ACADEMY OF SAINT GABRIEL REPORT 2611 http://www.s-gabriel.org/2611 ************************************ 17 Dec 2002 From: Josh Mittleman Greetings from the Academy of Saint Gabriel! You asked whether is an appropriate name for an Englishwoman before 1500. You also asked for advice on designing arms to go with this name. Here is what we have found. was the normal English form of through the last two centuries of your period. We have found examples in 1296, 1324, 1347, and 1379 [1, 2, 3, 4]; with other spellings including [1]: Eleyn 1279 Elena 1187-1381 (a Latin form used only in written records) is also common in our 16th century data [5, 6]. The surname derives ultimately from a place name in Normandy, and was brought to England by the Normans [7]. It appears in many forms in medieval records [1, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11]: de Laci 1086 Laci 1086 de Lasci 1185 de Lasey 1230 de Lascy 1273 de Laci 1273 Lacy 1332 de Lacy 1375 Lascy 1379 Lassy 1379 de Lacy 1488 Lacey 1500 Note that the name was used both with and without the preposition . is a fine name from the end of the 13th century through the end of your period, 1500. The best way to design arms that re-create the style of English heraldry from your period is to look at examples of period arms and study what kinds of motifs are used and in what combinations. English heraldic style wasn't static throughout our period, so it's best to focus narrowly on the period you want to re-create. You can find examples of period English arms in a couple places on the web: http://www.briantimms.com/era/early%20rolls%20of%20arms.htm The drawings on this site are in a modern style and there are some errors, but the content here is generally very good, and there are lots of examples. A smaller collection, illustrating medieval heraldic artistic style, is at: http://www.islandnet.com/~case/caerlaverock.html Another good source is this book: Joseph Foster, _The Dictionary of Heraldry_ (New York: Arch Cape Press, 1989). It contains several thousand color drawings of period English arms. Many Societyfolk own copies of the book. You might be interested in designing arms that identify your lady as a minor member of the historical Lacy family. We found four sets of arms identified with that family; you could use any of them as the basis for a new set of arms [12]: Quarterly or and gules, a bend sable and a label argent. [The original arms of Henry de Lacy, Earl of Lincoln, who died in 1311. His father bore these arms; Henry abandoned them to adopt the next coat.] Or, a lion rampant purpure. Or, a fess and in chief three martlets gules. [Borne by Adam de Lacy, c.1285.] Argent, an orle gules surmounted by a bend azure. [Not clearly identified, but possibly in use in the early 14th century.] In order to create new arms that suggest a relation to one of these coats, without claiming close relationship, you could change one of the tinctures and add a set of charges; or add a charged chief; or otherwise make two separate changes to the design. Avoid changing the central charge or the basic motif. For example, any of the following designs avoids any conflict or claim of close relationship, but clearly implies that the bearer is a member of the Lacy family: Or, a lion rampant and on a chief purpure three mullets Or. [13] Or, a fess engrailed gules and in chief three marlets sable. Per fess Or and purpure, a lion rampant counterchanged and in dexter chief a fleur-de-lis gules. Or, an orle gules surmounted by a bend azure charged with three cinquefoils Or. [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 Adelaide de Beaumont, Mari neyn Brian, Iago ab Adam, Talan Gwynek, Galiana de Baiona, Julie Stampnitzky, Aryanhwy merch Catmael, and Elsbeth Anne Roth. For the Academy, Arval Benicoeur 17 Dec 2002 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - References [1] Talan Gwynek, "Feminine Given Names in _A Dictionary of English Surnames_" (SCA: KWHS Proceedings, 1994; WWW: J. Mittleman, 1997). http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/talan/reaney/ [2] Julian Goodwyn, "Brass Enscription Index" (WWW: SCA, Inc., 1997) http://www.sca.org/heraldry/laurel/names/brasses/ [3] AElfwyn aet Gyrwum, "Feminine Given Names from Kent, 1302-1363" (WWW: Academy of S. Gabriel, 1999). http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/aelfwyn/kentfemnames.html [4] Talan Gwynek, "Yorkshire Given Names from 1379" (WWW: J. Mittleman, 1997). http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/talan/yorkshire/ [5] "Marriages from the Durham St. Oswald Registers (1538-1734)" (WWW: GENUKI, 1996). http://www.cs.ncl.ac.uk/genuki/Transcriptions/DUR/DSO.html [6] Mari Elspeth nic Bryan, "Given Names in Chesham, 1538-1600/1" (WWW: J. Mittleman, 1999). http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/mari/chesham/ [7] Reaney, P. H., & R. M. Wilson, _A Dictionary of English Surnames_ (London: Routledge, 1991; Oxford University Press, 1995), s.n. Lacey. [8] Bardsley, Charles, _A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames_ (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1980), s.n. Lacey. [9] Ekwall, Eilert, _The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Place-names_, 4th edition (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991), s.n. Kingston. [10] Mari Elspeth nic Bryan, "An Index to the 1332 Lay Subsidy Rolls for Lincolnshire, England" (WWW: J. Mittleman, 2000). http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/mari/LincLSR/ [11] Lennon, Colm, and James Murray, eds., _The Dublin City Franchise Roll, 1468-1512_ (Dublin Corporation, 1998), p.62. [12] Brault, Gerald J., _The Rolls of Arms of Edward I_, Aspilogia III, 2 vols. (London: Boydell Press, 1997). [13] This design is reminescent of the registered arms of Bianca Drake: Or, a lion rampant maintaining a sword purpure, a bordure wavy purpure mullety Or. We do not believe it would cause a problem in registering the design we've recommended. [14] This design is similar to the registered arms of the Canton of Krae Glas: Or, on a bend azure, three laurel wreaths palewise Or; but again, we see no registration problem as long you don't replace the cinquefoils with anything that looks like a laurel wreath.