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Greetings unto all who read these words from Lord Alan Fairfax, Rouge Scarpe Herald,
This is the Middle Kingdom Letter of Acceptances and Returns for Escutcheon's October 1998 Letter of Intent. Comments in braces {} were removed from the Letter of Intent sent to Laurel and the College of Arms. Names, devices, or badges in braces have been returned or pended; general comments or replies to commentary are also placed in braces.
I would like to thank Master John ap Wynne, Lord Mikhail of Lubelska, Lady Aelfreda aet Aethelwealda, Lord Godwig Eafrithig, Lord Musa ibn Ibrahim al-Athir, Lady Julia Argent, and Lady Aryanhwy merch Catmael for their comments this month, and I would also like to thank Lady Phebe Bonadeci, Lord Kevin Ambrjzwski, Lord Hieronymous von Trier, and Lady Andra de Leiden for helping in the preparation of the letter.
We received few comments last month. I realize that this is a busy time of year, but submissions are still coming in and need more comments.
Because of the holiday the Rouge Scarpe staff will be preparing the January letter one week late. Therefore, we can accept comments on Esutcheon's November 1998 letter until January 7, 1999. I hope this will make it easier to send in comments!
1) Alastair Calum Montgomery--Device Resubmission
Azure, a Celtic cross argent, on a chief Or a bow fesswise azure.
-1">The client's name was registered 6/97. {His original submission, Argent, a rose proper slipped and throned, surmounting and entwined aroudn a passion cross clechy sable, on a bordure azure six mullets Or, was returned by Rouge Scarpe in 2/97. His second submission, Or, upon and entwining a passion cross sable, a rose proper, was returned by Rouge Scarpe in 12/97 for contrast problems.
This does not conflict with Azure, a cross of Lorraine argent and on a chief Or three quill pens bendwise sinister gules. There is one CD for the change of tertiary charges and one CD for the change in type of cross.}
2) Alexander de Seton of Altavia--New Badge
(Fieldless) On a seahorse erect maintaining a lochaber axe azure, a heart gules fimbriated argent.
The client's name was registered 9/96. There were questions about the identifiability of the heart fimbriated. RfS VIII.3 says that "voiding and fimbriation may only be used with simple geometric charges placed in the center of the design." Under a literal reading of that rule the fimbriation should be allowed in this device, and we could find no contrary precedent.
On the other hand, it is possible to blazon this badge (Fieldless) On a seahorse erect maintaining a lochaber axe azure, a heart argent on a heart gules. Since charges can't be stacked in three layers (see RfS VIII.1.c.ii), it is quite likely that this badge will be returned. However, in the absence of a clear precedent I am sending it to Laurel.
3) Antonio Cellini--Device Resubmission
Per pale purpure and argent, two sharks embowed respectant, on a chief two Maltese crosses all counterchanged.
The client's name was registered 5/96. His previous submission, Per pale purpure and argent, two ferrets addorsed rampant maintaining a sword to chief, on a chief two Maltese crosses all coutnerchanged, was returned by Laurel in 11/97 for redrawing.
4) Ardal of Stonegrave--New Device
Vert, three hands apaumy in pale within a bordure embattled argent.
The client's name was registered 3/93.
5) Cecil Dupont--New Name {and Device}
Argent, a tyger rampant sable.
The name is intended to be French. Cecil is in Withycombe, 60, where it is called "not uncommon in England in the Middle Ages. Dupont is in Dauzat & Rostaing, 224. The name is intended to be French.
{The device conflicts with Vladimir Ivanovich Kurgan the Untrained, Chevronelly and per pale argent and gules, a tyger rampant sable. There is one CD For the field.}
6) Donato Pulcinella for Commilitoni della Balestra--New Household Badge
Sable, a crossbow and on a chief Or a chain sable.
The client's name was registered 3/83. The household name was submitted on the 9/98 ILoI.
