An Tir Internal Letter of Intent
Free to all persons willing to comment on a regular basis
Commentary due on this letter by October 9th 1998
This letter is also available by subscription for $12.00 U.S./year
Email: pwallace@linknet.kitsap.lib.wa.us
August 16, 1998 A.S. XXXIII
Greetings unto the An Tir College of Heralds from Maryn Lion's Blood!
This letter is a little unusual, not so much in its content, but in to whom it has been sent. This month the Internal Letter is being sent to all the Branch Heralds, as well as to the An Tir Mailing List of commenting heralds (I have tried not to duplicate mailings, but some of you may get two sets anyway - sorry!) It is accompanied by THE NEW FORMS! This has caused the Letter to be a little later than usual, and I apologize; but I hope that inconvenience is somewhat offset by the presence of the forms.
The fact that the forms are ready to be mailed out with this letter is due to a concentrated and heroic effort on the parts of Frederick Badger, and of Elizabeth Braidwood and Zenobia Naphtali. Most sincere thanks!
Please copy and distribute these forms as soon as possible. Laurel wants to see the new forms by the November Laurel meeting; that would have meant the August packet. But now that we have the forms, we must put them into play quick, quick, quick; their use will be mandatory at Laurel's February meeting. THAT means that our November packet must be on all new forms, and THAT means that the submissions for the September letter must all be on new forms. I will transfer submissions already received onto the new forms, but from, basically, this moment on, everything must be on the new forms, or be returned.
If you do not normally receive the Internal Letter, but think that it looks like a useful thing for you or your branch to receive, there are two ways to go about getting on the Mailing List (the list of people who get the Internal Letter every month). Firstly, you can regularly research the new submissions, and write a monthly Letter of Comment on your findings. Send the letters to Lion's Blood, address at the top of this letter, and you will be placed on the Mailing List. I am always pleased to have new commenters! Secondly, if you would like to get the letter, but do not wish (or just don't have time) to comment regularly, subscriptions are available from the Lion's Blood office for $12 US per year.
Notes to new commenters: please use the name of the submitter, as well as the number of the submission, when you write your comments - it's easier to track at the meetings where your comments are read. Also, please remember to put your name somewhere on the Letter of Comment, even if you email it to me; if I don't make good enough notes when I receive and print it, I may forget who sent me the commentary!
Please have letters of comment on the July letter to me by Friday, September 11th, to be considered at the September meeting. The September Lion's Blood meeting, which was meant to be in Portland at Ciaran Cluana Ferta's house, I am selfishly changing to be in Bremerton on Sunday, September 13th, at 1:00 p.m. I apologize to all who had already made plans for the Portland meeting. The letter to be considered is an extremely short letter, and as plans for driving to/ not driving to September Crown are not yet firm, I've decided to just hold the meeting at my house.
Directions: Coming from the south, there are very few choices to Bremerton from Tacoma until you are essentially past Port Orchard. You will want Hwy. 3 North; swoop around the bay after you pass the Port Orchard turnoffs. The only bit that is at all tricky is the "V" split as you come into Bremerton - the signs will assure you that straight ahead on 304 is Bremerton, and North on 3 is something else entirely - Poulsbo or Silverdale, I think. Ignore this sign propaganda, stay to your left and take 3 North. You will only have two or three options before you are offered the Kitsap Way exit; take it, and go east (to your right, coming from the south). It bends merrily around and becomes 6th Street. It will intersect fairly soon with Naval Avenue. Turn left/north - otherwise you are almost at the gate to the naval station- and proceed a few blocks. At the light at 11th street the center lane is the through lane, and the right hand lane is a forced turn; this isn't well marked, so I didn't want it to come as a surprise. You'll pass 13th street to your right only. Right across from the gate to the cemetery is our house. The number is 1324, it's white, porch in front, small dogwood tree in front yard.
From the ferry from Seattle to Bremerton: contact me ahead of time, and I'll come pick you up. From the North, I'm betting you can find Hwy. 3; come into Bremerton as far as Kitsap Way and follow the directions above.
In October, plans are for the meeting to be hosted by Elizabeth Braidwood in Lion's Gate at 11:00 a.m. on Sunday, October the 11th; please have commentary on this letter to me by October 9th for it to be included in the decisions made at that meeting. Directions will be in the September Internal Letter.
For those who do not subscribe to the An Tir heralds list, here is a correction to the July letter, in which I left out the blazon for Christiana Rowena Yonge's device; it is Quarterly per fess indented argent and vert, in chief three suns counterchanged gules and Or.
