ACADEMY OF SAINT GABRIEL REPORT 1699 http://www.s-gabriel.org/1699 ************************************ ************************************************* * * * NOTE: Later research turned up additional * * information relevant to this report. * * See the end of the letter for details. * * * ************************************************* 9 Aug 1999 Greetings from the Academy of Saint Gabriel. You asked whether was an authentic name for a woman from north eastern France between 1350 and 1550. You also asked whether a phoenix rising was a heraldic charge used in that time and place. Here's what we found. is an English spelling of this name. Although this spelling is found in France today, we found no examples of it before or during your period. We did find these spellings used in Lorraine [1]: Alais (1298) Aalis (1298) Aileiz (1298) Ailison (1298) Aelis (1328) Ailizon (1328) Aileis (13th century) Aleis (13th century) Alleis (13th century) Aileit (13th century) Aliet (13th century) Alleit (13th century) Alait (13th century) Aleiz (13th century) Aleyt (13th century) Aleyz (13th century) The town of Montme/dy has existed since Roman times, but the name was probably not spelled that way until late in your period. We found several dated spellings from before your period, two in Latin -- 634, 12th century -- and one in Old French -- 1239 [3] Combining any of these forms of Alice with the byname would produce a reasonable early 14th century form of your name, for example . Note that there is no apostrophe in the byname; an apostrophe is only used when the placename starts with a vowel. We believe that is pronounced appoximately \AH-les d@ mohnt-meh-DEE\, the @ is pronounced like the a in . We do not recommend using a phoenix on your arms. Although we found an example of a phoenix in English arms during your period, the phoenix was never a common charge, and we have no examples from France between 1300 and 1550. [4] We hope this letter has been useful to you, and that you will not hesitate to write again if any part was unclear or if you have further questions. reserach and commentary on this letter was provided by Arval d'Espas Nord, Talan Gwynek, Aryanhwy merch Catmael, Mari Elspeth nic Bryan, Juliana de Luna and Roland Carre. In service Margaret Makafee August 9, 1999 ----------------------- References [1] Jacobsson, Harry, _E/tudes d'Anthroponymie Lorraine les Bans de Tre/fonds de Metz (1267-1298)_ (Go:teborg: Gumperts Fo:rlag, 1955), pp 204-5. [2] Dauzat, Albert & Ch. Rostaing, _Dictionnaire Etymologique des Noms de Lieux de la France_ (Paris: Librairie Larousse, 1963). sn Mont [3] Rodney Dennys, _The Heraldic Imagination_ (New York: Clarkson and Potter Inc., 1975), p.181. [4] The phoenix is rare in English and Continental heraldry. The first known English example of a phoenix is a badge of Henry VII. A grant to the Painters' Company of London, 1486, includes phoenix's heads in their arms and a full phoenix in their crest. Jane Seymour was granted a phoenix in a badge in 1536, and both Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots used phoenices as badges. Ralph Verney used one as a badge in the early 16th century. Rodney Dennys, _The Heraldic Imagination_ (New York: Clarkson and Potter Inc., 1975), p.181. James Parker, _A Glossary of Terms used in Heraldry_ (Charles E. Tuttle, 1982), s.v. Castle. J.P. Brooke-Little, _An Heraldic Alphabet_ (New York: Arco Publishing Company, Inc., 1973). - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Correction, Arval, Mar 2005: Added note [4] which went missing.