[ANSTHRLD] Suggestions needed

[Elizabeth Blackthorne]

Ok, this makes sense, but brings forth another question, if we were to
have a person to sound calls with a bugle at our events, that being
their only job, not making the announcement, just sounding that an
announcement is fixing to be made, would that person be in a Heralds
Tabord, or a Shire Tabord or would it matter?


On Nov 9, 2007 8:16 AM, Jay Rudin <rudin at ev1.net> wrote:
>  "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