Beginning Heraldry

Heralds are the tech support guys of the SCA, with their own language, their own culture and their own, reinforced opinions of what goobers the rest of us are. I’m going to give you some insight into that world.

First, there are three types of Heraldry: Book, Field and Voice. Let’s look at Field first, because it’s easiest and is a good lead in to Voice.

Field Heraldry:

Field Heraldry is what those folks do during tourneys who are announcing the pairings. There are a few rules to do this correctly.

1. Write the names on the cards phonetically. If the List Mistress has not done this, go over to the person and find out how to pronounce their name, then write it out yourself. Ask them by what title they wish to be called for this tourney. Many folks have several titles and if you don’t ask, you could be there a while rolling them off. Set up your pairings in an L-order so you can tell where your pairings begin and end.
2. When you walk out onto the field, you’ll take control of an eric. That eric will be your work area. When no other Heralds are yelling, pull out your pairings and open your mouth. Now, the art of heraldic shouting means speaking from the diaphragm, just like singing. Otherwise, your voice will give out about halfway through your second round and you throat will be sore.
3. Proclaim the name of your eric, then state the round and that these are the pairings. Start with the folks fighting first, and go through who they are battling. Continue until you have gone through your entire stack of pairings. Tell the first pairing to take the field, and the second pairing to arm and stand ready. Then shut up so another herald can announce their pairings.
4. When all the other heralds are done announcing their pairings, it will be time to start the round. Your first fighters will enter the eric and the Marshals will be looking at you to start the fight. Most tourneys only do what is called the Salute the first round. The Salute goes like this:
5. “My Lords and Ladies, here in the (blank) eric in the First round of the (blank) Tourney do meet in honorable combat (Higher Ranked Fighter) and (Other Fighter). Combatants, please salute ye the Crown of Artemisia. (Bow to the Crown.) Salute the one for whom you fight this day. (Acknowledge your own consort.) Salute your Noble and Most Worthy Opponent. (They bow to each other.) And at the Marshal’s command you may begin.” Then, get out of the eric.
6. When the fight is over, the Marshals will point their staves at one of the fighters. Announce the victor and then tell the next fighters to take the field, and the next pairing to arm and stand ready. Hand the pairing cards to the Runner assigned to your eric with the victor on top. A Runner is the person who takes your pairing cards to the List Mistress. Thank your Runner.
7. Repeat as needed until all the pairings are done. Then proclaim that this ends the (blank) round of the (blank) eric.

Voice Heraldry

Here’s where you get to put those vocal tactics you perfected on the field into play again. Field heraldry is actually the practice grounds for Voice heraldry because now, we’re taking it to Court.