Last modified: February 19, 2009

Outlands College of Heralds

February 15, 2009
From the Office of the Castle Herald
Baron Randal Carrick
castle@outlandsheralds.org

UNTO the Outlands College of Heralds, our respected friends and colleagues who give freely of their time to provide commentary, and all others who come by these letters, on this 15th day of February A.S. xxxxiii (2009 CE), does Don Randal Carrick send greetings on behalf of The Honourable Lady Marie de Blois, White Stag Principal Herald.

Here follows the Kingdom of the Outlands Letter of Presentation for January 2009. Your comments and suggestions are always welcome. Errors found herein are my sole responsibility.  Anyone may comment upon the items found herein, and e-mail commentary to the herald's commentary list is encouraged. Please have comments on items contained herein to Rampart Herald by March 21, 2009, for the decision meeting tentatively scheduled for March 22, 2009.  As a reminder, the College of Arms requests commentary on all items, including appeals.

Line Emblazon Sheet
Color Emblazon Sheet
February 2009 Letter of Presentation
March 2009 Letter of Response
March 2009 Letter of Intent
July 2009 LoAR Results
Return to the Rampart home page

1. Ayla Knobloch. Change of  Name and Device.  Per bend sinister purpure and azure, on a bend sinister wavy gules fimbriated a garlic bulb argent.

(al-Barran) Gender: Female.  Submitter cares most about the sound of the name, defined as "Ay-lah No-blok".  Changes accepted.

Submitter's current name and device (Aimara Baratzuri, Checky argent and purpure, a heart gules on a chief double-arched sable an ankh argent) were registered on the March 2006 LoAR (http://heraldry.sca.org/heraldry/loar/2006/03/06-03lar.txt) via the Outlands.

[Ayla] - "15th C. German Women's Names" by Dryan Scott (Talan Gwynek) (http://heraldry.sca.org/heraldry/laurel/names/germ15f.html) dates teh anme to the 15th Century.

[Knobloch] - Dictionary of German Names, Bahlow (2002 Ed.), p. 275, Header "Knobloch" - dates this spelling of the name to 1352.  Submitter prefers this spelling.

If the new name and device are registered, submitter wishes to retain the old name and device as alternates.

2. Caerthe, Barony of. Transfer of Heraldic Title - Aspen Pursuivant.

(Caerthe) Caerthe, Barony of was registered in January of 1973 via Laurel.

3. Caerthe, Barony of. New Order Name - Order of the Cordon of Honor.

(Caerthe) Caerthe, Barony of was registered in January of 1973 via Laurel.

[Cordon]: OED lists Cordon, n 5. a. “An ornamental cord or braid forming a part of costume.” With the spelling [cordon] dated to 1599. 

OED lists Cordon, n 6. “A ribbon, usually worn scarfwise, as part of the insignia of a knightly order.” “grand cordon: that distinguishing the highest class or grade of such an order. blue cordon (F. cordon bleu): the sky-blue ribbon worn by the Knights-grand-cross of the French order of the Holy Ghost, the highest order of chivalry under the Bourbon kings; hence extended to other first-class distinctions: cf. BLUE RIBBON. These and similar names are also applied to the wearers of the insignia, and by extension to other persons of distinction; cordon bleu, jocularly or familiarly, a first-class cook; also attrib. and quasi-adj.”

OED indicates the term in English is of French and Italian origins, with definition 6 being clearly a French loan term with the English equivalent being a Ribbon.

 [Honor]:  OED lists Honour, honor, n 1. as “High respect, esteem, or reverence, accorded to exalted worth or rank; deferential admiration or approbation” and definition 1b: “As rendered or shown: The expression of high estimation.”  With the used spelling dated to c1400, and definition 1c: “As received, gained, held, or enjoyed: Glory, renown, fame; credit, reputation, good name. The opposite of dishonour, disgrace. “ This definition also has our spelling dated to 1593.

OED also lists definition 5.a. as “Something conferred or done as a token of respect or distinction; a mark or manifestation of high regard; esp. a position or title of rank, a degree of nobility, a dignity.” With the used spelling dated to 1599.  

Construction: This order name follows the order name pattern laid out by Laurel on the August 2005 LoAR, and further discussed in “Registering an Order Name in the SCA” by Ursula Georges (http://heraldry.sca.org/heraldry/laurel/names/order/registerorder.html), of the form “Orders named for heraldic charges or for items that, while not found in period as heraldic charges, may be used as heraldic charges. In comparing a list of Order named for creatures and objects, every Order so named uses the creature or object whose name it bears as a badge or as part of its regalia. These include the Order of the Garter, Order of the Toison d'Or (Golden Fleece), Order of the Unicorn, Order of the Dragon, and Order of the Ermine and the Ears of Corn. These names may contain the ordinary color names of any heraldic tincture. Note that the usual restrictions that apply to registering a hitherto unregistered heraldic charge also apply to naming an order after a heraldic charge that has not been registered before. The submitters must demonstrate that the charge has a standard, recognizable period form, and that the word(s) used to blazon the object is found in period with the appropriate meaning.”

