The Society College of Heralds runs on monthly cycles and letters. Each month, the College processes name and armory submissions from all of the Kingdoms. Final decisions on submissions are made at the monthly meetings of the Pelican Queen of Arms (names) and the Wreath Queen of Arms (armory). Pelican and Wreath then write up their decisions in a Letter of Acceptances and Return (LoAR). After review and proofreading, LoARs generally are released two months after the meeting where the decisions are made.
An “acceptance” indicates that the item(s) listed are now registered with the Society. A “return” indicates that the item is returned to the submitter for additional work. Most items are registered without comments. Sometimes, the LoAR will address specific issues about the name or armory or will praise the submitter/herald on putting together a very nice historically accurate item.
The following results are from the October 2016 Wreath and Pelican meetings.
From Laurel: Farewell Lillia
The College of Arms has a rank of Herald Extraordinary that has a long and honored history. The rank was formally created and defined in the July 1981 cover letter by Wilhelm Laurel. The intent of the rank is to recognize and reward “… those heralds who have greatly served the College of Heralds and/or the College of Arms and have achieved the highest level of competence in heraldry.”
In light of her considerable contribution to the College of Arms through her efforts as Pelican Queen of Arms, I confer upon Lillia de Vaux the rank and style of Herald Extraordinary. I charge her to register a title of her choosing with the College of Arms.
I am very grateful for Lillia’s service, and I wish her the best in her future endeavors both within the College of Arms, and without.
Society Pages
On December 3, 2016, Master Malcolm Bowman, new Brigantia Herald of the East, named Master Ryan Mac Whyte, retiring Brigantia, a Herald Extraordinary.
EAST acceptances
Angelina Foljambe. Household name House of the White Elephant and badge. Azure, an elephant and a bordure argent.
The submitter requested authenticity for English. The inn-sign Black Elephant and the pattern of White + [animal] are found in Lillywhite’s London Signs dated to the 16th century. Therefore, this household name appears to be authentic for 16th century England.
Arabella De Mere. Name.
The submitter may wish to know that the form de Mere is more likely than De Mere. The FamilySearch Historical Records database typically capitalizes prepositions and other elements, even if they were not capitalized in the primary source.
This name combines an English given name with a French byname from the Netherlands. This is an acceptable lingual mix under Appendix C of SENA.
This name does not conflict with the registered name Arabella de la Mer. A syllable has been removed and the vowel changed in Mere versus Mer. Therefore, this name is clear under PN3C1 of SENA.
Arsinoé Dragonette. Name.
Arsinoé is a French literary name.
Brandulfr Sæfinnsson. Name.
Submitted as Brandulfr Saefinnson, the name was changed in kingdom to Brand-Ulfr Sæfinnsson because Brand- and Ulfr- were documented as given names that could not be combined to form another given name. Instead, the name was modified to use Brand- as a prepended descriptive byname, so the name only had a single given name. In addition, the spelling of the patronym was modified from -son to -sson to match the documented form.
In commentary, Siren noted:
Brandulfr is a header form in Fellows Jensen; there’s a Brandulf in the Domesday Book (http://domesday.pase.ac.uk/Domesday?op=6&filterString=brandulf) and Brandlfsike is dated as a place name to the 13th-14th c. She admits that it is not impossible that it’s from a Continental Germanic name.
Therefore we can give the submitter the benefit of the doubt and register the submitted given name.
The submitter requested authenticity for a 10th century Norse name. This name does not meet this request because the given name is dated to the late 11th century from England and the byname is found in Iceland after the 10th century.
Brick James Beech. Device. Sable, on a chevron couched from dexter argent two footprints toes to dexter sable.
There is a step from period practice for the use of footprints.
East, Kingdom of the. Badge for the East Kingdom’s Southern Army. (Fieldless) Five mullets of six points conjoined in cross Or.
“East Kingdom’s Southern Army” is a generic identifier.
East, Kingdom of the. Badge for the East Kingdom’s Southern Army. Azure, five mullets of six points in cross Or.
“East Kingdom’s Southern Army” is a generic identifier.
Elaria Grenway. Name.
The submitter requested authenticity for “late 14th cen./early 15th cen. England”. The entire name can be documented to England in the 1580s, but not in the 14th or 15th century. Therefore, this name does not meet the submitter’s request.
Gregor von Medehem. Name.
Nice late 14th century German name!
Grímólfr Skúlason. Badge. (Fieldless) A closed book argent sustaining in chief a wolf couchant sable.
Ile du Dragon Dormant, Baronnie de l’. Order name Award of the Argent Mountain.
Ile du Dragon Dormant, Baronnie de l’. Order name Award of the Gold Mountain.
Ile du Dragon Dormant, Baronnie de l’. Order name Award of the Purple Mountain.
Lorencio Matteo Espinosa. Device. Per pale azure and vert, a covered cup Or within an orle of flames proper.
Merlyn Kuster. Alternate name Eyjolfr dreki.
Muiredach Ua Dálaig. Device. Sable, a fess azure fimbriated between two talbots passant respectant and a cross formy argent.
Ogurr Aðalbrandsson. Name and device. Per pale vert and sable, a drinking horn and a sword in saltire and on a chief argent a pair of shackles sable.
We note that the form {O,}gurr, using an O-ogonek, is found in Geirr Bassi. However, under Appendix D of SENA, we can register this name as submitted instead of changing it to the attested form.
Sigrida Arnsdottir. Name and device. Per bend vert and sable, a bend embattled counter-embattled between an eagle’s head erased and a stag’s attire in annulo conjoined to itself Or.
Siobhán inghean uí Ghadhra. Name and device. Per pale vert and purpure, a unicorn argent between three harps Or.
Urr{a-}ka al-Tha`labiyya. Badge. (Fieldless) A magpie proper perched on and maintaining a rapier fesswise reversed Or.
EAST returns
Esa Gray. Name.
This name was pended to allow discussion of whether it presumes upon the name of 19th century botanist Asa Gray. Asa Gray is the original author and current namesake of Gray’s Manual, the standard reference on North American plants, and is considered to be the most important American botanist of his time. In addition, he collaborated with Charles Darwin, arranged for the publishing of On the Origin of Species in the United States, and wrote defenses of the highly controversial theory of evolution. Although his name is largely known only to specialists, his work “significantly shaped the course of science” in the areas of botany and genetics. Thus, Asa Gray is important enough to protect under PN4D1 of SENA.
The submitted name Esa Gray can be identical in sound to the protected Asa Gray, so we are returning this name for presumption.
Upon resubmission, we suggest the addition of a Scots or English locative byname to avoid the appearance of presumption: Esa Gray of X.
This name was pended from the May 2016 Letter of Acceptances and Returns.
Sitt al-Gharb ha-niqret Khazariyya. Badge. (Fieldless) Two winged monkeys combattant each maintaining two daggers the center daggers crossed in saltire Or.
This badge is returned for redraw, for violating SENA A2C2 which states “Elements must be drawn to be identifiable.” Commenters had trouble identifying the winged monkeys, probably because the daggers make the outline more confusing than the one used in her device.
