning of the byname seems to be no more suitable. Since the only change allowed by the submitter is the substitution of Hárbrandr, which has exactly the same problems as Hárlogi, we must return the name.Hárlogi, from hár `hair' and logi `[a] flame', isn't analogous to the attested hárfagri `fair-hair', since fagri `fair' is an adjective. Such noun-noun compounds are possible in Old Norse, but as in similar English compounds (e.g., sunrise) the first noun modifies the second. The construction hárlogi would therefore mean something like `hair-like flame, filamentous flame'; log(a)hár would be `hair of flame', but probably only in an unfortunately literal sense. Similarly, hárbrandr would mean `hair-like firebrand'. Two attested Old Norse words with meanings close to the desired sense are hárbjartr `bright-haired' (which probably refers to a very blond person) and rauhárr `red-haired'; as feminine adjectival bynames with the definite article these would become in hárbjarta and in rauhára, respectively. (12/95)
Aethelgar Sheldwich. Device. Or, a dragon displayed sable flaunches azure charged with a pair of talbots combattant erminois.
No emblazon forms were found for this submission. (6/94)
Aethelred of Ambrevale. Device. Checky argent and gules, on a chief triangular sable a cross of Jerusalem argent.
The charge in chief is drawn too deeply into the field to be a chief triangular, not deeply enough to be a pile (which would not issue from the corners of the chief), and cannot be a per chevron inverted field because it does not issue from the sides of the shield. It needs to be drawn as clearly one or another of these instead of, as here, somewhere in between. (9/94)
Agilwulf the Loud. Badge. [Fieldless] A shark Or.
Conflict with Barony of Jaravellir, Pean, a catfish naiant Or, with only one CD for fieldlessness. We have not generally granted a difference between types of natural fish. (8/95)
Agilwulf the Loud. Device. Sable, a shark naiant Or, on a chief argent three shark's teeth sable.
It was the overwhelming consensus of the commentary that the "shark's teeth" were unrecognizable, as is required by RfS VII.7.a., Identification Requirement. (9/94)
Agnes Daunce. Badge. Or, three mullets one and two pierced vert.
Conflict with Morgunn Sheridan, Or, four mullets in cross vert. There is one CD for the change in number of charges, but current research seems to indicate that mullets and mullets pierced (or spur rowels) were used interchangeably in period. As a consequence, no difference is currently granted between them. (5/96)
Agnes Daunce. Device. Or, on a fess sable between three roses azure, three spur rowels Or.
Conflict with Winterhey (Papworth, p. 789), Or, on a fess sable,three estoiles of the first. There is a CD for the addition of the secondaries, but though the change in type between spur rowels/mullets and estoiles is generally worth a CD, they lack the substantial difference in type necessary to apply X.4.j.ii., which is needed here for the second CD. (2/94)
Aifric Ní Fhaoláin. Device. Per fess argent and gules, a seawolf counterchanged.
Conflict with Die Niemeptscher (Woodward's Ordinary, p. 103), Per fess argent and gules, a sea-unicorn counterchanged. There is clearly a CD for the change to type of the primary charge; however, though we can see applying X.2 to unicorns and wolves, when they both have fish-tails, the differences between them are lessened to such a point that we do not believe X.2 can reasonably be applied. (3/94)
Aileve of Windhaven. Device. Or, a cross clechy sable within a bordure compony erminois and sable.
As with the November 1992 return of a device combining a gore sinister argent with a bordure ermine, the contrast here between Or and erminois is "nonexistent". The ermine spots do not serve to adequately delineate the Or portions of the compony bordure from the Or field. (10/94)
Ailig Lasairíana O'Chaudhlaoich. Device. Sable, a maunch erminois between three olive sprigs fesswise Or, fructed vert.
As the submitter would not allow the formation of a holding name, we are having to return the device as well. (11/93)
Ailig Lasairíana O'Chaudhlaoich. Name.
The documentation for the name is extremely weak, and some of it is incorrect. Ailig appears to be a post-period diminutive of Alasdair. Lasairíana appears to be a typo for Lasairíona, a feminine given name. The construction of the patronymic seems to be incorrect. The letter combination cau- does not appear to exist in Irish, and ó does not cause aspiration. (11/93)
Ailithir Loingseoir. Badge. [Fieldless] A brown hound's head erased proper gorged of a torse azure and Or.
In a situation analogous to this submission, Bruce Draconarius of Mistholme ruled that "The owls were blazoned on the LOI as brown owls ... proper, but no such type of owl exists.... [W]e insisted on a species of owl known to period Europeans." (LoAR of January 1993, p. 17) While both brown owls and brown hounds existed in period, they were not an identifiable individual breed. Indeed, the talbot, which was suggested as a possibility, by all of the evidence submitted were much preferred in either black or white. The Dun hound, another recommendation in the commentary, tends to be tawny or tan, effectively Or. The use of a "brown [X] proper", where X is not part of the name of the creature (as in "brown bear") and where a separate breed or species has a "widely understood default [brown] coloration", appears to be a way of attempting to add another tincture to the standard seven tinctures used in heraldry. Such should be discouraged. [As one of the attendees at the roadshow meeting noted, carrying the registration of a "brown hound's head proper" logically, we could then start registering "pink elephants proper". Surely this is not a situation where the College desires to go.] (8/95)
Ailred Mac Pìoba An Thòrra Dhuibh. Household name.
As no forms or submission fees were ever received for this submission, it must be returned. Additionally, the LoI did not state the household name being submitted. (5/96)
Ailred Mac Pìoba An Thòrra Dhuibh. Name.
As no forms or submission fees were ever received for this submission, it must be returned. (5/96)
Aine Callaghan. Household badge for the Dabbler's Guild. Vairy purpure, semy of bees Or, and argent.
Conflict with Napoleon (badge), Azure, semy of bees Or (registered elsewhere in this LoAR). There is only one CD, for the change to the field. There were an ample number of commenters who felt that Napoleon's badge, cited in the LoI, was of sufficient importance to protect. As a consequence, we are adding it to the list of protected items here. (1/96)
Aine Morgan na Dhiarmaid. Name.
Irish usage does not appear to allow double given names, and the definite article na is completely out of place here. She appears to have understood na Dhiarmaid to mean `of the tribe or family of Diarmaid'; approximately this meaning is already expressed by the modern Ní Dhiarmaid, and for an earlier period something like ingen Uí Diarmata `daughter of Ua Diarmata' seems to be compatible with documented practice. Aine ní Dhiarmaid or Dhiarmada would be an acceptable late-period form, and Aine ingen Uí Diarmata seems to be a corresponding early form; but since she allows no changes, we must return the name. If she wishes to keep something similar to each of the three major elements of the name, she might try Aine ingen Morggáin Uí Diarmata `Aine daughter of Morgg´n of the line of Diarmait'; Morggán is found at p. 702 of M.A. O'Brien, Corpus Genealogiarum Hiberniæ. (12/95)
Aino Hurmawa. Name.
The byname is a reasonable 16th century spelling of modern hurmaava charming . Unfortunately, Aino appears to be a 19th century invention of Elias Lönnrot, the man who collected and edited folk poetry into the Finnish epic poem Kalevala. Since the submitter appears to want an authentic Finnish name, we recommend that she consult with Schwarzdrachen, Albion, or Shield. (5/96)
A'isha al-Aneed. Name.
The byname is inadequately documented. We need more than that an unnamed "native speaker" said so. Dictionary or language book citations (or better, photocopies), or a more complete explanation from an identified native speaker as to why it is correctly formed would be helpful. (9/94)
Aislinn merch Guincatan. Device. Per bend gules and sable, a natural leopard's head erased argent.
Conflict with the badge of Kasilda Kubasek, Gules, a natural leopard's head erased argent, spotted sable. There is only one CD, for the change to the field. (11/95)
Alain de La Rochelle. Device. Azure, on a bend between a sword argent and a Latin cross Or a greyhound rampant sable.
Because no forms were ever received from Schwartzdrachen, this must be returned. (10/95)
Alan atte Highcliffe. Device. Or semy of broadheads inverted gules, a chestnut Berber sagittary salient contourny proper.
The charge is entirely brown; the term "Berber" was intended to reflect that the human portion is not "flesh"-colored, but brown. Unfortunately, "Berber" is not a synonym for "brown-skinned"; no more than "Tuareg" would be a synonym for "blue-skinned". (Indeed, most commenters thought it referred to the fact that the sagittary had a torse about its head.) Nor does a mythological creature such as a sagittary fall under the "natural critters brown proper" precedent. As a consequence, we are forced to return this as being essentially unblazonable. (4/96)
Alan Járnhauss inn Hárlangri. Device change. Quarterly vert and sable, a wolf salient reguardant maintaining a ram in its jaws argent.
Conflict with Jonathan Crusadene Whitewolfe, Gules ermined argent, a wolf rampant argent. There is only one CD, for the changes to the field. (5/96)
Alaric Liutpold von Steinman. Badge. [Fieldless] A tri-mount couped Or.
Conflict with William de Montgilt, Sable, a two-peaked mountain couped Or, capped argent. There is one CD for fieldlessness but nothing for the artistic variation of the mountain. (11/93)
Alaric of Wyvernwood. Badge. Sable, on a cross nowy argent a sword inverted gules hilted sable pommeled purpure between two ram's heads couped respectant sable.
Conflicts with John of Two Towers, Sable, on a cross nowy argent, a compass star gules and with Petroushka of Bohemia, Sable, on a cross nowy argent a sprig of parsley vert between three mullets sable and a heart gules. In each case, there is a maximum of one CD for the changes to the tertiaries. (12/95)
Alaric the Bearded. Device. Azure, on a chevron Or two anhks sable, in chief, a crescent argent.
Somehow none of the submission forms made it into the Laurel packet. Without the paperwork, we cannot process this submission. (8/94)
Alaric the Bearded. Name.
Somehow none of the submission forms made it into the Laurel packet. Without the paperwork, we cannot process this submission. Additionally, the commenters could find no support for this form of the byname. All of the variants found appear to be based on either "beard" or "with the beard". The use of the adjectival past participle does not appear to be documentable, and is therefor unregistrable. (8/94)
Alaric Wolfgang von Mellenthin. Name.
Though the family apparently goes back to the 13th century, no one was able to document von Mellenthin as anything but a modern form or to find a plausible period source. Since he does not allow part of the name to be dropped, we must return it. (9/95)
Alasdair James Lyon. Device. Quarterly ermine and azure, a winged man-tyger sejant guardant maintaining a sword Or.
Conflict with Leonessa des Belles Fleures, Azure, a winged lion sejant Or, beneath the forepaws two garden roses argent stalked and leaved proper. There is a CD for the field, but a visual comparison of the emblazons demonstrated that the only real difference is in the facial features and the maintained charge, neither of which is sufficient for a CD. (12/95)
Alastair James MacConnor. Badge. [Fieldless] Three holly leaves conjoined in pall inverted vert, fructed gules.
Conflict with Maddoc Arundel (SCA), [Fieldless] Three oak leaves conjoined in pall inverted vert, surmounted by an acorn Or. There is a CD for the fieldless difference, but given their similarity in outline, the difference in the type of leaves was insufficient to grant the second. (12/93)
Alastar the Arcane. Device. Sable, two skulls and a mandrake, a bordure argent.
And while the name does not in any way conflict with that of Aleister Crowley, the early twentieth-century writer on "Magick", the combination of given name, byname, and device certainly reminded more than half the commenters of him. Given the volume of that reaction, I believe that RfS I.3. (Inappropriate Claims) applies here. ("A name and piece of armory may reinforce each other and appear to make a claim that is not perceived in either item by itself. If someone reasonably educated in period and modern history and culture would perceive a claim, that claim will be held to exist even if it is unintentional.") (5/94)
Alastar the Arcane. Name.