This order name also follows the frequently used order name pattern of [adjective + thing] laid out in “Project Ordensnamen” (Op. Cit.). In this case, [of Honor] is a prepositional phrase that is acting as an adjective.  

[Cordon] as a heraldic charge:   “A Glossary of Terms Used in Heraldry” by James Parker cites a [Cordon] as being used in association with heraldry, specifically as a portion of the achievement for widows. This use of a cordon in heraldry is attributed to Anne of Bretagne (1477-1514) the widow of Charles VIII of France (1470 – 1498), who bestowed a cordon of lace on several ladies, instead of a military belt or collar. She also began surrounding her own escutcheon of arms with a similar cordon.  While this does not indicate that a Cordon was used as a charge within period, it does indicate that it was used in association with heraldry, would have been familiar to period heralds, and had a defined form of a loop of cord with several knots on its length. It seems reasonable to Aspen Pursuivant that this can in fact be used as a heraldic charge.

[Cordon] as used in an order name:  “Project Ordensnamen” by Meradudd Cethin (http://heraldry.sca.org/heraldry/laurel/names/order/) lists the order name [Le Cordon Bleu] as an example order. [Les Cordon Bleus] was a common name for the members of the Order of the Holy Spirit formed in 1578 by Henri III of France . This name derived from the Blue Cordon/Ribbon used to wear the Cross symbol of the order (Wikipedia: Order of the Holy Spirit - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_the_Holy_Spirit).

“Project Ordensnamen” by Meradudd Cethin (http://heraldry.sca.org/heraldry/laurel/names/order/) also lists the order name [Cordelier] for [L’Ordre du Cordelier] as being dated to 1498. According to “A Glossary of Terms Used in Heraldry” by James Parker, [Cordelier] is the French term for [Cordon], resulting in this order being [The Order of the Cordon.]

4. Dauid of the Isles. New Name and Device.  Or, a lymphad sable sailed gules, a point pointed ployé azure.

(Drygestan) Gender: Male.  Submitter cares most about the language/culture of the name, defined as "13th-15th C. Scots meaning David from the Isles".  Submitter will not accept changes to the given name of Dauid but will accept changes to the Surname to indicate a 13th-15th century Scottsman from the Western Isles living in the Lowlands.

[Dauid] - Fairly common Scots given name from at least the 13th C.  Four instances of the name are found in The Bruce by John Barbour, completed in 1375.  Two instances of this spelling are found in Gild Court Book of Dunfermline, 15th C. and this spellingis one of the most common names in the Aberdeen Council Register for 1500-1550, as demonstrated in "Early 16th Century Scottish Lowland Names" (©2001 by Sharon L. Krossa) (http://www.medievalscotland.org/scotnames/lowland16/meninstances.shtml).

[of the Isles] - a locative byname indicating, in this instance, a person from the Western Isles of Scotland.

5. Domin d'Alsace. New Device. Quarterly vert and gules a sapling issuant from a stump snagged Or.

(Caerthe) Submitter's name was registered on the January 2006 LoAR (http://heraldry.sca.org/heraldry/loar/2006/01/06-01lar.html) via the Outlands.

6. Llywus ap Alan.  Badge Resubmission. (Fieldless) a candle enflamed in a candleholder Or sustained by a natural panther sejant sable.

(Drygestan) The original submission, Argent, a natural panther sejant within an annulet of six lit candles in annulo sable, was returned on the October 2008 LoAR (http://heraldry.sca.org/heraldry/loar/2008/10/08-10lar.html), stating: "This is returned for a redraw. The candles are not identifiable from any distance. Commenters mistook them for pens or paintbrushes. It has been suggested that adding more space between the bottoms and the flames on the candles might help the identifiability of this motif."

Submitter has completely redrawn the badge.

7. Michelet Chauveau. Name and Device Resubmission.  Purpure, a horse rampant Or a semy of mullets sable.

(Fontaine) Gender: Any.  Submitter cares most about the sound of the name.  Changes accepted.