Apologies to Simon von der Eisenhandlung, who wrote commentary for the April Internal Letter, but was not mentioned as having done so!
Present at the July meeting, hosted by the Honorable Lady Natasha Orionova Zateeva, were (in no particular order) Arontius of Bikeleswade, Natasha Orionova Zateeva, Kateryn of Falcon Keep, Vasilisa Myshkina, and David of Moffat. Those who wrote or contributed to Letters of Comment were, again in no particular order, Eglentyne Merryweather, Tegan Conwy, Elsa Haakonsdotter, Moreach Nicmhaolain, thelfrith Hluda, Badger Red Tree, lisabeth de Rossignol, John-Philippe Lours, David of Moffat and Zenobia Naphtali. Thank you!
Here are the results of the July meeting, at which the May Internal letter was considered.
Old Submissions
The following have been sent to Laurel:
1. lfthryth the Amiable Name & Device New
(Valley Wold)
Vert, a tower and in chief a roundel between an increscent and a decrescent argent
The College is unsure that an epithet like "the Amiable" is registerable, as period usage tended much more to the "Sweet lfthryth" type of formation; also, an epithet in Anglo-Saxon -- perhaps "seo Luflic", which means "amiable, loving" (thank you, thelfrith) -- would probably have been better style. However, we were not sure that the name was NOT registerable as submitted, and so have sent it up.
One commenter asked, "How period is the crescent, roundel, decrescent type of arrangement?" The answer is, "Well, not awfully". We think of it as modern style, and certainly three increscents, for example, would be better, but this arrangement is no worse than (see last month's letter) a mullet between two lions regardant. Regarding conflicts, vs Vert a castle argent portalled and masoned sable, on a chief argent three oak leaves vert (Hjalmar von Aachen) we count 1 CD for adding a chief, 1 CD for the leaves on the chief, and 1 CD for removing the increscent, plate, decrescent group. Against Vert, a tower and on a bordure argent a tressure vert, the question was asked, "What is a tressure?" A tressure is the diminutive of the orle, usually present in two's or three's, as a double tressure.
2. Alisdair MacEwan Device resub/Kingdom
(Porte de L'Eau)
Argent, on a bend embattled azure between two roses proper three pheons palewise inverted argent
Nice device; however, there are 9 or 10 "embattles" on the bend, while the usual number is 5 - 7. One commenter was unsure why the bend should be blazoned before the roses. The short answer is that the bend is the primary charge, as would be any other "non-peripheral" ordinary, like a bend sinister, a pale, or a fess. The roses, placed wholly on the field, are secondary charges, so they are listed after the bend; the pheons, tertiary charges placed wholly on another charge, are listed last. Since someone asked, a "pig-faced bascinet" is a type of helm; and this device does not exceed Society standards for allowable complexity.
3. Arlindis o Gordon Badge resub/Kingdom
(Dragon's Mist)
Quarterly sable and argent, four quatrefoil knots counterchanged
Correction to the May letter: her name was registered with a small 'o'.
4. Arontius of Bygelswade Name Change
(Dragon's Laire)
This submission is a change from 'Arontius of Bikeleswade', which was registered in July 1997. Because of the questions of temporal compatibility, this submission is a good example of the fuzzy line between "registerable" and "attested". (Sorry, Arontius!)
5. Attila Gyri Sandor Name & Device New
(River's Bend)
Per pale gules and vert, on a patriarchal cross between in chief two doves respectant argent an arrow sable
The College has some doubts about this name, particularly since the only <Attila> who leapt to mind was the one historical figure. However, a good case was made, and it looked like a question for Laurel to me! Armory note: the little birds have the requisite tufts on the backs of their heads, and are thereby doves and not just Little White Birds.
6. Elena de Maisnilwarin Name New
(Lion's Gate)
She declined to accept changes, but we didn't need to make any.
7. Elizabeth Braidwood Badge New
(Lion's Gate)
(Fieldless) A bee Or
Her badge conflicts with the badge of Andre Lessard, (Fieldless) A legless bee displayed barry sable and Or, winged Or, with change of tincture to less than half of the charge; but she has obtained a letter of permission to conflict. If she had not obtained the letter of permission so promptly we would have had to send the submission back. Note to some commenters: remember that (Fieldless) counts for 1 CD against any other field, including other (Fieldless), so that in several cases, tincture of the bee supplies the second CD; orientation of the charge counts for 1 CD in some others.
