Unto Master Dmitrii Volkovich, Dragon; Lord Alan Fairfax, Rouge Scarpe;
and Lord Paul Wickenden of Thanet, Escutcheon; greetings from
Sayyida Shahira bint al-Sammad.

Herein is commentary on the Midrealm Internal Letter of Intent dated 
March 15, 1999.  This letter may also be seen on the AEthelmearc Herald's 
website at: http://www-cs.canisius.edu/~salley/heralds.html


1)  Bastian Wolfhart:  new name and device; Argent, upon a mount vert a
wolf statant gules.

	Device:  Personal opinion, this device is nice, but scenic.

	Name:  Bastian: 1317 - John Bastian - A pet form of 'Sebastian', 
from Latin 'Sebastianus' "man of Sebastia", a city in Pontus.  A Dictionary 
of English Surnames; page 31; Reaney and Wilson.  Unable to find any 
documentation with available resources for Wolfhart.


3)  Carrick Mac Cucharraige:  new name and device;  Gules, a bull
passant guardant Or.

	Device: Unless it conflicts, no apparent problems found with
this submission.

	Name:  Rolland de Karryk 1260; John Carroc 1279; John Cayek
1462; Thomas Carrokk 1536; William Carrak 1599.  Usually from the District
of Carrick (Ayr), but FrY the Oxford ex:  suggests that there was also
another source of the surname. A Dictionary of English Surnames; page 85;
Reaney and Wilson.


4)  Catriona MacKay:  new name and device; Vert, on a bend or, between
two wolves's heads erased argent, three oak leaves in bend vert.

	Device:  Wolves heads need to be slightly smaller and the bend 
needs to be a bit wider.  In its current state the device is too cluttered.  
A redraw would readily correct this situation.

	Name:  Under Katherine:  The Gaelic diminutive 'Catriona', 'Katrine'.  
Oxford Dictionary of English Surnames; page 186 - 187; Withycombe.


5)  Clarissa Wykeham:  change of registered device; Or, a seablatt vert.

	Device:  IPPI (It's Pretty, Pass It :-)


6)  Diedre Wydeville:  new device;  Vert, on a spiderweb throughout or,
in bend a mask of comedy and a mask of tragedy argent.

	Device:  Border on this device is uneven and inconsistent.  It 
needs to be corrected.  The masks, as drawn would indicate that the submitter
wishes to have them canted as is traditional when displaying these masks as
seen in most renderings with one canted \ and the other canted /.  The blazon
as written would not reflect this.  Submitter should be asked what her
preference is.


7)  Elena of Myddle:  new name and device;  Argent, a bend purpure two
bloodhounds statant.

	Device: Unless it conflicts, no apparent problems found with
this submission.

	Name:  Elena ostiaria 1204 P (So); Elena....ipsam Helenam; .
A Dictionary of English Surnames; page 153; Reaney and Wilson.  Myddleton;
page 308; (no date given; unable to find any reference to Myddle by itself.
IBID.  Elena - Under Helen(a);  It was not used in England in the Old
English period, but is found (Elena) soon after the Conquest. Oxford
Dictionary of English Surnames; page 148; Withycombe.


8)  Elspeth Clerk:  name resubmission;  

	Name:  Elizabeth - Scottish variant undated. Oxford
Dictionary of English Surnames; page 99 - 100; Withycombe.  Clark, Clarke,
Clerk, Clerke, Reginald Clerc 1205; John le Clerk 1272; Old English clerc,
clerec..... A Dictionary of English Surnames; page 98; Reaney and Wilson.


9)  Giuliana Fornaciari:  new device; Gules, on a cross of flames, a bat
sable.

	Device:  As blazoned there would be no way to distinguish
the bat from the cross as both are black.  Furthermore, they are black
charges on a red background, which is color on color.  According to 
Laurel's webpage (http://www.sca.org/laurel/charges.html) a cross of flame
is a banned charge because it is used by the Ku Klux Klan.


10)  Isabella Somerhild:  new name and device;  Azure, on a chevron
argent three roses azure, in base a phoenix rising from flames argent.

	Device:  Chevron is too high as blazoned.  Enhanced might be
a better term.

	Name:  "Isabella" Clara Eugenia, daughter of Philip II of
Spain. Oxford Dictionary of English Surnames; page 164; Withycombe.
Nicholas Somerhild 1297; Richard Somerhild 1364; Old Norse Sumarhild. .....
A Dictionary of English Surnames; page 434; Reaney and Wilson.


11)  Istvan Valkai:  new device;  Gules, three chevronelles enhanced and
a basset hound or.

	Device:  Chevronelles, even enhanced according to Pictorial
Dictionary, shouldn't be touching the top edge of the field.


12)  Juliana de Pardieu:  new name and device;  Per pale purpure and
vert, a unicorn rampant.

	Device: Unless it conflicts, no apparent problems found with
this submission.

	Name:  Julian was also the usual Middle English form of
Juliana (g.v.). . Oxford Dictionary of English Surnames; page 183;
Withycombe.  An oath-name, 'par Dieu', perhaps shortened from 'de par Dieu'
(Latin - de parte Dei) "in God's name".  Common in Middle English as
'pardee':  "I have a wyf, pardee, as wel as thow" (Chaucer). ..... A
Dictionary of English Surnames; page 337; Reaney and Wilson.


14)  Marguerite Gisele Mont du Chat:  device resubmission;  Per chevron
argent and azure, a natural panther couchant sable and a decresent or.

	Device:  Chevron is too narrow and too low.


16)  Philippe de Lyon:  new name and device;  Gules, three torches in
pall inverted bases to center or.

	Device: Unless it conflicts, no apparent problems found with this 
submission.

	Name:  Philippa occurs in medieval Latin records, but women so named 
were actually called Philip, e.g. in the 15th c. Brut Queen Philippa is 
Quene Phelip, Philippe, or Phillip. Oxford Dictionary of English Surnames; 
page 245; Withycombe.  Henry de Lyons 1296 ). ..... A Dictionary of English 
Surnames; page 337; Reaney and Wilson.


18)  Seamus Albanach Mac Roibert:  new name and device;  Bendy sinister
sable and argent, an equal-armed celtic cross potent gules.

	Device: Unless it conflicts, no apparent problems found with
this submission.

	Name:  Seamus:  This name was common among the Anglo-Norman
settlers in Ireland & was adopted by the Native Irish.  O'Corrain and
Maguire; page 163.  Albanach:  "of Scotland" The Annals of the 4 Masters
under the year 942 records the death of Aed Albanach, a leader of the Dublin
Danes.  Surnames of Scotland; page 14; Black.  Mac Roibert:  A highland
border name, G. Mac Roibeirt....Surnames of Scotland, page 562, Black.


19)  Simon Justus:  device resubmission; Azure, a saltorel or, overall a
feather inverted argent.

	Device:  The 'saltorel' is not a saltorel.  It is a saltire
couped.  Per Pictorial Dictionary.


21)  Vladislav de Jaffa:  device resubmission;  Sable, a lion's head
argent, and in base, a point pointed ermine.

	Device:  I agree with the suggested reblazon.


22)  Ysabel Natalia Osorio de Leon:  device resubmission;  Per chevron
purpure and vert, two lions combatant or and a chalice argent.

	Device:  Chevron division too narrow.


In service,

Sayyida Shahira bint al-Sammad