An Tir Internal Letter of Intent

Free to all persons willing to comment on a regular basis

Commentary due on this letter February 13th 1998 for the February 15th decision meeting in Briar Oak

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December 22nd 1997


Unto the College of Heralds of the Kingdom of An Tir, GREETINGS from Ciaran Cluana Ferta, Lion's Blood. I regret the lateness of this missive, but I've not been well, and my physician has been giving me medicines that are not conducive to letter-writing.

Comments on this letter are due Friday, February 13th for inclusion in the decisions made at the meeting to be held in Briar Oak on the 15th. As you know, these meetings are moved about to give local heralds a chance to see how the decisions are made. For directions to this site contact the Summits Principality Herald, Fingal McKettrick at (541) 485-1415.

Comments on the November Letter are due January 9th for inclusion in the decisions made at Twelfth Night. You can send them to me via e-mail at the above address.


Old Submissions

Results of the November Lion's Blood Meeting:

These Submissions have been sent to Laurel:

Conall Riabhach (Name & Device)

Vert, a fish-tailed demi-dog maintaining in its mouth a salmon argent on a chief indented Or an arrow reversed sable.

Although this was originally blazoned as a sea-dog, a sea-dog is unusual in that it has four legs and the fish tail. As this one was not four-legged, we have re-blazoned it.

Damietta di Carnevale (Name only)

Submitted as Damietta di Carnivalle, this was changed (with the submitter's consent) to better reflect the available documentation.

Esperanza Razzolini d'Asolo (resub-K/Badge)

(Fieldless) On a fireball Or flamed a fleur-de-lys florency sable.

This will be her fourth piece of armory. The Rules for Submissions allow individuals, and branches below baronial rank, no more than four names and four pieces of armory.

Fionualla nÌ Ch·ba (Name only)

Submitted as Fionualla Sisile nÌ C·ba, this was changed (the submitter sent a letter to approve the change) because the use of double given names in Gaelic is not witnessed in period. The grammar of the surname was corrected.

Gideon de Noirville (Name & Device)

Argent, a bend sinister vert overall a griffin dismembered contourny sable.

Gorandookht Mamigonian (Change/Device)

Gules, two lions statant guardant respectant both gorged of the same leash and a pomegranate slipped and leaved Or.

Jacobus Mapos Catomagli (Name & Device)

Argent, a winged seahorse sable on a chief azure three triskeles argent.

We have asked Harpy to assist with the grammar of the name.

Liesl von Katzenheim (Name & Device)

Argent, a cat couchant contourny sable on a chief indented azure three pairs of arrows inverted in saltire argent.

Liesl is a double diminutive, but should be acceptable. The submitter included a letter of permission to conflict with Karawin Mantell (Argent, a cat couchant to sinister sable and on a chief indented azure three pairs of nedles in saltire argent), who is her sister.

Muirinn nic She·in (Name only)

The surname was changed from nic Se·in to reflct the proper lenition. While that lenition is self-evident to Gaelic speakers, the College of Arms continues to require this for clarity.

Myfanwy Golwynwraig Penmynydd (Name & Device)

Argent, a triquetra azure and a mountain of three peaks vert.

Philip Langfelley (Name & Device)

Azure, on a bend between an armored fist and a lymphad argent three mullets palewise azure all within a bordure potenty argent.

It is important to give the orientation of tertiary charges on bends (or other similar charges), as such tertiary charges usually take the orientation of the underlying charge (i.e., the mullets would be bendwise on the bend if not explicitly blazoned).

Seumas Camshronach an Lochabair (resub-K/badge)

Argent, on a pentaskelion of wyvern's heads sable a plate.

Žna inghen uÌ GairbhÌne (change/Name & new/Badge)

(Fieldless) A feather fesswise reversed vert.

Walram von Laufenberg (resub-K/badge)

(Fieldless) Between a pair of wings argent a sword proper blade enflamed gules.

William von Bonn (Name & Device)

Per bend sinister gules and sable, a dragon rampant argent between three swords inverted argent.

This name would more likely be Wilhelm von Bonn OR William of Bonn, but we have sent this to Laurel with a letter from the submitter allowing changes at that level.

These names and armory are being returned for further work:

Bridget the Bloodthirsty (Name & Device)

Per chevron sable and gules, a seal sejant argent.

This name is being returned for stylistic reasons. While the Angle-Saxons used many descriptive bynames, this is not a reasonable one. We suggest as an alternative Bridget Blodyer.

Enoch Mac Ian Sutherland (Name & Device)

Per saltire azure and argent, a saltire counterchanged overall an escutcheon argent charged with a martlet gules.

The name is being returned because, while meant to be English, it contains Scottish patronymic, and that in a form which not documented to period. We recommend McAyn which can be dated to 1519. In the LoAR of September 1994, Laurel remarked: "The use of double surnames (or double given names) in English was very late in period, and rare enough to be remarkable...". Since Enoch is a biblical name (usually Puritan in usage), it is possible that this late-period name would pass the test of the stated precedent, but it may be changed to "of Sutherland" at Laurel. The argent escutcheon has insufficient contrast with the argent portion of the field, and would have been returned had the name been passed to Laurel.

Hrolf the Silent (resub-K/Device)

Sable, on a sun Or a drakkar affronty proper sailed vert between in chief two estoiles Or and in base one estoile Or.

This is being returned for unidentifiability of the drakkar. By precedent, such a ship is not identifiable.

