[ANSTHRLD] Heraldic Regalia

[Haines, Paul]

Daniel pointed out the issue of the quartered arms being representative of
the heir of the CoA and the Shire.  However, holders of some office could
impale their arms with the arms of their office.  Referenced below from "The
Oxford Guide to Herladry", Woodcock/Robinson, 

"A husband and a wife who is not an heraldic heiress impale their arms, as
do certain office-holders with the arms of their office.  In these cases the
arms of office are placed in the dexter impalement and the personal arms in
the sinister half of the shield.  Archbishops and bishops, abbots, Kings of
Arms, and Regius professors at Cambridge are the principal classes who
impale their arms of office."

The Oxford Guide then goes on to explain that the Kings of Arms sealed
patents with their own arms until the Restoration, and documents examples of
using impaled arms after the early to mid 1600s.

So - reasons for not impaling arms for a herald:
1. Currently there's only three soverigns of arms in the SCA (Laurel,
Pelican, Wreath) who might be entitled to the impalement as a "King of Arms"
2. The College of Arms and the various Colleges of Heralds don't have arms.
At best there is the badge of office for a herald, and Kingdoms (Principal
Heralds) have a tinctureless badge/seal
3. Impalement of arms in this fashion is post-period
4. In practicality it would be an expense to have to remake a tabbard for
successive heralds every two years.

Regarding the more period tabbard, which bears only the arms of a branch,
most heralds (including myself) will agree that this is the preferred
approach, but you also have to consider what the branch will support.  Is
the branch going to pay for the tabbard's creation?  if so, draw up some
designs with and without the herald's badge incorporated and put it to the
populace for a vote.  If you're paying for it, you still might feel out what
the branch wants - it's no good to spend the money on a gift to the branch
if they never use it afterwards.

I think the same should apply for personal herald tabbards as well.  I've
seen a few fighters who have made a tabbard for their herald to wear in
tournaments when they use a herald for announcing themselves.  It's a
*fabulous* thing to see individuals use heralds.  Centurian Tomas and Lord
Rodrigo are a couple of fighters who come to mind that I've seen "dress
their herald".  You really get the connection better when the fighter uses
his own arms for his herald's tabbard over the crossed trumpets.

Just some additionl fuel for the fire.
~Alden






From: becalhoun at excite.com [mailto:becalhoun at excite.com]
There are several examples (pictures and such) of the herald wearing not a
tabard but a circular cloak.  On it whould be quartered, the arms of the
group or individual for which the herald was employed and the crossed
trumpets of the herald's office.  This would be displayed on the front and
back of the cloak.  Suggest you look for a book by Fox-Davies titled "The
Art of Heraldry"

Ld Shawn 
Barony of the Eldern Hills