FIELD HERALDRY
                      -Taran of Windy Hill

Being a short treatise on the Art and Science of Heraldry as practiced in
these Current Middle Ages upon the Field of Honor and the Fields of War,
with some small digressions of the author's into the life of a herault.

                     Introduction

It has long been known of the Armourial function of the heraults within
this our Society for Creative Anachronism, and much has been written upon
that very function, both within this Society and in the more general
worlds of Heraldry.  Far less knowledge and study has been given unto
that branch of the Science known as Field Heraldry.  Yet the original and
historic function of the heraults is seen to have been one of close
concern with the chivalric, knightly, and warlike combat.  The heraults
were sent to proclaim Tournaments, they organized the great combats of
the day, and they acted as ambassador and staff officers throughout the
wars of the times.  Due to the myriad of Tourneys, Quests and Wars which
have so much abounded in our Worlde these days, it can only be to a
herault's credit that he devote some of his time to this study, that he
may become proficient in the forms and practices appertaining to this
branch of the Science.

The study of Field Heraldry itself may be divided between those practices
appertaining to the single combat, those involved in making announcements
to the populace there assembled, those involving the Melee large or
small, and Heraldry in War.

In the first, for instance, the herault must needs play a large part in
the whole of the matter, whereas in the last he must needs be silent
until called for.  In addition, the style and practice of heraldry
necessary to the List of Chivalry is found to differ from that needed for
the fencing list or brawl.  Finally, it will be seen that the office of a
herault upon the field, just as it derived from the minstrels of the
early days, remains closely tied with such, and much of that office is
linked to the goals of an entertainer.

The first of these, the instance of the single combat, is the most
pervasive of the herault's duties on the field, and may in truth be
termed the area in which every herault has a chance to gain note and
recognition for himself without regard to rank or experience.  For Court
assignments are few, and generally given to the senior heraults, and the
subject of Armory is generally undertaken by the Pursuivants for each
Barony and Shire, singly or in conclave, and the exercise of those skills
and studies is of an entirely different nature.

The Tourney

In any Tourney there should without exception be one senior herault, most
often the Titled Pursuivant for the sponsoring group, who shall work
closely with the Master or Mistress of the Lists, and to whom shall fall
the task of apportioning to the various heraults present which bouts and
lists each shall oversee.  Upon arrival at a Tourney, each herault must
make him or herself known by name and rank to this herault in charge, and
should also make known any preferences concerning time, bout or type of
duty prior to donning the tabard, for once this is done, the herault must
as far as possible be wholly impartial and indeed have no preferences or
opinions.

The matter of the apportioning of bouts and the calling of the fighters
to the field shall be made the province of whosoever has charge of the
Lists for the Tourney, but the herault in charge must needs keep a close
eye on these matters, as it at times does happen that the worthy in
charge of the Lists will have felt them to be the province of said
herault, or may even be inexperienced in the office, and hence not
cognizant of such matters at all.  At the very least, this senior herault
will likely need a loud-voiced lackey whose purpose shall be to call upon
fighters to make themselves ready, and to make known whence said fighters
are to proceed.  It is oft a good idea to make known prior to the
commencement of the Tourney the manner in which these and other matters
of note to the combatants shall be made known, that said combatants will
have cause to expect such announcements.  A further item which the
herault in charge and his list heraults must attempt to secure is the
presence of sufficient numbers of list runners to carry from the list
master or mistress to the list herault the information of who in next to
vie in the lists, and to carry from the herault to the list minister the
outcome of each bout.

These and all further matters pertaining to the opening of said Tourney
having been settled to the satisfaction of the Tourney officialdom, by
leave of the presiding noble lord or lady, the Tourney may commence.  A
herault may then, proceeding to the center of the lists field, raise the
cry of "Oyez, oyez," and cry open the Tourney, saying, or words to the
like: "My Lords and Ladies, now by leave of __________, may this
__________ Tourney in __________ be declared open."  Thereupon, the
herault, or that herault assigned to that list field shall decry the
combatants to the list fields, that the day's combat may begin.

The Single Combat

The Lists of Chivalry

Now commences that part of Heraldry upon the field which every herault
regardless of rank must put into effect.  The lines heretofore set down
have been as introduction, and of note only to those upon whom the duties
of herault in charge should chance to fall.

Let all who might have occasion to essay Field Heraldry, however, pay
heed to these passages subsequent.