7) Dougal of Icolmkill--Device Resubmission
Per fess Or and argent, an ogress between two dogs statant in annulo.
The client's previous submission, Per fess Or and argent, an ogress between two foxes courant in annulo gules, was pended by Laurel in 11/97 for a redraw. {I've blazoned the dogs statant because they would have four feet on the ground, if there was a ground for them to stand on!}
8) Isabel Attwater--New Name and Device
Per bend wavy gules and vert, a sun Or and a lotus argent.
Isabel is dated to 1284 in Withycombe, 164. Attwater is a header in Reaney & Wilson, 18. They do not document this spelling, but they date Atewatr' to 1198 and Atwaters to 1660. We assume that a wider range of forms is possible.
9) Maridonna Scarlatti--New Name and Device
Gules, a triskelion of legs Or issuant from a sable-haired Caucasian woman's head proper.
Maridonna is from "Feminine Given Names from 13th-Century Perugia" at http://www.panix.com/ ~mittle/names/arval/perugia. Scarlatti is in De Felice, Cognomi, 227. The client is most concerned with having an Italian name.
The arms do not conflict with Skapti Herjolfsson, Vert, a triskelion of legs Or. There is 1 CD for the field and 1 CD for the addition of the head. The addition of the head as a tertiary would count for a CD, and the head is larger than a tertiary in these arms, so we see no reason not to count a point of difference for it.
{Some commenters thought the badge was "vaguely obscene," but we think "vaguely obscene" is an oxymoron.}
10) Mary Garret of Seasalter for Rhys Hebogydd--New Alternate Name
The client's name was registered 3/91. Rhys is found in Jones, A Welsh Miscellany, 31. Hebogydd is found in ibid., 33. The client intends to have a masculine name.
{11) Mirabella Christian du Lac de la Forest--New Device
Azure, a unicorn salient regardant argent, maintaining an oak sprig, a bordure engrailed Or.
We are returning this device for redrawing. The bordure should be about three times larger, and so should the points on the line of division.}
12) Oswin Attwater--New Name and Device
Per pale gules and Or, a dragonfly tergiant between three Maltese crosses coutnerchanged.
Oswin is dated to 1086 in Withycombe, 236, who notes that it fell out of use in the 14th century. Attwater is a header in Reaney & Wilson, 18. They do not document this spelling, but they date Atewatr' to 1198 and Atwaters to 1660. We assume that a wider range of forms is possible.
13) Ravenslake, Shire of--New Group Badge
Argent, a raven close to sinister sable within a bordure wavy azure.
The group's name was registered in 3/91.
14) Rebekah d'Avignon--Name Resubmission
{The client's previous submission, Rebekah d'Achetet, was returned by Rouge Scarpe on 8/98 for the undocumented byname.} Rebekah is found in Withycombe, 251. The client dates Avignon to 1303 from Scott, Robert the Bruce, 63.
15) Siani Glendower--Device Resubmission
Azure, two pallets and on a chief argent three crosses fleury sable.
The client's name was registered 10/98. {Her original submission, Azure, two pallets argent and on a chief sable three crosses fleury argent, was returned by Rouge Scarpe in 6/98 for contrast problems. {The chief needs to be fed.}
16) Saint Michael and All Angels, College of--New Group Name and Device
Azure, on an open book between three angels argent, a laurel wreath vert.
No documentation is provided for the name. The church of St. Michael and All Angels in Ledbury, Herfordshire was built in the 12th century (although the name could be from a later date); see http://www.malvern.net/attractions/ledbury.htm. Michael has traditionally been called the chief of all angels, and so many church calendars have included a feast of "Michael and All Angels" (the feast is observed to the present day in the Anglican Church). {This is an excellent name for a college.}
Done by my hand this thirteenth day of December, being the third Sunday of Advent, anno societatis xxiii.
Alan Fairfax, Rouge Scarpe
Alan Terlep
5401 S. Cornell
Chicago, IL 60615
(773) 324-1366 (after 11am ET)