A. Kingdoms, Principalities, Baronies, and Provinces - Kingdoms, principalities, baronies, provinces, and equivalent branches are subject to no limit on the number of items they may register.

B. Individuals and other local groups - Individuals and other Society branches may register no more than four names and four pieces of armory. Any submission by an individual or branch which would otherwise exceed this limit must be accompanied by a release of one or more items already registered to them to accommodate the new item[s].

II. Registerable Items

A. Names for Individuals - Names for individuals are divided into three administrative categories.

1. Primary Society Name - The single name under which records of registration are maintained. Kingdoms or principalities may require this name to be used on awards, honors, scrolls, and other formal documents.

2. Alternate Society Name - Any personal name registered for an individual other than his or her Primary Society Name. An Alternate Society name may be registered alone or may be associated with a badge. Records for both name and armory will be retained under the individual's Primary Society Name.

3. Holding Name - A purely administrative label substituted by the Laurel Office to register an individual's armory when the submitted name cannot be registered. Only the Laurel Office may create holding names.

B. Names for Groups - Society branches and other groups of members may register names appropriate for the type of group. Such names are divided into several administrative categories.

1. Branch Name - The single name of a Society branch under which records of registration are maintained. This name will appear in all formal documents mentioning the branch, including scrolls, the kingdom regnum, etc. Branch designators (such as shire or barony) are not part of the registered branch name; they are administrative placeholders which may or may not reflect the actual current status of the branch. The branch designation that should be used in a Branch Name is determined by the current status of the branch.

2. Order Name - The name of a recognized Society honor, order or award. By Corpora, such names may only be registered to kingdoms, principalities, baronies or equivalent branches. Order Names may be registered alone or may be associated with badges. Records for both order name and armory will be maintained under the name of the branch which registered them.

3. Household Names - The name of a group other than a Society branch or order, such as a household, guild, group fighting unit, etc. Such names may be registered either by an individual, by two individuals jointly, or by a Society branch, and badges may be associated with such names. When a household name is registered by an individual, records dealing with the group's name and badge[s] will be retained under the Primary Society Name of the individual registering the item. When a household name is jointly registered, a cross-reference shall also be listed under the Primary Society Name of the other owner. When a household name is registered by a Society branch, these records will be retained under the name of the branch which registered them.

4. Heraldic Titles - Titles for the use of heraldic officers at all levels. Titles for Laurel staff are registered to the Society. All other heraldic titles are registered to the branch in which they will be used, but must be approved by the kingdom to which the branch belongs. Heraldic titles may not be registered directly by individuals, but may be transferred to individuals with the approval of the owning branch and the kingdom to which it belongs.

C. Titles and Designations - Titles and designations registered for general use in the Society by the College of Arms include the following categories.

1. Alternate Titles - Alternate forms for recognized Society titles as defined in Corpora (see Appendix C). Such forms, including translations, must be approved by the College of Arms prior to use.

2. Alternate Branch Designations - Alternate forms for the standard designations for Society branches as defined in Corpora (see Appendix B). Such forms, including translations, must be approved by the College of Arms prior to use.

D. Tinctured Armory - Armory in which all portions of the design are colored. Tinctured armory within the Society is divided into several administrative categories.

1. Personal Device - The single piece of armory associated with an individual's Primary Society Name which uniquely identifies that individual. Kingdoms or principalities may require this armory to be used on awards, honors, scrolls, and other formal documents.

2. Branch Arms - The single piece of armory associated with the Branch Name of a Society branch which uniquely identifies that branch. By Society convention, all branch arms must include one or more laurel wreaths as an important element in the design. Kingdoms must also include a crown or coronet in the design. Principalities may include a crown or coronet, but are not required to do so. If a branch changes its arms, it may retain the old arms under the designation "Ancient Arms."

3. Badge - Any piece of tinctured armory other than a Personal Device or Branch Arms. Badges may be registered by an individual, by two individuals jointly, or by a Society branch. They may be have no particular label, may be associated with a name registered to the owner of the badge, or may be associated with a generic description of the intended use or function of the badge. Badges may only be registered for offices of Society branches if no badge has been registered for that office by the Society or any territorial entity to which the submitting branch belongs. All records will be retained under the Primary Society Name of the registrant or the Branch name of the registering group. When a badge is jointly registered, a cross-reference shall be listed under the Primary Society Name of the other owner. Badges may have the field specified or they may have no field specified, but must otherwise be fully tinctured. Fieldless badges may be subject to special rules for style and difference in the Rules for Submissions, but are otherwise treated in the same manner as tinctured badges.

E. Tinctureless Armory - Tinctureless armory may only be registered as heraldic seals for the use of the Principal Herald/College of Heralds of a kingdom. Such seals must contain two straight trumpets in saltire, bells to chief.

F. Regalia - Such regalia as is used officially throughout the Society will be registered, as the Laurel office deems appropriate. The registration of a badge does not reserve to the registrant the actual item; only those items designated as regalia are so reserved. A list of registered regalia can be found in the Glossary of Terms.

III. Protected Items

Names and armory registered by the College of Arms shall be protected as described in III.C. below. Protection afforded by the College of Arms is limited solely to the refusal to register any item known to conflict with a protected item under the Rules for Submission in effect at the time the new item is submitted to the College. Portions of the current Rules for Submissions pertaining to conflict apply to the following materials:

A. Protected Names

1. Names Registered by the College of Arms - Names submitted to and registered by the College will be listed in the Society Armorial and protected from conflict against future submissions. Once registered, an item shall be protected until written notice of release is received by the Laurel Office from the registrant. In the case of defunct Society branches, release may be granted by joint consent of the Crown and Kingdom Seneschal after appropriate notice in the newsletter of the kingdom in which the branch was located. Protection shall apply even if the item in question could not be registered under the Rules for Submission currently in effect. Laurel may rule that a particular name is too generic to be protected. Unprotected, generic names may be attached to badges as labels for the convenience of the populace. A submitter may request that such a label by treated as generic, without protection; Laurel may choose to honor such requests on a case-by-case basis.

2. Unregistered Names of Famous Individuals from Society History - The unregistered names of monarchs, kingdom officers and other famous individuals from Society history may be protected on a case by case basis. Such protection will only be afforded where a submitted name would cause extreme confusion or offence to the populace. The intent of this allowance is to extend protection to prominent members of the Society from its early years and generally will not be extended to those who have remained active and consciously refrained from registration of their names or armory.

3. Names of Significant Personages Outside the Society - Contemporary or historical personages will generally be considered significant if they appear in standard references such as an encyclopedia. The names of famous individuals who do not appear in standard references due to the age and scope of these works may also be protected on a case by case basis.

4. Names of Significant Characters from Literary Works - Characters from period or modern literary works of all genres may be protected on a case by case basis. Such protection will be afforded if the College of Arms deems them worthy of protection

5. Names of Significant Geographical Locations Outside the Society - A geographical location will be considered significant if it is associated with important administrative, social, political or military events (e.g., a capital city, the site of a major treaty or battle, etc.). Geographic locations will generally be considered significant if they appear in standard references such as an encyclopedia. Generic descriptive names outside the Society will not be protected except where the name is immediately associated with a single significant location.

6. Names of Significant Geographical Locations from Literary Sources - Locations in period or modern literary works of all genres may be protected on a case by case basis. Such protection will be afforded if the College of Arms deems them worthy of protection

7.Trademarked Names, etc. - Such names may be protected when covered by applicable laws and regulations in the country from which the material derives.

8. Orders of Chivalry, Heraldic Titles, Organizations, etc. - Contemporary or historical orders of chivalry, heraldic titles, or organizations may be considered significant if they appear in general histories or in standard references such as an encyclopedia. The names of entities which do not appear in standard references due to the age and scope of these works may also be protected on a case-by-case basis.

9. Name Used by the Submitter Outside the Society - No name will be registered to a submitter if it is identical to a name used by the submitter for purposes of identification outside of a Society context. This includes legal names, common use names, trademarks and other items registered with mundane authorities that serve to identify an individual or group. This restriction is intended to help preserve a distinction between a submitter's identity within the Society and his or her identity outside of the Society. A small change in the name is sufficient for registration, such as the addition of a syllable or a spelling change that changes the pronunciation. However, a change to spelling without a change in pronunciation is not sufficient. For example, Alan Miller could not register the name Alan Miller or Allan Miller but he could register the name Alan the Miller. Further, submitters may register either a name or armory which is a close variant of a name or insignia they use outside the Society, but not both.

