[Artemisia] Heraldic question

[Mike Bradley]

Greetings,

Knowing full well that I probably shouldn't be the one responding to 
this, I'm going to anyway. But, to save trouble for anyone else...
The views included herein are mine and mine alone.  They in no way 
represent the views of, or are endorsed by, my Baron and Baroness, the 
King and Queen, my Don, any household or guild I am a member of, Golden 
Wing Herald, Laurel Sovereign of Arms, the Laurel Designate Shauna, the 
College of Heralds, my Wife, my cats, or anyone else.  If you don't like 
the views, take it up with me.

Dan S. wrote:

>Greetings,
>
>If the College of Heralds were serious about respecting Sumptuary Laws they
>wouldn't dress the head society herald up in an Imperial Margarine-height
>CROWN that has no authorization in ANY Kingdom in the SCA.
>  
>
I'd say that the College of Heralds as a whole has great respect for 
sumptuary laws.  Indeed, Laurel Sovereign of Arms has some control over 
them granted by the BoD.  They also have a great respect for history and 
research as well as SCA custom.  The fact that Laurel has a crown is 
historically acurate, and certainly part of SCA custom.  The Laurel 
crown has existed, if I recall correctly, since the SCA consisted of the 
West.  Modern and historical Sovereigns of Arms had crowns.  The SCA 
Sovereign of Arms has a crown.  Doesn't seem like a problem to me.  
Really, I like to see a bit of historical accuracy.

>Once upon a time landed groups passed badges that incorporated both the
>crossed horns of the office of the college of heralds and the device of the
>Shire/Barony/Principality/Kingdom. Usually it was something like an
>abatement in the corner over the local group's device.
>  
>
Groups may have used they group arms with the Society College of Herald 
badge, but none of them ever registered such.  At least not that shows 
up in the registered armory in the Society Ordinary and Armorial.  
Heraldically, it would be more proper for the herald to wear the arms of 
whomever they are working for.  As in period, it's fairly simple to tell 
who the herald is, even if their liege is standing next to them also 
wearing the arms.  The herald is the one bellowing.

>This was to draw a distinction between the (for instance) Crowns Device worn
>by the King or Queen and Their Herald. This was a pretty subtle distinction
>that was often perceived, and has widely morphed into, letting the
>group-herald wear the device of the group, rather than the original intent
>of reserving the device only for the brass hats in charge of said geographic
>area.
>  
>
The distinction is, again, easy.  If you can't tell the difference 
between the royalty and the herald, it usually becomes obvious after a 
minute or so.  The adding of the trumpets to the group arms is 
distinctly non-period, and has never and probably will never get 
registered by the CoH.

>[...I really do miss drunkenly arguing these points with Master Aldwin
>:-(    ]
>
>Wear your tabard with pride. If you went to the trouble to make it, who's to
>say you don't have the right to wear it when you are heralding (assuming
>heralding is really a word) there is never too much trappings of ceremony
>(unless you are wearing said Imperial Margerine Crown as the Society Herald.
>then you are just a pretentious git)
>  
>
I agree, someone with a tabard should wear it while heralding.  Heck, 
they can wear it whenever they want for all I care, though by doing so 
it does make people assume that you are a herald (and almost ipso facto 
makes you herald even if you don't want to be one; hazard of the job).  
Of course, I also argue that anyone that wants to wear certain colors of 
belts, or certain accessories, should just go right ahead.  And, if 
wearing a crown according to SCA tradition and historical accuracy makes 
someone a pretentious git, every Crown of every Kingdom would fall into 
that category, and I don't think I'd want to be the one to tell most of 
them that.  And I know I wouldn't want to call Mistress Shauna a 
pretentious git and then ever be within striking distance again.

>In Service,
>
>Sir Daniel
>  
>
In Service, if somewhat contrary in opinion,

Lord Conchobhar, occasional herald and frequent troublemaker