1 December 2000, A.S. XXXV
Kingdom of Atenveldt

Unto Their Royal Majesties Johnathan and Etain; Lady Isabel d'Avron, Aten Principal Herald; the Heralds in the Atenveldt College of Heralds; and to All Whom These Presents Come,

Greetings from Marta as tu Mika-Mysliwy, Brickbat Herald!

This is the December 2000 internal Atenveldt Letter of Intent. It precedes the external LoI that will contain the following submissions, asking questions of submitters and local heralds who have worked with them; if these questions are not addressed, the submission may be returned by the Atenveldt College of Heralds. You are encouraged to comment upon these submissions, even if you fear that you might not have enough "experience" to offer your opinion. Please have commentary to me by 25 December (yeah, I could think of better Christmas prezzies...). I accept electronic commentary: brickbat@nexiliscom.com.

Name Documentation: Keep in mind, that if one GOOD source of a name is found (e.g., articles in the Medieval Names Archive online or from the sources listed in the College of Arms Administrative Handbook), I don't need one or two other pieces of documentation for the same name element. You might note (as a local herald or a submitter), that I might not use a piece of documentation that you know was sent with the submissions packet; in all likelihood, that was a poor name source (such as Kolatch, Younge, or Hanks and Hodges); I've replaced the provided documentation with something that the College of Arms will accept.

Submissions Website: You can send electronic commentary on the most recent internal LoIs (like this one) through the site. Please let your local populace know about the site, too: atensubmissions.nexiliscom.com.

Please consider the following submissions for inclusion in the January LoI:

Aleyn Randwulf (Atenveldt): NEW NAME

Aleyn is the most common form of the male given name Al(1)an seen in England in the 14th-16th C. (pp. 7-8, Withycombe, under Al(l)an); this is also a spelling variant of the submitter's legal given name. [This is a great way to "steer" folks who are looking for an S.C.A. name, toward a period spelling of some element of their legal names.] Randwulf is an OE male given name, common in England before the Norman Conquest, and the precursor to the modern given name Randal and Randolph (p. 249, Withycombe). While it's unusual to have two given names, I suspect that Randwulf is what is known as an unmarked patronymic, those given masculine names (like William or Robert) that also evolved into a surname (Williams(on), Roberts(on)), in some cases unembellished by -s or -son.

Gil Gareth the Greywolf (Atenveldt): NEW NAME

The name is English, derived from Welsh elements. Gil is stated to be a short form of Gilbert, taken from A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames by Bardsley; while this is a good source, I wish that a copy of the page demonstrating this variant had been included with the submission, as none of my sources demonstrate Gil as a period form of the name. Withycombe shows Gilbert as an English given name, derived from Old German and introduced by the Normans (pp. 133-4). Withycombe suggests that Gareth, which appears in Malory's Morte d'Arthur, might be a misreading of an original Welsh name, as the French source spells the name as Gahariet (pp. 125-6). As it might be Welsh, this could fit together nicely with the given name. The construction of a late Welsh name with a given name and the father's given name (such as David Owen, in which Owen is David's dad) is cited in "A Simple Guide to Constructing 16th Century Welsh Names (in English Contexts)," by Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn (http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/tangwystyl/welsh16.html). Adding the epithet is somewhat out of period, but I don't think its worth considering a return of the name (the submitter cites it as a Norse nickname rendered into English-I believe that the Norse, or at least their naming practices, were a dead (or assimilated) issue by the mid-medieval period); Jan Jongso's Middle English Nicknames show a variety of names based on color (Greensleeves, Whithorse), which would justify a coined nicknname like Greywolf. The only problem I see is that the submitter doesn't allow any major changes to the name, so if the CoA has no justification for Gil standing alone (rather than allowing it to register Gilbert and the submitter using Gil in daily SCA), it might be returned for that.

Gracian de La Rochelle (Granite Mountain): NEW NAME and DEVICE

Purpure, a sea-serpent ondoyant argent and a bordure gules, charged with eight fleurs-de-lys Or.

The name is French. Gracian, from the Latin Gratianus, is a masculine given name found in "Names Found in Commercial Documents from Bordeaux, 1470-1520," by Aryanhwy merch Catmael and Talan Gwynek (http://www.sit.wisc.edu/~sfriedemann/names/bordeaux.htm). La Rochelle is a town on the west coast of France. This is an excellent name.

