ACADEMY OF SAINT GABRIEL REPORT 2221 http://www.s-gabriel.org/2221 ************************************ 23 Jan 2001 From: (Josh Mittleman) Greetings from the Academy of Saint Gabriel! You asked whether "Chevronelly gules and Or" is an appropriate set of arms for a man in 13th century Scotland. Here's what we've found. In an earlier letter, we explained that heraldic arms were used in Scotland in your period only by Norman settlers [1], so we'll focus on that culture. In that context, you have made an excellent choice. English rolls of arms from your period contain a number of examples of chevronelly fields [2, 3], and include many arms that combine the tinctures gules and Or. Scoto-Norman heraldic style of your period was indistinguishable from English style. If you try to register this design with the SCA College of Arms, you may find that it is too similar to the historical arms of the English family Clare, Earls of Gloucester, "Or, three chevrons gules" [4]. If you do, we'd be happy to help you choose a different design that avoids conflicts. We hope this letter has been useful. Please write us again if any part of it was unclear or if you have any further questions. I was assisted in researching and writing this letter by Blaise de Cormeilles, Talan Gwynek, Aryanhwy merch Catmael, Adelaide de Beaumont, Ysfael ap Briafael, Antonio Miguel Santos de Borja, Rouland Carre, Julie Stampnitzky, Walraven van Nijmegen, Zenobia Naphtali, and Juliana de Luna. For the Academy, Arval Benicoeur 23 Jan 2001 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - References [1] Academy of Saint Gabriel report 2140 http://www.panix.com/~gabriel/public-bin/showfinal.cgi?2140 [2] Brault, Gerald J., _The Rolls of Arms of Edward I_, Aspilogia III, 2 vols. (London: Boydell Press, 1997). In vol. I, he lists Gui de Mathefelon "Chevronny gules and Or" (c.1279). [3] Chesshyre, Hubert & Woodcock, Thomas, _Dictionary of British Arms: Medieval Ordinary_, vol. I (London: The Society of Antiquaries of London, 1992), pp.530-1. Examples of similar designs include: Ralph Peberners, 'Chevronny of six', temp. Edward I. Thomas Aubrey, 'Chevronny unnumbered', temp. Edward I. Walterus filius Roberti [of Essex], 'Chevronny unnumbered', 1250? Hugo Fitzwilliam, 'Chevronny unnumbered', temp. John. Mons Roger Peytuyn, 'Chevronny ermine and gules', from a 1410 source. Gilbert de Clare, 'Chevronny unnumbered' 1146-48. [4] We aren't sure whether the College will count any difference between "three chevrons" and "chevronelly". The College does not count any difference between "Or, three pallets gules" and "Paly Or and gules" because the two are nearly identical in appearance and were considered equivalent by period heralds. However, the case of 3 chevrons vs. chevronelly may not be analogous. The two designs "Or, three chevrons gules" and "Chevronelly Or and gules" are not drawn the same: A field chevronelly has partial chevrons cut off by the top of the field. Although we do find examples where the same arms are blazoned with a specific number of chevrons and an unnumbered chevronelly, the specific number is always large: six or more. For example Roheis, Countess of Lincoln (a member of the Clare family), sealed with seven chevrons c.1150, eight chevrons t. Henry III, and chevronny unnumbered c.1150 [3]. However, as far as we know three chevrons and chevronelly were not considered equivalent by period heralds. Indeed, it is significant that the Clare arms were changed from chevronny to three chevrons c.1170: Earlier examples have many chevrons, later renditions uniformly have three [5]. This implies that medieval heralds recognized this change as significant. [5] Wagner, Anthony Richard, _Historic heraldry of Britain: an illustrated series of British historical arms, with notes, glossary, and an introduction to heraldry_ (London: Phillimore, 1972), pp.36-7. These examples are cited by Tremlett in his article in Aspilogia II on the Matthew Paris shields; he concludes that Strongbow changed his family's arms.