ACADEMY OF SAINT GABRIEL REPORT 2474 http://www.s-gabriel.org/2474 ************************************ From: Lisa and Ken Theriot 5 Mar 2002 Greetings from the Academy of Saint Gabriel! You asked if is an appropriate name for a 13th century man living in England or France. You also asked our opinion of arms which we would blazon, "Argent (or Or) a Latin cross formy gules between in bend two arrows sable." Here is the information we have found. is a form of ; it was extremely popular in England [1, 2]. We have also found in 13th century France, so it is a fine choice for you [3]. is the name of a place in France [4]. Normally, locative bynames in the 13th century would take a prepositional form; a man would be known as or 'of Arcy'. We have found the following forms recorded in England [5, 6]: de Adreci, de Areci, 1086 Daresci, 1166 Arsi, 1173-82 Darci, c. 1270 de Arcy, de Arci, 1273 Darcy, 1273, 1276 is possible based on the 12th century example above, though we believe or is more typical for England in your period. In France, we have not found an example from your period without the preposition; though both and survive as modern French surnames, we believe these forms arose well after your period [7]. We believe the best French form is . In the 13th century, French and English heraldic styles were much the same; all our comments and recommendations apply equally well to both countries. We would describe your arms as "Argent (or Or) a Latin cross formy gules between in bend two arrows sable." You used the term "cross of eight points", which appears in many descriptions of the Templars' heraldry. That term is used as the name of more than one type of cross. We believe that the cross you describe is a cross formy [8]. There is a good illustration of a cross formy on the web at: http://www.geocities.co.jp/Hollywood/5004/m169a.gif Crosses were extremely popular charges in early heraldry [9]. Though this particular cross was used by the Templars, it was by no means restricted to their use. You could certainly incorporate it in your arms, but it would not mean that you were necessarily connected with the Templars. We have found no example of an arrow in English or French heraldry before the 1320s, so we can't recommend it as the best re-creation much before 1300; however, we do have an example in a 1285 roll of arms of 'Argent, three birdbolts in pile gules' [9]. (A birdbolt is a short, fat arrow.) Later examples include Brother Thomas le Archer, Prior of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem in England, sealing with "three arrows in pale" in 1320-1 [10]. Peter atte Wode sealed in 1368 with "three arrows in fess" [10]. Unfortunately, the way you've used the arrows is very atypical of early medieval Anglo-French arms, i.e. using them as minor charges around a complex central charge. The early examples of arrows and birdbolts that we found use them either as the central element of the design; or as a secondary element around a very simple central charge, like a fess or chevron. For example, a William Mareschall sealed with 'a chevron between three darts' in 1384/5 [11]. Another charge which might interest you is a pheon, sometimes called a broadarrow; it is a somewhat stylized arrowhead. You can see a picture on the web at: http://www.geocities.co.jp/Milano/8947/m455a.gif Examples dated near your period include John de Wychton sealing with "a bend between six pheons" in 1316, and Alexander de Bikenore, treasurer of the exchequer at Dublin, sealing with "a chevron between three pheons" in 1307/08 [10, 11]. Many SCA members design their arms to illustrate their interests in the Society, i.e. a sword in a fighter's arms, arrows in an archer's. This wasn't how medieval arms were designed. While some tools of the archer's trade were used in early heraldry, there's no particular reason to believe that the people who used those arms were necessarily archers. Most medieval noblemen didn't design their arms at all, rather they inherited them from their fathers; accordingly, there is no chance that their arms could have reflected their own interests. You might be interested in seeing some designs typical of heraldry for your period in England and France. We recommend these sites: Le decor monumental de la Diana a Montbrison http://www.multimania.com/heratlas/Rodumna/diana/diana02.htm Nine European Rolls of Arms of the Thirteenth Century http://www.briantimms.com/era/early%20rolls%20of%20arms.htm The drawings on these sites are stylistically modern, and we have noticed a few errors, but they will give you a general idea of the style for heraldic design in your period. You might want to consider "Argent (or Or) three Latin crosses formy gules"; this design is an excellent recreation of heraldry in your period [12]. We believe that you may register this design on either background with the SCA College of Arms. You mentioned that you wanted to know whether a member of the Order of the Knights Templar would have arms, and whether it was appropriate to use a "Templar's cross" to claim an association with the Order. The Knights Templar were known as "monks in armor", and when they joined the Order they left their worldly associations behind, just as people did on entering religious life. The Rule of the Order, established in 1128 at the Synod of Troyes, forbids the bearing of personal emblems, which makes it highly unlikely that a member of the Order would design arms alluding to his membership [13]. Upon entering, a member would have assumed the habit of the Order [14]. 