The herault in attendance upon the particular list shall ensure that not
only the combatants are present upon the field, but that a warranted
marshal shall have been assigned, together with any deputies, to that
field, and that he has full knowledge of his office, and of his part in
the commencement of each combat.  For though the herault may employ
himself during each combat as an additional marshal, and though each
herault should be fully cognizant of the workings and dictates of the
marshallate, even unto being a warranted marshal, there must be a
distinction and a deliniation between the herault and the marshal,
especially as to their respective duties upon the field.  For even though
the marshal may be subject to the kingdom and to his King, he ultimately
is a representative of the Marshallate of the Society as a whole, whereas
the herault is the direct representative of his King and his Baron,
speaking in their name to the populace there assembled.

When all matters pertaining to the commencement of the individual combat
have been resolved, the herault shall station himself in the center of
the list opposite the marshal and separating the combatants, and raising
his voice to the crowd shall say, or words to this like: "Oyez, oyez, my
Lords and Ladies. Comes now onto this field of Honour __________ (and
here he shall name the name of the challenger, if such there be, and
perhaps the armourial bearings if they be known) to challenge __________
(and here he shall name the challenged and again perhaps any known
armourial bearings) for cause that ______________ (and here the herault
shall name such cause for the combat as may have been agreed upon
beforehand)."  If there be no cause for the combat but Honour and the
vagaries of the lists, then the herault may use such phrases as he may
deem appropriate, even such as "...that they both may vie honourably for
the prize this day."

If there is no challenger or challenged, then the herault in most
instances must needs name first that gentle who holds the higher
precedence.

One manner very period of making known the challenger, challenged, and
cause of combat in the case of such existing which might perchance be
adopted by some heraults is that of first ascertaining privily the
challenging party, and then demanding of each in turn, starting with the
challenger, who he is and why he cometh so armed and belligerent onto the
Field of Honor.  This same may be very impressive if done well, but
should only be attempted when the press of the Lists does not dictate a
modicum of speed in accommodating all the combats scheduled.       The
names and armourial bearings of both combatants having been made known,
as well as the cause of combat, the herault should ascertain that the
combatants are ready to begin.  They both of them being prepared, the
herault shall cry the Honor of the Combatants to the Crown if it is
present (or to the Crown's representative if the Crown be not present),
to the assembled multitude, to those persons who most inspire the
combatants to Honor, and, lastly, of each combatant the other.  In most
cases the herault shall then defer to the marshal, saying such as,
"Marshall," or "My Lord Marshall, do thine office," and so saying, he
shall stand aside and prepare for the opening of combat.

Should it be desired that the herault complete all in the closing of
combat, the herault shall continue, saying to the combatants, "My lords,
bear ye any steel for to do offense?" At this, the herault should receive
the assurances of both combatants that such is not the case.  Finally,
upon receiving such assurance, and with such suitable phrases as the
herault may deem, he shall call the combatants to "Lay on!", and shall
remove to a small distance, leaving the field to those most interested.

During the course of the combat, be it long or short, the herault shall
have as his sole function the protection of persons assembled, in and out
of the lists.  He shall only cry hold if he perceives of danger which the
marshals have not noticed, and he shall neither give advice nor submit an
opinion unless specifically asked, and then only after some meaningful
gesture such as the covering of the herault's trumpets on his tabard or
baldric, which would serve to signify that the opinion or advice is the
submission of the herault alone, and in nowise should be construed as
coming in any official manner in connection with the office of Herault.
For in this as in everything, the herault must while performing his
office be accounted unbiased and impartial no matter the circumstances,
speaking with the voice of and solely for the Crown.

Upon the conclusion of the combat, and the Victor if such there be having
been agreed on by the combatants and the marshals, the herault shall
raise his voice once again to the galleries and cry the name of the
Victor and if he so wishes the manner of the victory in whatever short
phrases the herault may deem appropriate.  He shall then convey, either
in person or by messenger if there be such, the results of the combat
unto that worthy who keepeth the list records, and immediately thereafter
shall decry the next combatants to the list field, so as to eliminate to
the greatest extent the delays and boring intervals which may so mar an
otherwise brave and glorious event.