8. Griffin the Black Name & Device New
(Glymm Mere)
Sable, eight plates in annulo
We asked Laurel and the College of Arms to document the spelling "Gryphon", if possible, and mentioned that the submitter has a letter of permission to conflict with thelfrith se Hluda, who has submitted Sable three plates on the February Internal letter.
9. John Drakkus Blackrogue Name Change, Device New
(Dragon's Laire)
Per chevron sable and argent, three dragons displayed counterchanged
To Laurel we sent the discussion, almost unchanged, that appeared in the Internal Letter. Added were the remarks from a good onomastics commenter, who found the names "Blakman", "Blakshyreue" and "Blaksoule" in Jnsj's Studies on Middle English Nicknames. This is an example of a situation in which the name, although not attestable, may prove to be registerable; since I do not know that it is not, I feel that I should send it up and let Laurel decide.
10. Kat'ryna Widova Kolokolova Name & Device New
(River's Bend)
Purpure, a pair of handbells Or in bend sinister bendwise
We have added an "-a" to "Kolokolov".
11. Lorn Stark Name & Badge New
(An Tir)
(Fieldless) A wolf courant contourny sable
His name and badge were sent up, his device returned for conflict. This is another name that is less than perfectly period, but may be registerable. Sources like tartan and clan books are likely to show regularized spellings, not period usages. Given the option, try to steer your heraldry clients to sources that show name use from period; the "Citations Only" booklist gives the names of some of the best sources. The other issue here was use of the "courant" posture; Laurel precedent is unclear on whether or not a CD is granted for the difference between "passant/statant" and "courant". We said:
Concerning the position of the wolf on his badge, the question of how to count difference in a question of courant vs statant is, we feel, a little ambiguous. Although there is a 1987 precedent (LoAR 24 May 1987, p. 15) that says "Courant is only a minor point of difference from passant", we believe that in a correctly drawn courant posture, the precedent from Master Da'ud's LoAR 11/90, p.9, will probably apply: "We feel that the second CVD can be gained from the change from courant to passant, as it changes dramatically the position of all the legs." The submitter has tried to make sure that the wolf's legs are sufficiently extended.
12. Loveday Ribald Name & Device New
(Valley Wold)
Argent, a demi-cobra erect affronty sable issuant from a base rayonny vert
The name was submitted as <Loveday the Ribald>, and was changed in Kingdom because of serious doubts in the college that a phrase like 'the Ribald' would constitute a registerable epithet. However, we also asked that, (as always) if the submitter's first choice is possible, Laurel please register 'the Ribald'. Also, the name <Ribald> is an attested surname, though by a different route. <Ribald> as a surname does not come from the word "ribald" with the meaning that it now has; it comes from an Old German personal name. But very few people "on the street" will know that, and probably fewer will care!
Since this is not an example of excellent style, Laurel may return it for, for example, lack of identifiability; however, there is no overwhelming reason to return it at Kingdom. As you will notice, we have worked a little "blazon fu". Against Viryavan Ca Tusnim's Argent a cobra affronty erect tail and body doubly nowed sable scaly Or hooded sable we are counting 1 CD for the difference between a whole snake and half of a snake, and 1 CD for the addition of the base.
13. Meryld Godewyn of Kent Name New
(Wyewood)
The submitter wanted <Godewyn> as the surname spelling: I am including the entire paragraph that we sent up to Laurel, since the Internal letter had an unusual and incomplete write-up:
The given name <Meryld> comes from Talan Gwynek's web page article, Feminine Given Names in A Dictionary of English Surnames (by Reaney & Wilson), found at http://www.panix.com/~mittle/names/reaney/. Although the spelling chosen by the submitter and dated to 1278 is a metronymic surname, the form as a given name is spelled <Merild>; the "-i" to "-y" shift should be acceptable in a given name. <Godewyn> is found in Early London Personal Names by Ekwall on page 43; it is also found in Reaney & Wilson's 3rd edition, under 'Godwin', as Nicholas Godwyn 1239, and William Godewynes 1327. The locative seems very straightforward. She declines to accept changes.
14. Owen Brewer Name & Device New
(Wyewood)
Vert, a saltire between four garbs argent
A little blazon adjustment, and up it went! The comment "Nice device" was made.
15. Petrˇn ˛ Coscraigh Name New
(Three Mountains)
Name only was sent to Laurel; see "Returns" for his device. < ˛ Coscraigh> is found under "(Mac) Cosgrave" in MacLysaght.