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 Arval Benicoeur, Aryanhwy merch Catmael, Blaise de Cormeilles, Elsbeth Anne Roth, Falk vom Weserbogen, Maridonna Benvenuti, Modar Neznanich, Talan Gwynek and Ursula Georges. For the Academy, Adelaide de Beaumont 5 March 2002 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - References: [1] Withycombe, E.G., _The Oxford Dictionary of English Christian Names_, 3rd ed. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988), s.n. Robert, has 15th C. She also notes, "Robin, a diminutive form of Rob, was in the 13th C. more usual than Robert itself." [2] Reaney, P. H., & R. M. Wilson, _A Dictionary of English Surnames_ (London: Routledge, 1991; Oxford University Press, 1995), s.n. Robins. Examples include 1198, 1206, ca.1248, 1279, and 1279. They also note or 1206 for the same person, and similarly or 1212. [3] Colm Dubh, "An Index to the Given Names in the 1292 Census of Paris", Proceedings of the Known World Heraldic Symposium 1996 (SCA: Montgomery, Alabama; WWW: SCA, Inc., 1997), "Robin le munier". http://www.sca.org/heraldry/laurel/names/paris.html [4] Dauzat, Albert & Ch. Rostaing, _Dictionnaire Etymologique des Noms de Lieux de la France_ (Paris: Librairie Larousse, 1963), s.n. Arc,ais. [5] Reaney and Wilson, s.n. Darcy. [6] Bardsley, Charles, _A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames_ (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1980), s.n. Darcy. [7] Dauzat, Albert, _Dictionnaire Etymologique des Noms de Famille et Prenoms de France_ (Paris: Libraire Larousse, 1987), s.nn. Arcy, Darcy. Under Dauzat gives and describes it as a name of the nobility. [8] Dafoe, Stephen and Alan Butler, "Garments of the Templars" (WWW: templarhistory.com, 1997-2002). The authors state, "After 1147 - 1148 the red eight pointed cross was added to the mantle. This Cross was called a Cross Pattee and although the fish tailed cross is often depicted in paintings it is actually the cross of the rival Order of the Hospital." A "cross pattee" and a "cross formy" are heraldically identical. http://www.templarhistory.com/fullmoon.html [9] Brault, Gerald J., _The Rolls of Arms of Edward I_, Aspilogia III, 2 vols. (London: Boydell Press, 1997). Examples include the following 13th c. English coats: Argent, a cross gules: Richard de Burgh, William de Longford, Evrard Raoul de Nevele, and John de Vere. Argent, a cross gules and a label azure: John de Rushall. Argent, a cross gules and in dexter chief a martlet sable: Andrew de Harclay. Argent, a cross between four mullets gules: Thomas de Banbury. Argent, a cross indented gules: John FitzHenry, Piers de Lent, John de la Linde, Andrew le Rat. Argent, a cross patonce gules: William de Carlisle, Henry de Coleville, Philip de Coleville. Argent, on a cross gules five escallops or: Aubert de Hangest, Nicholas de Valers. Argent, on a cross gules five mullets or: John ap Adam. [10] Chesshyre, Hubert & Woodcock, Thomas, _Dictionary of British Arms: Medieval Ordinary_, vol. I (London: The Society of Antiquaries of London, 1992), pp. 10, 390. [11] Woodcock, Thomas, Janet Grant, & Ian Graham, _Dictionary of British Arms_, vol II. (The Society of Antiquaries of London, 1996), pp. 289, 394. [12] Humphrey-Smith, Cecil R., _Anglo-Norman Armory Two_ (Canterbury: Institute for Heraldic and Geneaological Studies, 1984), pp. 348-9. Staynton, "Azure, three crosses patonce argent", 1295; Sarren, "Azure, three crosses Or", 1255. [13] Houx, Peter, "Die Templer" (WWW: Inhalt Team Templer, 1999-2001). The text of this site is entirely in German. http://mitglied.lycos.de/Templer/base.html The Rule forbids a member of the Order to bear personal emblems: Section XXXVI. Tegimen in hastis et clipeis non habeatur. Tegimen autem in clipeis et hastis et furelli in lanceis non habeantur, quia haec non proficuum immo damnum nobis omnibus intelliguntur. Roughly translated "Decorative overcoats on shields and lances, as well as banners on lances are forbidden, because it is not to our advantage, but it is detrimental." [14] _Boutell's Heraldry_, revised by J.P. Brooke-Little (New York: Frederick Warne & Co. Ltd., 1970), p.191f. The habit of the Order was white with a cross on the left shoulder. Their banner, known as the , may be blazoned 'Per fess sable and argent'. They displayed on their lances a second banner, white charged with the cross of the order; they also used several other badges.