It is very unlikely that a rare, scholarly word (meaning "hidden") borrowed from Latin in very late period would have been used as a byname in our period of study. (5/94)
Alatheia Fenwick. Device. Vert, a sun in his splendor and on a chief argent a cloud sable.
Alisoun Fortescue of Maplehurst, Vert, a compass star of sixteen points, and on a chief argent three mullets of four points vert. There is a CD for the changes to the tertiary charges, but nothing for the difference between a multi-pointed mullet and a sun. (9/95)
Albert Faulke of Sandford. Device. Per bend sinister azure and counter-ermine, a bend sinister argent.
Conflict with Rhianwen o Enrys Disberod, Per bend sinister gules ermined argent and gules, a bend sinister argent. There is only one CD for the changes to the field. (10/95)
Albion, Son of Robyn. Name.
The use of commas in registered names has been disallowed since at least the February 1990 as being unattested in period names. Albion is the oldest known name for Great Britain as a whole as early as circa 500 B.C.E. The mythological figure mentioned in the LoI was created to explain the ancient place-name. Names of mythological figures are generally disallowed unless shown to have been used by real humans in period. Albion appears never to have been anything but a place-name. Finally, the structure of the patronymic is very odd in English. Robynson would be the more usual form. (9/94)
Aleksandrina Petrovna Danilova. Badge for House Hidden Grove. Argent, a willow tree eradicated sable within an orle of ivy vines vert.
Though accidentally left off the blazon, the ivy vines are indeed, as most commenters correctly guessed, vert. Conflict with Kornhooper (Woodward, cited in Combo II, p. 259), Argent, a dry tree sable, with one CD for the addition of the ivy. Conflict also with Ruadhan of Shadowwood (SCA), Argent, a tree eradicated sable, its roots entwining two swords inverted in saltire, a bordure vert, with a CD for changing the type of peripheral charge, but nothing for the (minor) change to type of tree or for the maintained swords. (11/94)
Aleksandr Mikhail Evgenovich Svyatoslavin. Name.
The form of the name makes the submitter the son of Evgenii Svyatoslava, which is a mixed gender name, unattested in Russian naming forms. We could have corrected this and made the name Aleksandr Mikhail Evgenovich Sviatoslavov, but as the submitter allowed no changes or corrections whatsoever, we are forced to return this. (We could also modified the name so that he was the son of Evgenii and the grandson of a woman named Svyatoslava -- Aleksandr Mikhail Evgenovich Svyatoslavin vnuk.) (5/95)
Aleksandr the Traveller. Badge. [Fieldless] A parrot close argent, tailed gules.
As drawn, this conflicts with Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn (SCA), Per chevron argent and vert, in base a falcon close argent. There is a CD for fieldlessness, nothing for position on the "field" in a fieldless badge, nothing for tincture; therefore, any additional difference must come from type. Though X.4.e. would normally grant a CD for difference between charges considered different in period, the bird here is drawn so that it appears to be more falcon-like than parrot-like, making this a visual conflict. (6/95)
Aleksandr Yaroslavovich Vyetcikov. Badge. Counter-ermine, a winged natural tiger salient argent.
Conflict with Alienora di Paravano, Per saltire gules and sable, a winged lion rampant wings elevated and addorsed argent. There is one CD for the difference in the fields, but nothing for rampant vs. salient, and the College has long considered that "cats is cats" in the same manner that "swords is swords". (1/96)
Alessandra Giovanna Visconti. Name and device. Vert, a ship contourny sails unfurled between three roses Or.
Because no forms were ever received from Schwartzdrachen, this must be returned. (10/95)
Alessandra Giovanna Visconti. Name.
Because no forms were ever received from Schwartzdrachen, this must be returned. (10/95)
Alexander de Saytoune na Ban Dharaich. Device. Argent, semy of hearts gules, a seahorse sustaining a lochaber axe azure.
The primary charge is not emblazoned as a seahorse, but as a fish-tailed horse head with human arms. As such, it follows no period (or, indeed, post-period) exemplars of which we are aware. (2/94)
Alexander de Saytoune na Ban Dharaich. Name.
There were two problems with the name. The first is the use of de with Saytoune, which is, in Lord Palimpsest's words, "probably not right", owing to the fact that Saytoune does not predate the 15th Century, well after use of "de" disappeared. The second, is that the Gaelic byname is unlikely in the extreme to have been used with what is essentially an English name. While the submitter allowed minor changes, we felt that dropping the "de" and either dropping the byname or translating it into English did not constitute minor changes. It was suggested that the submitter might consider Alexander Saytoune of Fairoaks. (11/93)
Alexander Listkeeper. Name change from holding name Carl of Carolingia.
It was suggested in the LoI that the byname might be justified as an occupational term for one who maintained the town fences, from Middle English liste "border, edge" and kepere "keeper, guardian, attendant". Close examination of the senses and citations recorded in the OED suggests that liste simply wasn't used in quite this way, even in its territorial senses. Rather, it seems to have connoted either a bordering strip or a kind of abstract boundary or limit. The one clear exception is its use, usually in the plural, to refer to a palisade or other barrier defining a space for combat and hence to the space itself; but this use appears to have been influenced by an unrelated but similar-sounding French word of the same meaning and in any case does not lead to a plausible occupational term. (2/96)
Alexandra de la Mer Verte. Device. Vert, a bend dovetailed between a penner and inkhorn and a cup Or.
Conflict with Estrid Svensdottir (SCA), Vert, a bend bretessed between a sun in splendor and a torch bendwise Or. There is only one CD for the changes to the secondary charges, but nothing for the difference between bretessed and dovetailed. (6/95)
Alexandra de Morteyn. Device. Ermine fretty vert, on a chief Or three pomegranates gules slipped and leaved vert seeded Or.
The gold chief on the ermine field is metal on metal. RfS VIII.2. notes that "Ermined furs or field treatments on a background of one of those tinctures [argent or Or] are treated as metals for contrast in the Society." The fact that the field has a charge on it (fretty) does not change its tincture or make it a neutral field. (9/95)
Alexandra Marie of Greenhaven. Device. Per pale sable and argent, two unicorns rampant addorsed counterchanged, on a chief triangular purpure a roundel per pale argent and Or, sinister half soleil.
The device is too complex. Though RfS VIII.1.a. notes a rule of thumb limit of eight which this submission does not exceed [there are four tinctures (sable, argent, purpure, and Or) and four types of charge (unicorn, chief, plate and sun)], combining that limit with a chief triangular and dimidiation of two of the charges (the "moon" and sun) pushes it beyond the bounds of acceptability. Given the short-lived use of dimidiation in period, we are not at all sure that we should register dimidiation in the SCA. Its use creates often serious identification problems, and tends to lead to some very unbalanced designs. (11/94)
Alexandra Stremouchova. Device. Per chevron ployé throughout Or and purpure, two broadarrows inverted and an orchid slipped and leaved counterchanged.
According to the OED, orchids "vary greatly in appearance, being often remarkable for brilliancy of colour or grotesqueness of from, in some cases resembling various insects and other animals." This being the case, there is very little chance that the blazon will accurately reflect and recreate the emblazon. We are having to return this because orchids seem to have no standard or standardized form. (11/94)
Alexandra the Eclectic. Name.
The earliest dated citation for "eclectic" in the COED is 1683, even outside of our "gray area". The word appears thus to be post-period. (6/94)
Alexandre de Vouvray. Device. Per pale azure and Or, two fleurs-de-lys and a sea-lion erect counterchanged.
Conflict with Fugger (protected above in this LoAR from the Drachenwald Letter of Intent to Protect), Per pale azure and Or, two fleurs-de-lys counterchanged. There is only one CD, for the addition of the sea-lion. (5/95)
Alexandria Elizabeth Vallandigham of Cambria. Device. Argent, on a mullet of seven points vert a griffin couchant Or, a bordure compony purpure and Or.
Conflict with Duncan Vitrarius (SCA), Argent, a sun vert, eclipsed Or. There is a CD for the addition of the bordure, but by the Rules nothing for either the type of primary or type only of the tertiary. (4/94)
Alexandria Elizabeth Vallandigham of Cambria. Device. Argent, on a mullet of seven points vert a griffin couchant, wings close, Or, in chief two mullets of seven points vert, a bordure compony purpure and Or.
The use of two different sizes of the same charge, especially when they then cause some confusion as to whether there is one group of primary charges or a primary charge and group of secondary charges, as here, has been cause for return in the past. (See, e.g., LoAR of March 1992, p. 15). Drawing all three mullets the same size, or choosing a different set of charges to go in chief, would cure this problem. (7/95)
Alexandria Morgan. Device. Purpure, on a pale argent an iris purpure, slipped and leaved vert.
Conflict with Giovanna Maria Hunyadi di Ghiberti (SCA), Lozengy azure and Or, on a pale argent a purple iris (iris pallida) slipped and leaved proper. There is only one CD, for the changes to the field. (3/95)
Alexandria Morgan. Device. Purpure, on a pale endorsed argent an iris purpure slipped and leaved vert.
Conflict with Luerann Damask, Purpure, on a pale endorsed argent three roses azure, barbed and seeded proper. There is only one CD, for the multiple changes to the tertiary charges. (3/96)
Alexandria of Mazzara. Badge. [Fieldless] In bend sinister a bow sable and a shepherd's crook bendwise vert, fretted with an arrow bendwise sinister inverted sable, flighted vert.
As many of the commenters noted, especially in this arrangement, this has every appearance of being three different charges (bow, arrow, and crook) in a single group. As such, this falls afoul of the complexity limits of RfS VIII.1.a. (2/94)
Alexandria Schaler. Name.
Although the name is fine, there was no form in the packet, so we must return it. The submitter actually desired Schalit, an acronym formed from a Hebrew blessing. It appears that some surnames may have been formed in this way in period, though most examples are of much later date. However, the period examples mentioned by Kaganoff in A Dictionary of Jewish Names and their History (p. 18) fall into three categories: honorific names conferred on great masters of learning, abbreviations from places of origin, and abbreviations commemorating some special event in the life of the family. Schalit does not appear to fit any of these categories, and we would prefer to see better evidence before registering it. (4/96)
Alex of Kintail. Device. Per pale sable and Or, a cross formy throughout gules and overall a double-headed eagle-winged wyvern double-queued displayed per pale Or and sable.
The cross is somewhere between a plain Latin cross throughout and a Latin cross formy throughout. As such, it is ambiguous, and needs to be redrawn as one or the other. The overall charge also has problems of ambiguity. The use of eagle's wings make it nearly impossible to distinguish from a double-headed eagle, except the double-queued tail is clearly not a bird's. As this kind of ambiguity is precisely the kind of thing that heraldry seeks to avoid, it should be drawn more clearly as either an eagle or a wyvern. (5/94)
Algar de Devonshire. Device. Per bend vair en point and Or two crosses crosslet fitchy counterchanged.
The fact that the dexter cross is vair en point cannot be determined even in the full-size emblazon. (See RfS VII.7.a. "Identification Requirement - Elements must be recognizable solely from their appearance." and RfS VIII.3. "Armorial Identifiability - Elements must be used in a design so as to preserve their individual identifiability.") The most frequent suggestion in the commnetary was to make the dexter cross azure. (3/95)
Alix de Lyon. Device. Or,in chief on a fess couped sable a fleur-de-lis Or and in base a horse salient.
No one was able to find any period exemplars of fesses either couped or enhanced so far to chief. Without further documentation we are unable to register this motif. (3/94)
Alix Tiberga of Aachen. Device. Per bend engrailed azure and argent, a dragon dormant argent and three needles azure.
The name for this submitter had been pended in kingdom in March 1993 and has never been forwarded to Laurel. Without an accompanying name submission, we are unable to register this. (3/95)
Alleyn of Kent. Device. Gules, a chevron embattled potent between two reremice displayed and a tyger rampant Or.