16. Richard de Mercia Name & Device New
(Glymm Mere)
Argent, a dragon passant gules and on a bordure azure six suns Or
Nothing to add or change on this one!
17. Rory Woulfe of Kildare Name & Device New
(False Isle)
Or, a wolf's head erased contourny, in chief a label throughout vert
<Rory> is clearly an Englished spelling of "an old Gaelic name".
18. Susan Paraventur Device resub/Kingdom
(Porte de L'Eau)
Or, fretty azure within a bordure engrailed vert
The art is from Joseph Foster's Feudal Coats of Arms, and the device appears clear of conflict. Now the questions are whether or not Laurel believes that the device is "reproducible from the blazon", and whether or not the fretty as drawn by Foster (who was a Victorian), was also period. For the submitter's sake, we hope so; she has worked hard for this device.
19. Vasilisa Myshkina Badge New
(Wittanhaven)
(Fieldless) A holly leaf vert
Several commenters spotted the real question here: Is an oak leaf worth a CD from a holly leaf, or are they different enough for a Clear Visual Difference? We could find no clear precedent, so this becomes a Laurel question. Last minute addition - I am adding this just before the letter is mailed: Master Da'ud's newest Letter of Comment states that there is, in fact, a Precedent that holly leaves conflict with oak leaves. Since that puts Vasilisa in conflict with Leticia Troischenes, a letter of permission to conflict has been written and is even now being sent to Laurel.
These submissions were returned for further work:
Alrikr af Stjarnaheimi Badge New
(Dragon's Laire)
(Fieldless) A Norse serpent nowed Or within and conjoined to an annulet argent
On the LoAR of May 1998, Laurel said, "…Finally, after the October 1998 Laurel meeting, we will no longer register zoomorphic beasts of any kind." This submission would not be ruled on, in the normal course of things, until the November meeting; I emailed Laurel to see if we could get a dispensation for a submission already in process, but was told that it must be returned at Kingdom. We have done so.
BergdĖs ThorgrĖmsdÛttir Device resub/Kingdom
(Porte de L'Eau)
Argent, an oak tree eradicated proper and on a chief wavy azure three plates
Blazon change. Although this submission cleared the previous conflict with thelgar Regenwealdsune by making the chief a chief wavy, this resubmitted device had to be returned for conflict with Thurlef of Sogn's Argent a willow tree vert and on a chief wavy azure three swans naiant argent. Thank you to Aestel and her commenting group who found this conflict.
The reasons for this conflict may not be immediately obvious. However, there is no CD given for the difference between a willow and an oak. Likewise, there is no CD given for the change of tincture to less than half of the charge of the proper oak, where the trunk only is changed (from the all-green willow). Finally, there is no difference given between the three swans and the three plates. Each set of tertiary charges, the swans and the plates, are wholly on another charge (the secondary charge, the azure chief), so each group must exhibit TWO changes to rate one CD. When they are place entirely on another charge, "three white things" conflict with any other "three white things". So three bezants would not conflict with three swans argent (type plus tincture), just as three plates do not conflict with one seax (type plus number), but three plates conflict with three white swans.
Lorn Stark Device New
(An Tir)
Ermine, a wolf courant contourny sable
This had to be returned for conflict with Elrik Thurstan Gerewolf's Ermine a three headed wolf sejant affronty the outer heads addorsed sable. The question of difference for number of heads is a little ambiguous, and could possible have been argued, but the Precedents make it a pretty "iffy" position. The submitter decided that our case was not strong enough to be worth pursuing. That left only one CD for position.
In answer to one commenter's question, yes, wings convey 1 CD; also, the "courant vs statant" question is addressed in this letter under the item for Lorn's name and badge submissions.
Petrˇn ˛ Coscraigh Device New
(Three Mountains)
Per pale sable and argent a semy of roundels counterchanged
This had to be returned for conflict with William of York, Per pale sable and argent a roundel counterchanged, with only 1 CD for the number of roundels. This is not really a semy; that is a blazon change that should be made. It should be, perhaps, Per pale sable and argent a roundel between eight others in annulo counterchanged. Otherwise, an heraldic artist would draw them strewn evenly over the field. It has been suggested to the submitter in his return letter that he may want to consider reversing the tinctures to clear this conflict.
And now, here are this month's new submissions:
New Submissions:
1. An Tir, Kingdom of, for the mail Herald Herald's Title New
The word <mail>, in French, is a masculine noun meaning "enamel". There is documentation accompanying this submission which suggests that the word once boasted an '-s', which was replaced by the accent aigu before the end of period. Woodward's A Treatise of Heraldry British and Foreign gives in its glossary the heading "Čmail", under which it says, "Was used for the small enameled escucheons (sic) of their master's arms, worn upon the breast by the ancient heralds".