John Bowslayer (Name & Device)

Per chevron Or and gules, a wyvern displayed in chief four crossbow bolts per pale inverted sable.

In period the term slay didn't mean to break inanimate objects, and Laurel pointed this out in returning the surname Bladeslayer in December 1993. In that case, Brekeblade was suggested, and we suggest Brekebow.

Malcolm Radcliffe (Device only)

Or, a bear rampant sable between two arrows inverted vert.

This was returned for conflict with Francesca Petrarcha (Or, a bear rampant sable holding in its forepaws three apples gules). These arms are considered important enough to be among the 200-or-so non-SCA pieces of armory protected in the Society's Ordinary & Armorial.

Seth Foxley (resub-K/Device)

Azure, a fox salient argent and on a chief embattled Or a sword proper.

This was returned for use of a proper sword (argent blade and Or quillions, hilt and pommel) on the Or chief. The use of "proper" does not allow ignoring the Rule of Tincture.

Vilem the Alan (Name only)

The name was intended to mean "Resolute protector from the Sarmation tribe". While Vilem can be documented as a Russian name (dated to 1394), the Rus (a Norse group descended from the Varangians) had no contact with either the Alans (who were a non-Ciermanic group descended from the Scythians, and disappeared in the fifth century after defeat by the Visigoths) or the Sarmations (who disappeared in the third century after defeat at the hands of Germanic migrations). Since only changes to retain the meaning are allowed, we are returning this name.


New Submissions:

1) Eve de Lacy (Myrgan Wood) new/Name & Device

Sable, on a lozenge Or a pomegranate gules slipped and Leaved proper.

Eve is said to be a Hebrew name. Lacy is shown from H. S. King's The Norman People (Genealogical Publishing Co. Inc., Baltimore, 1975 [reprinted from London, 1874]) p. 304 sub Lacy where is stated that this is a place-name from the barony of Lassy in Normandy. Waiter de Lacy was at the Battle of Hastings (according to Wace) was the ancestor of the Barons of Pontefract, York and Evias (in Hereford) who bore his surname.

2) Grecia Percival (Coeur du Val) new/Name only

Grecia is shown from Mistress Nicolaa de Bracton's A Statistical Study of Given Names in Essex Co., England, 1182-1272, which may be found on the Internet at http//www.geocities.com/Athens/Acropolis/5145/names. html. This study uses as base material the Essex Feet of Fines (a roll of property transactions entered in the records of the royal courts in that county) and show that this name appears 6 times in the records during the 91 years surveyed. Jan J–nsj–'s Studies on Middle English Nicknames Part I. Compounds (Lund Studies in English 55, CWK Gleerup) sub Perceval dates this spelling to 1290, where it is said to be Old French meaning "one who cross, pass the valley, prob. to reach his home". Reaney & Wilson's Dictionary of British Surnames, 2nd ed. (Routledge & Kegan Paul, London-Henley-Boston) dates this spelling to 1414.

3) Jevan Garre (Dragon's Mist) new/Name only

Jevan is cited from Reaney & Wilson's Dictionary of British Surnames, 2nd ed. (Routledge & Kegan Paul, London-Henley-Boston) p. 27 sub Each, where a Jevan Each is dated to 1391 and p. 67 where the Welshman Jevan ap Cadugon is dated to 1287. Garre is cited from the Rutland Lay Subsidy Roll of 1296 (as recorded in Tinwell) as the surname of Simon Garre. This was found through the Academy of St Gabriel's Internet site.

4) Landric of Ravensworth (Myrgan Wood) new/Name only

H. S. King's The Norman People (Genealogical Publishing Co. Inc., Baltimore, 1975 [reprinted from London, 1874]) pp. 278-9 sub Harris, mentions a Landric de Baugency who was a witness to a charter of the French king Robert, in 1028. The same source @.144, sub Askew) mentions Bardolf (c. 1086 & brother of Alan, Earl of Richmond), father of Akaris, ancestor of the Barons Fitz-Hugh of Ravensworth.

5) Margerie nic Kenneth mac Kenneth (Crickstow-on-Sea) new/Name & Device

Gules, on a pile inverted between two Celtic harps Or a phoenix gules.

Margerie is asserted to be found in Reaney and Wilson's Dictionary of English Surnames, but no page or header listing is given. Nic Kenneth mac Kenneth is said to be found in Burke's Peerage. Assistance is sought in documenting this name.

6) Seth Foxley (Corvaria) resub-K/Device

Azure, a fox salient argent and on a chief embattled Or a sword azure.

His name was registered in May of this year. His previous device submission (Azure a fox salient argent and on a chief embattled Or a sword proper) was returned above. This return has been addressed by the change of the tincture of the tertiary charge.

7) Tegan Conwy (Three Mountains) new/Name & Device

Per pale gules and azure, a horse passant to sinister in chief three horseshoes inverted argent.

Morgan & Morgan's Welsh Surnames p. 74 and A Welsh Miscellany p. 32 are cited for the documentation. Assistance is requested for copies of these citations and other documentation.

8) Tegan Conwy (Three Mountains) new/Badge

(Fieldless) A horse's head contourny conjoined within a horseshoe inverted argent.

Her name is submitted above.

Well, that's all for this month. Pray remember that I remain,

Yours in service to Crown and Heraldry.

Ciaran, Lion's Blood Herald

[See the GIF files for the pictures of the emblazons. - Etienne]


An Tir College of Heralds - Internal Letter - December 1997


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