The embattled line of division of the chevron is so badly broken up by the fur that while one can tell readily that "something" is going on there, it takes a little time to determine just exactly what. The complex line of division is simply not "readily identifiable", and ready identification is one of the hallmarks of period style heraldry. See RfS VII.7.a. ("Elements must be recognizable solely from their appearance.") and VIII.3. ("Armorial Identifiability - Elements must be used in a design so as to preserve their individual identifiability.")Several commenters asked what the tinctures were of the chevron: they are blue and white, just as would be a chevron vair. Potent is a vair variant, and has the same default tinctures. (Had the blazon been "a chevron embattled potenty", now....) (5/94)
Allyn Min-Teanga. Name.
The byname needs a couple of minor changes to correct the grammar. The hyphen appears to be only a lexicographical device to indicate the construction and is therefore not part of the name, and the second element needs to be aspirated, resulting in mintheanga. However, as the submitter allowed no corrections whatsoever to the name, we are having to return it. (5/94)
Alysandra Elayna Meerkatze. Name.
Though the combination of double given names in English with a fully German byname is a little problematical, the biggest problem here is that meerkatze, which the submitter believes is a constructed byname meaning "sea-cat", is a real German word meaning "long-tailed ape". Since we were not at all sure that this actual meaning would be acceptable to the submitter, we are returning this so that she may reconsider its propriety in being associated with her. (6/95)
Alysoun Beauchamp. Device. Erminois, a Mugwort plant vert.
Conflict with Brobrough (Papworth, p. 1112), Argent, a slip of three leaves vert; Alonder (Papworth, p. 1113), Or, an almond slip fructed proper; Clan Gunn (Combo II, citing Fox-Davies), [Fieldless] Rose-wort proper; and Clan MacKinnon (Combo II, citing Fox-Davies), [Fieldless] St. John's wort proper. In each case there is a CD for the field, but nothing for either the type or tincture of the foliage. (2/95)
Alyssa Rose MacGregor. Badge. Purpure, on a pile argent a rose purpure barbed and seeded vert.
Conflict with Julian of the Purple Must (SCA), Purpure, on a pile argent two sprigs of laurel proper. There is a CD for the changes to the tertiary charge(s), but nothing else. (6/95)
Alyssa Rose MacGregor. Badge. Purpure, on a pile embattled argent a rose purpure barbed and seeded proper.
Conflict with William de Lacy of Sherborne, Purpure, on a pile raguly argent, a gauntlet aversant gules. There is a CD for the multiple changes to the tertiaries, but nothing for the difference between embattled and raguly. (11/95)
Amalthea bat Amal. Name.
No evidence has been found that Amalthea was a name used by humans in period. The only documentation for the name is that of the goat who was the nurse for Jupiter, as one of the two nymphs who fed the infant god on goatsmilk and honey, as a Roman sibyl who sold some books to the king of the Romans, Tarquin, and as a star in the constellation Auriga. We need some evidence of its use by humans in period before we may register this. (11/94)
Amanda Wyndeswyft. Device. Per bend sinister Or and gules, a pegasus couped at the breast wings elevated and addorsed issuant from the line of division sable and a feather bendwise sinister argent, a chief gules.
The chief on the large emblazon was only 3/4" wide (on a 5«" long shield). It is far too narrow to be adequately identifiable as a chief. (Indeed, at least one attending the Laurel meeting first thought it was a gules field with a pile fesswise.) It needs to be redrawn. (2/96)
Ambrosia of Avallon. Device. Or, a slip and on a chief vert three gouttes Or.
Blazoned on the LoI as "an olive slip", there was nothing even on the large emblazon to denote that this was an olive slip as opposed to any other kind (even a sprig of laurel would have been an adequate blazon). As a consequence, this conflicts with Nazar Druzhinin (SCA), Or, a sprig of three linden leaves and on a chief vert a cavendish knot Or. There is CD for the multiple changes to the tertiaries, but we cannot in good conscience see another for the change to number of leaves on the sprig. (4/94)
Amice Fayel. Device. Per chevron throughout ployé gules and argent, two lilies and a Fidelis knot counterchanged.
The Fidelis knot, as an SCA invention with only two registrations to date (the 1980 defining instance and a 1993 registration), is not sufficiently well-known or defined (outside of the Pictorial Dictionary) to retain as a registrable charge, nor does there appear to be sufficient interest to continue to register it in the future. (3/96)
Ana Ilievna. Name.
Withdrawn by the principal herald. (9/94)
Ananda the Fiery. Name change from Amba Aedhi.
The lingua anglica allowance is not intended to allow the use of English phrases as bynames in combination with given names of another language without regard to the naming practices of either language. Its only expression in the Rules for Submissions is found at the end of RfS III.2.a (Linguistic Consistency): `In the case of place names and other name elements frequently used in English in their original form, an English article or preposition may be used.' Precedent extends the allowance somewhat further, as explained in the 28 March 1993 Laurel Cover Letter:Less codified, but of long practice, has been the translation of epithets into our lingua franca. Again, this follows a common historian's usage: Harald I of Norway, for instance, is far better known as Harald Fairhair than by the untranslated Harald Haarfagr. Eric the Red, Philip the Good, Charles the Fat, all are translations of the period names, not the period names themselves. SCA names are permitted a similar translation: a simple epithet, documented as a period form, may be translated into English. (We prefer to register the untranslated form, but I concede that such rigor doesn't always serve our clients' best interests.)
The use of lingua franca translation is extended only to single, simple descriptives. Given names, for instance, may not normally be translated into their putative meaning: e.g. Bear may not be used as a given name, even though it's the lingua franca translation of the given name Björn. Placenames, hereditary surnames, and bynames from different languages (e.g. French and German) likewise don't fall under the lingua franca allowance.
The English translation should be chosen to minimize any intrusive modernity: e.g. the Old Norse byname kunta is better translated as "wench" than as the intrusive "bimbo". (Well, actually, neither of those is exactly right, but there may be children reading.) Period terms are always preferable, but when necessary, we will translate documented period epithets into the Society's common tongue. That seems to be the best compromise between the needs of authenticity and ease of use.
Note that the discussion refers to documented period epithets. No evidence has been submitted to suggest that the Fiery is a reasonable English translation of an epithet from any period culture in which the Sanskrit name Ananda was used, or even that it is a believable period English epithet. (The 9/94 registration of Ananda of the Bells, noted in the LoI, seems to rest on the judgement that of the Bells is a reasonable English byname. Though the actual form should probably be with the Bells, it is at least close.)
In view of the problem with the byname, the question of whether Sanskrit Ananda is within the domain of the Society is moot. (Please see the Cover Letter for further commentary on this point.) (12/95)
Anastasia Byestewode. Device. Per pale Or and purpure, a pair of scissors, and issuant from chief, a ribbon in chevron counterchanged.
As noted in the September 1994 LoAR, p. 15: "The ribbon is an SCA invention. While the Armorial and Ordinary has five registrations of a ribbon, the most recent is 1984.... Its loops and twists are unblazonable, leaving a great deal of variation in appearance and making it virtually impossible to reconstruct accurately from the blazon alone, which would violate RFS VII.7.b. There seems to be no compelling reason to register the ribbon as an heraldic charge." The difficulty in blazoning the position and "draping" of the ribbon here falls to the same arguments; it isn't really "in chevron", but follows the outline of a medieval pavilion, with a loop in the middle of the drape where the "roof" meets the "wall" and with an extra twist farther down the "walls". There is no blazon anyone could suggest which would adequately reproduce the emblazon. (2/95)
Ancelin Daverenge. Device. Azure, a Greek chimera rampant argent.
The primary charge is not a chimera of any defined type, having the body of a wingless dragon with the head of a goat and the head of a lion on either side of a dragon's head and neck. It is certainly not a "Greek" chimera, which has the body and head of a lion, a dragon's tail, and a goat's head grafted to the small of the back. As a consequence, both recognizability and reproducibility as required by RfS. VII.7.a. and b. suffer too much to allow us to register this. (9/95)
Ancellin Fitzalan of Newe Castle. Device. Per pale gules and azure, a sea-frauenadler argent.
Conflict with Giovanni di Giacomettino, Azure, a winged merman argent, and Alexandra of Cat's Heart, Barry wavy azure and vert, a winged mermaid displayed argent. In each case there is a CD for the field, but nothing for posture (which is identical) or for the minor differences among the types of the winged humanoid sea-monsters. (1/96)
An Crosaire, Barony of. Order name for Order of the Serpent Torque.
The word "torque" used in the sense here is dated no earlier than 1834. As such the term is quite post-period. (4/95)
An Crosaire, Barony of. Order name for Plume of the Ange Rouge.
In addition to lacking a designator, the "Feather of the Red Angel" seems to be a step too far from even the exemplars presented by Archive for knightly orders: e.g., Order of the Golden Angel. See RfS III.2.b.ii.It was also suggested that the name would be better entirely French than this odd mixture of French nouns and adjectives and English particles. (4/95)
André de Chasseron. Device. Or, three piles in point gules, on a chief enarched azure, a sword reversed Or.
Conflict with Grome (Papworth, p. 1029), Or, three piles gules, on a chief azure two helmets close Or. There is only one CD, for change in number and type of the tertiary on the chief. (3/95)
André de Saint Michel. Name for alternate persona of Andrew Scarhart.
No forms for the alternate persona name were included in the Laurel packet, as a consequence, even had there been no other problems this would have had to have been returned. One example of a byname formed in a verb plus noun pattern does not adequately support any and all combinations of verbs plus nouns. Most of the commenters found the byname extremely unlikely, especially given the very late date for this meaning of "scar". Bynames of this nature date from much earlier than the 1555 citation for scar. (4/94)
Andreas Tillman von Severin. Device. Or, a hunting horn reversed gules, stringed azure, and a chief checky argent and gules.
Conflict with Orange ((Papworth, p. 948 and Woodward, Combo II), Or, a buglehorn stringed and virolled gules. There is only one CD, for the addition of the chief. (2/94)
Andrew Maklaurene. Device. Azure, three comets fesswise in pale and on a chief argent three crescents gules.
As no forms or submission fees were ever received for this submission, it must be returned. (5/96)
Andrew Maklaurene. Name.
As no forms or submission fees were ever received for this submission, it must be returned. (5/96)
Andronicus of Emerald Marsh. Badge. Barry wavy argent and vert, a griffin segreant contourny, wings inverted, sable.
Though blazoned in the LoI as sable, the monster on the large emblazon form was quite clearly drawn as brown. As we could not reblazon this as a "brown griffin proper", we are forced to return this. He might try sable. (3/94)
Andronicus of Emerald Marsh. Name.
In period the word "emerald" was applied only to the gem, not to a color. As emeralds are not normally found in marshes, the place name is extremely unlikely. Would the submitter consider "Greenmarsh"? (3/94)
Angelena of the Wild Roses. Device. Or, a dragon rampant sable, and upon a chief sable a garden rose fesswise reversed slipped and leaved Or.
The "garden rose bud" is not identifiable as such; as drawn it was mistaken for a stalk of wheat. Would the submitter consider a standard heraldic rose slipped and leaved? (8/94)
Angelena of the Wild Roses. Name.
Angelena was stated to be a diminutive of the submitter's legal name. The legal name allowance only covers the exact form of the submitter's legal name, not variants or diminutive. We need documentation for Angelena. No documentation was submitted for the byname, nor did any of the commenters find any support for it. We need documentation that "of the Wild Roses" is a period byname or follows a specific pattern of period bynames. (8/94)
Angelina Crispiana d'Avignon. Device. Azure, a winged lion passant guardant argent between three fleurs-de-lys Or.
While clear of Warden of Tel Persie, cited in the LoI, with CDs for the change to the type of the secondaries and the addition of wings to the lion, as noted in the July 1992 LoAR, p. 23, "The use of multiple gold fleurs-de-ly on blue is not permitted in SCA armory." (6/94)
Angharad ferch Donovan. Name.