Well...the overall design of the device is fine. There is a problem, however. The gules bordure on the purpure field violates the Rule of Tincture (although there is some mundane armory that permits subordinaries like the bordure to violate Tincture, in S.C.A. armory, a bordure or a chief is always treated as a charge, and so the Tincture Rule stands. A preliminary look in the Ordinary seems to show that if the submitter were to reverse the tinctures of the bordure and the fleurs (a bordure Or charged with eight fleurs-de-lys gules), there would still be no problem with potential conflicts.

Late-breaking news: Please check for conflicts against Purpure, a sea-serpent ondoyant and a bordure, charged with eight fleurs-de-lys argent. (I've spoken with his local herald concerning the tincture problem-gosh, I love the internet!).

Katherine Bradon of Carlisle (Atenveldt): DEVICE RESUBMISSION from Laurel, July 2000

Argent, a spider web throughout azure charged with a spider sable, a bordure embattled azure, ermined argent.

The name was registered July 2000.

The original submission was returned for a redrawing of the spiderweb in a standard heraldic manner; that has been done.

Lachland MacBean of Kinchyle (Atenveldt): NEW DEVICE

Argent, a wildcat sable, marked argent, rampant, maintaining a targe gules.

The name appears in the 1 August 2000 LoI as Lachlan McBean of Kinchyle. While it appears that I misspelled McBean (or dropped the -a- in Mac- to have the Gaelic patronymic agree with the Gaelic given name), I don't know if Lachland is an acceptable spelling variant; can Twin Palm find out and let me know so any corrections, if necessary, can be included in a LoI?

As the targe is a maintained object and counts for no differences, this design would conflict with any armory that conflicts with Argent, a feline rampant sable. I think the markings should be mentioned, as they are rather prominent (like a natural tiger's stripes), but I don't think that they add to the differencing. Please keep this is mind if you are checking for conflicts. [Just a cursory look at the Ordinary...a conflict with Houri the Savage (way back in January 1973): Argent, a lion rampant sable armed, orbed and langued gules. A number of similar designs seem to be incorporating field treatments and secondary charges to skirt this old armory.]

Llewellyn Baedd Gwyn (Atenveldt): NEW NAME and NEW DEVICE

Per chevron sable and gules, a chevron and in base a boar statant argent.

The name is Welsh. Llewellyn is a popular masculine given name (p. 197, Withycombe), the name of a prince of North Wales, Llewellyn ap Gruffudd, 1228-1282. The byname means "white boar" (elements from http://www.cs.brown.edu/cgi.bin/WD.cgi/). A little bit of spelling might have to be done to make the name absolutely correct, but I will probably send it on "as is," and let those in the CoA who are far more knowledgeable in Welsh take care of it. The submitter is a woman, and is aware that Llewellyn is a man's name; she notes that this is not an issue.

Michela Delphino (Atenveldt): DEVICE RESUBMISSION from Laurel, April 2000

Per fess azure and vert, a cross argent between in chief two sets of five mullets in saltire Or and in base two dolphins haurient respectant argent.

The name was registered June 1998.

The original submission, Azure, a cross argent between in chief two sets of five mullets in saltire Or and in base two dolphins haurient respectant argent., was returned for conflict with the arms of Greece, Azure, a cross argent. There was only 1 CD for the addition of the secondary charges.

The following submissions appear in the 1 December 2000 Atenveldt Letter of Intent:

Beartlaí mac Mathghamhain (Atenveldt): DEVICE RESUBMISSION from Kingdom, August 2000

Or, a grenade sable enflamed gules between three Celtic crosses sable, a bordure dovetailed gules.

The name appears in the 1 August 2000 Atenveldt Letter of Intent.

His original submission (Gules, on a saltire Or between four flames proper, bases to center, a grenade overall bendwise sinister sable, enflamed gules, between four Celtic crosses palewise sable.) was returned by the Atenveldt CoH for tincture violation and design problems. He has attended to all of them and the result is very dynamic and heraldic.

Killian M'Cahall (Tir Ysgithr): BADGE RESUBMISSION from Calontir, 1998

Gules, in fess two musical notes Or.

The name was registered June 1995.

