Last modified: March 13, 2010

Outlands College of Heralds

March 13, 2010
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 13th day of March,  A.S. xxxxiv (2010 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 March 2010. 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 April 20, 2010, for the decision meeting tentatively scheduled for April 21, 2010.  As a reminder, the College of Arms requests commentary on all items, including appeals.

Line Emblazon Sheet
Color Emblazon Sheet
March 2010 Letter of Presentation
April 2010 Letter of Response
April 2010 Letter of Intent
July 2010 LoAR Results
Return to the Rampart home page

1.  Aemilia Valeriana. Device Resubmission (Kingdom). Azure, a wheel Or within a horse-headed torque argent, in chief two bars Or.

(Gleann Medonach) Submitter's name was registered on the November 2008 LoAR (http://heraldry.sca.org/heraldry/loar/2008/11/08-11lar.html)

Submitter's previous submission, Azure, a wheel Or within a horse-headed torque argent, in chief two bars Or, was returned by Rampart under submitter's previously registered name of Emma Yate on the April 2008 Outlands LoR (http://rampart.outlandsheralds.org/2008-03-lop/0804-lor.html), stating: "The emblazon of the torque was too modern, and felt more like a modern corporate logo than SCA-period heraldry. Additionally, the bars in chief were too narrow, bordering on thin-line heraldry. Return for Redraw."

Submitter has re-drawn the horse heads.

2.  Alamanda de la Roca. New Name.

(Fontaine) Gender: Female.  Submitter cares most about the culture of the name, defined as "Catalonian".  Submitter will not accept Major changes to the name.

[Alamanda] - "Occitan Townspeople in the 14th Century" by Juliana de Luna (http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/juliana/occitan/) dates the name to 1370.

[de la Roca] - "Catalan Names from 12th and 13th Century Charters" by Arval Benicoeur (http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/arval/catalan/catalanData.html) lists the name as a place name.

3.  Arbella Eden. New Name and Device.  Sable, in chief three hearts fesswise argent.

(al-Barran) Gender: Female.  Submitter cares most about the spelling of the name, stating "Please do not change the spelling of Arbella, last name ok to change". 

[Arbella] - submitter cites Arbella Stuart, who lived from 1575-1615. (http://tudorhistory.suite101.com/article.cfm/arbella_stuart), (http://elizabethan-era.org.uk/arbella_stuart.htm)

[Eden] - "Surnames in Durham and Northumberland, 1521-1615" by Julie Kahan (http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/juetta/parish/surnames_ef.html) dates the name to 1572

4.  Bardolf Gunwaldtsson. Device Resubmission. Sable, a bear statant erect affronty, sinister forepaw upraised, within a bordure engrailed Or.

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

Submitter's previous device submission, Erminois, a raven within a bordure sable, was returned on the same letter, stating:

This device conflicts with the device of Arnóra hrafn Óláfsdóttir, Lozengy gules and Or, a raven within a bordure sable. There is a single CD for the changes to the field.

This device is not in conflict with the badge of Friedrich Eric Helmut von Rheinhausen, Erminois, an eagle displayed within a bordure sable. There is a CD for the difference between an eagle and a raven, and another CD for the change in posture from displayed to close.

This submission is a complete re-design.  Submitter has included a letter of Permission to Conflict from Gunwaldt Gulbjorn.

5.  Dáirine Inghean Ghriogair. Name and Device Resubmission (Kingdom). Per pale azure and Or, two bees and an open book counterchanged.

(Fontaine) Gender: Female.  Changes Accepted.

Submitter's original name submission, Dairine inghean Griogair, was returned by Rampart on the May 2007 Outlands LoR, stating: 

Gender: Female. The client cares most about the spelling of the name "Dairine". No major changes accepted.
[Dairine]: Academy of St Gabriel Report 1393 (http://www.s-gabriel.org/1393), 1105 (http://www.s-gabriel.org/1105), and 1487 (http://www.s-gabriel.org/1487) cite Dáirine (with an accent, which is missing from the submitted name) as an early Irish Gaelic feminine name, which dropped out of use fairly early (pre-11th Century).
[inghean Griogair]: Academy of St Gabriel Report 1416 (http://www.s-gabriel.org/1416) gives Griogair as a Gaelic form of the Latin saint's name Gregorius. inghean Griogair is the feminine patronymic byname formed using this masculine given name. The submitting herald requests help with the Gaelic grammar, if necessary.

The submission included copies of St. Gabriel reports, but no direct references to source materials. The College of Arms has long had a policy of requiring specific name and date citations regarding submitted names. Using the references in a St. Gabriel report is an excellent way to begin research into a name, but the St. Gabriel report is not considered sufficient documentation in and of itself. The references for [Dáirine] (note the accent) point to _Irish Names_ by Ó Corrain and Maguire, but unfortunately the Rampart library does not appear to have a copy of this text for cross reference.
Commenters indicate that the proper lenited form of the surname would be [inghean Ghriogair].
Adding the accent to [Dairine] and the letter to [Griogair] would push beyond a minor change to a major change. The client has disallowed major changes, and so the name must be returned for rework.
Name returned for rework.

