ACADEMY OF SAINT GABRIEL REPORT 2199 http://www.s-gabriel.org/2199 ************************************ 10 Mar 2001 From: (Josh Mittleman) Greetings from the Academy of Saint Gabriel! You asked whether is an appropriate name for a Flemish man born around 1467. You also asked us to evaluate your design for your arms, "Argent, a lion rampant double queued gules crowned Or and on a chief gules three crescents Or." Here is what we have found. As you found, is recorded in Bruges in 1467 and in 1455. The combination is therefore a perfect choice. Your given name was also spelled and your surname is also recorded as . The surname could also be written as three words, , following examples like 1467 [1]. In any of these spellings, the name was pronounced roughly \dahn-eh-ELL fawn d@r DOHNK\. In your period, Dutch surnames were used literally. That is to say, a man was called "from the cellar" because he lived in or worked in a cellar. In particular, the word referred to a cellar or cave used for cloth or grain storage, or to a habitable cellar [2]. Dutch was the language spoken in Bruges in your period; Flemish is a modern name for the southern dialect of Dutch. Your design for your arms fits your period very well. Both the individual elements and the style of composition are found in Flemish heraldry of your period [3]. The arms you told us you used as the basis for your design actually use "increscent moons" rather than "crescents" [4]. The standard heraldic crescent is U-shaped, with the horns pointing up. An increscent points to the left, like a backward 'C'. However, you've made a good choice is using the standard crescent: It was much more common than the increscent in period arms. Unfortunately, you will not be able to register your design with the SCA College of Arms, for two reasons. It is too similar to an existing set of registered arms [5]; and the crown is a reserved charge in SCA heraldry, permitted only for barons and past royalty (viscounts, counts, and dukes). You could avoid these problems by removing the crown and changing the coloring of your design. For example, "Or, a lion rampant double queued and on a chief azure three crescents Or" [6]. Another approach would be to use a complex coloring for the lion, like "Argent, a lion rampant double queued barry gules and Or and on a chief gules three crescents Or". 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 Modar Neznanich, Ysfael ap Briafael, Pedro de Alcazar, Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn, Juliana de Luna, Walraven van Nijmegen, Talan Gwynek, Elsbeth Anne Roth, Julie Stampnitzky, Aryanhwy merch Catmael, Blaise de Cormeilles, Adelaide de Beaumont, Zenobia Naphtali, and AElfwyn aet Gyrwum. For the Academy, Arval Benicoeur 10 Mar 2001 (amended 16 Mar 2001) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - References [1] Luana de Grood, "Flemish Names from Bruges, 1400-1600", (WWW: Academy of Saint Gabriel, 1996). http://www.s-gabriel.org/docs/bruges/ [2] Verdam, J., _Middelnederlandsch Handwoordenboek_ (Leiden, Antwerpen: Martinus Nijhoff, repr. 1981), s.v. donc(k). [3] Bibliothe\que royale Albert Ier, _Gelre_ (Leuven: Jan van Helmont, 1992, ISBN 90-74318-03-7). The same roll of arms appears online, at http://perso.libertysurf.fr/Armorial_Gelre/Gelre/Armorial.htm. Note that the drawings in this version are VERY modern in style. Examples of lions queue fourchy appear in the arms of Wittnagel (folio 29v, #92) and Sayn (folio 32r, #100). [4] Piet Verdonk, "Geslachtswapens Verdonck" (WWW: privately published, 1998-2001, accessed 27 Feb 2001). The arms of Huibertien Verdonck (born 1644) are given as "Gules, a lion rampant queue fourchy Or and in chief three increscent moons argent." http://www.xs4all.nl/~verdonk/heraldiek.htm [5] Your design is too similar to the arms of the College of Lion's March, in An Tir: Argent, a lion sejant erect grasping a spear and on a chief gules two laurel wreaths argent. The lion's forked tail, its crown, and the spear it is holding are all considered minor details, not significant enough to count for difference. Thus the only countable difference is replacing the silver wreaths with gold crescents, and that is not sufficient to avoid conflict under the SCA College's rules. [6] Unfortunately, your design fits into a rather crowded area of heraldic space, so not every color combination is available. You'll also want to be careful to avoid conflict with Cerdic MacAoidh "Argent, an ounce rampant queue forchy sable spotted Or on a chief azure three increscents Or."