Subitter's original name and device submissions, (Michelet Mac Rae, Purpure, a hores rampant Or a semy of mullets sable) were returned by Kingdom on the February 2007 LoR (http://rampart.outlandsheralds.org/2007-01-lop/0702-lor.html), stating: 

"Gender: Female. The submitter cares most about the language/culture of the name, defined as French/Scots, and desires a name authentic for 12th-14th Century French/Scots. No major changes accepted.
The previous submission, [Michelet des Chaveaux], was returned on the July 2003 Letter of Response for lack of documentation of the surname. The submitter now wishes to change her surname to that of others in her household, [MacRae]. French and Scots are considered to be compatible for naming purposes.
[Michelet]: "An Index to the Given Names in the 1292 Census of Paris" (http://www.sca.org/heraldry/laurel/names/paris.html), dated to 1292.
[MacRae]: Black, _The Surnames of Scotland_, p. 560, heading: Macrae.

Commenters indicate that Black does not actually date the form [MacRae] to period. The header entry [Macrae] show that variants of this name, such as [Macraht] in 1202 and [Macrad] in 1225, are within period, but the form [MacRae] was only dated in the text to 1684 under the header [Maccrae]. This is outside of the 1650 allowance for surnames, and cannot be documented as within period.
Name returned for lack of documentation.

Commenters indicate that the armory appears clear, but should be drawn with fewer mullets.
Device returned for lack of name."

Submitter has changed the surname in this submission, and resubmitted the device unchanged, as it was returned for lack of a name.

[Michelet] - this spelling is listed as occuring 9 times (as a diminutive of Michel) in "French Names from Paris, 1421, 1423, &1438" by Aryanhwy Merch Catmael (Sarah L. Uckelman) at http://heraldry.sca.org/names/french/paris1423.html.  It is listed as a masculine name.

[Chauveau] - this spelling is found once in "French Names from Paris, 1421, 1423, &1438" by Aryanhwy Merch Catmael (Sarah L. Uckelman) at http://heraldry.sca.org/names/french/paris1423.html.

8. Tómas Teárlach Fraser. New Badge. Argent, a sealion erect to sinister reguardant gules.

(al-Barran) Submitter's name was registered on the August 1991 LoAR (http://heraldry.sca.org/heraldry/loar/1991/08/lar.html) via the Outlands.

9. William Stuart. Name and Device Resubmission. Gules, an eagle displayed within a bordure Or  semy of crescents sable.

(Fontaine) Gender: Any.  Submitter cares most about the sound of the name, defined as "alternate spelling of Stewart".  Changes accepted.

Submitter's previous submissions (Stuart of Fontaine, Gules, an eagle displayed within a bordure Or, a semy of crescents sable) was returned on the February 2007 LoR (http://rampart.outlandsheralds.org/2007-01-lop/0702-lor.html), stating:

Considerable comment was made on this name. Despite this, commenters were not able to provide any simple solutions to the problem of lack of documentation of the name. The full commentary was too great to include here, but general ideas that should be kept in mind during resubmission are as follows (if the submitter requests further explanation, please contact Rampart):

The name [Stuart] cannot be documented as a given name. Use of [Stuart] as a given name was a Victorian invention.

Use of a legal name allowance would only allow registration if the submitters given name, and not middle or last name, was [Stuart].

The by name [of Fontaine] would also need to be documented, as there is no SCA group by that name.

Idea for names that can be easily documented include: [Juste Stuart], [Edward Stuart], [Richard Stuart], or [Thomas Stuart].

Blazon should read [Gules, an eagle displayed within a bordure Or semy of crescents sable.]
Commenters indicate that there should be fewer crescents, but is otherwise clear of conflict.
Device returned for lack of name.

Submitter has Stuart to the surname in this submission, and resubmitted the device unchanged, as it was returned for lack of a name.

[William] - "Monumental Brass Enscriptions - Male Given Names", http://heraldry.sca.org/heraldry/laurel/names/brasses/men.html.

[Stuart] -This spelling is found dated to 1429 in Black's The Surnames of Scotland, header "Stewart, Stuart, Steuart."

10. Wolfhram St. James. Device Resubmission.  Sable, an eye argent irised azure, surmounted by a sword inverted Or.

(al-Barran) Submitter's name was registered on the August 2008 LoAR (http://heraldry.sca.org/loar/2008/08/08-08lar.html) via the Outlands.

Submitter's previous device submission, Sable, an eye argent irised azure, surmounted by a sword inverted Or, was returned by Kingdom on the April 2008 LoR (http://rampart.outlandsheralds.org/2008-03-lop/0804-lor.html), stating: "This is returned for administrative reasons, as the device resubmission was sent using outdated forms (the name resubmission was sent on the current forms, however). The device appears to be free of conflict."

Submitter has resubmitted the device on the correct forms.