On Augmentations in Period - Part IV: Simplified Upon The Chief

Another interesting variation on the augmentation of arms seen in A Display of Heraldrie is that of using a chief (which is fairly standard), but with a simplified version of the royal arms.

The Fieldis Topaze, two Barres Saphire, a Chiefe quarterly, Iupiter and Mars on the first two Flowre de Lices, Sol : the second Charged with one Lion passant gardantof the last, the third as the second, the fourth as the first. This Coat belongeth to the right Honorable the Earle of Rutland, Lord Rose of Hamlake, Trusbut and Beluoire, which was giuen in augmentation to this Family, they being descended of the blood Roiall from King Edward the fourth. This also is a forme of bearing of a part in a part : for heere is abated one Flowre de Lice of the Armes of France and two Lions of the Armes of England, and borne on the Chiefe part of the Escocheon.

This provides a fascinating model for augmentations in the SCA, where a Kingdom may have a complicated coat of arms (Much as Quarterly France and England doesn't fit a narrow band well), and a populace badge which doesn't quite fit the arms properly, and thus it may be desirable to bear a reduced form such as this,

On the Importance of Looking at Period Heraldry

In the new versions of the rules which govern heraldic registrations in the SCA - SENA (the Standards for the Evaluation of Names and Armory) replacing the RfS (Rules for Submissions) - there is a greatly increased focus on matching period style in new arms. As this topic will be one of the foci in the class I've been asked to give at an event in a few weeks' time, I thought it might be useful to explore the issue of why this matters at all, as much to get my thoughts in order as to illuminate the respected reader.

So, why is it important that our coats of arms are a faithful reproduction of the style of arms which would be found in period? Leaving aside the obvious matters of the fact that the rules encourage and require it.

Firstly, as much as people may like to debate the importance of authenticity, if you accept any part of the importance of authenticity in our game (which I emphatically do), then having arms which are authentic in style to period should be a goal. It will (hopefully) end up on banners, tabards, furniture, feasting gear, stationery, and every good thing, and having a modern design on otherwise lovely period-style items rather spoils the effect.

Also, one of the major emphases of period heraldry (with a couple of notable exceptions) was to focus on simplicity of design. A simple design is more visually striking, and allows for more artistic variation over one where the elements are so layered and crammed that they seem to fight for space. Also, the simpler the design, the more likely you are to put your arms on something, which in turn increases the amount of heraldry on display - my device, as shown above, can in fact be tablet woven, and I have plans for armour straps and fittings in full heraldic style.

There also advantages to looking at period examples of heraldry, and a range of types of sources available.

When looking at period heraldic treatises, such as I make frequent reference to, you can get an understanding about how heraldry was thought about in period, including the meanings of charges, interesting colour theory, and some fanciful and unusual arrangements which aren't seen in more modern (read: Victorian) works and treatises.

Period rolls of arms show the great variety of period heraldry, and can be a wonderful source of ideas when trying to design something. They can also be a wealth of examples of arms which don't match the "Core Style" of SCA heraldry - and one of the advantages of the new rule set is that there are specific and somewhat simpler requirements when documenting exceptions to the standard rules, where before it was left as a judgement call every time, resulting in inconsistent and difficult results.

On Augmentations in Period - Part III: A Badge Upon The Canton

The next in the set of augmentations shown in the 1611 Display of Heraldrie is of the form accepted in the SCA as standard, being a charged canton, but in this case, a canton charged with a badge of the Sovereign, rather than the royal arms.

He beareth Azure, the Wheele of a Watermill Or. This was the Coat-armour of that worthy Gentleman, Nicolas de Moline, a noble Senator of the Magnificent State of Venice, who being imployed by the most Noble Duke and the State in Abassage to the sacred Maiesty of our dread Soveraigne, King Iames, upon acceptable service by him performed both to his Maiestie and to the said State, it pleased his Highnesse not only graciously to remunerate him with the dignity of Knighthood in an honourable assembly of many noble Peeres, Ladies, Knights, and Gentlemen ; but also for a further honour by his Highnesse Letters Patents under his great Seale of England, to ennoblish the Coat-armour of the said Nicolas de Moline, by way of augmentation, with a Canton Argent, the Charge whereof doth participate of the Royall Badges of the severall Kingdomes of England and Scotland, viz. of the Red Rose of England, and Thistle of Scotland, conioined Palewaies

Also quite interesting is the fact that this augmentation was granted by the King of England to a foreigner under his employ, not just to a subject.

The use of the royal badge of England and Scotland here gives good credence to the prospect of using the populace badge of a Kingdom of the Society, as they follow most closely in that practice.

On Augmentations in Period - Part II: The Fess

Returning to the subject of bearing the Sovereign's arms in augmentation, and again to John Guillim's Display of Heraldrie of 1611, we next find the fess used to bear the augmentation, in this particular case while surrounded by a bordure on the fess.