Submitter has changed the name as indicated in the return, and allows further changes necessary to register the name

[Dáirine]: Academy of St Gabriel Report 1393 (http://www.s-gabriel.org/1393), 1105 (http://www.s-gabriel.org/1105), and 1487 (http://www.s-gabriel.org/1487) cite Dáirine as an early Irish Gaelic feminine name, which dropped out of use fairly early (pre-11th Century). 

[inghean Ghriogair]: Academy of St Gabriel Report 1416 (http://www.s-gabriel.org/1416) gives Griogair as a Gaelic form of the Latin saint's name Gregorius. inghean Griogair is the feminine patronymic byname formed using this masculine given name. 

Submitter's previous device,Per pale azure and argent, an open book counterchanged and in chief three bees proper, was returned on the same Outlands LOR, stating: 

Commenters indicate that there is no defined proper coloration for bees in the Glossary. There has been a precedent under [a bumblebee proper] from (Aideen the Audacious, September, 1993, Pg.1) which defines a bee proper as [sable and Or, with argent wings]. Please make note of this on resubmission.
Commenters indicate that there is a lack of contrast with the bees on the argent background as the wings of the bees are about half the charge. This violates Rfs.VIII.2 - Armorial Contrast.
Device returned for lack of name, and violation of Rfs.VIII.2.

Submitter has re-designed the device to address the concerns of the previous return.

6.  Elena Isabella of Glastonbury. New Badge. (Fieldless) Two roses proper entwined of a rapier inverted argent.

(Unser Hafen) Submitter's name was returned by Laurel on the May 2009 LoAR (http://heraldry.sca.org/heraldry/loar/2009/05/09-05lar.html), and resubmitted to Laurel on the Outlands December 2009 LoR (http://rampart.outlandsheralds.org/2009-11-lop/0912-lor.html).

7.  Giovanni da Lucca.  New Alternate Name Odd Ulfsson and Badge.  Per Saltire Argent and Azure..

(Citadel) Gender: Male. Submitter cares most about the language/culture of the name, defined as "Norse culture".  Submitter will not accept Major changes to the name.

Submitter's name was registered on the December 2003 LoAR (http://heraldry.sca.org/heraldry/loar/2003/12/03-12lar.html) via the Outlands. documentation for this name comes from "Old Norse Men's Names", http://www.vikinganswerlady.com/ONMensNames.shtml

[Odd] - header "Oddr" - Found in Old Danish as Odd (also found as a by-name), in Old Swedish as Od or Ud (Ud is also found as a by-name), and occurs in OW.Norse as Oddr. From OW.Norse oddr "lance- or spear- point, spear." Runic examples include the nominative case forms u=d=R, utr (5 instances), [utr], the genitive case form ut... and the accusative case form ut. A short form of masculine names in Odd-, -uddr/-oddr or derived from Oddr is Oddi.

[Ulfsson] - header "Ulfr" - Found in Old Danish as Ulf (found as a by-name). Occurs in Old Swedish as Olf, Ulf, and as the by-name Ulv). Found in OW.Norse in the form Úlfr, both as a personal name and as a by-name. From OW.Norse ulfr, "wolf." Runic examples include the nominative case forms hulfr (3 instances), lfR, [ua=lfir], ufR, ulf (5 instances), ulfr (24 instances), ulfR (10 instances), ulf=ui and genitive case form ulfs (7 instances, the dative case forms lfi, ulfi, and the accusative case form uf, ulf (27 instances).

8.  Rowena Robertson. New Name and Device. Vert, a griffin couchant, wings elevated and addorsed, between three roundels argent.

(Ravenhyrst) Gender: Female.  Changes Accepted.

[Rowena] - Oxford Dictionary of English Christian Names, Withycombe, p. 259 - Name originates with Geoffrey of Monmouth, who gives it to the daughter of Hengist.  Historia Regum Britanniae ("The History of the Kings of Britain"), ca.1138.

[Robertson] - The Surnames of Scotland, Black, dates William Robertson to 1371, and Thomas Robertson to 1444.

9.  Rychard Robertson. New Name and Device. Ermine, a natural panther rampant sable within a bordure azure.

(Ravenhyrst) Gender: Male.  Changes Accepted.

[Rychard] - "Names found in Quedgeley, Glochestershire Marriage Registers 1559-1600" by Aryanhwy merch Catmael (http://heraldry.sca.org/names/english/quedgeley.html) shows this as a masculine given name dated to 1563 and later.

[Robertson] - The Surnames of Scotland, Black, dates William Robertson to 1371, and Thomas Robertson to 1444.

10.  Simonides Spartenos. New Name and Device. Argent, a chevron and a chief wavy gules.

(Ravenhyrst) Gender: Male.  Submitter cares most about the meaning and language/culture of the name, defined as "Simon from Sparta, Greek Byzantine."  Changes Accepted.

