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Re: The Real Story from Kofryna the Goatherd... (fwd)




Poster: clevin@ripco.com (Craig Levin)

Virgil:

>   As for a goatherds naturally having goats on their device.  I do not 
> believe that traditionally this was the case.  Device did not generally 
> relate to one's name or occupation...though I suppose maybe some could be
> nicknamed after it?  Would someone with real knowledge like to step in 
> now?

Well...The best answer is yes and no. In general, goatherds
weren't the sorts of people who'd be using a coat of arms-though,
I note, it wasn't at all rare for rich but ignoble people to
assume arms and use them. Arms, by and large, were taken up
because:

1) they were a ticket to a higher social status. Being forced to
disclaim one's arms was a severe blow to a person's standing in
his locality.

2) they gave you a bond-real or ficticious-with a "real" armiger.
Many vassals took their lord's coat of arms and differenced it to
show that they were of his _familia_-his household.

3) they look good. Just because our aesthetic senses might have a
problem with them is our burden, not theirs.

Now, on occasion, someone would adopt arms that would make a pun
on his _surname_-the classic example are the pikefish (in French,
luces) on the de Lucy coat of arms. These are called canting
arms. Also, it was normal for a guild, when it took up arms, to
include a representation of the trade's patron saint or the tools
of their craft.

Pedro de Alcazar, AoA
Barony of Storvik, Atlantia
Pursuivant Extraordinary and Junior Minion
Or, six Castles Vert within a Bordure Gules Bezantty
-- 
http://pages.ripco.com:8080/~clevin/index.html 
clevin@ripco.com
Craig Levin
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