B. Protected Armory

1. Armory Registered by the College of Arms - Devices and badges submitted to and registered by the College will be listed in the Society Armorial and Ordinary and protected from conflict against future submissions. Once registered, an item shall be protected until written notice of release is received by the Laurel Office from the registrant. In the case of a defunct Society branch, release may be granted by joint consent of the Crown and Kingdom Seneschal after appropriate notice in the newsletter of the kingdom in which the branch was located. Protection shall apply even if the item in question could not be registered under the Rules for Submission currently in effect (Grandfather Clause).

2. Armory of Significant Geographical Locations Outside the Society - All national arms and national flags are considered sufficiently significant to protect, even if not yet listed in the Armorial. The historical or modern armory of other geographic locations may be protected on a case-by-case basis if the location is associated with important administrative, social, political, or military events and the arms themselves are important or well-known. Armory so protected will be listed in the Society Armorial and Ordinary when it is brought to Laurel's attention, but is protected prior to that addition.

3. Significant Personal and Corporate Armory from Outside the Society - Modern or historical armory may be considered significant or recognizable enough to protect on a case-by-case basis, even if not yet listed in the Armorial and Ordinary. Armory so protected will be listed in the Society Armorial and Ordinary when it is brought to Laurel's attention, but is protected prior to that addition.

4. Copyrighted Images, Trademarks, Military Insignia, etc. - Such items may be protected when covered by applicable laws and regulations in the country from which the material derives. Material such as military insignia may be afforded protection on a case-by-case basis even where this is not required by law.

5. Armory of Major Characters or Significant Geographical Locations from Literary Sources - The armory of major characters or significant geographical locations from period or modern literary works of all genres may be protected on a case by case basis. Armory considered sufficiently important will be listed in the Society Armorial and Ordinary when it is brought to Laurel's attention, but is protected prior to that addition.

6. Armory Used by the Submitter Outside the Society - No armory will be registered to a submitter if it is identical to an insignia used by the submitter for purposes of identification outside of a Society context. This includes armory, trademarks and other items registered with mundane authorities that serve to identify an individual or group. This restriction is intended to help preserve a distinction between a submitter's identity within the Society and his or her identity outside of the Society. Any change that causes a blazonable difference between mundane and Society arms is sufficient to allow registration by Laurel. Further, submitters may register either a name or armory which is a close variant of a name or insignia they use outside the Society, but not both.

C. Protection of Registered Items

1. Registered Items Remain Registered - Once registered, an item shall be protected until written notice of release is received by the Laurel Office from the owner. In the case of defunct Society branches, release may be granted by joint consent of the Crown and Kingdom Seneschal after appropriate notice in the newsletter of the kingdom in which the branch was located. Protection shall continue to apply even if the item in question could not be registered under the Rules for Submission currently in effect (Grandfather Clause).

2. Items Registered to Defunct Branches - When a branch is declared defunct, ownership of its registered items is automatically transferred to the kingdom. This transfer need not be reflected in the Armorial.

3. Permission to Conflict - The owner of any item may allow the registration of a specific submission that would otherwise conflict, as long as the new item is not identical to the registered one. A letter of permission to conflict must accompany the submission of the new item. (See Appendix D for a standard letter of permission to conflict.)

4. Blanket Permission to Conflict - The owner of any item may direct Laurel to reduce the level of protection of that item. The owner may specify either that an item should be protected only from identical conflict or that it should be protected only from conflicts closer than the smallest countable difference defined in the Rules for Submission (i.e., 1 CD for armory). (See Appendix D for a standard blanket letter of permission to conflict.)

IV. General Procedures for Submissions

These procedures apply to all submissions involving registerable items, including resubmissions, appeals, requests for change, etc.

A. Responsibility for Procedural Requirements - The submitter bears the primary responsibility for meeting procedural requirements, but can and should be advised by heraldic officers at the local level and above.

B. Kingdom of Residence - Submissions must be made through the appropriate heraldic officers as defined by the kingdom of which the submitter is a subject according to Corpora and Board policy. A submission already in process above the local level when a submitter leaves a kingdom may continue to be processed by the kingdom of origin until it is registered or returned by Laurel. In this case any resubmissions must be made through the new kingdom.

C. Completed Paperwork - No submission, including any resubmission, appeal, change or release of a protected item, etc., shall be considered for registration until a complete set of paperwork is provided to the appropriate heraldic officer. The numbers of sets of paperwork and the detailed format of the forms are governed by kingdom policy. However, completed paperwork must include all of the following materials relevant to the submission in question.

1. Submission Forms - Appropriate forms must be included for all submissions, including appeals, resubmissions, name changes, etc. A minimum of two sets of name forms is required for all name submissions, one for the Laurel Office and the other to be retained in kingdom files. A minimum of three sets of colored armory forms is required for all armory: two for the Laurel Office and the other to be retained in kingdom files. The preferred medium for colored armory sets is watercolor markers such as Crayola Classic Markers. Pastel or neon colors are inappropriate for colored armory forms. However the forms are colored, the submission may be returned if the tinctures are not recognizably heraldic tinctures. All submissions must be made on currently valid forms and must include the following items:

a. The submitter's Society Name prominently displayed on the submission forms for both names and armory. If possible, the Society Name should appear on the first line to be filled in to facilitate filing by Society Name.

b. The submitter's common use name and complete mailing address must appear on forms for both names and armory.

c. The submitter's branch affiliation, if one exists, must be included to facilitate formation of a holding name, if necessary.

d. The emblazon of any armory must be depicted in a size adequate for complete rendition of details of the armory and for equitable application of the "across the field test." In general, this means that the field for an escutcheon should be approximately six inches in height and five inches wide at its widest point, while roundels for badges should be approximately five inches in diameter.

e. The blazon of any armory, as submitted to Laurel, must be filled in on all forms for armory forwarded from the kingdom level.

2. Documentation - Documenting evidence must be included for all name elements and any non-standard armorial elements or practices. Such documentation must include references to specific pages and/or entries in the source material. Except for documentation from items in Appendix H (the No-Photocopy List), such documentation must include copies of cited source material.

3. Permission to Conflict - If permission to conflict has been granted, a written statement of permission must be included, signed by the owner of the conflicting item with both Society Name and name used outside the Society. (See Appendix D for a standard form for granting permission to conflict.) If a blanket permission to conflict exists, reference to this must be included on the letter of intent.

4. Proof of Entitlement - If a submission involves an item reserved by Society convention to those of certain rank or occupation (e.g., a coronet) or an augmentation, evidence of the submitter's right to use the reserved charge or augmentation must be provided. Where a registered item involving a reserved charge or augmentation is transferred, evidence must be provided by the recipient of his or her entitlement to use of the charge or augmentation. Normally a statement by the kingdom submissions herald giving the date of earning that rank or augmentation is sufficient.

5. Evidence of Support - Submissions involving the branch name or arms of an active branch must include evidence of support for the action on the part of a majority of the active members of the branch. In the case of branches with no ruling noble, this support may be demonstrated by a petition of a majority of the populace and officers or by a petition of the seneschal and at least three-quarters of the other local officers. In the case of branches with ruling nobles, such petitions must also include a statement of support from the ruling noble. A valid petition must include a clear description of the item submitted; either the blazon or emblazon is sufficient for a petition regarding branch arms, though both are preferable. If a submission would result in the registration or modification of the Branch Name or Branch Arms of a kingdom, principality or equivalent branch, support must be demonstrated by the results of a poll conducted in the relevant official newsletter and certified by the seneschal of the appropriate branch. Branch badges, order or award names, and other Branch names (such as names for guilds, herald's titles, etc.) do not require evidence of support at the Laurel level. Kingdom may require it if they so desire, for their internal procedures.

6. Support for Transfer - Any submission involving the transfer of a registered item from one individual or branch to another must include both a statement from the owner authorizing the transfer and a statement from the recipient accepting the transferred material. This shall apply not only to materials transferred during the life of the owner but also to items covered under a Heraldic Will (see IV.F below).

7. Instructions for Disposition of Changed Items - If the submission involves a change of name or armory, the forms should include specific instructions for the disposition of the changed items. If no instructions are included on the forms, the name and/or armory will be automatically released when the change is approved.

D. Payment of Fees - No submission shall be considered for registration until all fees associated with the submission have been paid. Such fees are set by kingdom law and policy as required to cover the costs of processing submissions. However, no fee may be charged for appeals, change of holding name, submission of alternate forms for standard titles or designations, proposed protection for mundane items, corrections of spelling or blazon or resubmissions made within a year of the most recent notification of return. The Laurel Office currently charges no fee for resubmissions. Kingdoms may charge appropriate fees for resubmissions not made in a timely manner after appropriate advance notification of this policy in the kingdom newsletter or by individual letters to submitters.

