Alys Mackyntoich

18 April 2014

Unto to the East Kingdom College of Heralds, upon the Feast of Saint Perfectus, greetings and every good thing! Here is the Letter of Decisions for the Internal Letters of Intent issued on March 1 and March 2, 2014. The original text from the iLoI is bolded, and is followed by my comments in unbolded text.

For anyone who has not yet heard, effective April 7, 2014, in order to resolve the continuing confusion about the role of Eastern Crown Herald, the title of the chief submissions herald of the East Kingdom has changed to Blue Tyger Herald. So, I am now Alys Blue Tyger. My two primary Deputies will use the titles Diademe (Lady Charitye Dale - internal data entry and scanning) and Pantheon (Lord Joseclin le esqurel - external data entry and scanning). The title Eastern Crown Herald will be used for the herald in charge of running courts for Their Majesties. We are in the process of making the necessary changes to the web sites and e-mails.

Thank you to the following commenters who provided assistance this month: Abdullah ibn Harun al-Qurtubi, Andreas von Meißen (Rowel), Aryanhwy merch Catmael (Schwarzdrachen), Caoimhin McKee, Charitye Dale (Diademe), Etienne Le Mons (Vexillum), ffride wlffsdotter (Goutte d'Eau), Gawain of Miskbridge (Green Anchor), Gunnvor silfraharr (Orle), Isabella Delfino (Opal), Magnus von Lübeck, Maridonna Benvenuti, Matilda Wynter, Michel von Schiltach, Rohese de Dinan (Shadowdale), Simeon ben Iucef de Alcacar, Tanczos Istvan (Non Scripta), Togashi Kihō and Yehuda ben Moshe (Elmet).

Always your servant,
Alys Mackyntoich
Blue Tyger Herald

1: Aeolus Tighe - New Name Forwarded

Aeolus is an English male given name found in the Family Search Historical Records:

Aeolus Baldwinne; Male; Christening; 15 Jan 1640; Birchington, Kent, England; Batch: P01649-1

Jana Tighe; Female; Christening; 13 Jun 1602; Swinstead, Lincoln, England; Batch: C03231-2
Anne Tighe; Female; Christening; 12 Jul 1590; Kinver, Stafford, England; Batch: C04869-5

2: Alesone Gray of Cranlegh - New Alternate Name Forwarded

Ama Panda

The submitter has one primary name and one other alternate name registered. She is permitted a total of six names. The submitter likes silly alternate names. Eastern Crown likes it when people do heraldry. Brigantia likes it when Alesone is busy thinking about things other than setting him on fire. Everyone wins!

The second example for the given name, Ama. G., appears to be an abbreviation. Even deleting this example, however, leaves one valid instance of Ama as a given name. Evidence of names from European colonies in the New World (and specifically from Mexico) has been accepted as documentation in the recent past: [Ariana Elia Del Rosario, Jan. 2014 LoAR, A-Caid]. I see no reason not to forward this admittedly silly name.

3: Corwin Blackthorn - New Name Forwarded and New Device Forwarded

Or, a chaplet of thorns sable

Corwin is a 16th cen. English surname found in the Family Search Historical Records:

Katheryne Corwin; Female; Christening; 11 Jan 1599; St. Botolph Without Aldgate, London, London, England; Batch: C02555-2
William Corwin; Male; Christening; 20 Jun 1602; Saint Mary, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England; Batch: P00681-1
Margret Corwin; Female; Marriage; 06 Oct 1595; Kimpton, Hertford, England; Batch: M07255-2

Blackthorn is a header form in Reaney & Wilson; dated spellings under that header are de Blackethorn (1276), Blakethorn (1379) and Blakthorn (1442). Commenters are asked to assist in finding the submitted spelling.

ffride Goutte d'Eau supplied evidence of the spelling Blackthorn in the Family Search Historical Records: John Blackthorn married 1581, London, England; Batch no. M04160-8 (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NKNG-XYS).

Commenters noted that this charge is more typically called a chaplet or crown of thorns, rather than a wreath of thorns as originally blazoned. I have re-blazoned it as a chaplet of thorns. Question was raised whether an artist's note should be included to make the chaplet of thorns more compact and less open based on period examples. I leave that question to Wreath.