RfS III.1.a. requires that "Each phrase must be grammatically correct according to the usage of a single language." Here we have a Welsh patronymic particle (merch) combined into a single phrase with an Anglicized variant of an Old Irish surname (Ó Donndugháin), which itself appears to be from a compound meaning "brown Dubhán". The combination is unlikely in the extreme, and it does not follow "the usage of a single language" as required by the RfS. (11/94)
Anisah al Nawaar. Device. Argent, a cross indented vert, overall a daisy azure.
The daisy is just barely "overall", a style which has been cause for return in the past. Because the Rules for Submission require that overall charges must contrast with the field, such charges must be sufficiently on the field to avoid contrast and identifiability problems with the charges they overlie. (1/95)
Anisah al Nawaar. Name.
No documentation was presented that the "byname" could be used with the article, and all of the documentation either submitted or found later by the commenters (and Laurel) showed only Nawaar without the article. (The equivalent in English would be analogous to documenting "Robert" and "James" as given names and submitting "Robert the James".) (10/94)
Anlon MacMatha. Badge. [Fieldless] An equal-armed Celtic cross vert pierced of a mullet.
The "piercing" of the cross here is essentially an attempt to use a tinctureless (or rather, omni-tinctured) tertiary charge. Such have been disallowed for some time. "It is not possible to eclipse something `of the field' on a fieldless badge." (Da'ud ibn Auda, LoAR February 1991, p. 18)It is true that we have registered fieldless badges consisting of a charge which has been pierced, but in these cases the piercing was part of the definition of the charge (e.g., a mascle, a rustre) and can hardly be considered as being in the same category as a "cross pierced of an (omni-tinctured) mullet". (1/96)
Anna Katherine von Argenthal. Device. Per pall arrondy azure, argent and vert.
Conflict with Crispus Alexander, Gyronny of three arrondi gules, Or and purpure. There is only one CD, for the change to the tinctures. (8/95)
Anna of Eichenwald. Device. Per pale azure and sable, a bird rising wings elevated and addorsed argent.
Though blazoned as a dove on the LoI, the bird here has none of the distinguishing features of a dove. As such, it conflicts with Fotherby (Papworth, p. 304), Gules, a falcon argent rising argent, holding in the dexter claw a oak branch proper acorned Or. There is a CD for the field but nothing for type of primary charge between a generic bird and any other specific bird. (8/94)
Anne Isabella del Gardin. Device. Purpure, a pentaskelion arrondi and on a chief argent, an ivy vine reversed vert.
We need some documentation of the pentaskelion arrondy as a period or compatible charge. It is so large a step from a triskele (which itself is not a period charge so far as we can tell) that we need additional evidence of its acceptability before we can register it. (10/94)
Ansteorra, Kingdom of. Badge for Hospitaler's office. Or, on a mullet of five greater and five lesser points sable a lantern dependant from a cubit arm fesswise argent.
Conflict with David of Mecca, Or, on a sun sable, a sword argent, all within a bordure embattled sable and with Astra Christiana Benedict, On a mullet a cross crosslet. Against David of Mecca there is a CD for removing the bordure. The tertiary charges here, however, are a single visual unit, so there is not a CD for changing type and number of tertiaries, and multi-pointed mullets and suns are not considered voidable charges, so X.4.j.ii. does not apply to grant a CD for significant change to type only. Versus Astra Christiana Benedict, there is only the fieldless CD, because as above there is no CD for the change to type of the tertiary charge, and mullets of five greater and five less points are not seen as sufficiently different from the default mullet (of five points) to grant a CD between them. (10/95)
Antartus Valentior. Device. Plumetty argent and vert, a sledgehammer and overall a single horned anvil reversed sable.
The plumetty field treatment here does not appear to be a valid period variant. (4/94)
Anthony Navarre. Device. Sable, a lion passant contourny and a bordure argent semy of compass stars elongated to base azure.
Conflict with Patri du Chat Gris, Sable, a cat counter-s'elongeant within a bordure argent. There is only one CD for the addition of the tertiary compass stars. A comparison of the two emblazons demonstrated the overwhelming similarity of the postures of the two cats. (4/96)
Antinous Dracontius. Device. Pily barry Or and gules, a skull argent enfiled through the sinister eye socket by a snake erect sable.
The blazon does not adequately describe the posture of the snake (RfS VII.7.b. requires that "[e]lements must be reconstructable in a recognizable form from a competent blazon."), nor could any of the commenters come up with a blazon which would. The difficulty in creating an adequate blazon only underscores the non-period style of the device. (6/94)
Antoinette du Vallon. Device. Argent, a cat sejant regardant sable within seven pawprints in annulo purpure.
Conflict with Meggison (Papworth, p. 69), Argent, a lion sejant sable. There one CD for the addition of the pawprints, but nothing for either the type of cat or its head position change. (4/94)
Anton Tremayne. Badge. [Fieldless] A cross botonny gules charged with a crescent argent.
The weight of the commentary was that a cross botonny is not a simple enough primary charge for X.4.j.ii. to apply, and that this submission is indeed in conflict with Pilkington (Papworth, p. 652), Argent, on a cross botonny gules another of the first, with one CD for fieldlessness but nothing for the change to the type only of what is effectively the tertiary. (12/93)
ANTWERP, City of. Device. Gules, a castle triple-towered between in chief a pair of hands in chevron inverted argent.
Though the city itself is important in later period, and its arms relate to the legend of how the city received its name, the arms do not otherwise appear to be of sufficient importance for us to protect them. (6/95)
Anysia of Carpasia. Device. Per bend sinister sable and azure, a bend sinister Or between a sea-unicorn contourny reguardant and a dove migrant argent.
The LoI accidentally dropped the tincture of the bend, leading everyone to believe that it was argent. This would normally be reason to pend it. However, in this case, the bend is, in fact, drawn unacceptably narrow (indeed, I suspect modern heralds would blazon it as a "ribband" or some such; it is certainly narrower than a bendlet. It needs to be redrawn thicker). Additionally, the "sea-unicorn" is simply a "unicornate seahorse", a disallowed charge. It needs to be redrawn as a sea-unicorn, with beard and more goat-like than horse-like traits. The "dove" is not particularly dove-like. There is nothing about it that would suggest that it is anything but a generic "bird". (9/94)
Aoife ingen Gharbain. Name.
Aoife is a late spelling of the given name, while ingen is an early spelling, and the use of gh in the patronym but not in ingen is inconsistent. The name would be fine as Aífe ingen Garbáin, which is early, or as Aoife inghean Gharbháin, which uses a later orthography. It seems very likely that mixtures of early and late orthographic features can be found at some point; conceivably a combination like this one can be justified. But it is an exception to the patterns found in the available data; lacking both specific justification and detailed information on the sequencing of Irish orthographic changes, we are unwilling to depart from documented practice. Unfortunately, she allows no changes, so we must return the name. (2/96)
Aonghas Cu. Device. Per pale Or and azure, a Celtic cross estoile within a bordure counterchanged.
A cross estoile is a post-period charge; combining it with an annulet to create a "Celtic cross estoile" makes it two steps from period style. This second step is one step further than the College is normally willing to go (cf. the "Rule of Two Weirdnesses" in the Glossary of Terms). (6/96)
Aonghas of Clan Campbell. Device. Quarterly gules and argent, a boar's head couped close proper within a bordure Or.
Though blazoned as "proper" and emblazoned as "brown", there does not seem to be a default "proper" for boars (and therefore, boar's heads); there appears to be a wide variation in the coloration of those found in nature. Might we suggest one of the standard heraldic tinctures? Sable would probably do him well here. (6/94)
Aonghus Donnchaid Mac Leòid of Sea March. Name.
So far no evidence has been presented for period Gaelic use of double given names. Since Donnchaid is in the genitive case, it may be intended as a reduced form of the patronymic mac Donnchaid; this usage has been found in Ireland, but so far not in our period. Aonghus mac Donnchaidh mhic Leoid and Aonghus mac Leoid would be documentable forms of the Gaelic part of the name, and the locative, which refers to a shire in Trimaris, would be registerable under the lingua anglica allowance; unfortunately, he permits no changes, so we must return the name. (Note that the accent on Mac Leòid is a modern Scots Gaelic innovation that should be removed in any future submission using this element.) (2/96)
Aonghus Gunn Fear-Cuairt. Name.
Aonghus is one of the standard modern Gaelic spellings of the name Englished as Angus. Gunn is not correct in this form in a Gaelic name; the Norse name Gunna was adopted in to Gaelic as Guinne, with an adjectival side-form as Gunnach. 'Angus son of Gunna' would be Aonghus mac Guinne or Aonghus Gunnach. The hyphenation in fear-cuairt is either modern or an artificial dictionary spelling to show the composition of the term. Gaelic bynames seem in general to precede the patronymic, so the name in Gaelic would appear to be either Aonghus Fearcuairt mac Guinne or Aonghus Fearcuairt Gunnach. Though the submitter allowed changes which kept the sound of the name, neither of the two suggested versions here does that very well. We are therefore returning it so that he may decide how he wishes to proceed with the name. (9/94)
Araki Yatarou Takeyoshi. Device. Gules, a triangle inverted between three triangles one and two, all between three broadarrows inverted argent.
The arrangement of the triangles does not appear to be a period arrangement, but a modern artistic style. The device overall is neither good Japanese style nor good European style. (5/94)
Aralyn Ermintrude of the Falling Waters. Device change. Azure, a frauenadler displayed argent armed and crined Or within an orle of mullets argent.
Conflict with Janet Breakstone, Azure, a harpy displayed grasping in her dexter talon a human skull, all proper. There is a CD for adding the mullets, but the harpy in Janet's badge is mostly argent with a "flesh-colored" upper torso, effectively also argent and, even if considered as Or, far less than one-half the charge (which would be necessary to allow a CD for tincture). (8/95)
Aranwen Ddryw ferch Rhodri. Device. Purpure, on a chevron argent between in chief an increscent, a crescent and a decrescent and in base a sun Or, a cat couchant guardant vert.
The right-at-the-rule-of-thumb-limit for complexity of RfS VIII.1.a. (with four tinctures and four different types of charges) combined with the added "busy-ness" of the crescents in different orientations makes this a visually overwhelming design. Were the crescents all in the same orientation, or were there either fewer tinctures or types of charges used, this would probably be registrable; but the combination here pushes it over the edge of acceptability. (9/95)
Ardal of Stonegrave. Device. Vert, a pile Or between two wolves salient addorsed argent a bordure potenty of one trait vert and Or.
"A bordure compony where one tincture is identical to the field should not be permitted." (Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane, LoAR 27 September 1987, p. 8) We have a similar problem here, where the seriously compromises the identifiability of the bordure, making it appear that the edge of the shield is very oddly embattled. This falls afoul of RfS VIII.3, Armorial Identifiability. (9/95)
Ariane de Brie. Device. Gules, a cross of four lozenges argent.
Conflict with Switzerland, Gules, a cross couped argent, and the Knights of Malta, Gules, a Maltese cross argent. In each case there is a clear CD for the change to type of cross, but they are not sufficiently different for X.2. to apply here. To quote from the results of Palimpsest's research into what types of changes to a cross constitute a single cadency step (as opposed to sufficient difference): "The closest [analogues to the current submission] I have found are the various arms of Banester (spelled variously as Banester, Banaster, and Banastre) in Papworth pp. 606-607. In all cases with an argent field and a sable cross are crosses plain, flory, of four fusils, humetty pointed, patonce, patty, and sarcelly. All but the first two are explicitly period, the first two having no date given. If nothing else this shows a wide variety of cross changes used to show cadency. In particular this includes the cross of four fusils, equivalent to that submitted here. Various other doublets between various crosses can be found, but these are the most relevant I have found." Based on this research, it would appear that the type of change from a cross couped or a Maltese cross to a cross of four lozenges is but a single cadency step; sufficient for a Clear Difference, but insufficient to apply X.2. for sufficient difference. (4/96)
Arianna ny Shane. Device. Per chevron azure and vert, two unicorns rampant and a pegasus passant argent.