E. Right of Appeal - A submitter shall have the right to appeal any return to Laurel. All appeals must be supported by new documentation, other proof that the original submission was returned in error or by compelling evidence that the submission was not properly considered at the time of return. Appeals must be submitted through the appropriate heraldic officers specified for such actions by the submitter's kingdom of residence. Such officers must forward the appeal in a timely manner, with or without recommendations, to Laurel. If Laurel rules against the appeal, a second appeal may be made directly to the Board of Directors.

F. Request for Reconsideration - A submitter may request reconsideration of changes made as a result of a request for authenticity in a name submission. All requests must either: (a) be supported by new documentation supporting the original name as complying with the requested authenticity, (b) submit a timely request for a name based on information provided in Laurel's decision, or (c) include a request that the original name be considered with no request for authenticity. Such reconsideration may be considered with the standards in effect at the time of the request. Requests for reconsideration must be submitted through the appropriate heraldic officers specified for such actions by the submitter's kingdom of residence. Such officers must forward the request in a timely manner, with or without recommendations, to Laurel. Requests for Reconsideration will be considered "resubmissions" for the purposes of section IV.D, Payment of Fees

G. Heraldic Wills - The owner of any registered item may execute a heraldic will, which is a statement of transfer that specifically transfers registered items to another at the owner's death. (See Appendix D for a standard form for a heraldic will.)

1. Any person may designate a heraldic heir. The heraldic will must bear the Society name of the owner, be signed by the legal name of the owner, adequately describe the item being transferred by the heraldic will, and adequately identify the person who is authorized to accept transfer of the item(s). The owner need not transfer all registered armory or registered names to a single recipient upon the owner's death, but may allocate names, arms and badges to different persons.

2. The heraldic will may be filed during the lifetime of the owner, in which case the owner sends a copy of the will to the principal herald and to the Laurel Sovereign of Arms; or after the death of the owner, in which case the "heraldic heir" must include the original or a certified copy of the heraldic will with the transfer submission. In either case, the submission must be included in a letter of intent. If the heraldic will is registered with Laurel before death, it may be altered at any point up to the owner's death by executing a new heraldic will.

3. Upon the actual death of the owner, the designated heir may ask for a transfer of the item(s) willed to that designated heir. The submission is handled as any other transfer, except that instead of the letter extending the transfer and accepting the transfer, the submitter notes the existence of the heraldic will and the death of the prior owner.

The new submitter must establish personal entitlement to use any restricted or reserved element contained in any armory transferred.

4. If, upon the death of the owner of registered items in the Society, no heraldic will has been located, then the Personal Representative/Executor or the residual property heirs of the owner under the laws of the state of the owner's death have the right to give permission to conflict, release the items, or transfer the items as these heirs deem appropriate.

5. If a heraldic will is registered with Laurel Sovereign, the person designated as heir may register a cadenced version of the armory without needing to obtain further letters of permission to conflict from the owner. If the owner changes the heraldic will, the new heir may also register a cadenced version, but may be obligated to obtain permission to conflict from the former designated heir.

6. If more than one person designates the same person as heraldic heir to their devices, the heir may display, but not register, these devices quartered and differenced.

V. Kingdom Processing of Submissions

These procedures apply to all kingdoms. Requests for variance must be approved in advance and in writing by the Laurel Sovereign of Arms.

A. Timeliness - The timely processing of submissions by each kingdom is required by Corpora.

1. Timeliness of Processing - The Principal Herald of each kingdom, either directly or through a designated deputy, shall process submissions in a timely manner and distribute a letter of intent to the commenting members of the College of Arms at least once every other month. Issuance of letters of intent on a monthly basis is strongly encouraged.

2. Timely Notification of Submitters - The Principal Herald, either directly or through designated deputies, shall ensure that all submitters are notified of the results of the submissions process without undue delay at any level. Notification of registration by the College of Arms or of return at any level must be made in writing to the individual submitter. Printed notices in kingdom newsletters do not meet this requirement, although they are encouraged for public relations purposes.

B. Preparation of Letters of Intent - Letters of intent which do not meet the following requirements may be deemed invalid. Invalid letters will not be scheduled for consideration and do not meet the requirements for timeliness.

1. Authorized Preparer - All letters of intent from a given kingdom must be issued by the Principal Herald or a single designated deputy. Prior written notice must be provided to the Laurel Office for any change of authorized preparer. On a case-by-case basis, with written approval by both the Kingdom Herald and Laurel, Principalities may produce their own external letters of intent.

2. Prescribed Format - Certain minimum formatting requirements are prescribed for letters of intent. Variant formats which meet these requirements do not require authorization from the Laurel Office.

a. Alphabetical Order - Each proposed submission should be listed in alphabetical order by the name under which the submission, if registered, will be recorded according to the guidelines laid down under Registerable Items above. Therefore, alternate names should be submitted under the already registered Primary Society Name, while change of Primary Society Name should be listed under the submission. Non-Roman letters should be sorted as if they were transcribed into roman letters, so that ð is alphabetized as dh, þ is alphabetized as th, and æ is alphabetized as ae. Accents and other diacritical marks are ignored for alphabetization.

b. Enumeration - Each proposed submission should be numbered using a standard numbering system (usually Arabic numbers). A name submission and a single piece of closely associated armory should bear the same number, but otherwise each submission should be separately numbered.

c. Appropriate Labelling - Each item shall be appropriately labelled as to its type (Primary Society Name, Badge, etc.) and submission status (new, resubmission, appeal, etc.). Submission status shall be determined solely by the existence of prior actions at Laurel level. Even if a submission has been considered on several occasions within a kingdom, it is a new submission if it has not previously been considered by the College of Arms.

d. Summary of Supporting Evidence - A summary of all supporting evidence provided for the submission must be included on the letter of intent. Such evidence includes documentation, permissions to conflict, proofs for entitlement, statements of support for transferred items, and evidence for support in the case of branch submissions. In the case of resubmissions or appeals, a history of previous submissions to the College of Arms, including the dates and grounds for previous returns must be included. Where possible, the letter should include specific references (including page numbers) to all supporting documentation. Omission of this documentation may make registration impossible.

e. Miniature Emblazon - An accurate representation of each piece of submitted armory shall be included on the letter of intent. Such emblazons must be clearly labelled and large enough that all elements of the design may be clearly distinguished. This emblazon should be black and white.

f. Timely Distribution - All letters must be distributed to all commenting members of the College of Arms in a timely manner. If a delay in excess of one week occurs between the completion of a letter and the time it is mailed, each letter must be appropriately redated.

g. Correction of Errors - Any corrections of errors from previous letters of intent must be contained in a clearly labeled section separate from other parts of the current letter of intent and identified by the date, submission number and submitter's name from the original letter of intent. If a significant period of time elapses between the letter of intent and the letter of correction, the corrected submissions may be pended until a later meeting.

C. Preparation of Submission Packets - Submission packets containing appropriate paperwork for all items included on a letter of intent must be forwarded to the Laurel Office in a timely manner. Packets for letters of intent which do not meet all the following requirements may be deemed invalid. Invalid packets will not be scheduled for consideration and do not meet the requirements for timeliness.

1. Letter of Intent - Two copies of the complete letter of intent, including miniature emblazons, must be provided to the Laurel Office with the packet. One of these must be an electronic copy (either on diskette or via e-mail). If the second copy is electronic, it need not contain the mini-emblazons.

2. Full Paperwork - A complete set of paperwork must be included for each submission, including any resubmission, appeal, change or release of a protected item, etc. Such paperwork must meet the requirements for Content of Forms noted above, as well as other requirements outlined under Procedures for Submission. Originals or photocopies of all supporting documentation should be firmly attached to the forms for each submission.

3. Agreement of Paperwork - The letter of intent and all associated paperwork must agree in their arrangement and contents. Paperwork should be alphabetized in the packet in the same manner in which it was arranged in the letter of intent with all paperwork involving a single numbered item together in the packet. Any names or blazons on the forms should precisely match those shown on the letter of intent. Submissions for name elements only should not show any armory on the accompanying forms.

4. Payment of Laurel Office Fees - Each packet must include a check or money order covering the processing fees for each submission element presented to the Laurel Office which requires a fee (see the section on Payment of Fees above). Checks should be made out to the SOCIETY FOR CREATIVE ANACHRONISM COLLEGE OF ARMS. (Note: This fee is currently four dollars per element for all submissions, including official submissions at kingdom level and below.) Alternate arrangements for payment may be made if this is an undue burden (as for kingdoms outside the United States).

VI. Requests for Correction and Change of Registered Items

Once an item has been registered, requests for modification of the registered form must use the following procedures.

A. Blazon and Spelling Corrections may be requested if an error derives from a typographical error or omission in a Letter of Acceptance and Return and/or the Armorial and Ordinary.