4: Courtney Rose - Resub Device Forwarded

Erminois, a mermaid in her vanity proper crined gules and on a chief gules four roses argent

The submitter's original device, Ermine, a mermaid in her vanity proper crined gules and on a chief gules four roses argent, was returned on the 17 February 2014 Eastern LoD with the following explanation:

Unfortunately, this device must be returned under the following precedent: "A melusine proper cannot be placed on argent as human flesh was sometimes depicted as argent in period." [Brigid ingen Loingsigh. June 1998, R-Middle] There is no effective difference for contrast purposes between ermine and argent.

5: Elena Rose Greenwood - Resub Device Forwarded

Per bend sinister argent and vert, a drop spindle inverted and a sprig of heather palewise counterchanged

Elena's original device, Azure, in bend a drop spindle inverted and a sprig of heather bendwise sinister argent, was returned on the 12 October 2012 Eastern LoD for violating the Unity of Posture rule:

With respect to the device, it must be returned because it violates the Unity of Posture rule of SENA A.3.D.2.c: "The charges within a charge group should be in either identical postures/orientations or an arrangement that includes posture/orientation (in cross, combatant, or in pall points outward, for example). A charge group in which postures for different charges must be blazoned individually will not be allowed without period examples of that combination of postures." The drop spindle and sprig of heather are co-primary charges in different postures, which is not permitted.

An inverted drop spindle is an acceptable heraldic charge: "A drop spindle inverted is a drop spindle with the whorl at the top. It may be either a bottom-weighted drop spindle upside-down, or a top-weighted drop spindle right-side up, as in this depiction. While bottom-weighted drop spindles were by far the most common in period, top-weighted drop spindles were known as well. Therefore, the use of a top-weighted drop spindle, blazoned as a drop spindle inverted, is not a step from period practice." [Aoife inghean Odhrá in mhic Bhrain, 2/2013 LoAR, A-Northshield].

6: Genevieve de Saint-Denis - New Name Forwarded

Genevieve is a female given name found in "An Index to the Given Names in the 1292 Census of Paris" by Colm Dubh (http://heraldry.sca.org/names/paris.html#G). Although the article includes a grave accent in the name, precedent has established that the accent was not used in period and is not registerable. [Genevieve la Minstrelle, 1/2011 LoAR, A-Caid].

de Saint-Denis appears as a byname under several given names in the same article. The submitter will accept the byname without or without the hyphen, whichever is more appropriate.

7: Giuseppe Pallido - New Name Forwarded

Giuseppe found in "Names of Jews in Rome In the 1550's," compiled by Yehoshua ben Haim haYerushalmi (http://heraldry.sca.org/names/Jewish/rome_names.html)

Pallido is an Italian word found in Florio's 1611 Italian Dictionary with the meaning "pale, wanne-colored, fallow, bleak." (http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/florio/search/367c.html). The submitter believes that a descriptive byname of Pallido based on the coloration of the body is reasonable based on period patterns: "Masculine Names from Thirteenth Century Pisa" by Juliana de Luna (http://heraldry.sca.org/names/pisa/pisa-bynames-freq.html) gives the color bynames Rubeus and Rossus, both meaning "red." "Fourteenth Century Venetian Personal Names" by Arval Benicoeur and Talan Gwynek (http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/arval/venice14/venice14sur.html) has numerous examples of descriptive bynames based on words, such as "tooth" and "leg."

Maridonna Benvenuti noted that the surname Rosso could apply equally to skin color, as Florio's 1611 Dictionary has several words from the root "rosso": Rossardo, a Ruddy or Reddish-man; Rosseggiare, to bluish or be ruddy [sic]. In addition, she noted that her article "Names of Slaves in 1480 Palermo, Sicily" (http://heraldry.sca.org/kwhss/2013/#Palermo) included evidence of descriptions of slaves based on skin color as well as descriptive bynames based on skin color:

Luchia la Nigra liberta = Luchia the Black freed slave;
Caterina scava blanca di misser Stefanu di Ponti = Caterina white slave of misser Stefanu di Ponti;
Joanni lu Capu nigru libertu = Joanni the Chief (or head) black freed slave

Additionally, we found evidence of the adjective pallido being applied to humans, as in Della Fisonomia dell' huomo by Giambattista Della Porta (http://books.google.com/books?id=lak2LYvzN14C), an Italian medical book published in 1615 which, at pp. 159-160 uses pallido to describe a man's body as being pale and languid.

Based on this evidence, I find that Pallido is at least plausible as a descriptive byname in Italian and I am forwarding it for further commentary.