After a comparison of the emblazons, this does indeed conflict with the badge of Eduard von der Kiebitzwiese, Per chevron azure and verb a sword fracted chevronwise and a horse passant argent. The sword pieces on Eduard's badge are separated widely and are placed in the same positions on the field as the unicorns here. As a consequence, there is no CD for number of charges (from one sword fracted to two unicorns). And because a pegasus is not significantly different from a horse, X.2. cannot apply for significant difference to the type of all the charges. Thus there is only one CD, for the change in type to half the group from sword pieces to unicorns. (4/96)
Arianna Rosa Cristina Veneziano. Device. Azure, a greyhound rampant argent collared gules maintaining a fleur-de-lys Or.
Conflict with Jonathan Crusadene Whitewolfe, Gules, ermined argent, a wolf rampant argent: there is just one CD for changing the tincture of the field, since we do not grant difference for type of canine. Conflict also with Robina Wyclif, Azure, a wolf rampant argent maintaining a spear Or flying to sinister a pennoncelle gules, fimbriated, all within a bordure Or; the only CD is for removing the border. Conflict also with Dorcas Dorcadas, Sable, a three-headed hound rampant, one head reguardant, argent, langued gules; there is a CD for the field tincture, but nothing for the difference in number of heads. (2/96)
Arianwen ferch Anna. Device. Argent, a pall inverted azure between three pegasi segreant sable.
Conflict with Catina of Loch Salann (SCA, 12/93), Argent, a pall inverted azure between two cats salient respectant guardant and a chalice sable. There is only one CD for the change to type of the secondary charges. (7/94)
Arianwen ferch Gareth. Device. Azure, a German panther rampant contourny argent.
Conflict with Jatskow (Combo II, from Woodward), Azure, a panther rampant argent, crowned Or. There is but one CD, for the orientation of the monster. (4/94)
Arianwen verch Morgan. Device. Argent, a chevron vert between two violets and a willow tree eradicated proper.
There were no name or device submission forms in the packet, so we must return the name and the device, though no one found any problem with either. (9/95)
Arianwen verch Morgan. Name.
There were no name or device submission forms in the packet, so we must return the name and the device, though no one found any problem with either. (9/95)
Arielle ní Sheanáin. Device. Argent, a bend counter-ermine between a domestic cat sejant guardant gules collared and chained Or and a falcon close proper.
There is no defined "proper" for a falcon. Falcons come in a number of types, whose coloration differs not only from species to species but often between the male and female of each species. (6/95)
Arinaga Yoshiakira. Name.
Both elements of the name are nanori, or `formal names'; unfortunately, a name consisting of two nanori and no surname does not appear to follow period Japanese practice. (9/95)
Arinwald Rotstein. Badge for House of the Golden Cock. Per chevron inverted azure and vert, on a chevron inverted Or another gules between a bezant charged with a sprig of three cherries gules and two cockerels addorsed tails crossed in saltire Or.
The overall effect of this badge is one of excessive complexity. It is right at the limits of the rule of thumb for complexity outlined in RfS VIII.1.a., with four tinctures and four different types of charges. Added to that is the unusual arrangement of having the birds' tails cross, and the unbalanced motif of having one of three secondaries charged with a tertiary. Like Palimpsest, Laurel is "not sure that any [one] of these count[s] as a full weirdness, but surely five semi-demi-hemi-weirdnesses are sufficient for a return." (9/95)
Arioch dow Morgue. Name.
There is here, as is frequently the case with similar cases, problems created when simply taking words out of one or more dictionaries and combining them to create a byname. In a Scottish onomastic context dow can only be an English spelling of dubh `black'. The COED does in fact give `a haughty demeanor' as one definition of morgue; the earliest citation is from 1599, and the word is said to be French, of unknown derivation. Such a late date (the penultimate year of our period of study!) does not support a byname of this sort, which stopped being formed in this way in England some centuries earlier in favor of inheritable surnames. There are a number of documented bynames/surnames with similar meanings ((the) Da(u)nger(o)us, (the) Proud(e), Toproud, Overproud, etc.), but substituting any of these would far exceed the minor changes we felt were permissible to make without further consultation with the submitter.While there is some small possibility of the use of Arioch as a given name in a Puritan context, you might suggest to him that Arich, a form of Eirik that occurs in Domesday Book, would not only be much more likely as a given, but would also match the earlier forms of the bynames better than the Babylonian name found in the Bible he submitted. (6/95)
Arion of Aspenwyn. Name.
Arion appears to be by the submitter's own documentation to be a unique name, that of a semi-legendary ancient Greek poet and musician. (The only other Arion found was a "fabulous horse", the offspring of Poseidon and Demeter.) We need documentation of its use by other humans in period before we may register Arion. (11/93)
Arlith Arliss o' Gordon. Device. Sable, on a goblet within an orle argent a Scandicus neume sable.
The emblazon is not reconstructible from the blazon. The scandicus neume is not only a very specialized (read: obscure and hard to look up) musical notation, from the documentation the one submitted is only one of several of different specific forms that it may take. As a consequence, there is no reasonable way of ensuring that the blazon will recreate the emblazon. (See RfS VII.7.b.) Even blazoning it as only a "musical note" is not adequate, as the scandicus neume is not anything like what most people picture as a musical note. (9/94)
Arlith Arliss o' Gordon. Name.
Both the prototheme Ar- and the deuterotheme -lith are of doubtful standing. Ström (who is more trustworthy than Searle) doubts that there is an OE prototheme Ar-, noting that Searle's examples are "very few" and "of a late date and of a suspicious nature". It is therefore hard to justify any OE construction with Ar-, even with an undoubted deuterotheme. The only undoubted example of -lith is in the feminine name Hildelith. If only one of the two themes were a bit questionable, we might take a chance; as it is, Arlith seems to be out of the question. (8/94)
Armando de la Rama Caida. Name.
Most of those who commented on the byname, which means `of the fallen branch', found it implausible, and in fact it departs from available models of period Spanish bynames in both form and meaning. In the available period examples of the form de <article> <object>, the object of the preposition is an unmodified noun. Moreover, such bynames seem to correspond semantically to Middle English bynames with atte and with the: de la Puente and atte Brigge `at the bridge'; de los Mulos `of the mules' and Withehounds `with the hounds' (occupational, for a handler); de la Calza `of the hose' and Wythemantel `with the cloak'; and de illa Fornera `of the (female) baker' (for a son, servant, or husband) and atte Maydenes (for a servant of the maidens). Fallen branches are both ordinary and ephemeral; it is hard to see how anyone would have come to be known either for having a noteworthy fallen branch (`with the fallen branch') or for living near one (`at the fallen branch').Perhaps la Rama Caída can be justified as the name of an establishment; but at present we have no evidence for Spanish use of sign names, let alone their nature. It is even possible that an acceptable case could be made for the stylistically more authentic de la Rama as a locative. But these cases have not been made, so for now at least we must return the name. (10/95)
Arngrim Björnsson. Name.
As no forms were ever received by Laurel, we are forced to return this. (11/95)
Arnolt Brekeswerd. Device. Sable masoned, on a pile argent masoned sable between two hawks' heads erased respectant argent, a hawk striking to sinister gules.
The device lacks the symmetry and balance of period style heraldry. which lack the counterchanging of the field treatment over the primary charge only serves to reinforce. In fact, it reminded more than one commenter (and most of those at the Laurel meeting) of "a bird caught against the wall by a searchlight". A number of commenters questioned the propriety of counterchanging a field treatment over a charge in this manner. Certainly no one was able to find any period exemplars of such, bringing into question the propriety of such a counterchange. (4/94)
Arnolw Rabenhertz. Badge. [Fieldless] A sword inverted proper embrued gules entwined by a sprig of thorns sable and overall a wolf's head erased argent.
There are a number of problems with the submission, none of which by itself may have been sufficient cause for return, but the combination of all of them is. There was some feeling among the commenters that this probably violates our strictures regarding overall charges in fieldless badges, in that the overlap of the charges is not small. There was additional commentary that this could be considered to be three different types of charge in a single charge group (sword, sprig, and head). Several commenters found identifiability to be a problem, with the argent wolf's head overlying the argent sword blade (see, e.g., RfS VIII.2., "Armorial Contrast - All armory must have sufficient contrast to allow each element of the design to be clearly identifiable at a distance."). There was some feeling expressed that a complexity "rule of thumb count" of eight (argent, Or, sable, gules; sword, blood, sprig and head) is too complex in a fieldless design. In any instance, it is right at the limits of the rule of thumb for complexity, which rule would normally also take a field into account. Further, the "feel" of the badge is of modern and not period design. (See, e.g., RfS VIII.4.d. "Modern Style - Generally modern style in the depiction of individual elements or the total design may not be registered. Artistic techniques and styles developed after 1600 should not be used in Society armory. Charges may not be ... patterned after ... fantasy art, ... etc." (3/95)
Arnthora Eyulfsdottir. Device. Bendy sinister sable and gules, a double-headed eagle displayed Or clutching in its talons a Thor's hammer argent.
The fact that the field violates the ban on fields multiply divided of two colors (RfS VIII.2.b.iv.) allows Laurel toduck completelybypass the (probably necessary) reblazoning of the "Thor's hammer" as "an anchor" or some such. Whatever it may be, it is not a standard Thor's hammer, which lacks the crossbar of the charge here. (4/94)
Arnthora Eyulfsdottir. Device. Per saltire sable and gules, on a double-headed eagle displayed Or, a Thor's hammer gules.
Conflict with Fevronia Murometsa (SCA), Azure, on the breast of an owl displayed Or a Russian Orthodox cross gules, with a CD for the field, but nothing for type of raptor in identical postures nor for type only of tertiary. Conflict also with Pesche (Papworth, p. 319), Azure, on an eagle displayed Or crowned gules, a maunch of the third and with Archbishop of Caesarea (Combo II, p. 58, citing Fabulous), Azure, on an eagle displayed Or a chrismon gules. In each case there is a CD for the field, but nothing for the change to type only of the tertiary. (3/95)
Aros, Canton of. Badge. Or, an owl volant guardant wings addorsed sable and in base a triple mound gules.
As no forms were ever received by Laurel, we are forced to return this. (11/95)
Arrow Wan, Shire of. Device. Or, four arrows fretted in cross sable, within a laurel wreath vert.
A similar design was returned in July 1993 "because the arrows are pointing in four different directions, the blazon required to describe it would be so complex as to clearly show the non-period style of the submission." We have the same problem here. (11/94)
Arrow Wan, Shire of. Name.
No one could find any support for this form of a placename, and RfS II.b.i. requires that "Names of branches must follow the patterns of period place-names." "Want of arrow" or even the alternate meaning of "dark arrow" does not do this. (11/94)
Arslan Sanjarzade Yildirim-Kilij. Device. Sable, on an annulet within an ivy vine in orle Or, three foxes courant contourny in orle azure.
The overall effect of the design of this device is not period heraldic style but rather a more modern style of art. While any individual element -- the ivy vine in orle, the annulet (which in the design here reminded many of the commenters of nothing so much as a life preserver), the rotational symmetry of the charges on the annulet, the modern balance -- may not have been sufficient cause for return in and of itself, the combination works to create a design which is neither period nor heraldic. (8/95)
Arslan Sanjarzade Yildirim-Kilij. Name.
We are returning this name for further documentation. On the basis of the available information, Arslan Sanjarzade appears to be modern, Western-style Turkish name constructed from period elements; Schimmel, Islamic Names, p. 80, says, however, that the family name preceded the given name in those few families that had family names before this century. The submitter's documentation shows some period examples of names compounded from what are either simpler names or a combination of a nickname and a name, but there is no documentation for compound nicknames, nor is there evidence to show where in a period Turkish name a nickname should be placed. (8/95)
Artemesia Leonora Simonetta d'Este. Device. Azure, in sinister chief a cross parted and fretted, in dexter base a mermaid argent, tailed and crined, maintaining an estoile Or.