1. Corrections to a Letter of Acceptance and Return must be requested in writing to Laurel, clearly indicating the specific error or omission and the Letter of Acceptance and Return on which the error occurred. Requests for correction should not be included on letters of intent or letters of commentary and need not be circulated to the membership of the College of Arms prior to action. Such requests may be made by any member of the College of Arms.

2. Corrections to the Armorial and Ordinary not involving errors in a Letter of Acceptance and Return may be requested in writing to the Morsulus Herald. Requests for correction should not be included on letters of intent or letters of comment and need not be circulated to the membership of the College of Arms prior to action. Such requests may be made by any member of the College of Arms.

B. Blazon and Spelling Changes must be requested if the error derives from an error on a Letter of Intent. Such changes should be included on a Letter of Intent for the consideration of the College of Arms just as if the submitter were requesting a specific change to the name or armory.

VII. Commentary on Submissions

Commentary on submissions in the College of Arms are subject to the following regulations.

A. Commenting Members of the College of Arms - Members of the College of Arms actively engaged in the commentary process are referred to collectively as the mailing list. Such members shall generally include:

1. Laurel Sovereign of Arms.
2. Subordinate Sovereign(s) of Arms (such as Pelican).
3. Laurel Staff Commenters appointed by the Laurel Sovereign of Arms.
4. Principal Heralds.
5. Submissions Heralds, nominated by the Principal Herald of their kingdom of residence and ratified by the Laurel Sovereign of Arms, of kingdoms where the Principal Herald has delegated issuance of letters of intent to another.
6. Other Commenters nominated by the Principal Herald of their kingdom of residence and ratified by the Laurel Sovereign of Arms after they have produced at least one timely letter of comment. On a case by case basis, Laurel may waive the requirement for producing a letter of comment, such as the case of a former College of Arms commenters, or when extant commenting groups change the person in charge.

B. Regularity of Comment - Commenters other than Principal Heralds or their duly confirmed submissions deputies who do not participate actively in College of Arms commentary on a regular basis will be subject to removal from the mailing list. Any or all of the following may be construed as lack of active participation.

1. Failure to Comment. Failure to comment for three successive Laurel meetings shall result in automatic removal from the mailing list. At Laurel's discretion, extensions for commentary may be granted in case of illness or personal catastrophe.

2. Persistently Sporadic or Incomplete Commentary. Individuals persistently commenting only one month in three or regularly offering only scanty comments on only one or two letters per Laurel meeting or whose comments are frequently issued after the deadline for the submission in question may be considered to have failed in active participation in the College of Arms.

3. Persistent Breach of General Commenting Requirements, Format, Distribution or Content of Commentary - Failure to abide by the requirements for format, distribution, or content of commentary may be construed as a failure to comment actively. In particular, a commenter who regularly sends commentary only to Laurel and no other member of the College will be considered to have failed to meet requirements for active participation.

C. Format of Comments - Comments should be formatted in a manner allowing their convenient use by Laurel and the members of the College of Arms.

1. Letters of Comment on letters of intent:

a. Chronological Order. Comments should be arranged in chronological order by the date on the letter of intent. While the postmark date or receipt date of the letter may be mentioned in commentary, if this is relevant, only the "cover date" of the letter should be used in arranging or referring to letters of intent.

b. Submission Order and Designation. Comment on individual submissions should be arranged in the order found on the letter of intent and designated by name as well as item number. This avoids confusion if there is a typographical error. Commentary on each item on a letter of intent should be readily distinguishable from commentary on any other item.

c. Commentary Across Multiple Letters. If comments on a single letter of intent are included in more than one letter of comment, this fact should be indicated at the beginning of the relevant commentary on the second (or subsequent) letter of comment. This guarantees that Laurel and other members of the College will be aware that other comments exist.

2. Letters of Response to Comment:

a. Labelling of Letters of Response. Responses made by a kingdom submissions herald to comments should be clearly labelled as such. They must be grouped separately from direct comments on letters of intent, although they may be in the same letter. They may not be included in a letter of intent.

b. Arrangement of Letters of Response. Letters of response should clearly indicate the letter of intent to which they apply (e.g., "Responses to comments on the letter of intent from the Kingdom of the East, dated January 15, 1990") and the commentary to which the responses are addressed.

3. Comments on Comments:

a. Labelling of Comments on Comments. Comments on comments should be clearly labelled as such. They must be grouped separately from direct comments on letters of intent, although they may be in the same letter.

b. Arrangement of Comments on Comments. Any arrangement that makes clear the submission item being discussed and the commentary to which the comments are addressed is acceptable. However, it is strongly recommended that comments on comments be grouped by letter of intent.

D. Distribution of Comments:

1. All commenters must send two copies of their comments to the Laurel Sovereign of Arms; one of these should be an electronic copy via e-mail. A single sided copy may be send to Laurel Sovereign of Arms in place of the electronic copy with prior written permission. The other copy must be a printed copy.

2. Laurel staff commenters must circulate comments to everyone on the mailing list.

3. Other commenters are strongly encouraged to circulate their comments to all members of the mailing list. However, letters of comment must be sent to the following individuals:

a. The Laurel Sovereign of Arms, Pelican Sovereign of Arms, and all Laurel staff commenters.

b. The Principal Herald and Submissions Herald (if applicable) for any kingdom whose letter of intent has been discussed.

c. Any commenter whose comments have been discussed.

4. For those who have access to electronic mail, this may be used as an adjunct or supplement to regular mail. However, e-mail commentary may only be sent to those people who have formally expressed their willingness to accept e-mail commentary in this fashion. An e-mail listing in the roster is not to be considered evidence of such willingness. Note: Sending Laurel a copy by e-mail does not fulfill the requirement of mailing Laurel a printed copy.

E. Content of Comments: As a part of the permanent record of the College, comments should provide a useful contribution to the discussion of submissions.

1. The most valuable comments consist of reasoned arguments, preferably backed by period evidence or Laurel precedent.
2. Personal opinions may be useful, in aiding Laurel in making a decision, but are best used sparingly.
3. Personal attacks, whether on submitters, commenters or any other person, are never appropriate. This does not mean that you may not disagree with someone, even vigorously; merely that you should de so politely and with reference to issues rather than personalities.
4. While occasional humor may be appreciated, ridicule is not appropriate.

VIII. Laurel Office Processing of Submissions

These procedures shall govern the processing of all submissions considered by the Laurel Sovereign of Arms.

A. Scheduling of Submissions - The Laurel Sovereign of Arms shall announce in advance those letters of intent to be considered in a given calendar month. Letters shall be scheduled chronologically using the following rules.

1. Four Month Commenting Period - When a valid letter of intent and packet are received in a timely manner, the letter of intent shall be scheduled for the fourth month following the month in which the letter is dated (e.g., a letter dated in January will be considered in May).

2. Late Distribution - If a letter of intent is not distributed in a timely manner to the appropriate members of the College, it will be scheduled as if dated on the date when it was actually mailed.

3. Delayed Paperwork - No letter of intent shall be scheduled until the Laurel Office receives a complete packet for that letter. Packets received less than six weeks prior to the date of the meeting for which the letter would normally have been scheduled will automatically be postponed. For each month or partial month that elapses between the six week deadline and the time the packet is received, the letter will be postponed one month. If paperwork is delayed excessively, all items on the letter may be returned at Laurel's discretion.

4. Incomplete Paperwork - No letter of intent shall be ruled upon until all administrative requirements have been fulfilled. Any letters that were previously scheduled will be automatically postponed until all requirements have been met. Kingdoms outside the United States may request alternate arrangements for sending fees, as monthly payments are unusually burdensome. If paperwork is delayed excessively, all items on the letter may be returned at Laurel's discretion.

B. Content of Letters of Acceptance and Return - The Laurel Office shall issue a monthly letter of acceptances and returns detailing all actions taken on submissions over the previous month. These letters shall include the following categories of information.

1. Items Accepted for Registration - All registered items, including spelling and blazon corrections to items previously included on a letter of acceptance and return, shall be listed alphabetically by kingdom of origin. Each item shall be given as registered, including the official blazon for all armory. If changes have been made to a submission at Laurel level, the reasons for this change shall be noted. If a registered item was submitted in conjunction with any returned item, this will be noted.

2. Returned Items - All items which have been refused registration shall be listed alphabetically by kingdom of origin. The reasons for return of each item shall be stated as clearly and completely as possible.

3. Pended Items - All items which have been pended for consideration in a future month shall be listed alphabetically by kingdom of origin at the end of each letter. The reason why each item has been pended shall be indicated together with the month to which consideration of the submission has been pended. Items pended for paperwork defects may be pended indefinitely, i.e., until the defect has been rectified.