The Tournament of Fence

The practices of the herault upon the fields of a tournament of fence
will be found to differ from those aforementioned for the Lists of
Chivalry.  For on the one hand, the use of armorial bearings to delineate
the person had declined much by this period in history, and therefore
shall the herault not be calling the shields of the combatants.  Another
point shall be that the Marshals of Fence jealously guard their powers
and prerogatives, and this is much as it should be, for the marshals
within the list boundaries carry a much graver responsibility and part in
the conduct of the combat and the decision of its outcome than do their
colleagues upon the Lists of Chivalry.  Though the combatants each
themselves still bear the primary honour of deciding when and where each
is hit, yet does the marshal become frequently drawn in to rule as to
what he witnessed.

Thus it may come to pass, as it has recently, that the herault may best
serve his list by remaining without the list, at its entrance, and crying
from there the challengers onto the field and the victors off.  However,
should the herault be called to perform his duty upon the field, then
there are some similarities to the combats upon the field of chivalry.
The herault shall start by crying in a loud voice " __________ and
__________," (and here he shall call the names of the two belligerents)
"enter ye armed onto this field."  After thus crying the names of the two
immediate combatants, the herault should then warn the two following by
saying, or words to the like, " __________ and __________," (and here he
shall call the names of the next two belligerents) "arm ye and make
ready."

When the two combatants are upon the field, the herault may at times be
called upon to issue challenge by one to the other and return challenge
from the other to the one.  This the herault should do in a loud voice
that the witnesses to the duel shall share in the game of it, and marvel
at the daring, audacity, and wit of the gallants upon the field.  When he
shall have accomplished this, the herault shall then cause the two to
raise their rapiers in salute to the Crown, to the crowd, to their
inspirations, and to each other.  Then, desiring the duelists to pay heed
to the marshal, the herault shall retire to the edge of the field or even
beyond, for he must leave the combat to those interested, and to those
warranted by the Marshall of Fence to adjudge it.  When the combat has
been ended, the herault shall then move to the center, cry out who shall
have been victorious, and then begin again with the next challenge.

These, then, are the manners and procedures which should be followed for
single combats upon the list field.  Yet within most Tourneys are held
small melees of numbers ranging from two combatants on each side on up,
though engagements of more than fifteen fighting men in an army are rare
in Tourney.

The procedure to be followed by the herault for these engagements differs
somewhat from those earlier described for the single combat.

The Melee

The procedures concerned up to the start of the combat are even the same
for the melee as for appertain for the single combat, even unto the
calling of the combatants to the field, though in this instance, the
herault must perforce be unable to call forth by name.  He shall instead
cry the style of combat, be it Holding the Field, Melee teams of a
specified size, or simply Last Man Left Alive, and he shall exhort all
persons desiring this glory to arm and attend upon the field.

When all involved in the specified combat have assembled upon the list
field, the herault shall advance again to the center of the field, and
saying such as "Oyez, oyez," or "Gentles attend," he shall cry the cause
and manner of the combat, reciting such rules and conventions as shall
have been previously agreed upon by the marshals and the list
authorities.  These may range from a simple challenge by one trained
group against another on up through time limits, resurrections, and
restrictions on the calling of holds.  All these shall the herault cry,
raising his voice not only to the assembled combatants, but also to the
Lords and Ladies observing, so that all may understand what is to pass.
Having fulfilled this task, then unless it has been agreed upon that he
shall perform the office of the marshal in closing the combat, the
herault hereupon retires to the edge of the list field, crying "Marshal,
do thine office."

In like manner to the single combat, it may be agreed upon between
herault and marshal in the Lists of Chivalry that the former is to
complete all matters pertaining to the closing of combat.  If such be
desired and agreed upon, instead of retiring to the edge of the list
field, the herault shall continue, asking of the combatants if they be
ready to begin.  Upon the affirmation of this, the herault shall in like
manner to the single combat ask and receive of the fighters their
assurances that they none of them bears any steel for to do offense.
Then shall he call upon them to salute their opponents, and the
combatants having done this, the herault shall command them for the
honour of the Crown and the favour of their Ladies to "Lay on!", and
shall move from the area of the combat as speedily as he may. Upon the
field of Fence, as has been said, the herault perforce must have the
marshal give the combatants the office to start.

Even more so than during the single combat, in the melee the herault must
undertake the duty of a secondary marshal.  It more often than not
happens that there are far more willing fighters than there are competent
marshals in the Grand Melees, and the herault must keep his eyes open to
dangerous situations, and his staff close about him for protecting and
signalling downed fighters or perhaps for keeping distant the over-
zealous or combat-crazed warrior.  To this end, it is as before stated
particularly appropriate if the herault is thoroughly familiar with the
marshal's office.  The herault must at all times remember that he wears
no armour upon his body nor helm upon his head.  True it is that a dead
herault is of no use to anyone.