Conflict with Doubler (Papworth, p. 608), Azure, a cross double-parted argent. There is one CD for the addition of the mermaid but nothing for the enhancement of the cross to sinister chief or for the fretting at its cross point. The submitter invoked RfS VII.8. (the Grandfather Clause) for the registration of the off-center cross. (Her husband's device is Azure, in sinister chief a cross throughout gules, in sinister base a greyhound sejant reguardant, dexter forepaw raised, vert.) It was noted by several commenters that the Grandfather Clause allows only reuse of exact charges and treatments, not thematically related but different ones. As an example, RfS VII.8 notes that "Only the actual armorial element from the originally registered submission may be covered by this permission. For example, if an individual had registered armory containing a fimbriated lion many years ago, only that fimbriated lion would be covered under this rule, not fimbriated wolves, eagles, or lions in other postures." (3/94)
Arthur fitz Robert. Device. Azure, on a bend argent between two mullets of six points Or two roses gules, barbed and seeded vert.
Conflict with Maignart de Bernineres, de Louvigny, B. (Combo II, citing Dictionaire Heraldique), Azure, on a bend argent, three cinquefoils pierced gules, and with Learmonth of Balcomie (Combo I, citing Lyon I), Azure, on a bend argent three roses gules. In each case there is a CD for the addition of the secondaries, but nothing for the change to number only of the tertiaries. (2/95)
Artos ap Gwydion ap Math. Name.
Artos is not a name; it is a word. While there are Welsh names that use arth- as an element, none of the commenters has found it used uncompounded. (Gruffudd's reference is to a possible derivation of the name Arthur, not to an independent name.) We need evidence for its use as a name in period before we can register it. (9/94)
Arwyn of Leicester. Device. Purpure, a Bourchier knot within a bordure argent.
Conflict with Terrence of Edgecumbe, Purpure, a wake knot of two strands within an orle argent. There is one CD for changing the type of the peripheral charge, but a visual comparison of the two blazons showed that the two knots are too similar to grant the necessary second. (12/95)
Ashikaga Hiromoto. Badge. [Fieldless] On a fan within and conjoined to an annulet Or, a roundel per pale embowed-counterembowed vert and sable.
Conflict with Satake (Hawley's Mon, p. 59), On a fan conjoined to an annulet, a roundel. There is only the fieldless CD. (11/94)
Ashikaga Hiromoto. Device. Per pale vert and sable, on a fan within and conjoined to an annulet Or, a roundel per pale embowed-counterembowed vert and sable.
Conflict with Satake (Hawley's Mon, p. 59), On a fan conjoined to an annulet, a roundel. There is only the fieldless CD. (11/94)
Ashikaga no Toshirhiro. Device. Argent, a centipede coiled, head to center, sable.
Conflict with mon illustrated in Matsuya, 109. Though that one is counterchanged and reversed from the one submitted here, there is no difference for reversing the tinctures in "tinctureless" mon nor for reversing the direction of the spiral. As such there is only a CD for the fieldless difference of mon here. (11/93)
Atenveldt, Kingdom of. Name for Guild of the Golden Arrow.
While, as the LoI noted, a guild charter was enclosed in the Laurel packet, no name submission form was. (11/93)
Atesh al-Nasmeh bint Omer. Name.
There are a couple of problems with the name. The first is the lack of any documentation for the byname "the little breeze" either as a name element or for the translation. No sources were cited nor were any photocopies enclosed. (Atesh appears to be a reasonable transliteration of the Turkish Ates; Omer, however, should be Ömer; the umlaut does modify the pronunciation.) The name also does not appear to be properly formed for Turkish, which the language of the remainder of the name would require. Turkish does not appear to have used the Arabic bint in patronymic formations. I'm afraid we need more documentation before we can register this. (1/95)
Athanor Tor, Canton of. Device. Per chevron Or and vert, a flame within a laurel wreath Or.
There were no problems with the device, but we are forced to return it as we cannot form holding names for groups. (11/95)
Athanor Tor, Canton of. Name.
While it is not especially unusual for place-names to refer to such common, visible pieces of equipment as mills, there is no evidence that topographic features were named after obscure pieces of alchemical equipment. (11/95)
Atlantia, Kingdom of. Device change for the Consort. Per pale argent and azure, on a fess wavy cotised counterchanged, an escallop erminois, overall a wreath of roses proper.
Though the LoI stated that a letter signed by the kingdom seneschal and all royalty was being forwarded to Laurel, no such letter was received.Additionally, as was pointed out by one of the commenters, were this device change registered and a woman win the crown in her own right, she would not as sovereign have arms, since she could not legitimately bear the arms of the King of Atlantia, and neither could she bear the arms of the Consort, as she would be neither King nor Consort, but Queen. The kingdom may wish to consider this possibility further before resubmitting this change. (12/95)
Atlantia, Kingdom of. Name for Order of the Crest of the Wave.
Withdrawn from consideration by the Principal Herald. (3/94)
Auliffe of the Blood Sun. Name.
Auliffe is a reasonable Anglicization of Irish Amlaíb. However, commenters were unanimously of the opinion that the byname was not justified by the documentation. In particular, there was general agreement that English bynames taken from ordinary day and feast names do not justify an Irish byname taken from an extraordinary, mythical event. Moreover, no one could confirm the reference to Irish mythology. (4/96)
Aurnia Quillenane. Name.
Since there was no form in the packet, we must return the name. Note that it is unusual in period to find Irish patronymics without the appropriate particle; Aurnia O Quillenane or Aurnia ny Quillenane would accord better with the limited evidence available. The accompanying device was registered under the holding name Wendy of the Outlands. (3/96)
Aurora Ashland of Woolhaven. Device. Vert, semy of rams statant argent armed, on a chief Or three trees eradicated proper.
Withdrawn at the request of the submitter. (6/95)
AVIGNON, City of. Device. Gules, in pale three keys fesswise wards to dexter Or.
Though the site of the "Babylonian captivity" of the Papacy, that seems to be pretty much Avignon's sole claim to fame, and the arms themselves do not appear to be particularly well known. (6/95)
Avisa of Dun Carraig. Device. Azure grillagy Or, on a bend sinister argent a branch leaved vert flowered of a daisy azure seeded Or.
Conflict with Corwynn of Thornwood (SCA), Azure, on a bend sinister argent a thorned slip embowed throughout sable. There is a CD for the addition of the grillage, but the only real difference between the tertiaries is the tincture, which is insufficient for the necessary second.There was a fair bit of discussion as to whether the grillage should be considered as a primiary charge, as is the case with fretty. However, fretty is only considered that way because of evidence that it was an artistic variation of the fret; no such consideration can be given to grillagy, lacking a separate charge, the "grill". As a consequence, it seems the most consistent way to treat grillagy is as we treat other strewn charges and field treatments such as masoned. (12/94)
Balian de Brionne. Badge. [Fieldless] A salamander gules enflamed Or.
Conflict with the badge of François I, [Fieldless] A salamander. There is one CD for fieldlessness, but as François' badge appears to have been used tinctureless, the other CD must come from something other than tincture. (3/94)
Balian de Brionne. Badge. [Fieldless] A salamander gules enflamed Or.
Conflict with Vespacia Capricornia Kareliae (SCA), Pily bendy Or and vert, a natural chameleon gules. There is one CD for fieldlessness, but a comparison of the two emblazons demonstrated that the two lizards are in identical postures and that the differences between them were all in the same categories as those considered to be too minor to grant a CD. (5/95)
Balin Fear-Dàna. Name.
Malory's Balin is probably from Belin(us), which is apparently a Latinized form of the Welsh name Beli. It isn't clear that it was ever used as a name outside of literature; we may give it the benefit of the doubt on that score, but when written in Irish (as with this byname) it would have been given an Irish form. We are unable to guess what that might have been. O'Brien (Corpus Genealogiarum Hiberniæ, p. 518) notes one instance of a name Belán; Belán Ferdána seems to be an acceptable early Irish name. (A late form would probably be Bealán Feardána.) The alternative would be to use an English or Anglo-French form of the byname, e.g., Gleman, Harper, Mynstrall, le Singere, etc. These changes are hardly minor, so we are returning the name to let him choose. (12/95)
Balthazar fitz Gryphon. Device. Azure chapé ployé argent, a griffin segreant argent.
Conflict with Griffin Val Drummond, Per pale purpure and azure, a griffin segreant argent bearing in its dexter talon a morgenstern and in its sinister talon a targe charged with a tower azure. There is a CD for the field, but nothing for the maintained charges. (12/95)
Barbara atte Dragon. Device. Argent, a dragon's head cabossed vert, in base a pansy purpure a chief embattled sable.
The identifiability of the dragon's head is problematical. This, combined with the use of three different types of charges in three different tinctures, puts the device beyond the limits of generally acceptable style. (4/94)
Barbara Giomaria di Roberto. Device. Argent, a chevron inverted azure in chief a brown hen rousant proper.
As with the return of a brown feather proper, a brown hen proper "is not an appropriate use of a hon-heraldic tincture for a charge". (Quoting the LoAR of April 1994, p. 20). Prior Laurel precedent concurs. "The wing was blazoned on the letter of intent and the forms as proper and is in fact brown so it cannot be reblazoned in any heraldic tincture." (Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane, LoAR 31 December 1989, p. 25). (5/95)
Barbara of Canterbury. Name.
There seems to be no problem with the name, but unfortunately there was no name form in the packet. (12/95)
Barbara of the Crossroads. Badge. [Fieldless] On a rose proper a fleece Or.
Conflict with Marta Sansgrail, Argent, a garden rose gules slipped and leaved vert, in the center of the rose a worm Or. There is the fieldless CD, but nothing for the change of type only of a tertiary on a non-voidable charge, per RfS X.4.j.ii. (5/96)
Barbara of the Rose. Device. Or, a sheaf of three roses purpure, slipped and leaved vert.
Conflict with Sharon de Mattos da Silveria (SCA), Argent, chapé ployé azure, a sprig of Rose of Sharon flowers purpure, slipped and leaved vert. There is one CD for the changes to the field, but a visual comparison clearly demonstrated that there were no others for type or for arrangement of the flowers. (4/95)
Barbara of the Rose. Name.
"The byname [of the Rose] implies membership in the Order of the Rose as much as `of the Laurel', `of the Chivalry', or `of the Pelican' imply membership in those orders." (LoAR January 1991, p. 10). The name would be more period, and would be registrable, as Barbara Witherose or Barbara atte Rose. (1/95)
Barbotte of Castledragon. Name.
Unfortunately, while Dauzat documents the name well, he also documents it as a byname. The submitted name lacks a given. (3/94)
Baronial Colleges of Nordleigh, Canton of the. Device. Sable, between three squirrels rampant a laurel wreath Or.
As we cannot form holding names for groups, we are having to return the device. (5/96)
Baronial Colleges of Nordleigh, Canton of the. Name.