No action was reported on the submission although it had been presented through proper channels.

Kveldulf av Ulfsgaard (Mons Tonitrus): NAME and DEVICE RESUBMISSION from Laurel, June 1988

Argent, a wolf-headed eagle displayed to sinister sustaining a pair of axes crossed in saltire sable.

The name is Old Norse, Kveldulf of the Wolf's Place. It was originally returned as Kvelgulfr av Ulfsgaard, since there was some discussion that not only was Kveldulfr a unique given name, but it could be also construed ("evening wolf") as referring to supernatural origins, that of a werewolf. This has since been overturned by the CoA, As the name is totally rendered into ON, the given name is probably more correct with the terminal, silent -r added to it. (An online Norse-English dictionary (http://members.nbci.com/newdict/) makes me think that the byname might be more accurate as af Úlfsgarr ("from the wolves' yard (place)"), but this might not be Old Norse; I'd rather send it on "as is," and allow those with more expertise in the CoA to correct it if corrections are necessary).

The armory (Argent, a wolf-headed eagle displayed facing to sinister, and grasping in its talons two battleaxes crossed in saltire sable, gorged of a county coronet Or.) was returned for conflicts with Anne of Bohemia and the arms of Prussia, both argent and with sable eagles displayed. It has been redrawn so as to make the pair of axes co-primaries with the eagle.

Timothy Matthias de Coupeland (Granite Mountain): NEW NAME and DEVICE

Argent, a cross vert interlaced with a star of David gules.

The name is English. Timothy is a saint's name, a companion to St. Paul (pp. 281-2, Withycombe). Matthias is also a saint's name (pp. 213-4, Withycombe). de Coupeland is dated to 1256 in Reaney and Wilson, p. 82. [This is a great example of building an S.C.A. name from one's legal name; the gentleman's legal name is Timothy Copeland, and he has found a period spelling of his surname.]

I've included these submissions with the December LoI, as I've been working with the submitter's local herald extensively on it and hope that it's true, that I haven't found a conflict for this rather simple, striking design.

Teresa Callan (Sundragon): NAME RESUBMISSION from Laurel, January 1999, and DEVICE RESUBMISSION from Kingdom, September 2000

Argent, a natural panther's head erased purpure bezanty.

The original name submission, Treasa Callan, was returned for lack of documentation showing Treasa as a period form of Teresa; it is an Irish variant of the name, but it seems to be post-period. Teresa is name made popular in England and Ireland with the spread of the devotion to St. Teresa of Avila (d. 1582), according to Withycombe (p. 276). Callan is the Anglicized form of the O Cathalain sept (p. 70, Irish Family Names, Arms, Origins and Locations, Brian de Breffny).

As these are not the "natural" spots one sees on a leopard, we are blazoning them in heraldic terms. We also hope that this will clear some very close pieces of armory by making this a semy treatment, which provides 1 CD from that of a similar feline head that is only purpure. This was initially held for redrawing (making the spots into bezant, smoothing the head outline) and for name resubmission.

The following submissions were returned by the Atenveldt College of Heralds, November 2000:

Four Mountains, Incipient March of the (Chinle, AZ): NEW NAME and DEVICE

Per saltire argent, azure, Or, and sable, a laurel wreath vert between four mountains ?, snowcapped argent.

RETURNED for lack of populace consent forms, redesign of armory (name submission is acceptable).

The following submissions were registered by the S.C.A. College of Arms at its August 2000 meeting:

Angelina della Costa. Name and device. Or, two mermaids proper crined and sustaining in chief a heart gules.

Submitted as Angelina Della Costa, we have changed the capitalization to match period practice.

Caitilín inghean uí Shirideáin. Device. Or ermined, a fret and on a chief vert two trefoils Or.

Edward von Griffenberg. Name and device. Sable, a hangman's noose argent.

Submitted as Edward von Griffonberg, we have changed the byname to an uniformly German spelling.

Golda ferch Deiniol. Device. Per chevron vert and Or, two suns in their splendour Or.

Nice armory!

Joseph Walter McFadden. Badge. Or, a pall sable between three shamrocks stems to center vert, a bordure sable.

Please inform the submitter to draw the bordure and the pall larger.

