[ANSTHRLD] Heraldic Regalia

[Etienne de St. Amaranth]

I had to do a bit of research on heraldic insignia before stepping up as 
principal herald, so I'll now throw in my two-bits.  I should preface this 
with the fact that my research on the subject is certainly not complete as 
I was under some time constraints.  I will always defer to better period 
documentation.

That said...

On one slight nitpicky point (but we are all heralds, right?), we are 
talking about heraldic insignia, and insignia of office.  "Regalia" by 
definition refers to royal insignia only.  This is a common misuse of the 
word in the SCA (and modernly as well); but since the original question was 
one of correctness, I thought that worth noting.

The period usage for a tabard should have the arms of the armiger 
(lord/lady or, in an SCA sense, group) on all four panels.  If you want to 
be as close to a period usage as possible, then this is the model to 
follow.  There is some variation is cut of tabard design depending on 
culture and time period.  One reference in the Brook-Little annotated 
edition of Fox-Davies even mentions a waisted tabard during the reign of 
one of the Henrys.  But the use of the arms on all four panels is 
absolutely the period approach.

When heraldic colleges distinguished between Pursuivants and Heralds (note 
the capital "H"), pursuivants wore the tabard at a right angle.  But it was 
still the same tabard.  I seem to recall a part of a ceremony where a 
pursuivant became a full herald and the tabard was turned to the position 
we are used to seeing (but I will admit I cannot remember the source or its 
validity).

The issue of impaling or quartering arms for an office is based on a set of 
firm pre-supositions:
The office had arms of its own, independent of who held the office.
The office's arms were ARMS and not a badge or trade symbol.
The office holder had personal arms to which they were entitled as a person.

A fairly good example, though scarce, is episcopol armory from period where 
the Bishop (or higher) held a titled see with its own arms and was an 
armiger in his own right.  Note that the impaled (or quartered) arms were 
of the individual and the office.  The bishop's herald would wear the arms 
(impaled or whatever) of the current officeholder in whatever state that 
required.  But when the office changed holders...  the presented arms of 
that bishop changed.  The arms of the bishopric (the office) never changed 
but the arms for the current bishop might be represented differently.

The BADGE of the College of Arms of the SCA, Inc. is not the ARMS of the 
CoA.  If they actually were the arms of the CoA, then only the Laurel King 
(or Queen) of Arms could bear them.  Or Laurel's herald when acting in that 
role.  So the herald's badge does not qualify for a period impaling (of arms).

Now, all of that said, in a period context what is the appropriate context 
of the crossed trumpets?  I view them like a guild badge or even like the 
sign outside of a blacksmith's shop.  If everyone who sees those crossed 
trumpets associates them with "heralds", then they have a meaning, a 
context, and the potential for purpose.  A banner or ensign with the badge 
outside of a consulting table or heralds' point at an event will attract 
people looking for heralds.  A camp crier heralding announcements wearing a 
sash with the badge will be taken for a herald.  In fact, a herald's point 
with the badge shown will be distinguished from the royal or baronial 
herald at an event conducting business of the court.  So this does have a 
purpose and can bring about some useful functions.  Your milage may vary.

When I was invested as the principal herald, part of the ceremony include 
the Crown placing a herald's tabard of the kingdom arms upon me.  This was 
a deliberate point in the ceremony to symbolize that I am, at all times, 
the Crown's herald with duties to the Crown and kingdom.  I have on a 
couple of occasions used a really nice tabard that I have been loaned which 
has the crossed trumpets but has the arms of the kingdom embroidered on the 
sleeves.  Do I recognize that this is not really the most period way to 
represent my office?  Yes.  I have occasionally used that tabard when I 
have heralded for someone other than the Crown to specifically distinguish 
that I was not speaking for the Crown at that moment.  (And, the embroidery 
is really nice!  See me at an event sometime and ask about it, I almost 
always have it on-site.)  I have even used it in royal court once; but I 
was not the primary court herald and I was distinguishing myself from that 
person.  (That last note is quite spurious though since in period and even 
today [anyone see the funeral of Britain's Queen Mother] multiple heralds 
wore the tabard of their liege armiger while performing their duties.)

The 1975 listing of the allowed tabard/insignia for 
cornets/pursuivants/heralds/etc. still exists in some form.  Of course, we 
have learned a lot since 1975 and if we want to emulate period practice we 
can do better.

Concerning collars of office for heralds:
I am looking for documentation to justify/support it (as well as to offer 
design ideas).  If you come across some, please post to the list.  All of 
the collar references I have found so far (with one unique exception) are 
not heralds' collars.  I have found mayors, chancellors, bishops, and 
pretty much anything but heralds.  I am interested in examples, period 
examples, if they can be found.  The collar of SS worn by Garter King of 
Arms is the one example I know, though I will try to find the Order of the 
Golden Fleece example.  Beware of collars that are representative of 
membership in the order, any member could wear that and not just the herald 
so those are harder to justify except possibly for baronies who had an 
order collar worn by their baronial herald for the baronial service 
order.  And even that might be a stretch.

Master Daniel has already mentioned the white batons or wands.  Those are 
usable by heralds of any rank or functions and really nice for formal 
tournaments or pas de arms.

Enough for now.  I'll check later posts and write more later if needed.

Etienne
Star Principal Herald