This submission raises two separate issues, one stylistic, the other administrative. Stylistically the name is said to be modelled on that of Kings College (Cambridge), though the obvious analogical construction would be Barons College. This is probably too generic to be registered, but we see no serious stylistic bar to registering Barons College at Nordleigh, say. Barons Colleges at Nordleigh is another matter: it seems very unlikely that two colleges within a single university would have been given the same name. We are also reluctant to allow Baronial in lieu of Barons without some support from period usage. In addition to Kings College, there are the Queens Colleges at Cambridge and Oxford, Bishops Castle in Shropshire, Countesthorpe the countess's village in Leicestershire, and other similar constructs to support Barons College; as a model for Baronial only Royal comes to mind. Moreover, the OED does not attest baronial until the middle of the 18th century (though it probably existed at least a bit earlier). The change from the submitted name to Barons College at Nordleigh is formally not very large. However, it appears that the group specifically chose Baronial rather than Barons in order that the modifier might refer to both the Baron and the Baroness, and it chose Colleges because in the modern world it is based simultaneously at Carleton College and at St. Olaf College. Under the circumstances we are not willing to make these changes without permission and must therefore return the name.The administrative problem concerns the use of college, an officially approved designator for an institutional branch based at a school, research facility, or the like. The submitted name implies that the group is administratively a canton, and it is so listed in the most recent Middle Kingdom newsletter. The distinction is significant, since cantons and colleges are subject to different administrative requirements. If in fact the group is administratively a college, there is no problem: they need only drop the words Canton of (and indeed must do so). Assuming that it is a canton, however, the question arises: May a canton use the word college, which as a designator has a specific (and in this case inappropriate) meaning, as a non-designating part of its name? The relevant part of RfS III.2.b says that a branch name "must consist of a designator that identifies the type of entity and at least one descriptive element and that `[t]he designator must be appropriate to the status of the submitter". In Canton of the Baronial Colleges of Nordleigh it is clear from the syntax that Canton is the required designator; the rule says nothing about the use of designators in the descriptive part of the name, so the first requirement is technically met, and if the group is a canton, the second requirement is met as well. In the absence of stylistic problems we would therefore not have returned the name. Nevertheless, we agree with Hawk that the use of an administratively inappropriate standard designator in the descriptive part of a branch name is potentially confusing and urge the group to consider this issue before resubmitting their name. (5/96)
Barre FitzRobert of York. Badge. [Fieldless] On a sun Or, an owl perched upon a spear fesswise azure.
The owl and spear are not really on the sun, as they overlap its edge at several points, yet neither are they overall. This should be redrawn so that the owl and spear are truly "on" the sun rather than "sort of overall".Additionally, this has a technical conflict with Laurelen Darksbane (SCA), Azure vetú ployé sable fimbriated, on a compass-star Or an annulet azure. There is a CD for fieldless versus fielded, but we do not grant difference between multi-pointed mullets and suns, nor for change to type only of tertiaries on a complex charge. (2/95)
BASEL, City of. Device. Argent, a crook of Basel sable.
The arms seem important only in the uniqueness of the primary charge. (6/95)
Beautrice de Hameldone. Device. Vert, alternately in annulo five ermine spots argent and five oak leaves stems to center Or.
Blazoned on the LoI as Vert, ermined argent, five oak leaves in annulo stems to center Or, the above blazon more accurately describes the emblazon, which did not have the ermine spots strewn over the entire field, but had only five spots in the spaces between the leaves. This arrangement, however, does not appear to follow any period style of which we are aware. (12/95)
Bedwyr ap Gwrgant Amaethon ap Rhain. Device. Per pale Or and sable, a tree eradicated counterchanged proper and flaming Or.
The sinister half of the tree is not really "flaming", but is rather "of flames". We have not allowed charges of flame for quite some time. Additionally most of the commenters noted that counterchanging a charge, half of which is proper, does not appear to have any period or modern exemplars. Some of the commenters also felt (not necessarily incorrectly) that this appeared to be dimidiated arms, thus falling afoul of RfS XI.3. (7/94)
Beibhinn Nic Gille fhaolain na Kirkcudbright. Device. Argent, a catamount passant to sinister sable between two bars wavy vert, in chief a triquetra and in base a triquetra inverted sable.
As no forms for this submissions were received, we are unable to process it. (5/95)
Beibhinn Nic Gille fhaolain na Kirkcudbright. Name.
As no forms for this submissions were received, we are unable to process it. (5/95)
Beitidh Toirrdhealbhach. Name.
Plain given names do not seem to have been used as bynames in Gaelic. Since she allows minor changes, we could have converted Toirrdhealbhach to a patronymic, either nighean Thoirrdhealbhaich "daughter of Toirrdhealbhach" or nic Thoirrdhealbhaich "daughter of Mac T(h)oirrdhealbhaich". However, her form suggests that she may be thinking of the name as a byname meaning "well shaped", in which case a patronymic would probably not be welcome. This idea comes from Black's comments on the name, s.n. Tearlach, but it seems to be incorrect: Corráin & Maguire make the older Tairdelbach "abettor, instigator", a derivation which gets support from the entry for tairdelb "promoting, furthering" in the Dictionary of the Irish Language. Irrespective of the correct etymology, there is no evidence that the name itself was in use as an adjective, so it cannot function as a byname, and conversion to a patronymic (or replacement by a genuine adjectival byname) is required.The given name is somewhat problematic. It is apparently a Gaelic transliteration of English Betty, a pet form of Elizabeth, and the limited information available suggests that it is a modern transliteration. At any rate it surely does not predate the English name. The latter is not so far attested in period, though Bess(i)e may be found in the 16th century. (The name Betta, Bete is found in the Middle Ages, but it seems to have been a different name, a pet form of Beatrice. The available spellings also suggest that it would have had somewhat different Gaelic transliterations.) The OED notes a common noun betty (for a burglar's tool), with a citation from 1700; if, as the editors believe, the term derives from the name Betty, the latter must date at least to the 17th century. We might perhaps on this account have given Betty itself the benefit of the doubt, but we are unwilling to extend that allowance to a Gaelic transliteration. Both problems would be solved by substituting the Anglicized name Bete Terlach: Bete (from Betryse = Beatrice) is dated to c.1440 by Reaney & Wilson, s.n. Beeton, Black, s.n. Mactarlich, cites Duncan McTerlach 1436, and the various patronymic particles were often lost in the process of Anglicization. (4/96)
Benjamin McDougal. Device. Per fess wavy argent and purpure semy of helms argent, a demi-griffin segreant issuant from the line of division purpure.
The line of division of the field needs to be drawn much more boldly. Indeed, even in the large emblazon it was nearly impossible to identify at any distance. (1/96)
Beornheard O'Dea. Device. Sable, a bear sejant erect maintaining a spiked mace, and on a chief embattled argent three broadarrows sable.
Even more unfortunately, he did not allow the formation of a holding name, either, so we are having to return the device as well. (10/94)
Beornheard O'Dea. Name.
The modern English form of the Irish patronym is entirely inconsistent with an Old English given name. We would have modified the name to either Bernard O'Dea or Beornheard O'Deaghaidh, but the submitter did not allow corrections. (10/94)
Beowulf tha Foesten-Stapa. Device. Azure, a bogbeast rampant, within a bordure embattled argent, semy of clusters of berries sable.
As was noted in the January 1993 LoI, the bogbeast is grandfathered to Nikolai Andreeov. At that time Laurel noted that he was not inclined to register it to anyone else. I concur. (4/94)
Beowulf tha Foesten-Stapa. Name.
The byname appears to be an attempt to assemble a byname from bits and pieces from the poem Beowulf. However, the form seems to be incorrect, and as no documentation was included in the Laurel packet, we are unable to fully determine exactly what the submitter was trying for here. (4/94)
Berhtolf Warinhar. Device. Azure, on a bend sinister argent three double-headed eagles palewise azure.
Conflict with Corwynn of Thornwood, Azure, on a bend sinister argent a thorned slip embowed throughout sable. There is only one CD for the changes to the tertiaries. (9/95)
Bernhard vom Sayn. Device. Per fess gules and argent, in chief a sword bendwise sinister between two roses argent and in base a griffin's head erased gules, armed Or.
Were the field division on this device per pale, it would stand as a classic example of impaled arms. As it stands, however (as an example of "infessed" arms? J), it is extremely unbalanced. (See RfS VIII.1.b., "Armory must arrange all elements coherently in a balanced design.") The arrangement of charges in the top half of the shield may easily be seen to be a balanced, coherent design. The same applies to the bottom half of the shield. The combination, however, on a single field is neither coherent or balanced. The roses are not arranged in a relationship to the other charges that would cause them to be viewed unequivocably as secondary charges; as part of the primary charge group, however, they cause the device to exceed the complexity limits of RfS VIII.1.a. ("Three or more types of charges should not be used in the same group"). (10/94)
Birger Persson. Gules, two wings inverted argent.
Persson is primarily known for being the father of St. Bridget. The general feeling among the commenters is that this alone is not sufficient to warrant protection (see, e.g., Harpy's letter of intent to "un"protect the arms of Owen Tudor). (5/95)
Birgitte Sidony. Name.
Withycombe, p. 269, contradicts Hanks and Hodges, p. 302, saying that "no early example of the name has been found"; her earliest example is dated to 1793. We need better documentation for the byname before we can register this. (4/94)
Bjarki Gullbjornsson. Device. Per bend sinister checky sable and Or and gules, three compass-stars in bend sinister Or.
Conflict with Awilda Haeulfdan, Per pale gules and sable, three compass-stars in bend sinister Or. There is only one CD, for the changes to the field. (6/95)
Bjorn Johansen. Device. Per chevron inverted Or and gules, a bunch of grapes purpure slipped and leaved vert and two lions combattant Or within a bordure embattled argent.
The line of division here is drawn far to high on the shield to be truly considered per chevron inverted. As it is, it issues nearly from the corners of the chief (which means that it is not a chief triangular, either). This needs to be redrawn with a more clearly per chevron inverted line of division, with the line of division issuing from farther down the flanks of the shield, or as a chief triangular, with the line of division issuing from the corners of the chief. (10/95)
Blackmoor Keep, Shire of. Device. Sable, on a pale argent a tower sable within a laurel wreath overall counterchanged, in chief two fleurs-de-lys argent.
While it is true, as the LoI notes, that there often a grace period to allow submissions in process to clear before a policy change is stringently enforced, the policy on counterchanging complex charges dates back to the tenure of Mistress Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane, and was continued during Master Da'ud's first tenure. As a consequence, there was no new policy applied to the submission and no "grace period" for this appeal is applicable. (11/93)
Bohémond de Nicée. Badge. [Fieldless] On a flames gules, a fleur-de-lys argent, its crossbar a snake nowed Or.
Blazoned in the LoI as A fleur-de-lys argent, its crossbar a snake nowed Or, all enflamed gules, the fleur is not enflamed, it is on a flame.Conflict with Grimn the Hele-Bourne, Sable, upon a flame gules fimbriated Or a skull argent, and with Reginleif the Unruly, Sable, on a flame gules fimbriated Or a rough-legged draught horse forcene argent. In each case there is a CD for fieldlessness, but nothing for the fimbriation of the flame and nothing for the change to type only of the tertiary charge on a complex charge.
The style of having an animate charge as the "crossbar" of the fleur is extremely unusual, and has, to the best of our knowledge, no period precedent. (5/95)
Bohémond de Nicée. Device. Vert, a German panther rampant Or breathing flames gules, maintaining a fleur-de-lis argent.
Conflict with Earrnwynn van Zwaluwenburg (SCA), Per chevron rayonny erminois and sable, in base a panther rampant Or, incensed proper. There is a CD for the change to the field, but since the move in Earnwynn's is forced, nothing for position on the field, nor can we see granting a CD between continental and insular panthers. (3/94)
Bo Jonsson. Argent, a griffin's head erased sable.
There was a fair consensus among the commenters that this person did not come up to the general standards of importance to warrant protection. (5/95)
Bonwicke, Barony of. Badge for Order of the Western Cross of Bonwicke. [Fieldless] A Norse sun cross per pale indented Or and gules.
Conflict with Shimazu (Hawley's Mon, p. 65), A Norse sun cross. There is only the fieldless CD. Additionally, as noted by Couronne Rouge, precedent still disallows armory consisting of a single letter or abstract symbol. (4/94)
Brand Armand of Lancaster. Device. Gules, on a flame the blade of a sword Or, winged argent, a bordure Or semy of roses sable.
The sword loses its identifiability against the "flames" of the same tincture. (One commenter noted its resemblance to a chain saw.) Were the flames drawn larger (and less regularly) and made "proper" to increase the contrast, this would probably acceptable. (2/94)
Brand the Black. Device. Checky sable and Or, a seawolf argent.
Conflict with HMSubmarine Seawolf, Azure, a seawolf argent. There is only one CD, for the changes to the field. (11/94)
Bran MacAonghais. Name.