4. Scheduled Letters of Intent - The cover letter to each letter of acceptance and return shall include a listing of all letters of intent scheduled for future months. A meeting date or commentary deadline date shall be indicated for each month for which letters have been scheduled.

5. Roster Changes - Any changes to the roster of the College of Arms, including changes to the mailing list of commenting members, shall be noted in the cover letter to the letter of acceptances and returns. The Laurel Office shall periodically include in the letter a full roster of the College.

6. Rules Changes - Any proposed changes to the actual wording of the rules governing the content and form of submissions must be published for comment in the cover letter to the letter of acceptances and returns or in a letter of intent prepared by a designated Laurel staff member. No action may be taken on the proposed changes until after adequate time for commentary (normally 3-4 months or more) following the publication of the proposal. If adopted, the change must then be published in full in the cover letter together with any information needed for its implementation.

7. Precedents - All precedents affecting interpretation of the rules governing the content and form of submissions must be published in a letter of acceptance and return. Precedents may appear in conjunction with the relevant submission or may be included in the cover letter. If included in the body of the letter of acceptance and return, important precedents should be summarized in the cover letter.

8. Administrative Communications and Policy Changes - Any changes in administrative rules or procedures must be published in a cover letter to the letter of acceptances and returns. General administrative communications from the Laurel Office may also be so published.

9. General Information - Information of general interest to the membership of the College of Arms and other senior heralds may be published in the cover letter to the letter of acceptances and returns.

C. Availability of Letters of Acceptance and Return - Letters of acceptance and return shall be made generally available by the Laurel Office. Subscribers shall be divided into the following categories.

1. Ex Officio Subscribers - All rostered members of the College of Arms, all members of the Board of Directors and the Registrar of the Society shall be considered Ex Officio Subscribers and receive the letters of acceptance and return without fee.

2. Ordinary Subscribers - Any member of the Society who does not qualify as an Ex Officio Subscriber may become an Ordinary Subscriber upon payment of the appropriate fee to the Laurel Office. Subscription fees shall be based on the cost of publication, including printing and postage. Checks for subscription should be made out to the SOCIETY FOR CREATIVE ANACHRONISM - COLLEGE OF ARMS. This fee is currently twenty-five dollars a year. Any member of the Society may subscribe to electronic copies of the Letters of Acceptance and Return without charge; contact the Laurel office for subscription information.

Administrative Duties

IX. Laurel Sovereign of Arms

A. Reporting Requirements - The Laurel Sovereign of Arms is responsible either directly or through deputies for rendering the following reports:

1. Annual Report - An annual report on the state of heraldry in the Society must be rendered to the Board of Directors and the Registrar at the second quarter Board meeting. This report must include a detailed accounting of the condition of each kingdom as well as a survey of events which have occurred over the previous calendar year.

2. Annual Financial Report - An annual financial report must be forwarded to the Society Treasurer as part of the annual tax reporting process. Deadlines and required information for this report shall be determined by the policies of the Treasurer's Office.

3. Quarterly Report - A quarterly report must be rendered to the Board of Directors and Registrar prior to each Board meeting. This report should include a general summary of any issues currently before the College as well as any administrative situations or issues of which the Board should be aware.

4. Special Project Reports - Reports on special projects to the Board of Directors, to the College of Arms or to the membership of the Society may be required as circumstances and the needs of the Society warrant.

B. Record-keeping Requirements - The Laurel Sovereign of Arms or duly designated deputies shall maintain any records necessary for the maintenance of heraldry in the Society. Such records shall include the following categories of data.

1. Compilations of Reference Material - The Laurel Office shall be responsible for the orderly maintenance of any compilations of reference material necessary for submissions processing and administration of heraldry in the Society. Such references may include but are not limited to an Armorial and/or Ordinary of Registered Items, compilations of Laurel precedents, lists of authorized branch designations, titles, orders and heraldic titles, etc.

2. Submissions Forms - The Laurel Office shall maintain a repository of original submission paperwork for all submitted items. Such paperwork will be retained with any forms or supporting documentation forwarded from the kingdom or provided by any other source.

3. Submissions Correspondence - A clean copy of each piece of correspondence dealing with submissions shall be retained in the files of the Laurel Office. Such correspondence may include letters of intent, letters of commentary, letters of response and any other correspondence with the Laurel Office which may refer to submissions.

4. Administrative Correspondence - Copies of all administrative correspondence shall be maintained in the Laurel files. Such correspondence will include warrants for Principal Heralds and deputies as well as any letters or other correspondence without direct reference to submissions.

5. Financial Records - The Laurel Sovereign of Arms or a duly designated deputy shall keep financial records which will allow prompt filing of the required financial reports as well as accurate tracking of the funds of the Laurel Office. Such records will include detailed records of submission fees and other monies transferred from official branches, subscription fees for letters of acceptance and return and other publications, expenditures by the Laurel Office, etc.

C. Supervisory Duties - The Laurel Sovereign of Arms is required to exercise such supervisory power as is necessary to ensure the smooth functioning of heraldry in the Society. In particular, the Laurel Sovereign monitors the performance of the following categories of heraldic officers.

1. Principal Heralds - The Principal Herald of each kingdom shall be jointly warranted by the Crown and the Laurel Sovereign. The Laurel Sovereign shall monitor the performance of the Principal Herald and any relevant deputies to ensure that they meet the administrative and submissions processing standards outlined in these rules.

2. Laurel Staff Deputies - The Laurel Sovereign shall warrant any necessary staff deputies with the approval of the Board of Directors and shall monitor their performance as required. Such deputies may fall into several administrative categories. Their duties will be established as Laurel sees fit.

a. Permanent Administrative Deputies - Staff members who perform specified duties on a permanent basis (e.g., the Morsulus Herald who maintains the Armorial and Ordinary database). The duties for Laurel's major deputy, who shall have the title Pelican Sovereign of ARms, are summarized in Appendix G, which will be revised as Pelican's duties change.

b. Commenting Deputies - Permanent deputies whose only permanent duty is submissions commentary within the College of Arms.

c. Special Projects Staff - Temporary staff who perform special projects for the Laurel Office, such as precedents collation, publications editing, etc. Such staff need not be specifically warranted by the Laurel Sovereign if they normally hold heraldic warrants from a kingdom or other official branch.

D. Ceremonial Duties - The Laurel Sovereign shall preside over Known World Heraldic Symposia and other Society-wide heraldic gatherings, as required, and perform any ceremonial duties that shall be demanded by the Board of Directors.

E. Miscellaneous Duties - The Laurel Sovereign shall be responsible, either directly or through designated deputies, for performing any miscellaneous duties required for the furtherance of heraldry in the Society. These include but are not limited to the following areas.

1. Rules and Policy Revision - The Laurel Sovereign, in conjunction with the College of Arms, shall make necessary emendations to the rules for submission and the administrative handbook.

2. Encouragement of Research - The Laurel Office shall foster and encourage research into the period use of heraldry through publications, special research projects, etc.

3. Advice on Heraldic Matters - The Laurel Sovereign shall advise the Board of Directors and, when requested, the Crowns of the several kingdoms on matters of heraldic practice, precedence, tradition, etc.

X. Principal Herald

A. Reporting Requirements - The Principal Herald of each kingdom is responsible either directly or through deputies for rendering the following reports:

1. Annual Report - An annual report on the state of heraldry in the kingdom must be rendered to the Laurel Sovereign of Arms no later than February 15. This report must include a detailed accounting of the condition of the kingdom as well as a survey of events which have occurred over the previous calendar year, a financial report and a current roster of all warranted heralds.

2. Annual Financial Report - An annual financial report must be forwarded to the kingdom exchequer as part of the annual tax reporting process. Deadlines and required information for this report shall be determined by the policies of the Treasurer's Office.

3. Quarterly Report - A quarterly report must be rendered to the Laurel Office so a report may be prepared for the Board. To meet with the Board's meeting schedule, these reports will be due the end of February, the end of May, the end of August and the end of November. This report should include a general summary of any issues or occurrences of note in the kingdom as well as a current roster of all warranted heralds. With the prior consent of the Laurel Sovereign of Arms, regular written monthly reports may be substituted for the quarterly report.

4. Reports to Crown and Curia - As kingdom law and custom require, reports should be circulated to the Crown and officers of the kingdom to keep them informed of the state of the herald's office. If law and custom permits, this requirement may be fulfilled by sending copies of the reports to the Laurel Office to the relevant royalty and officers.

B. Record-keeping Requirements - The Principal Herald or an appropriate deputy shall maintain any records necessary for the maintenance of heraldry in their kingdom. Such records shall include the following categories of data.