There is also a reference to what sounds like the item in question in the contents of a letter from the 14th or early 15th century, "… a pursuivant…takes no oath but his lord gives him a name according to his fancy, and a shield of his arms, in gold or silver to wear on his breast"; the letter is quoted in Wagner's Heraldry and the Heralds, p. 42.
And finally, there is precedence in the SCA for naming a herald after an item of regalia, as Blue Mantle Pursuivant in Great Britain, and Black Rod (heraldic title), both registered in 1987. If changes are necessary, the submitters would prefer that the general sound be preserved.
2. An Tir, Kingdom of, for the Order of the Silver Lily Order Name & Badge New
(Fieldless) Three lilies conjoined at the stems in pall inverted argent
This submission is signed by Her Majesty, Queen Signy. No changes will be accepted.
3. EirĖka Kettlingr RagnarsdÛttir Name New
(Wastekeep)
The name pattern is outlined in Geirr Bassi Haraldsson's The Old Norse Name; that is, a given name, followed by a nickname, ending with a patronymic. The name <EirĖka> is found in Norsk-Islandska Dopnamn by E. H. Lind, page 223, under 'EirĖkr'. Also demonstrated from Geirr Bassi are feminine Norse names that derive from masculine names, as: Arnorr - Arnora, Arnthorr - Arnthora (page 7), Birningr - Birna (page 87), Halldorr - Halldora (page 10), Kolgrimr - Kolgrima (page 12) and several more. <Kettlingr> is an Old Norse noun meaning 'kitten', found on page 24 of The Old Norse Name , and <Ragnarr> is found on page 14 of the same source. If changes are necessary, she would prefer to retain the general sound.
4. Gaellis Fairhands Name & Device Resub/Kingdom
(Wittanhaven)
Argent a moth sable marked argent a demi-sun issuant from base gules
This lady's previous name submission, 'Gaellis of the Cleverhands', was returned because the given name was not well documented, and the epithet could not be shown to be either a period form nor to be constructed from attested name elements. This submission includes the documentation for <Gaellis> from Witchcraft in Europe 1100-1700 by Alan C. Kors, including the lines: "Within the towne of Trenent, in the kingdome of Scotland, there dwelleth one David Seaton, who, being deputie bailiffe in the said towne, had a maid called Geillis Duncane, who used secretlie to absent and lie forth of hir maister's house every other night…" This is quoted from the text of the pamphlet, Newes from Scotland from 1591.
Also, from the Academy of Saint Gabriel, she includes a letter stating "Here's the information we found on the name "Geillis". This is a medieval Scottish name which was used by both men and women. We found the spellings "Gelleys" and "Gelis" (both women) from the 16th century. These names are shown at http://www.abdn.ac.uk/~his016/acr 1501 womens names.html . There is no material documenting the submitted spelling. <Fairhands> is a constructed surname, along the same lines as (all from Reaney and Wilson's 3rd edition, pages 160 and 161, as headers) Fairbody (Gregory Feyrbody 1332), Fairfoot (Adam Fairefot 1328), and Fairhead (John Feyrhed 1332). Also, for the use of "-hand", we have (same source) on page 198 under Goodhand (Aluric Godhand 1095) and on page 487 under Whitehand (Richard Whithand 1204).
The device was returned with the name. If changes are necessary, she would like to preserve the sound of <Gaellis> and the meaning of <Fairhands>.
5. GeilČis ingen ui Peatˇin Name New
(Dragon's Mist)
<GeilČis> is found in ˛ Corrˇin and Maguire, page 110; MacLysaght's Surnames of Ireland shows <˛ Peatˇin> under 'Peyton', meaning 'swan', on page 244. If changes are necessary, she would like to preserve the general sound of the name.
6. Katherine FitzAlan, for Clan Hubert Household Name New
(Dragon's Mist)
Documentation submitted with this name includes, from the Rules for Submission:
"According to Rfs III.2.b.iv: Household names must follow the patterns of period names of organized groups of people. Possible models include Scottish clans (Clan Stewart), ruling dynasties (House of Anjou)…"
Also, from the LoAR of 3/94 p.1: "Though it was noted by a couple of commenters that clan names are generally generated from given names or occasionally from nicknames, Bain's The Clans and Tartans of Scotland notes a number of clan names derived from surnames."