[Simonides] - Encyclopedia Brittanica Online (http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/545258/Simonides-of-Ceos)lists Simonides of Ceos, c. 556-468 BC, a Greek poet noted for his lyric poetry, elegaics and epigrams.  Also mentioned in Herodotus' The Histories.

[Spartenos] - "14th Century Names of Lay Proprietors in the Themes of Thessaloniki and Strymon" by Maridonna Benvenuti (http://www.maridonna.com/onomastics/lay.htm) dates Konstantinos Spartenos of Lozikin to 1265.

11.  Somisawhel de Sousa. New Name and Device.  Argent, a rondel barry wavy azure and argent and on a chief azure three gouttes d'Eau.

(Drygestan) Gender: Female.  Submitter cares most about the language/culture of the name, left undefined.  Submitter will not accept Major changes to the name.

[Somisawhel] - Submitter's legal given name (copy of driver's license included)

[de Sousa] - "Portuguese Names from the 16th Century: Letters from the Court of King John III" by Juliana de Luna (http://heraldry.sca.org/laurel/names/portugal16.htm)lists "de Sousa" a s a common locative byname in 16th C. Portugal.

12.  Unser Hafen, Barony of. New Order Name, L'Ordre de la Rose d'Or,and Badge.  Vert, in pale a portcullis and a rose within an orle of roses Or.

(Unser Hafen) Submitter's branch name was registered on the February 1991 LoAR (http://heraldry.sca.org/heraldry/loar/1991/02/lar.html) via the Outlands.

"The most common pattern for order names is a single heraldic charge, represented by just over half of the names. … Another 10% add something to a heraldic charge. The most common pattern is to modify it with a color. In every case, it's the everyday term for a heraldic tincture; the majority of the cases are in French."

Examples of French Order names with the pattern of Color + Charge: 

Ourdre de la Pomme d'Or 'Order of the Gold(en) Apple' 1394 French (Boulton 2000)

L'Ordre de la Thorison d'Or 'the Order of the Gold(en) Fleece' 1431 French (Fèvre 1881)

Ordre de la Thoison d'Or 'Order of the Gold(en) Fleece' 1430 French (Boulton 2000)

Ordre de l'Escu d'Or 'Order of the Gold(en) Shield' 1367 French (Boulton 2000)

A Rose is "a beautiful flower, the most frequently used flower in heraldry." There are currently 2155 items in the SCA Armorial containing a "Rose" as one of their charges . In French, a "Rose" is a "Rose" (by any other name would it smell as sweet?).

Therefore, if one wishes to change "The Order of the Golden Fleece" (in Period French) to "The Order of the Golden Rose" (in Period French) it would be "L'Ordre de la Rose d'Or".

Boulton, D'Arcy. Knights of the Crown. 2nd Edition. London: Boydell Press, 2000.

Fèvre, Jean Le. Chronique de Jean le F~evre, segneur de Saint-Remy. Edited by François Morand. Paris: Librairie Renouard, 1881.

Juliana de Luna, Siren Herald (mka Julia Smith). "Medieval Secular Order Names." Medieval Scottland. February 18, 2009. http://www.medievalscotland.org/jes/OrderNames/ (accessed February 09, 2010).

Mistholme, Bruce Draconarius of, and Akagawa Yoshio. A Pictoral Dictionary of Heraldry as used in the Society for Creative Anachronism. Kevin Munday & Bruce Miller, 1988.

13.  Violante do Porto. Name Change from Violante d'Atayde.

(Citadel) Gender: Unspecified.  Changes accepted.

Submitter's current name was registered on the October 2008 LoAR (http://heraldry.sca.org/heraldry/loar/2008/10/08-10lar.html) via the Outlands

[Violante] - "Portugese Feminine Names from Lisbon, 1565" by Aryanhwy merch Catmael (Sarah L. Uckelman) (http://www.ellipsis.cx/~liana/names/portuguese/fem1565.html) lists 24 instances of the name "Violante".

[do Porto] - "Portugese Surnames Names from Lisbon, 1565" by Aryanhwy merch Catmael (Sarah L. Uckelman) (http://www.ellipsis.cx/~liana/names/portuguese/sur1565.html) lists 2 instances of the locative "do Porto".

14.  Wolf  von der Muhle. Device Resubmission (Kingdom). Vert, on a pile between a pair of wings argent a triple-arched bridge sable.

(Citadel)  Submitter's name was submitted to Laurel on the February 2010 Outlands LOR (http://rampart.outlandsheralds.org/2010-01-lop/1002-lor.html).

Submitter's previous device submission, Vert, on a pile between a pair of wings argent a triple-arched bridge sable, was returned on the same letter, stating : "The bridge is too small to be identifiable, and does not fill the available space.  RETURNED for re-draw."

Submitter has re-drawn the device to make the bridge larger.

Thus ends the March 2010 Letter of Presentation.

Line Emblazon Sheet
Color Emblazon Sheet
March 2010 Letter of Presentation
April 2010 Letter of Response
April 2010 Letter of Intent
July 2010 LoAR Results
Return to the Rampart home page