1. Submissions Forms - The Principal Herald or submissions deputy shall maintain a repository of original submission paperwork for all submitted items. Such paperwork must include any forms or supporting documentation provided by the submitter and his/her representatives.

2. Submissions Correspondence - A clean copy of each piece of correspondence dealing with submissions shall be retained in the kingdom files. Such correspondence may include internal and external letters of intent, letters of commentary, letters of response, letters of notification and any other correspondence referring to submissions.

3. Administrative Correspondence - Copies of all administrative correspondence shall be maintained in the kingdom files. Such correspondence will include rosters for all warranted heralds as well as any letters or other correspondence without direct reference to submissions.

4. Financial Records - The Principal Herald or a designated deputy shall keep financial records which will allow prompt filing of the required financial reports as well as accurate tracking of the funds of the kingdom's College of Heralds. Such records will include detailed records of submission fees and other monies transferred from official branches, donations, miscellaneous income, expenditures by the Principal Herald and deputies, etc.

C. Supervisory Duties - The Principal Herald is required to exercise oversight over deputies and territorial heralds to ensure the smooth functioning of heraldry in the kingdom. The responsibilities and restrictions governing such oversight may be governed by kingdom law and custom. However, in all cases, it shall include the responsibility for the warranting and training of appropriate heraldic officers for all necessary positions and sufficient to ensure that the customary range of heraldic services is easily available in all parts of the kingdom. The Principal Herald is authorized to determine what heraldic titles will be submitted for registration and by which officers they will be used in the kingdom and all its subsidiary branches.

D. Ceremonial Duties - The Principal Herald shall be generally responsible for the conduct of ceremonies within the kingdom. In particular, the Principal Herald or a responsible deputy shall perform any ceremonial duties required by kingdom law and custom or requested by the Crown.

E. Miscellaneous Duties - The Principal Herald shall be responsible, either directly or through designated deputies, for performing any miscellaneous duties required for the furtherance of heraldry within the kingdom. As kingdom law and custom require or the Crown requests, this may include service on Curia, diplomatic service, service on Courts of Chivalry and other courts, etc.

XI. Subsidiary Heraldic Offices

The Principal Herald of each kingdom may structure subsidiary heraldic offices in the manner which will best fulfill the duties of the office and seems most appropriate to the other needs of the kingdom, subject only to the requirements of kingdom law and custom. A published statement of the rights and responsibilities of subsidiary heralds is strongly recommended. The outline of the duties of subsidiary heralds given below is based upon the experience of heralds in several kingdoms and is provided only as a sample document.

XII. Principality/Regional Herald

A. Reporting Requirements - As required by kingdom and/or principality law and custom, a Principality/Regional Herald may be responsible either directly or through deputies for rendering the following reports:

1. Financial Reports - Financial reports must be filed according to the policies established by the Principal Herald and the Kingdom Exchequer.

2. Other Reports - Other reports shall be rendered to the Principal Herald, the Crown, the Coronet and other officers as kingdom and/or principality law and custom demand.

B. Record-keeping Requirements - A Principality/Regional Herald or an appropriate deputy shall maintain any records necessary for the maintenance of heraldry in the principality/region. Such records may include the following categories of data.

1. Submissions Forms - If submissions are processed by the Principality/Regional Herald or a submissions deputy, a repository of original submission paperwork shall be maintained for all items submitted through the office. Such paperwork should include any forms or supporting documentation provided by the submitter and his/her representatives.

2. Submissions Correspondence - A clean copy of any correspondence dealing with submissions shall be retained in the principality/regional files. Such correspondence may include internal and/or external letters of intent, letters of commentary, letters of response, letters of notification and any other correspondence referring to submissions.

3. Administrative Correspondence - Copies of all administrative correspondence shall be maintained in the principality/ regional files. Such correspondence may include rosters for warranted heralds in the principality/region as well as any letters or other correspondence without direct reference to submissions.

4. Financial Records - Financial records shall be maintained in accordance with policies set by the Principal Herald and the Kingdom Exchequer.

C. Supervisory Duties - A Principality/Regional Herald may exercise oversight over deputies and territorial heralds as required to ensure the smooth functioning of heraldry in the principality/region. The responsibilities and restrictions governing such oversight shall be determined by kingdom and/or principality law and custom and the policies established by the Principal Herald.

D. Ceremonial Duties - Where kingdom and/or principality law and custom or the policies of the Principal Herald allow, a Principality/ Regional Herald shall be generally responsible for the conduct of ceremonies within the principality/region. In particular, a Principality Herald or a responsible deputy shall perform any ceremonial duties required by principality law and custom or requested by the Coronet.

E. Miscellaneous Duties - A Principality/Regional Herald shall be responsible, either directly or through designated deputies, for performing any miscellaneous duties required for the furtherance of heraldry within the principality/region. As principality law and custom require or a Coronet requests, this may include service on Curia, diplomatic service, etc.

XIII. Local Heralds and Heralds at Large

A. Reporting Requirements - Local heralds and heralds at large, where permitted by kingdom and/or principality law and custom and the policies of the Principal Herald, may be responsible either directly or through deputies for rendering the following reports:

1. Financial Reports - Financial reports must be filed according to the policies established by the Principal Herald and the Kingdom Exchequer.

2. Other Reports - Other reports shall be rendered to the Principal Herald, the Crown, the Coronet and other officers as kingdom and/or principality law and custom demand.

B. Record-keeping Requirements - A local herald or herald at large shall maintain any records required by kingdom and/or principality law and custom. Such records may include the following categories of data.

1. Submissions Forms - If submissions are processed by the local herald or herald at large, a repository of original submission paperwork shall be maintained for all items submitted through the office. Such paperwork should include any forms or supporting documentation provided by the submitter and his/her representatives.

2. Submissions and Administrative Correspondence - A clean copy of each piece of correspondence shall be retained in the files.

3. Financial Records - Financial records shall be maintained in accordance with policies set by the Principal Herald and the Kingdom Exchequer.

C. Ceremonial Duties - Local heralds and heralds at large shall be generally responsible for the conduct of ceremonies as decreed by kingdom and/or principality law and custom or the policies of the Principal Herald.

D. Miscellaneous Duties - Local heralds and heralds at large shall be responsible for performing any miscellaneous duties required for the furtherance of heraldry within the branch.

Appendix A - Corpora on the Office of Laurel Sovereign and the College of Arms

C. LAUREL SOVEREIGN OF ARMS AND THE COLLEGE OF ARMS

1. Laurel Sovereign of Arms. The Laurel Sovereign of Arms (Laurel) is the principal heraldic officer of the Society and the head of the College of Arms. Laurel is responsible for fostering the study and practice of heraldry, and for establishing rules and making determinations regarding names and armory, royal and noble titles, and geographical designations to be approved for use in the Society.

2. College of Arms. The College of Arms of the Society consists of the Principal Heralds of the kingdoms and such other persons as Laurel may deem to be of assistance. It aids Laurel in studying historical heraldic usage, developing heraldic rules for the Society's use, and reviewing individual items prior to their registration for use in the Society.

3. Heraldic Administration.

a. Standards of difference and other rules. Laurel shall define standards suitable to the type of item to be registered, and apply them uniformly to all such submissions. These standards shall be designed to support the historical re-creations of the Society and to provide sufficient difference from names and armory registered within the Society to avoid undue confusion, to avoid the appearance of unearned honors or false claims, and to provide sufficient difference from historical or fictional personages to prevent offense due to obvious usurpation of identity or armory. Members are encouraged to develop unique, historically valid names and armory.

b. Any item once registered shall remain registered unless the owner requests its release, and shall be accepted in the Society for the person for whom it was registered without regard to changes in the rules and standards applied to future submissions, or to the membership status of the owner.

c. The standards and rules employed by Laurel and the College of Arms shall be published so that participants in Society activities can obtain copies for their own reference. The Armorial and Ordinary listing registered names and armory shall also be made available to the membership.

d. Laurel shall ensure that fees for the Society's heraldic publications and for its services in registering names and armory are sufficient to cover the cost of such services, both at the corporate level and within the kingdoms.

Appendix B - Standard Designations for Society Branches

The following designations have been defined as standard in Corpora and may be used by Society branches meeting the requirements for that particular type of branch as stated in Corpora:

Kingdom
Principality
Barony
Province
Shire
Canton
Riding
College
Stronghold
Port

Appendix C - Corpora on Titles in the Society

C. Titles

1. Prohibition of Landed Titles. "Landedness in the Society is an attribute of the Crown, the Coronet, and the territorial Barons and Baronesses. Other titles within the Society do not confer land, and no form of any title shall be taken or used which states or implies ownership or control of any geographic, demographic or sociographic area within or external to the Society in any sense, medieval or otherwise.

