ACADEMY OF SAINT GABRIEL REPORT 3300
http://www.s-gabriel.org/3300
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From: Clare Baldock 
26 May 2007


Greetings from the Academy of S. Gabriel!

You asked whether either of the arms you designed would be appropriate
for Tudor and Elizabethan England. The arms you have designed are:

Argent, a chevron azure between in chief five mullets in chevron and in
base another sable.

and

Quarterly azure and argent, two frets couped argent and a bordure
sable.

In the first case the number and arrangement of the mullets is of
particular importance to you. We shall consider your two designs in
order and make recommendations as to suitable arms for your time
period.

The motif of a chevron surrounded by charges is common in Tudor and
Elizabethan English heraldry, but the number of charges surrounding
the chevron is most commonly three in our experience, not six as in
your design. [1] In particular we find placing a charge above the
point of the chevron unusual. Designs that are more typical Tudor and
Elizabethan style while still similar to your original design are: [2]

Argent, a chevron azure between three mullets sable and on a chief
sable three mullets argent.

Argent, on a chevron azure between three mullets sable three mullets
argent.

Argent, on a chevron azure between three mullets sable three mullets
argent and on a chief sable three mullets argent.

Argent, on a chevron azure between three mullets sable five mullets
argent.

Your second design includes frets couped which we have found only once
in a very late period device. [1] We therefore recommend you use
normal frets in your arms. Quarterly does not seem to be common except
in marshalled devices in your period, but it is not rare either. We
can suggest the following design: [3]

Quarterly azure and argent, two frets argent and a bordure sable.

I hope this letter has been useful. Please write to 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 Sabine Berard,
Maridonna Benvenuti, Aryanhwy merch Catmael, and Adelaide de Beaumont.

For the Academy,

Eleyne de Comnocke
26 May 2007

[1] Woodcock, Thomas, Somerset Herald, and John Martin Robinson,
Fitzalan Pursuivant Extraordinary, _The Oxford Guide to Heraldry_
(Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988).

[2] We also believe these designs are registerable with the College of
Arms in the SCA.

[3] There is some debate as to whether the uncouped frets give this
device the appearance of marshalling within the SCA's Rules of
Submission. We believe that otherwise this device is registerable with
the College of Arms in the SCA. Two similar devices are currently in
submission but we will not know if they have been accepted for some time
yet.