<Hubert> is a Scots-compatible given name and/or surname, found in Reaney and Wilson's 3rd edition, page 241, under "Hubert", as early as 1086 as a given name, later as given name and surname. Examples of names of the same age as 'Hubert' and also derived from Old German forms are given, 'Robert' for one, that became surnames in Scotland, shown in Black, before the end of period.
As for the use of <Clan> as a house descriptive, the submitter offers the following:
From Robert Bain's "The Clans and Tartans of Scotland" (one of the more reliable "tartan books"), "Fontana" edition, 1982; pg 38, under "Armstrong":
ARMSTRONG, House of Gilnockie Mangerston, Crest Badge: An arm embowed, proper. Motto: Invictus maneo (I remain unvanquished). Gaelic Name: Mac Ghillie-laidir
AN ACT passed by the Scottish Parliament in 1587 "for the quieting and keeping in obedience of the . . . inhabitants of the Borders, Highlands and Isles," containing a roll of "the clans that have Captains, Chiefs and Chieftains . . . as well on the Borders as the Highlands," proves that so long ago as the sixteenth century, Border families were described as clans, and one of the most important of these families was the Armstrongs.
If <Clan> is truly not registerable, <House Hubert> would be accepted by the submitter.
7. Katla der Kenntnisreich Name & Device Resub/Kingdom
(Pendale)
Or, bordure azure, dog rampant tongue and tail nowed sable, grasping in dexter forepaw a recorder natural
This lady's name and device were returned at Kingdom, the name for lack of documentation for the surname, and the device for the lack of a name to which to register it; also, however, because the dog was grasping a lightning bolt in the modern style, or a "shazam", which charge has been disallowed. The name <Katla> is found in A Viking Miscellanea, #57 in the Compleat Anachronist series, on page 38. She states that she is married to Timothy der Kenntnisreich, whose name was registered at Laurel in March 1992; she invokes the Grandfather clause, and includes a photocopy of her membership card which lists her as a family member. Copies from a German-English dictionary show that the word means "knowledgeable". She will not accept changes.
The blazon needs work, but I believe that all the elements are there.
8. Mora of Lincolnshire Name & Device New
(Valley Wold)
Vert, a tyger rampant contourny supporting a moon in her plenitude argent
<Mora> is listed in Withycombe under "Mary" on pages 211-212; we are instructed to "see 'Moira', page 221". <Lincolnshire> is shown from A Social History of England on page 47. If changes are necessary, she would like to preserve the general sound of the name.
9. Robert num Caithness Name & Device New
(Valley Wold)
Per fess sable and gules, a tyger rampant and in chief a sword and a herald's horn per [in] saltire argent
<Robert> is cited from Withycombe, pp. 254-255, under 'Robert'; <Caithness> is shown from J.D. Mackie's A History of Scotland, page 58. <num> is meant to be Scots-Gaelic, and Malcolm Maclennan's A Pronouncing and Etymological Dictionary of the Gaelic Language has a highlighted section on page 516. It reads: "of, prep. de dhe, a; o; mu, mu dhČibh- inn; ˇ, as; am measg." If changes are necessary, he prefers to retain the meaning "Robert of Caithness".
10. Signy ÷ksendal Name & Device New
(Wealdsmere)
Counter-ermine, on a bend between two lions passant Or three wreaths of roses barbed proper
<Signy> is a given name from Geirr Bassi Haraldsson, page 14. The National Archives of Norway (http://www.riksarkivet.no/national.html) date <÷ksendal> - which means, basically, "axe valley" - as the name of a parish, ˙ksendal parish, to 1589. There is also documentation given suggesting strongly that the name itself is from as early as the 7th to 9th century (from Medieval Scandinavia, owned and authored by Tom Bj¯rnstad, and found at http://www.ringnett.no/home/bjornstad/). If changes are necessary, she would like to preserve the general sound of the name.
The device uses a restricted charge, to which the submitter is entitled as a member of the Order of the Rose (date?).
11. Yvon-Maurice Charon, for the House of the Three Furies Household Badge Resub/Kingdom
(Madrone)
Argent, on a pall vert between three cups sable, three rapiers points to center proper
His name, device, and household name should be on the 8/98 LoAR. His previous household badge submission was returned because the swords overlay both the pall and the bordure, which arrangement has been disallowed by precedent. This submission has eliminated the problem by eliminating the bordure.
An Tir College of Heralds - Internal Letter - August 1998