8: Godric inn hvíti úlfr - New Name Forwarded and New Device Forwarded

Per fess gules and sable, a wolf's head erased affronty and in chief three wolf's jambes bendwise argent

Godric is a male given name dated to 1066 in Reaney & Wilson s.n. Goodwright.

The use of two descriptive bynames in Old Norse is permitted as long as the bynames reasonably could be used simultaneously to describe the same person. [þorfinnr inn svarti gylðir, 4/2010 LoAR, A-Trimaris].

9: Ian Sloane Donovan - New Name Forwarded

Ian is found as an English given name dated to 1608 and 1614 in "Something Rich and Strange: "Undocumentable" Names From The IGI Parish Records" by Alys Mackyntoich (http://heraldry.sca.org/names/SomethingRichandStrange.html).

10: Ísgerðr ísungr - Resub Device Forwarded

Sable semy of escarbuncles, a bear statant argent

Her original device submission, Sable, a chevron between in chevron four escarbuncles of six arms and a bear statant argent, was returned on the September 2009 LoAR for conflict with the device of Cerdic of Atenveldt, Sable, a chevron between four triskeles three and one argent. There was a CD for changing the type of secondary charges, but nothing for changing the number as four was not significantly different from five under the RfS.

This resubmission is a completely new design.

Some commenters questioned whether six-armed escarbuncles are registerable. In fact, escarbuncles of six arms are registerable period charges by precedent. [Dietrich Schneewolf, 2/2001 LoAR, A-Artemesia]. They are explicitly noted in the just-released on-line Pic Dic (http://mistholme.com/?s=escarbuncle).

This device appears clear of Alan Silverbear (Aug. 2012, Caid): Sable, in base a polar bear statant argent. There is a DC for changes to the field, and I expect there to be a DC for the placement of the bear, as Alan Silverbear's placement in base is unforced.

11: Ísgerðr ísungr - Resub Badge Forwarded

Sable semy of escarbuncles, a bear's head erased affronty argent

Some commenters questioned whether six-armed escarbuncles are registerable. In fact, escarbuncles of six arms are registerable period charges by precedent. [Dietrich Schneewolf, 2/2001 LoAR, A-Artemesia]. They are explicitly noted in the just-released on-line Pic Dic (http://mistholme.com/?s=escarbuncle).

This badge appears to be clear of Knute Hvitabjörn (Jan. 1987, Middle): Sable, platy, a polar bear's head erased to sinister argent. There is one DC for the field and another for the orientation of the bear's head.

12: Katharina Helene von Hohenhaim - New Name Forwarded and New Device Forwarded

Per bend sinister azure and argent, an oak leave bendwise sinister and an acorn counterchanged

Katharina is a female given name dated to 1366 in "Medieval German Given Names from Silesia" by Talan Gwynek (http://heraldry.sca.org/names/bahlow_v.htm). The name forms had the spelling Katherina, while the armory forms had the spelling Katharina. I checked with the submitter and confirmed that the desired spelling is Katharina with three a's.

Commenters are invited to discuss whether this device complies with the Unity of Posture and Orientation requirement of SENA A.3.D.2.c.

The documentation was problematic. Katharina was dated to 1348 in the cited source, not 1366. Helene does not appear in the cited source; the documented forms are Helena and the diminutives Lena (1364) and Lenne (1446). Finally, no documentation was provided for the submitted spelling of the byname von Hohenheim. Fortunately, commenters were able to salvage this name.

Katharina and Helene are both found in the Family Search Historical Records for Germany:

Katharina Abeler; Female; Marriage; 08 Jul 1565; Überkingen, Württemberg, Germany; Batch: M01382-0
Helene Boepp; Female; Marriage; 29 Apr 1572; Ulm, Württemberg, Germany; Batch: M91503-4

The author's name is found as Philippi Theophrasti Paracelsi von Hohenhaim on the cover page of a book published in 1570 (http://daten.digitale-sammlungen.de/~db/0001/bsb00015018/image_1). I therefore am forwarding this name as Katharina Helene von Hohenhaim to match the documentation.

13: Katherine de Staverton - New Exchange of Primary and Alternate Name Forwarded

Judith bas Rabbi Mendel

"I, [legal name redacted], known in the SCA as Katherine de Staverton and Judith bas Rabbi Mendel, wish to have Judith bas Rabbi Mendel designated as my primary name and Katherine de Staverton designated as an alternate name."

The request for the change was made by e-mail. The submitter is personally known to Eastern Crown and I verified that it was from her.