2. Reservation of Titles. The Board reserves unto itself the right to define the circumstances for which new titles of rank may be granted and to coin any such titles either for general use or for specific individuals. A specific title granted by the Board upon just petition is unique to each case and does not make that title valid for any other use or person within the Society.

3. Standard and Alternate Titles. The Society's standard titles are defined in Appendix C.[of Corpora]. The Society recognizes that equivalent titles from other cultures may be more appropriate for individual members. Such alternate titles may be used by those entitled to the rank or award associated with them, provided the College of Arms has ruled that the title in question is an equivalent for the title or award in question, OR the Board has specifically granted permission for an alternate usage which has not been ruled an equivalent by the College of Arms. Board rulings apply only to the situations for which they were made, and do not provide a precedent for related alternate titles. All standard and alternate titles are specific to the Society, and convey no rank or precedence outside it. They may be used in a Society context only by those who have achieved the appropriate rank or award within the Society. (See IV.C.)

4. Styles and Unrecognized Titles. Names and terms that imply relationships between Society members (such as apprentice, page, squire, etc.) or that carry vocational connotations (religious, military, scholarly) may be used in the Society on an informal basis, subject to the following restrictions:

a. They must not assert or imply noble rank or territorial jurisdiction.

b. They must not be offensive in themselves or in the context in which they are used.

c. They may carry no precedence and must not be used in any manner which would suggest that they do so.

Corpora Appendix C: On Titles of Rank

The titles listed here are considered standard, and may be used by those who have earned or been granted the appropriate rank or award within the Society. The College of Arms publishes a more extensive list of titles and alternate forms, which may also be used freely by qualified persons. In addition, the College of Arms has full approval authority over new alternative titles, which must be added to their list before being released for use in the Society.

TITLE (m./f./collective)	Rank or Award

King/Queen/Crown	Rulers of a kingdom.
Crown Prince/Crown Princess/(Royal)Coronet	Heirs to the Crown.
Prince/Princess/Coronet	Rulers of a principality.
Duke/Duchess/-	Persons who have reigned over a kingdom 2 or more times. The title is assumed at the end of the second complete reign.
Count/Countess/-	Persons who have once reigned over a kingdom. The title is assumed at the end of the first complete reign.
Viscount/Viscountess/-	Persons who have reigned over a principality. The title is assumed at the end of the first complete reign.
Master/Mistress/-	Members of the Order of the Laurel, the Pelican and, Mastery of Arms.
Sir/Sir/-	Members of the Order of Knighthood. Note that most women who are members of the order have chosen to use "Sir".
Baron (of Placename)/Baroness (of placename)/-	Ceremonial heads of a barony.
(Court) Baron/(Court)Baroness/-	Armigerous titles awarded at the discretion of the Crown. The word "Court" is often left out when referring to this title.
Lord/Lady/-	Basic title for persons who hold Arms by Award or Grant.
"my lord"/"my lady"/"good gentles"	These are general forms of address rather than titles. They are properly used informally, or any time the speaker does not know another form that would be more appropriate for the listener.
Master of (jobname)/Mistress of (jobname)/-	Alternates for "Minister of (jobname)". As with the standard designations for an office, these are not personal titles, and should in no case be abbreviated or prefixed to the officer's personal name.

Appendix D - Suggested Standard Form Letters

Permission to Conflict

I, [Name], known in the SCA as ([Society name]) give [Name of submitter], known in the SCA as ([Society name of submitter]) permission for [his/her] armory "[Blazon of submission]" to look similar to, but not identical to, my armory, "[Blazon of registered armory]". I understand that this permission cannot be withdrawn once [name of submitter]'s armory is registered.

[Date] [Signature of [Name]]

Blanket Permission to Conflict

I, [Name], known in the SCA as ([Society name]) waive the full protection of my registered (name "[Registered name]"|armory "[Blazon of registered armory]"). I grant permission to any future submitter to register a (name|armory) that is (not identical to|at least one countable step different from) my registered (name|armory). I understand that this permission can be withdrawn by written notice to the Laurel Sovereign of Arms, but that conflicting items registered while it is in force will remain registered.

[Date] [Signature of [Name]]

Heraldic Will

I [Legal name of owner], known in the Society for Creative Anachronism, Incorporated (SCA) as [SCA name of owner] leave to [legal name of heraldic heir], known in the SCA as [SCA name of heraldic heir, if any] my armory registered in the SCA, blazoned as [blazon of armory].

I [Legal name of owner], known in the Society for Creative Anachronism, Incorporated (SCA) as [SCA name of owner] release the following names and armory registered to me in the SCA [insert list of all names or armories to be released]

[Date] [Signature of [Name]]

Petition for Registration of Group Name and Device

We the undersigned members and officers of ([Society branch name]) affirm that we approve of the submission of the branch name ([Society branch name submitted]) and device, ([blazon]), pictured below.

[Date] [Signatures of [Crowned Head, if applicable]]

[Date] [Signatures of [Officers or Populace]]

Appendix E – Financial Policy of the Laurel Sovereign of Arms Office

Introduction

The following Financial Policy serves as an addendum to and is subject to the requirements set forth by the Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc. Financial Policy and governing documents. The Laurel Sovereign of Arms Financial Policy should be reviewed yearly and at the start of each Laurel Sovereign of Arms warrant. This policy will be included as an appendix to the Administrative Handbook of the College of Arms.

Bank Account Identification and Structure

The accounts of the Laurel office will be setup in compliance with SCA Financial Policy. A single signature account may be allowed with appropriate controls being defined and with the approval of the Society Exchequer.

Signatories

The Laurel Sovereign of Arms, College Chancellor of the Exchequer and Society Chancellor of the Exchequer shall all be signatories on the Laurel accounts. Additional signatories may be added if useful.

Segregation of Duties

A Chancellor of the Exchequer will be appointed and warranted by the Laurel Sovereign of Arms and the Society Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Disbursement controls will be implemented sufficient to discourage misappropriation of funds and to ensure proper record keeping.

Financial Records

The College Exchequer will provide to Laurel on a quarterly basis, copies of documents and disks that would allow for the reconstruction of the Laurel office’s books.

Financial Reporting and Disclosure

The College Chancellor of the Exchequer will provide a report each quarter and at year-end to Laurel for review and signature. These reports are for financial activity in the College and include a status report for accounts held by the Laurel office. The signed reports will be forwarded by Laurel to the Society Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Laurel will review the reconciled bank statements monthly.

A copy of the Comparative Balance Sheet and Income/Expense Statement from the annual report will be distributed to the College of Arms annually.

Financial Committee and Expense Authorization Policy

The Financial committee is responsible for establishment of a financial policy, creation of an annual budget and approval of expenditures outside the annual budget.

The Financial Committee will consist of at least Laurel Sovereign of Arms, the deputy Sovereigns of Arms and the College Chancellor of the Exchequer. The committee will consist of a minimum of 3 members.

Approval requires a positive response from a majority of the members of the Financial Committee. In the case of a tie Laurel’s response counts as the tie breaking vote.

The College Financial Committee will approve the budget for the following year by September 30th of the current year. (For example, the 2004 budget will be approved by September 30th, 2003). The budget should include the funds for the operation of the College including the publication of the Letters of Acceptances and Returns, travel expenses and supplies required for the operation of the College. Funds from approved budgets can be disbursed without first contacting the financial committee for re-approval.

Fully documented receipts must be provided to support all expenses. This rule applies to anyone expecting reimbursements. For College Business, the College Financial Committee must approve all unbudgeted expenditures in advance. The College Financial Committee on a case-by-case basis will handle emergency situations.

Travel Expenses

A Travel Fund shall be established and budgeted to support the operation of the Laurel office. The fund shall be maintained in two parts:

Travel to KWHS

A budgeted amount will be set aside to reimburse the travel expenses of the Laurel and deputy Sovereigns of Arms to attend the annual meeting of the College of Arms, Known World Heraldic Symposium. Any funds remaining at the end of the year will be added into the next year’s amount up to a maximum of $4000.

Other travel

Other travel would include travel required in the execution of the office such as to Kingdom heraldic symposia and interkingdom wars. Use of these funds is subject to Financial Committee approval prior to the travel. Funds remaining at the end of the year are returned to the general fund.

Appendix F - Names Sources to Be Avoided in Documentation

The books in this (non-comprehensive) list "should be regarded with deep suspicion, and avoided wherever possible" (Cover Letter, 8 June 85, p.4) for the purposes of documenting names in the SCA. This is not to say that these books are "bad" books for the purposes for which they werewritten; only that they are not good sources for the purpose of documenting names for registration in the SCA.