The Field is Topaze a Fesse of the Soueraigne Ensignes within a Bordure Gobonated Pearle and Saphire. This Coat-armourappertaineth to that most noble and truly Honourable, Edward Earle of Worcester, one of the Lords of the most honourable priuy Counsell, Master of his Maiesties Horse, Knight of the most Honourable Order of the Garter, and one of his Hignesse Commissioners for the Office of the Earle Marshall of England, a noble Peere, whose great vertues are euery way correspondent to the greatnesse of his place and honour.
Recalling the various fanciful systems of naming tinctures occasionally used in these treatises, we see a field Or, with a bordure gobonated argent and azure.

This form of augmentation would adapt marvellously to most Kingdom's arms, but perhaps not so well to the arms underneath: in most cases, applying a large and well-endowed fess over other arms would obscure the arms beneath in many cases. Nevertheless, a fascinating option for those who wish it.

On Sideways Tabards

So, you may have come across the quaint and curious practice of some heralds wearing their tabards sideways. Do not adjust your set, you are seeing correctly. No, ma'am, they aren't drunk*. Please, sir, do not try to correct them. Especially not physically**.

In short, wearing tabards sideways - or athwart, colly-westonwards, or several other silly names - is a mark of a herald holding a certain rank. In the Lochac College of Heralds, there are three ranks: Macer, Pursuivant, and Herald (with a capital H). A tabard athwart is, as in period, the mark of a Pursuivant. Lochac Heraldic Policy says simply this:

5.3. A Pursuivant wearing a sleeved tabard should have the sleeves front and back (i.e. rotated 90 degrees).

 Note that it says "should", rather than "may".

In period, Pursuivants were something along the lines of journeyman heralds, who hadn't quite finished their training, and so wore their tabards sideways as a mark of "not quite there yet". In the Lochac College of Heralds, Pursuivant is the middle rank, and the first which is earned by actions (more than the action of deciding to be a herald in the first place). Macers wear their tabards "properly" because they're just beginning, and shouldn't have things complicated for them any more than is necessary, and Heralds wear their tabards straight because they're fancy and in charge.

The practice varied in period as fashions changed, ranging all the way from being entirely absent, to being enforced with punishments. And so too in the SCA has it varied, though not to the point of punishments. Wearing a tabard athwart is something of a herald's fancy, and as such usually requires explaining to the general public when they get confused by what they see as things being done weirdly or wrong. I've even had people quite condescendingly try to explain to me that that's not how you wear a tabard. But, we should see that as a place where we can see a wonderful educational opportunity, rather than as a reason not to try.

And finally, one practical note about wearing a tabard athwart: Some tabards, of particularly fine construction, with layers of brocade, velvet, and satin, while beautiful, are not appropriate for wearing on a particularly hot day. With the extra ventilation of wearing athwart, however, it's much more comfortable (experience from a Fighter Auction Tourney at Rowany Festival, where all four of the Rowan-made words of tabardy art were worn at once).

For more information on the wearing of tabards etc, see What Did Heralds Wear? by Eirìkr Mjoksiglandi Sigurdharson.

* Probably. I suppose there's a chance, but they shouldn't be drunk on duty.
** Yes, that did happen to me. They meant well, but grabbed at me without warning when I stopped for water.

On Some Interesting Finds in The Blazon of Gentrie

When reading a heraldic treatise, one can often find some interesting heraldic motifs, designs, or elsewise which are not found in SCA heraldry. While reading the 1586 treatise The Blazon of Gentrie, by John Ferne, I found the following interesting snippets that I thought I should share.

p.184 - "The feeld is Gewles, three Barrulets, the first in chiefe, the second in fesse, and the third in bast Or."

This one is interesting to me as it presents a different arrangement of three like horizontal charges than is normally found, where the usual would be to have them evenly spaced or grouped together in the middle of the field.

p.190 - "He beareth Or mouchette de Gules, a plaine crosse, in baste, sable."

This one is interesting as it shows an ordinary, which would usually be throughout the field, or else fully coupled, taking up less than half of the field and simply squashed and cut off. The field treatment is also interesting, and not one I have seen before. Of this mouchette, the author says this:

"The charge of the fielde, the french call mouchette, that is to saye peeces of fleshe torne of, as a hauke doth in her feeding when she tyreth upon her pray, it were more fit for a Faukner, as it seemeth by the french Armoristes."

The spots, which seem almost to be inverted ermine spots with a bloody past, are not one I can recall ever having seen in SCA heraldry.

p.191 - "Azure, a staffe reguled truncked, in bend Argent : in chief two Cantones dexter and sinister : the firste Or, semie de graines de blede froment G. the seconde, is of the foure Beanes verte."

This coat features both the unusual feature of two charged cantons on one device, and also a gules canton on an azure field (The "G." in the blazon refers to gules, as may be seen in the illustration with a small "G" inside the sinister canton).

p.196 - "The field is Or : on a chefe Gules, a right arme extended purpure, portant un fanon Ermynes, brochant sur le toute"

This coat is interesting for its use of purpure, and for the cloth hanging from the arm extending from the chief and onto the field.

p.235 - "This Sheld is Azure three Trowts brased in triangle Argent, borne by the name of Trowtbeck."

I simply love this trout-quetra motif, and the delicious cant.