14: Lilie of Eastham - Resub Device Forwarded

Argent, a phoenix gules rising from flames proper and a bordure gules semy of bezants

This submitter originally submitted a device of a completely different design in or about 2001, which was then returned for conflict on the May 2001 Eastern LoD.

On February 26, 2014, the submitter officially withdrew last month's design and has re-submitted the same design with the correct depiction of flames proper.

15: Luther von Schwarzenburg - New Name Forwarded and New Device Forwarded

Quarterly gules and argent, a mullet of four points elongated to base sable between four vols counterchanged

Luther is a given name dated to 1301-1350 in "Late Period German Masculine Given Names" by Talan Gwynek (http://heraldry.sca.org/names/germmasc.html#plauen14).

von Schwarzenburg -- Assistance is requested documenting this name element. The submitter provided an untranslated German web page (http://www.schwarzenburg.ch/portraet/geschichte) that he asserts supports the place name.

ffride Goutte d'Eau found evidence of that something happened on 25 March 1575 involving a person named Der Graff Günter von Schwarzenburg in Historische Tagbeschreibung allerley gedenckwierdigen Händel from 1585 (http://books.google.com.au/books?id=PdRSAAAAcAAJ).

The October 2013 Cover Letter notes that mullets elongated to base are period charges. I have modified the blazon slightly to note that the mullet is the sole primary charge between the secondary vols.

16: Owyn Greenwood - New Household Name Forwarded

Bacoun Taverne

The pattern [sign name] + Tavern is found in "English Sign Names From 17th Century Tradesman's Tokens" by Mari ingen Briain meic Donnchada(http://medievalscotland.org/kmo/Tokens/Designators.shtml#Tavern)

The spelling taverne is found in the MED s.n. tavern(e) dated to 1393, 1400, 1432 and 1475.

17: Robyn de la Pesterye - New Name Forwarded and New Device Forwarded

Azure, on a lozenge argent between in chief two pommegranates argent seeded gules a moon in her plenitude azure

Robyn is found as a personal name in the Middle English Dictionary s.n. Robin, with examples in the submitted spelling dated to c. 1400, 1425, 1500 and 1532.

de la Pesterye is a byname dated to 1280 found in Reaney & Wilson s.n. Pester.

18: Simeon ben Iucef de Alcaçar - Resub Badge Forwarded

(Fieldless) An open book Or transfixed by an arrow fesswise reversed sable

Simeon's name was registered on the November 2013 LoAR.

Cormac has now granted permission to conflict by e-mail dated 2/19/2014. E-mail permission to conflict is acceptable as long as the submissions herald can confirm that the e-mail is from the individual in question. The submitter is personally known to Eastern Crown and I verified that the e-mail came from him.

19: Sweyn Mac Awliffe - Resub Device Forwarded

Gyronny gules and ermine, a brown bear proper rampant and on a chief argent a dagger fesswise gules

The submitter's name was registered on the October 2013 LoAR.

Commenters agreed that the change to a brown bear resolved the lack of contrast problem.

20: Toi Poisson de Mortagne - New Badge Forwarded

(Fieldless) On a fish argent, a heart gules

21: Vettorio Antonello - New Name Forwarded

Both name elements are found in "Names in 15th Century Florence and her Dominions: the Condado," by Juliana de Luna (http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/juliana/condado/).

Unmarked patronymics are permitted in Italian according to Appendix A of SENA.

22: Zoila de la Montayana - Resub Device Forwarded

Or, on a bend cotised azure a fleur-de-lys palewise between two cinquefoils palewise Or and on a chief gules a lion passant Or

The submitter's original device, Or, on a bend cotised azure a fleur-de-lys palewise between two cinquefoils Or and on a chief gules a lion passant Or, was returned on the 17 February 2014 Eastern LoD for violating the Unity of Posture requirement. The cinquefoils on the bend were bendwise, while the fleur-de-lys was palewise.

In this resubmission, the cinquefoils and the fleur-de-lys are all palewise, addressing the reason for the return.

Commenters questioned whether this device was overly complex, violating SENA A.3.E.2. However, SENA states that complexity count is determined by "by adding the number of types of charges to the number of tinctures." Cotises are the same type of charges as the bend for the purposes of complexity count. [Orion Storm Bruin, 8/2004 LoAR, R-Atenveldt]. Thus, the complexity count is an acceptable eight: bend/cotises + fleurs de lys + cinquefoils + chief + lion + Or + azure + gules.