Unfortunately this name conflicts with Bran mac Oengus, registered 8/77; MacAonghais is simply a later (and also more grammatical) spelling of mac Oengus. (11/95)
Bran of Lough Derg. Device. Paly Or and sable, a raven displayed and in base a crescent inverted gules.
There was no submission form included in the packet, so we must return it. (9/95)
Branwyn of Cotswold. Device. Per fess invected vert and argent, two dolphins urinant addorsed argent and a columbine blossom purpure.
There is a noted problem with the identifiability of the flower as drawn. (One commenter thought it was a cloud-wreathed volcano.) Were the submitter to copy the one in the Pictorial Dictionary, with slip and leaf, and without some of the petals at a 907 angle to the others as in the current submission, these changes would probably be sufficient to make the flower adequately identifiable for registration. (5/94)
Bréannainn O'Coinghiolláin. Badge. [Fieldless] On a scroll fesswise argent, the Greek words "Pneuma To Teuto" sable, overall a maiden statant affronty hands upraised proper, vested azure, conjoined to the roots and branches of a tree proper.
This exceeds the complexity limits of RfS XIII.1.a, with a complexity count of eleven (argent, sable, flesh proper, blue [dress], Or [hair], vert, brown; a scroll, letters, a maiden, and a tree). This alone is sufficient grounds for return. Other problems noted by the commenters, however, include the fact that the blazon doesn't really reproduce the emblazon; the best suggestion for fixing this was to reblazon the tree/maiden combination as Daphne, but this may not adequately reproduce the emblazon either. There were questions about the "motto", both as to its accuracy of translation (Palimpsest believes that to tauto may be an error for teuto, itself a contraction of to auto. Pneuma tauto seems to say something like "breath (or spirit) is the same"; no one else was able to make sense of the phrase) and as to its acceptability for registration ("we don't register mottoes"). There was some discussion of the acceptability of the overall style of the badge, though Palimpsest notes that a number of late-period Italian imprese are even more complex than this proposal. The problem with the complexity limits of VIII.1.a., however, makes resolution of the other questions moot. (4/94)
Brénainn Mac Dara. Device. Vert, a tree blasted within in chief an arch of five mullets argent.
The tree is drawn in a modern, fantasy art style (see, e.g., RfS VIII.4.d., Modern Style). (A number of the commenters recognized it immediately as being from one of J.R.R. Tolkien's drawings.) He should redraw it with a more standardized tree.A different problem is that arches of mullets have been cause for return for some time now. "The design, although pretty, is not heraldic. A circle of stars may surround an entire charge or group of charges, but stars surrounding only part of a charge is fantasy art." (Baldwin of Erebor, LoAR 28 Sept 84, p.14) (6/95)
BREMEN, City of. Device. Gules, a key bendwise ward to chief argent.
Though a large port city (one from which a large percentage of emigrants leaving for America sailed in the last 150 years), nothing else about the city or its arms seems to place it in the same category as those considered important enough to protect. (6/95)
Brendan Brisbone. Badge. [Fieldless] Three candles conjoined at the bases in pall flammant argent.
Conflict with Francis Owen Roderick Keith, A shakefork argent. While there is clearly a CD for fieldlessness, a comparison of the emblazons demonstrated their remarkable (and overwhelming) visual similarity. (12/95)
Brendan the Gentle. Device. Gules, three annulets interlaced argent.
As no forms were included in the submissions packet, this submission must be returned. (9/95)
Brendan the Gentle. Device. Gules, three annulets interlaced argent.
As no submissions forms were included in the packet, we are having to return this. (11/95)
Brenna Catriona Dunn. Name.
Brenna is only marginally justifiable for the Classical Mediterranean area. It's use in an Anglo-Irish name as one of two given names becomes two steps beyond period practice, as Anglo-Irish names did not use double given names in period. (10/94)
Brennan Halfhand. Device. Argent, an eagle striking and a bordure vert charged alternately with acorns inverted and oak leaves argent.
The College has a long standing practice of disallowing mixed charge semys. Though the commentary noted two late period examples of mundane armory with mixed-charge semys, two examples are insufficient to establish a pattern or practice sufficient to overturn the current restriction. (7/94)
Brenna nic Adam. Badge. Azure, a demi-horse argent sustaining a harp proper.
A harp proper is brown, which is color on color. Indeed, this contrast problem was known to whoever colored in the large emblazons, as one was started in brown, then changed to a golden tan. If the harp were reblazoned as Or (the equivalent of tan), it comes into conflict with Ireland (Papworth, p. 908), Azure a harp Or stringed argent, Charles II (Combo I, citing Lyon I), Azure a harp Or stringed argent, and von Steinach (Combo I, citing Manesse), Azure, a harp Or. In each case there is one CD, for the addition of the horse. (12/94)
Brennisteinvatn, Shire of. Device. Sable, on a flame within a laurel wreath argent, a lizard tergiant fesswise vert.
The laurel wreath is emblazoned as "lying as on a bordure", which has been disallowed for some time now. Please let them know that laurel wreaths are nearly circular in shape, and cannot follow the line of a bordure or orle. (12/95)
Briana verch Evan Mawr. Device. Ermine, a dragon passant gules within a bordure engrailed compony sable and argent.
Though the precedent stating that compony bordures sharing a tincture with the field has been extended to include compony bordures which share a tincture between a plain field and an ermined bordure (and vice versa), this particular proposal was submitted under the Grandfather Clause of the Rules. (The submitter's father has an ermine field and a bordure compony sable and argent.) However, RfS VII.8. states that "Only the actual armorial element from the originally registered submission may be covered by this permission. For example, if an individual had registered armory containing a fimbriated lion many years ago, only that fimbriated lion would be covered under this rule, not fimbriated wolves, eagles, or lions in other postures." (emphasis added). As a consequence, we do not believe that the Grandfather Clause allows her to register an engrailed bordure; only a plain one. (12/94)
Brian MacBrand. Transfer of badge to Aeruin ni hEarain o Chonemara.
Withdrawn from consideration at the request of the submitter and the submissions herald. (8/95)
Brianna Ashinagh. Badge. [Fieldless] On a caltrap inverted sable a fox's mask argent.
We are able to completely avoid the issue of the identifiability of a "caltrap inverted" (which is a problem) because the one here is drawn as a mullet of three points, which has been disallowed for some time now. (11/94)
Brianna Ashinagh. Device. Argent chaussé sable, on a caltrap inverted sable, a fox's mask argent, in chief a paw print sable.
We are able to completely avoid the issue of the identifiability of a "caltrap inverted" (which is a problem) because the one here is drawn as a mullet of three points, which has been disallowed for some time now. (11/94)
Brianna O'Kirrane. Device. Vert, three roses and a bordure argent.
Conflict with Rowan Perigrynne, Vert, a cinquefoil within a bordure argent. There is a CD for number but nothing for rose vs. cinquefoil. "[T]here's no CDs between cinquefoil and (heraldic) rose." (Bruce Draconarius of Mistholme, LoAR August 1992, p. 32) (2/96)
Brianne nic Auslan de Buchanan. Device. Sable, a sword inverted Or, overall, in saltire, two Trumpet lilies argent slipped and leaved vert.
The flowers are more than half vert, making them effectively color on color. (8/94)
Brianne nic Auslan de Buchanan. Name.
Brianne is a modern name and apparently could only arise as a French version of Brianna; a hypothetical French form of a probably non-existent Latinized feminine form of a masculine Irish name [to borrow Palimpsest's wording] is farther from documented practice then we are willing to go. (8/94)
Brian the Blackhawk. Device. Argent, an eagle displayed within an orle within an orle of lozenges orlewise sable.
As this could equally well be blazoned (as Papworth has done with similar designs), Sable an inescutcheon argent charged with an eagle sable all within a bordure argent semy of lozenges sable, it conflicts with Fylkyn (Papworth, p. 687), Sable an escutcheon argent within a bordure of the last charged with billets of the first. There is one CD for the addition of the tertiary eagle, but because this is not simple armory as defined in RfS X.4.j.2., there is nothing for changing the type only of the tertiary charges on the bordure. (1/94)
Brice Jacob. Device. Gyronny gules and Or, three Maltese crosses counterchanged.
It was the consensus of those at the Laurel meeting looking at the emblazon that the counterchanging of the three crosses on the gyronny field significantly reduces their ready identifiability and thus should be considered "excessive", per RfS VIII.3. ("Elements must be used in a design so as to preserve their individual identifiability"). (11/95)
Brictiva de Chantal. Name.
Unfortunately we must return this delightful Anglo-French name because there was no name submission form in the packet. (9/95)
Bridget Killeen. Name.
Killeen is probably a post-period Anglicization of Irish ó Cillín, O Killine being rather more likely even in the 16th century. Nevertheless, the name is registerable in the submitted form. (Pelican has a number of instances of English use of Bridget as a baptismal name in the 16th century.) The only real question is whether it conflicts with Brighid Ní Chillín, registered 3/94, of which it is an Anglicization, and that question proved to be the headache of the month. As RfS V.1.b (Conflict of Personal Names) is written, these names conflict unless either Bridget differs significantly from Brighid, or Killeen differs significantly from Ní Chillín. In each case the names will be considered significantly different only if they differ significantly in sound and appearance. In the case of the patronymic, the particle Ní is ignored in the comparison. Even without it, Killeen and Chillín look significantly different. The difference in pronunciation, however, which is mostly the difference between the sounds of k and kh, is too small to be considered significant. The bynames, therefore, are not sufficiently different to avoid conflict. The situation in respect of the given names is quite different: they do differ significantly in sound. Irish Brighid is pronounced roughly "breed"; a slightly earlier pronunciation would more resemble "bree-yid". Both pronunciations are clearly quite different from the usual English pronunciation of Bridget. It is less clear how much the names differ in appearance, and unfortunately commentary dealt only with the issue of sound. People tend to look first at the beginnings of words, so that privet and pricks are likely to be perceived as more similar than pricks and trucks. Moreover, the fact that the kinship between these names is widely recognized also tends to increase the perceived visual similarity. After much consideration we have therefore reluctantly decided that Brighid and Bridget are not significantly different in appearance and in consequence are forced to conclude that the submitted name does conflict with the Irish version already registered. In some ways this is a regrettable decision even apart from the question of whether the concept of name conflict is a reasonable one. If the names were considered as wholes, rather than by elements, there would be no conflict, since the names themselves do differ significantly in sound and appearance. On the other hand, one of the considerations that went into the present version of RfS V (Name Conflict) was that names that were interchangeable in period probably ought to conflict. (For an example see RfS 1.a.ii(b) (Locative Bynames).) Since Bridget Killeen and Brighid Ní Chillín could indeed have signified the same person very late in our period, it is at least consistent with other parts of the rules to say that they conflict. (3/96)
Brighde Mary MacGregor. Name.
Brighde is the genitive case of Irish Brighid; the nominative case is required for a given name. Since the rest of the name is Anglicized, period practice requires that the first name be Anglicized as well. Any of Bridget(t), Bridgitt, Brigit, Briget(t), Brygett, Brygyt, Bryget, etc. would be fine; unfortunately, she forbids spelling and grammar corrections, so we must return the name. Please inform her that double given names were very rare even at the end of our period; her name would be more authentic without one of the forenames. (9/95)
Brighid of Ferncliff. Device. Azure goutty d'eau, a cross formy fitched and a gore sinister argent.
The "gore" is drawn here as half-gusset, half-gore. It needs to be redrawn as clearly one or the other. (8/94)
Bright Hills, Barony of. Badge for Award of the Silberberg. [Fieldless] On a mountain of three peaks couped argent a bow fesswise nocked with a rapier sable.
The rapier is almost entirely unidentifiable, especially as when crossed with a bow in this way, the eye wants to see an arrow. RfS VII.1.a. requires that heraldic elements "must be recognizable solely from their appearance.&quo