ACADEMY OF SAINT GABRIEL REPORT 2246 http://www.s-gabriel.org/2246 ************************************ 09 Mar 2001 From: Judith Phillips Greetings from the Academy of Saint Gabriel! You asked us whether the name would be appropriate for a Welsh man living in the 12th-13th centuries. You also asked about the arms "Per fess argent and vert, a cross gules". Here is the information we found. We found five examples of the given name recorded in southern Wales from the 7th to the 11th century [1]. We also found a single example of used in mid-Wales in 1199 [2]. Based on these examples, we believe that could have been used as late as the thirteenth century; however, it would have been an extremely rare name at that time. is a Welsh phrase meaning "the moor." In Welsh sources, we find the root word (moor) [4] spelled before the 12th century [1], in the 12th-13th centuries, and thereafter [5]. Based on these examples, in your period the most typical spelling of the town name would be . was one of the medieval Welsh names of the town now called [3]. Another name for was , "church of the moor". (The notation {ae} represents the ash, written as an and an squashed together to form a single letter.) The name is an anglicized form of , the Welsh name of a river near the town. [6] Locative bynames (names describing a person's place of origin or residence) were uncommon but not vanishingly rare in your period. The locative byname for a man from would probably have appeared as , "from Y Weun" or "from the moor." In your period, a Welshman was usually described as his father's son, using a patronymic byname like , "Elfin son of Ieuan". The few examples we've found of bynames like were not used with patronymic bynames, but we believe that a 13th century Welshman would have used a patronymic byname (without the locative) in at least some circumstances. For example, it's unlikely that you'd have used the byname while you were in Y Weun: the purpose of a medieval byname is to distinguish one individual from another, and in Y Weun almost everyone is . For more information on patronymic bynames we recommend the following article in our library: "A Simple Guide to Constructing 13th Century Welsh Names" http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/tangwystyl/welsh13.html Away from home, however, it's quite possible that you could have been known as . Heraldic arms were invented in northwestern France in the mid-12th century. While Anglo-Normans in Wales were undoubtedly using arms in your period, we've found few examples of native Welsh heraldry before the 14th century [7]. Thus armory is probably not appropriate for your persona. That doesn't mean you shouldn't use arms in the Society: many Societyfolk use arms even though their personas would not have done so. Whether you use arms or not depends on how you think about authenticity and your persona. You can find a few thoughts on this issue in an article we've posted on the web: What Do I Use for Arms if my Persona Wouldn't Have Used Arms? http://www.s-gabriel.org/faq/nonheraldic.html It appears that you've designed your arms to reflect the flag of Wales as a way of saying "I am Welsh." The modern flag of Wales was created in 1959 by combining elements of the emblems of two princes; it would have had no significance in your period [8]. Even if your persona had recognized the flag as a national symbol, it's doubtful that he'd have used part of it in his arms. In the modern world, it's standard to use a fleur-de-lys to say "I am French" or a shamrock to say "I am Irish", but this sort of nationalist symbolism is not found in medieval heraldry. Unfortunately, your arms, "Per fess argent and vert, a cross gules," while lovely, cannot be registered in the SCA because they are too similar to currently registered armory [9]. We would be happy to help you redesign your arms. It's possible that we can suggest a simple change to your design, such as using a different type of cross, that will make it registerable. If this interests you, please write us again. In the meantime, we recommend the following sources for examples to use as a guide to early British heraldic style: "Three Early Rolls of Arms" http://www.heraldica.org/topics/earlyrolls/ (NB: The illustrations in this source are modern, and we've noticed a few errors) Foster, Joseph. _The Dictionary of Heraldry_. (New York: Arch Cape Press, 1989.) (This contains several thousand color drawings of arms that appear in medieval English rolls of arms) Siddons, Michael Powell, _The Development of Welsh Heraldry_, 3 vols. (Aberystwyth: The National Library of Wales, 1991-3). (An excellent source; unfortunately, it will probably be difficult to find.) In summary, is a plausible, if somewhat unusual, name for your period. You would probably have used a patronymic byname as well, although not necessarily at the same time, as your locative byname. Your arms cannot be registered in the SCA, but we would be happy to assist with a redesign. I hope that this letter has been useful to you. Please do not hesitate to contact us again if any part of it has been unclear or if you have any further questions. I was assisted in writing this letter by Arval Benicoeur, Aryanhwy merch Catmael, Dietmar von Straubing, Maridonna Benvenuti, Adelaide de Beaumont, Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn, Talan Gwynek, Rouland Carre, Zenobia Naphtali, and Juliana de Luna. For the Academy, Adeliza de Saviniaco 9 March 2001 -------------------------------------------- References: [1] Davies, Wendy "An Early Welsh Microcosm: Studies in the Llandaff Charters", Royal Historical Society 1978. [2] "The Charters of the Abbey of Ystrad Marchell" ed. by Graham C.G. Thomas, The National Library of Wales, 1997. [3] Owen, Hywel Wyn, "The Place-Names of Wales", University of Wales Press, 1998. s.n. [4] According to the rules of Welsh grammar, since is a feminine noun, it loses the when it follows the the definite article . [5] Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru_ (Cardiff: University of Wales Press, several dates). [6] Johnston, James B., _Place Names of England and Wales_ (London: Bracken Books, 1994 [1915]) s.n. Chirk. [7] Siddons, Michael Powell, _The Development of Welsh Heraldry_, 3 vols. (Aberystwyth: The National Library of Wales, 1991-3), I.2. [8] Shaw, Carol P., _Flags_, Harper Collins Publishers, Glasgow, 1992. [9] This design conflicts with the cross of Saint George, "Argent, a cross gules", and with Order of the Knights Templars, "Per fess sable and argent, a cross gules".