As in the single combat, and indeed any Tourney activity, the final
aspect of the herault's duty for the melee is to cry the name or names of
the victors.  In the case of a team combat, as soon as the herault has
ascertained the true victors from the marshals and the combatants
themselves, he shall cry the names and affiliations as appropriate in a
loud voice and, as before, shall immediately thereafter prepare for the
next combat.

Closing the Tourney

When all combats scheduled for the day have been completed, or perchance
when approaching nightfall compels a cessation of the fighting, the
herault shall move to the center of the list fields and as he cried open
the Tourney, so shall he cry the Tourney at an end, saying, or words like
unto these, "My Lords and Ladies, by grace of __________ and the
Autocrats, I am commanded to call this __________ Tourney in __________
herewith at an end."  Thereafter the herault shall add any such
announcements as the Autocrats may require in directing the assembled
gentles to the site appointed for the revel or whatsoever is to follow.
In this way shall each Tourney be opened and draw satisfactorily to a
close.


Some Variations

The Grand Salute

When it may seem to the herault in charge of the day that the press of
combats at tourney are many and his heraults few, there is a way proven
for the salutes to Crown and crowd and lady love to be accomplished at
the start of the day.  This way, moreover has the weight of history or at
least of romance behind it.  This way is the grand salute.

True it is that the aforesaid salutes take up much of the heraults time
in any list field, and a poor or inexperienced herault may make all
uninteresting with his monotonous cries to "Salute the Crown", and
"Salute the Crowd", and "Salute the one who inspires you."  Then should
the herault in charge think himself of panoply and grand display.  To do
this, he should call all the entrants in the Lists of Chivalry, all the
gallant courtiers in the Tournament of Fence, all the heraults in their
tabards, and such marshals as he can find, and all in their panoply of
war, and all onto the list field at once.  Then shall this herault stand
tall and strong before them in his best tabard and cry the Tourney open
in his strongest voice, saying, or words to this effect: "My lords and
ladies upon the fields of Honour, pay all Honour to the Crown of the
East" (and he shall indicate the direction of the Crown if it be not
obvious).  Then, upon such homage being given, the herault shall say such
as "Pay homage to those who witness these feats of Honour" (and the
herault shall indicate the crowd there assembled).  When this has been
done, the herault shall give speech like: "Pay all Honour to the one who
inspires you this day."  Finally, after each has saluted his or her own
inspiration, the herault shall cry open the Tourney with phrases as
mentioned before, such as "Now by direction of _______________ do I
declare open this Tourney of _____________ in the fair ________________
on this ____ day of _________ in the year of our Society ______.
Commencez vous."      It must be remembered by the herault in charge that
ere he or she embark on this course that the herault must acquaint
gentles beforehand of this Grand Salute.  The heraults upon the field
must know so as to call only for salutes between the combatants, the
fighters and fencers must know to expect the panoply, so as to early arm
for the display, and the Master or Mistress of the Lists must need know
so as to have the time scheduled.  Finally, the Crown, if it is present,
or the Baron or Baroness if there is such, must know so as to be there to
receive the homage of the parties upon the list fields.  Still, though
the event may take a deal of extra work on the part of the herault, for
panoply and display there is little to equal the Grand Salute, and as a
practical matter, the procedure may save time and effort, especially for
the heraults.

Shield Display

One method that has been tried successfully in several Baronies as a
method of calling combatants to the Lists of Chivalry is one in which a
small shield bearing the heraldic device of a combatant is utilized to
call him or her to the field.  These shields, or else a blank shield
bearing the name of the fighter if he has no armoury, are placed on a
pole at the entrance to the list in such a way as to signify to the
fighters themselves and the gentles assembled as well the combatants
within the list and also those who will be next to challenge.

The particular method which we have used with great success in my fair
barony involves a long pole on a sturdy base with a short cross piece at
the top.  There is space for one shield on each side of the cross piece
and four more shields may hang upon the pole.  As these shield displays
were used in the style of tourney known in the cant of these times as the
"bear-pit", we found these poles singularly effective.  Each fighter
placed his or her shield at the base of the pole, surrendering it into
the care of the gentle in charge of that list.  Each gentle was assisted
by a field herault for that list.  The shield upon the dexter side of the
cross bar of the pole signified him or her who held that field, and that
upon the sinister the current challenger.

