ACADEMY OF SAINT GABRIEL REPORT 1684 http://www.s-gabriel.org/1684 ************************************ 9 Jun 1999 From: Josh Mittleman Greetings from the Academy of Saint Gabriel! You asked whether , which you intended to mean "Madrun the herb-wife/midwife of Glyndwr", is an appropriate name for a Welsh-Gaelic woman born in 1125. You also asked how married names worked in your period. Here is what we have found. The name appears in a Welsh genealogy. If Welsh tradition is to be believed, then a woman of this name lived in the 5th century [1, 2]. We believe the same name appears in late 13th century records in the forms and [3]. Assuming we're correct, then it might have been used in the 12th century as or . In most circumstances, a woman of your period was known as her father's daughter. Even if she were also known by some other surname, she would use the customary patronymic byname in formal circumstances. For example, Madrun the daughter of Iarward ap Eynon would have been known as , which simply means "Madrun daughter [of] Iarward" [4]. does not mean "herb-wife" or "midwife". It derives from a root that meant "poetic inspiration, muse". The longer word could have the same meaning, or it could mean "poet", or more generally "inspired person, enthusiast" in the sense "one who is in the process of receiving poetic/prophetic inspiration" [5]. We're not sure whether you are most interested in using this word in your name, or a word with the desired meaning; we'll discuss both possibilities. may be an appropriate byname. A writer of period discussed "certain individuals called 'awenyddion' who behave as if they are possessed by devils." When you consult them about some problem, they immediately go into a trance and lose control of their senses... They do not answer the question put to them in any logical way. Words stream from their mouths, incoherently and apparently meaningless and without any sense at all, but all the same well expressed: and if you listen carefully to what they say you will receive the solution to your problem. When it is all over, they will recover from their trance, as if they were ordinary people waking from a heavy sleep, but you have to give them a good shake before they regain control of themselves [6]. This is marginal evidence, but it suggests that a woman of your period might have been called ; but would not have been understood to have anything to do with midwifery or healing. It might be translated as "soothsayer" or even "medium". We have some evidence of feminine occupational surnames in medieval Welsh. There are 13th century examples that mean "(female) weaver" and "(female) cwrth-player" [3]. However, we have found no 12th century Welsh word that means "herb-woman", "midwife", or anything similar. There are such terms in 15th century records, but we have seen nothing as early as your period. The word , literally "herb-wife", is recorded in the 15th century. The same woman is also called "physic-wife". Both these terms appear to be late-period inventions. A slightly more common term for a female healer, also first attested in the 15th century, is , the feminine of "medic, doctor". The masculine form is recorded in the 13th century and was clearly used earlier, but the feminine form appears only later. It is worth noting that the earliest examples of the feminine form refer to divine healing by female saints, not to earthly healing by doctors. Words meaning "midwife" have the same problem: , which is half a borrowing and half a translation of , first appears in the late 16th century [5]. If you'd like more information about any of these words, write us again. If you can point us to documentation of herb-women or midwives in 12th century Wales, that might help us discover what such people were called in your period. The word is Gaelic, not Welsh [7]. (It means "the" in Gaelic.) Gaelic and Welsh were distinct languages in our period, and used incompatible spelling systems. Welsh and Gaelic words were not mixed in the same name or phrase. is a shortening of the placename ; we're not sure how it was spelled in your period. If you'd like, we can try to figure out an appropriate spelling. Locative bynames (surnames based on place names) were rare in Welsh in your period, but not unknown. When they were used in Welsh, the place name was used on its own as a surname, without any preposition. For example, the 13th century name meant "Tuder of Glyne" [4]. The difficulties with your name are sufficiently complicated that we're uncertain how you'll want to proceed. is a plausible name for your period, but it doesn't mean what you want. might be a reasonable 15th century name, but it does not fit the 12th century. An appropriate form of would be a fine surname for your period, if somewhat unusual, but it will take us some extra research to determine a 12th century form of that name. It is very unlikely that a woman of your period would have been known by an occupational surname _and_ a locative surname. If she used two bynames at the same time -- which was rare in itself -- one of them would certainly have been a patronymic. That is to say, she might have been known as "Madrun daughter of Iarward the Doctor". More often, she would use one surname at a time, though she might use different ones in different circumstances. You asked help in choosing an SCA-married name. We have seen no evidence in 12th century Wales of women changing their bynames at marriage to indicate their marital status [8]. We therefore recommend against it. Since your persona is not from Strathearn, it would be particularly inappropriate for you to use that place name as a surname: Medieval Welsh surnames were literally descriptive. We sympathize with your desire to follow modern custom and use the same surname as your husband, but there simply is no authentic way to do it. We hope this letter has been useful. Please write us again if any part of it has been unclear or if you have other questions. I was assisted in researching and writing this letter by Talan Gwynek, Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn, Rhodri ap Hywel, Effrick neyn Kenneoch, and Aryanhwy merch Catmael. For the Academy, Arval Benicoeur 9 June 1999 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - References [1] Bartrum, P.C., _Early Welsh Genealogical Tracts_ (Cardiff: University of Wales Press, 1966). [2] Gruffudd, Heini, _Enwau i'r Cymry/Welsh Personal Names_ (Talybont: Y Lolfa, 1984). [3] Jones, Heather Rose (aka Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn), "Names and Naming Practices in the Merioneth Lay Subsidy Roll 1292-3", in Known World Heraldic Symposium Proceedings, 1991 (SCA: Laurel, Maryland, 1991). [4] Jones, Heather Rose (aka Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn), "A Simple Guide to Constructing 13th Century Welsh Names" (WWW: J. Mittleman, 1996). http://www.panix.com/~mittle/names/tangwystyl/welsh13.html [5] _Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru_ (Cardiff: University of Wales Press, several dates). appears s.v. llywieuwr. [6] Gerald of Wales, _The Journey Through Wales/The Description of Wales_, trans. Lewis Thorpe (London, New York, etc: Penguin Books, 1978), p.246. [7] Gaelic is not a generic term for Celtic languages; it refers specifically to the language spoken in Ireland, Man, and parts of Scotland in our period. Welsh was the language of Wales. We found no Welsh word . Evans, H. Meurig & W.O. Thomas, _Y Geiriadur Mawr_ (The Big [Welsh] Dictionary) (Llandysul: Gomer Press, 1987). [8] We have found exactly one example of a Welsh woman identified with a byname based on her husband's name: "Symmonis wife of Nicholai" from 13th century Abergavenny. is a spelling of , a medieval Welsh word for "wife". Since this usage is so rare and doesn't occur until a century after your period (perhaps reflecting increasing English influence on Welsh culture), we strongly recommend against using it as the basis for your re-creation. "The Lordships of Aberavenny, Grosmont, Skenfrith and White Castle" in "South Wales and Monmouth Record Society, Publication No. 2" 1950.