Julian Faith McCabe. Device. Per saltire azure and vert, two unicorn's heads erased respectant Or.

Please inform the submitter to draw the horns and the beards of the unicorns larger.

Kormákr of Tir Ysgithr. Holding name and device (see RETURNS for name). Per bend sinister bevilled azure and gules, a horse's head contourny couped argent changed with a mullet of four points sable and a sword bendwise sinister proper.

Submitted under the name Kormákr Kálsvísa.

Li Ming Fa. Name.

For the registration of this name special thanks go to Pillar for providing extensive documentation, very briefly summarised by herself this way: Relevent period Chinese given name conventions can be summarized as follows: (1) generally two syllables long, (2) meanings are carried by their written Chinese characters, and (3) female names sometimes refer to flowers.

Malkolm Tay. Device. Azure, a chevron argent ermined vert, overall a mancatcher issuant from base Or.

Otto Blauschild. Device. Azure, a fret argent, a bordure ermine.

Please inform the submitter that the bordure should be wider and have fewer ermine spots.

Phelan Ó Coileáin. Name and device. Azure, a horseshoe inverted within a bordure Or.

Submitted as Phelan O'Coileain, the name mixed Anglicized and Gaelic spelling in a single name element. This is not acceptable, as per RfS III.1.a, so we have changed the byname to an entirely Gaelic spelling. As the submitter requested an authentic Irish name we would have changed the byname to the Anglicized O Collaine, but the submitter did not accept major changes. Please inform the submitter that the horseshoe would be more identifiable if it had nail holes. In addition, the bordure should be wider.

Rhys MacArthur. Name and device. Per bend azure and vert, a mullet of four greater and eight lesser points argent and a bear rampant contourny Or.

Richard of Atenveldt. Holding name and device (see RETURNS for name). Per chevron inverted gules and argent, an oak tree and a bull's head cabossed counterchanged.

Submitted under the name Richard of the Oak Shield.

The following submissions were returned by the College of Arms for further work, August 2000:

Angelica Blauschild. Device. Azure, a pair of wings argent conjoined by a Hungerford knot Or, pendant from the knot a needle and a quill pen argent, a bordure ermine.

The device has a complexity count of nine, which is over the rule-of-thumb limit. While we sometimes register armory with this complexity count, those cases follow patterns of period complex armory, which this device does not. Furthermore the needle and quill pen were unidentifiable. In any resubmissions, if the wings must be joined by a knot, please drawn the knot substantially thicker.

Kormákr Kálsvísa. Name.

The byname Kálsvísa, justified as a kenning based on the name of a legendary horse, has serious problems. No evidence was submitted that proper names appeared as kennings, that is, allusive names used primarily in scaldic poetry; the most the College could find was that names were used as parts of kennings. Furthermore, the argument presented in the submission does not address the issue of whether Kálsvísa as a name refers to a particular legendary individual in such a way that its use should be prohibited. It is also unclear whether the byname is a claim to superhuman powers and therefore presumptuous. His device was registered under the holding name Kormákr of Tir Ysgithr.

Richard of the Oak Shield. Name.

Based on such examples as Sword or Spear, found in Reaney and Wilson's A Dictionary of English Surnames, the meaning of the byname appears to be acceptable. However, there is no evidence that these bynames would be used with of the; also, oakshield would have been spelled as one word. The name would thus have appeared in the desired period as Richard Okesheld. As the submitter does not allow changes we have to return it. His device has been registered under the holding name Richard of Atenveldt.

I remain,
Marta as tu Mika-Mysliwy
c/o Linda Miku
2527 East 3^rd Street
Tucson AZ 85716
bagbaazai@nexiliscom.com

References

Bardsley, C. W. A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, Baltimore, 1967 (from an original 1901 publication).

Black, George F. The Surnames of Scotland.

O Corrain, Donnchadh and Fidelma Maguire. Irish Names.

MacLysaght, E. The Surnames of Ireland. Dublin, Irish Academic Press, 1991.

Morgan, T. J. and Prys Morgan. Welsh Surnames. Cardiff, University of Wales Press, 1985.

Reaney, P.H. and R. M. Wilson. A Dictionary of English Surnames.

Withycombe, E.G., The Oxford Dictionary of English Christian Names, 3rd Edition. Londone, Oxford University Press, 1977.