[MR] [HERALDRY] Laurel RETURN for July, 2002

[Gorm of Berra]

Unto the Crown, Peers, and Populace of Atlantia does Gorm of Berra, 
Golden Dolphin Herald, send greetings:

At his meetings in July, 2002, Laurel considered the following items; 
Unfortunately, he was unable to register them, and therefore RETURNED 
them for further work.  In all cases, the submitters have received (or 
will soon be receiving) letters with detailed explanations of the 
reasons for the return, and they will have one year from the date of 
those letters to submit revised items.

Bright Hills, Barony of. Badge. (Fieldless) A hare-headed man argent 
statant to sinister vested azure cocking a crossbow proper.

    The primary charge was blazoned on the letter of intent as a
    hare-headed man, and blazoned by the submitter as a hare. The charge
    has a hare's feet and head but a man's proportions. This is a style
    of drollery which is found in period art, but no documentation has
    been presented for such a charge in period heraldry. Most of the
    commentary received on this submission indicated that it was
    difficult to identify the charge. As a result, this may not be
    accepted without either documentation for such a charge in heraldry,
    or a redrawing so that the charge is clearly either a hare-headed
    man or a hare.

    The commentary was secondarily concerned with the difficulty of
    blazoning the posture of the creature. He is holding the crossbow so
    that it is inverted and against the "ground". He has put one hind
    foot behind the bow (presumably, in a stirrup) to hold the bow down
    while he pulls the bowstring back (which is to say, upwards). This
    is a reasonable natural posture for a period person to have taken
    while cocking a crossbow, but it is not clear whether it is an
    acceptable heraldic posture. We have used this term in the blazon
    above, but decline to rule at this time on whether it is an
    acceptable heraldic posture.