[ANSTHRLD] Suggestions needed

Jay Rudin rudin at ev1.net
Fri Nov 9 06:16:06 PST 2007


 "Elizabeth Blackthorne" wrote:


> In Crossrode Keep, we just remove the laurel wreath.  My understanding
> has always been that only the seneschal and landed nobles of the
> particular branch can wear the full ensign but if you remove the
> laurel wreath, it only denotes you as a member.  Was my education
> wrong?  If so please tell me so that I can cease telling our newbies
> this.
>
> Our shire device is (in plain American English, not heraldic terms) a
> big red "X" with a gold castle in the center of the "X" on a white
> background, with a green laurel wreath around the border.  I was
> thinking about creating a heralds tabord, specifically for our group,
> that had the 2 horns crossed in an "X"(like our red "X") with the
> castle in the center.  Would this be stepping on rules and such?  I
> apologize that though I am not new, I don't know much about this area
> of the SCA.

If people aren't educated, that's not their fault; it's the fault of the 
educators.  I apologize that we have let heraldic education slowly weaken, 
and left you with several mistaken ideas.

First of all, the arms can be worn only by the ruling nobles or the herald 
when acting as the herald -- never by the seneschal.  (Yes, a shire has 
ruling nobles -- they are the King and the Queen.)  The seneschal is the 
legal representative of the branch, not its voice.  A seneschal wearing the 
arms of the branch is like a lawyer pretending to be his client.  It can 
also be displayed at a shire event or encampment in a central location that 
indicates the branch, rather than any individual members of it.

Secondly, a branch can choose to register a badge that is in conflict with 
its own arms.  If it does so, they can then assign it whatever use they 
wish.  Unfortunately, people repeated this with imprecision, and newer 
members heard that it can be used without registering it.  This is the 
state you are currently in, and it's not your fault.

Finally, the correct herald's tabard is the actual arms of the branch, 
unchanged.  When the herald is wearing it, s/he is speaking for the branch, 
and therefore only wears it for voice heraldry: court, field or other 
announcements.

Robin of Gilwell / Jay Rudin 




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