In addition to the books named specifically on this list, others which should be avoided are *any* by Alfred J. Kolatch, and most books with the word "baby" or "children" in the title or books of the "what to name your baby in [language]" type. The only regular exceptions to this last are: Heini Gruffudd's Welsh Names for Children, which is a paperbound edition of his more scholarly work; items therein containing dates may be presumed to be accurate. Items therein without dates may be presumed to be modern for purposes of the SCA. Woulfe's Irish Names for Children is also a good name source. It includes much information concerning Saint's names (which can be assumed to be period) as well as `ancient' names (which may also be assumed to be period).

Arthur, Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names "[Arthur] is not a reliable source, being a rather old volume of the `what to name your baby' and `what does you family name mean' variety." (LoAR 30 Apr 89, p. 2)

Coghlan, Ronan, Irish First Names "Coghlan is extremely untrustworthy and should not be used." (Talan Gwynek, Millrind, Vol. VIII, Issue 2, p. 3)

Coghlan, Ronan, Ida Grehan and P.W. Joyce, Book of Irish Names "The Book of Irish Names is an abysmal SCA source, particularly its discussion of first names, which is a description of modern (20th century) Irish naming practices." (Ensign [Cateline de la Mor la souriete] LoC, 17 February 1996)

Dellquest, Augustus Wilfrid, These Names of Ours: A Book of Surnames (New York: Thomas Y. Crowell) "Please add Augustus Wilfrid Dellquest's These Names of Ours: A Book of Surnames... to the list of books that are not acceptable as documentation." (LoAR 16 Sep 1995, p. 10)

Dunkling, Leslie and William Gosling, The New American Dictionary of First Names "The focus of the book is on recent English and American usage, which reduces its usefulness to us..." (Cover Letter 29 Sep 85, p. 3)

Hanks and Hodges, Dictionary of First Names "Very few of the entries have dates of any kind. There are many modern forms included in the entries. There are even, as there are in many general works of this kind, some errors, sometimes quite glaring." (LoAR Nov 1994, p. 20)

Hanks and Hodges, Dictionary of Surnames "Very few of the entries have dates of any kind. There are many modern forms included in the entries. There are even, as there are in many general works of this kind, some errors, sometimes quite glaring." (LoAR Nov 1994, p. 20)

Kolatch, Alfred J., The Jonathan David Dictionary of First Names "Kolatch, ... is notorious for its lack of interest in drawing distinctions between traditional and modern names. (LoAR 25 Jan 87, p. 19). "As has been noted before, Kolatch is a modern baby-name book, and as a source of information is completely unreliable." (LoAR 18 May 86, p. 11)

Loughead, Flora Gaines, Dictionary of Given Names "[I]t is worthless for our purposes." (LoAR 16 Sep 95, p. 8). "[Loughead] is very unreliable." (LoAR 29 Apr 90, p.15)

Partridge, Eric, Name This Child: A Dictionary of Modern British and American Given or Christian Names "Virtually no dates are given for any names, which is problematic for our purposes..." (LoAR 31 Mar 90, p.3)

Smith, Elsdon, New Dictionary of American Family Names "Elsdon Smith's New Dictionary of American Family Names [is] a most untrustworthy source." (LoAR Aug 92, p. 23)

Wells, Evelyn, A Treasury of Names (also published under the title What to Name the Baby "Wells ... is not a very good source." (LoAR 26 Mar 89, p. 1)

Yonge, Charlotte, History of Christian Names "Yonge is no longer considered a trustworthy source. Her main strength is the breadth of languages she covered; for many of those languages (including French) she has been superceded by by far more reliable works." (LoAR Sep 92, p. 6)

The New Age Baby Name Book

Theresa Norman, Names through the Ages "The name lists are utterly unreliable." (Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn, SCAHRLDS)

Appendix G - Role of the Deputy Sovereigns of Arms

Laurel may appoint deputy sovereigns of arms to assist in the performance of the duties of the office. The heraldic titles available for the deputies are Pelican Sovereign of Arms and Wreath Sovereign of Arms. The specific duties of the deputies must be published in the cover letter of a Letter of Acceptances and Returns.

The duties of Pelican and Wreath may include one or more of the following:

Administrative duties

Maintaining the mailing list and roster of the College of Arms
Monitoring the performance of College of Arms members with regard to Laurel office requirements for producing letters of intent, letters of comments, and reporting
Notifying College of Arms members, their kingdom heralds, kingdom seneschals, and Crowns when they are not in compliance with Laurel office requirements
Removing any such non-complying COA members from the mailing list and/or roster as necessary
Preparing quarterly reports, in consultation with Laurel, to the Board on the status of the College of Arms

Submissions-related duties

Making decisions for a pre-defined part of the submissions, e.g. either name submissions or armory submissions
Making decisions on appeals of returns by Laurel Sovereign of Arms

Other duties

Performing any other tasks as assigned by the Laurel Sovereign of Arms

Appendix H - Name Books That Do Not Require Photocopies to Laurel

This is a list of "standard books" that do not require photocopies to be sent to Laurel. The Laurel office and several kingdom heraldic offices have copies of all of these books, and urges the Kingdom Colleges to acquire copies of any they do not have. Note: The LoI must contain the header name and page number and edition of the book in which the reference name is found. In addition, all articles found on www.sca.org/heraldry do not require photocopies.

Arval Benicoeur and Marten Bröker, "Heraldry", Compleat Anachronist #22
Bahlow, Hans. Deutsches Nameslexikon. (also the translation by Edda Gentry)
Bahlow, Hans. Deutschland Geographiche Namenwelt.
Bardsley, Charles, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames
Black, George F. The Surnames of Scotland.
Brault, Gerald J. Early Blazon.
Brechenmacher, Josef Karlmann. Etmologisches Wuurterbuch der Deutschen Familiennamen
Brooke-Little, J.P. An Heraldic Alphabet.
Bruce Draconarius of Mistholme and Akagawa Yoshio, A Pictorial Dictionary of Heraldry
Da'ud ibn Auda, Compleat Anachronist #51, The Islamic World.
Dauzat, Albert. Dictionnaire Etymologique des Noms de Famille et des Pr noms de France.
Dauzat, Albert and Rostaing. Dictionnaire Etymologique des Noms de Lieux de la France
Diez Melcon, R. P. Gonzalo. Apellidos Castellano-Leoneses.
Ekwall, Eilert. The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Place-names.
De Felice, Emidio. dizionario dei cognomi italiani.
De Felice, Emidio. dizionario dei nomi italiani
Foster, Joseph. The Dictionary of Heraldry: Feudal Coats of Arms and Pedigrees
Fox-Davies, A. The Art of Heraldry.
Fox-Davies, A. The Complete Guide to Heraldry.
Fucilla, Joseph G. Our Italian Surnames
Geirr Bassi Haraldsson. The Old Norse Name
Gruffudd, Heini. Welsh Personal Names.
Johnston, James R. Place-Names of Scotland
MacLysaght, Edward. The Surnames of Ireland.
Mills, A. D., A Dictionary of English Place-Names.
Morgan, Peadar. Ainmean Chloinne: Scottish Gaelic Names for Children
Morgan, T.J., & Morgan, Prys. Welsh Surnames
Morlet, Maire-Therese. Dictionaire Étymologique de Noms de Famille
Morlet, Marie-Therese. Les Noms de Personne sur le Territoire de L'Ancienne Gaule du VI au XII Si.
Neubecker, Ottfried. Heraldry: Sources, Symbols and Meaning.
The Oxford English Dictionary
Ó Corrain, Donnchadh & Maguire, Fidelma. Irish Names
Papworth, John W. Papworth's Ordinary of British Armorials.
Parker, James, A Glossary of Terms used in Heraldry
Paul Wickenden of Thanet, A Dictionary of Period Russian Names
Reaney, P.H. and R. M. Wilson A Dictionary of English Surnames.
Room, Adrian. A Dictionary of Irish Place-Names.
Searle, William George. Onomasticon Anglo-Saxonicum.
Socin, Adolf. Mittelhochdeutsches Namenbuch.
Solveig Throndardottir, Name Construction in Mediaeval Japan
Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn, Compleat Anachronist #66, A Welsh Miscellany.
von Volborth, Carl-Alexander. Heraldry: Customs, Rules and Styles.
Withycombe, E.G. Oxford Dictionary of Christian Names.
Woodward, John and Burnett, George. Woodward's Treatise on Heraldry British and Foreign.
Woulfe, Patrick. Sloinnte Gaedheal is Gall: Irish Names and Surnames.
All KWHS Proceedings

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