ACADEMY OF SAINT GABRIEL REPORT 2958 http://www.s-gabriel.org/2958 ************************************ 18 Jun 2005 From: Femke de Roas Greetings from the Academy of Saint Gabriel! You asked us whether , and are appropriate given names for a 14th century English woman. You also enquired about a patronymic byname based on the given name , or an occupational byname for a dancer. In addition, you asked for our help in designing armory appropriate to 14th century England that incorporates a pomegranate, plates, and the tinctures gules and argent. The given name is found several times in our data, once in the 13th century, and once in 1379 [1]. The single citation we have for 1349-1350 is very likely a typographical error, with the original name being , a normal spelling of . The letters and were simply variants of the same letter [1]. This is the Latinized form, as it would have been written in documents of the period. The vernacular form, or the form in the spoken language of the bearer, would be . If the initial sound represented by appeals to you, you might like to know that the name recorded in Latin documents as often reflected a vernacular pronunciation \AH-nis\, more accurately reflected in the spellings 1450 or c. 1440 [2]. We also find and in the 14th century. It is an excellent choice for your period. You migh also consider 1332, 1379 [3, 4]. The name appears in 1346, as well as 1199-1220, 1231 [1]. These are also Latin forms; the vernacular forms were likely to have been and respectively. A patronymic byname, or a byname based on the given name of an individual's father, is a fine choice for this period. We can suggest the following forms based on the given name [5, 6, 7]: Stephen 1260, 1327 Stiven 1270 Stefne 1283 Stevenes 1279, 1327 Stephenes 1279, 1327 Steuen 1296 Stephenes 1327 Stevene 1327 Our evidence suggests that the forms ending with <-es>, when used as a woman's surname, often meant 'Stephen's wife or widow' rather than 'Stephen's daughter'. If you prefer an occupational byname for a dancer, we find and 1240, 1327, 1379, and 1301 [5, 6]. It should be noted that the article was only used in written forms. When the name was spoken, the article would be either changed to or omitted altogether. We suggest that , , or would all be excellent names for a 14th century Englishwoman. , , or would also be reasonable. We do have some evidence for pomegranates as charges in English arms, though all somewhat later than the 14th century. Each of these arms includes a pomegranate [8]: 1523 College of Physicians Sable, a hand proper vested argent issuing out of the clouds in chief argent issuing rays or, feeling the pulse of an arm also proper issuing from the sinister side of the shield vested argent; in base a pomegranate between five demi-fleurs-de-lis bordering the edge of the escutcheon or. 1591 Dr. Lopus, physician to Queen Elizabeth Or, a pomegranate-tree erased vert fructed gold, supported by a hart rampant proper crowned and attired or. 1597-1616 Bilson, bishop of Winchester Gules, a demi-rose argent charged with another gules, conjoined with a demi-pomegranate or seeded gules, both slipped vert. 1592 Gardiner Argent, a chevron gules between three pomegranates leaved vert. However, we have ample evidence of the use of plates in your period [9, 10]. 13th century Gules, three plates John de Camoys Ralph Musard 13th century Sable, platy Oliver de Punchardon ca. 1312 Gules, ten plates Babington ca. 1312 Azure, platy Bysett If you want accurate 14th century English arms, we recommend you avoid pomegranates. However, the following designs are fine 16th century English heraldry; and, aside from the pomegranate, they are fine 14th century English heraldry. Argent, three pomegranates gules seeded or and on a chief gules three plates. Argent, on a cross between four pomegranates gules five plates. Argent, on a fess between three pomegranates gules three plates. Argent, on a saltire between four pomegranates gules five plates. Gules, a pomegranate argent within an orle of plates. These designs do not include a pomegranate, and so are more appropriate for an English person prior to the 16th century: Gules, three plates and a chief indented argent. Gules platy, a fess dancetty argent. Gules, six plates. Per fess indented argent and gules, three roundels counterchanged. So far as we can tell, all of these are registerable with the SCA College of Arms. We hope that this letter has been useful to you and that you won't hesitate to write us again if any part was unclear or if you have further questions. Research and commentary on this letter was provided by Arval Benicoeur, Walraven van Nijmegen, Bronwyn ferch Gwyn ap Rhys, Aryanhwy merch Catmael, Juetta Copin, Mor inghean Chathail, Juliana de Luna, Adelaide de Beaumont, Gunnvor Silfraharr, Barak Raz and Talan Gwynek. For the Academy, Femke de Roas June 18, 2005 _______________________________________________________________________ REFERENCES [1] Talan Gwynek, "Feminine Given Names in _A Dictionary of English Surnames_" (SCA: KWHS Proceedings, 1994; WWW: Academy of Saint Gabriel, 1997). http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/talan/reaney/ [2] Withycombe, E.G., _The Oxford Dictionary of English Christian Names_, 3rd ed. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988), s.n. . [3] Talan Gwynek, "Yorkshire Given Names from 1379" (WWW: Academy of Saint Gabriel, 1997). http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/talan/yorkshire/ [4] Mari Elspeth nic Bryan, "An Index to the 1332 Lay Subsidy Rolls for Lincolnshire, England" (WWW: Academy of Saint Gabriel, 2000). http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/mari/LincLSR/ [5] Reaney, P. H., & R. M. Wilson, _A Dictionary of English Surnames_ (London: Routledge, 1991; Oxford University Press, 1995, s.nn. , , . [6] Bardsley, Charles, _A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames_ (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1980), s.nn. , . [7] Franklin, Peter, _The Taxpayers of Medieval Gloucestershire: An Analysis of the 1327 Lay Subsidy Roll with a New Edition of its Text_ (Dover, NH: Alan Sutton Publishing Inc., 1993). [8] Parker, James, _A Glossary of Terms used in Heraldry_ (Charles E. Tuttle, 1982), s.v. . [9] Humphrey-Smith, Cecil R., _Anglo-Norman Armory Two_ (Canterbury: Institute for Heraldic and Genealogical Studies, 1984). [10] Brault, Gerald J., _The Rolls of Arms of Edward I_, Aspilogia III, 2 vols. (London: Boydell Press, 1997).