As each combat finished, the herault, to supplement the display, would
cry out the name of the victor, the gentle in charge of the field would
record the victory, the shield of the vanquished would be taken down,
that of the victor would be placed in dexter, and the highest shield upon
the center pole would be placed to sinister.  The herault would then call
for the new challenger to arm himself and enter the lists, and the
shields below would each be moved upward toward the top.  The vanquished
would take his or her shield and place it in the keeping of the list
master or mistress of his choice.

It can easily be seen that this system has numerous advantages.  First of
all, it shortens to a minimum the time spent between combats, as each
fighter will readily know when it will be his turn to adventure himself
in the lists.  Also, the degree of voice necessary in the herault of the
field is lessened, as that herault need only supplement the list pole
display, and only to the general vicinity of his own list.  Then too,
each herault may, if he so desire, gain practice in the crying of
armourial bearings, since he will have the display at hand and also, if
his pursuivant be astute, a roll of blazons to match the shields close at
hand.  Yet another advantage is that each entrant upon the Lists of
Chivalry may choose the degree of fighting he or she shall attempt, as a
combatant has only to remove his shield from the list poles to gain a
much needed rest.  And finally, from the view of an advocate of heraldic
display, such a panoply of arms and armoury can only add to the
atmosphere of chivalric combat, and perchance inspire in a breast or two
the desire to have its owner's armoury as well displayed.

Truly, when this method of heraldic display is combined with the Grand
Salute heretofore mentioned, it can only be to the advantage of the
heraults, the combatants, and the populace as a whole.  Time will be
saved by the elimination of the individual salutes, and such time may be
spent in combat.  The voices of the heraults will be spared to a much
greater degree, and thus they may more fully enjoy the day and be greater
inspired to their heraldic duty.  The populace shall be more please to
watch the greater glory of the larger number of combats, and may be
spared the monotony of a new and untried herault to the greatest degree.
And the world at large shall be the greater impressed with the sense of
the Age of Chivalry when confronted by the colorful display of its
Armoury.

A Herault for Each

Throughout the early history of the heraults, they have been closely
linked with minstrels, whether as colleagues or as rivals.  Both seem to
have led much the same wandering life, with many a lord or knight having
one or more attached to his train.  A number of royal accounts list
payments to the heraults of the train and payments to the minstrels in
the same categories.  In fact, some thirteenth century Kings of Heralds
(a more ancient version of the title King of Arms) are found in the
account rolls of the times as receiving largess and being described as
Kings of Minstrels.

The medieval heralds would accompany their lords to each joust.  One such
lord, Guillaume de Dole, is described as being accompanied by two hundred
such.  These heralds proclaimed the names of each entrant into the lists
as he entered, including with each pronouncements laudatory comments.
During each combat the heralds would cheer the combatants on and talk
among themselves of the combatants' merits.  They were expected to know
the characters and histories of the jousters, and would walk among the
ladies, answering their questions about each fighter.  And after the
combat, each herault of the winning lord would of course feel it his
particular duty to extol the bravery, chivalry, skill, and merit which
brought his lord victory that day.

To this end a combat might be scheduled wherein each entrant to the list
might have his own herault to precede him.  The heraults would enter onto
the list field from opposite ends, crying each the name of his brave
combatant, and telling the assembled multitude of the great number of his
lord's victories past and present, of his great skill with weapons, of
his chivalry, of his armour, and of the rightness of his cause.  Ere the
entrance of the principals into the list, each herault could harangue the
populace and perhaps the other herald.  Done well, this verbal contest
could take the form \of a debate or argument in which each herault tries
to convince the multitude of the worth of his own lord and of the
speciousness of the other herault's arguments.

Upon the closing of the combat, each herault would retire to a corner of
the field and proceed to cheer on his own lord as much as possible.  When
the combat was completed, the herault for the victorious lord would again
extol the virtues of his lord, and might even make a show of demanding of
the other herault pledges to ransom the armour of the vanquished, such
armour to be held for ransom, as was done in historic times.

This variant on the closing of the single combat is of course not to be
considered for every bout.  It would take far too much of the oft scarce
time available in the lists, and moreover would consume too much of the
scarce resource of well-practiced field heraults.  Therefore should this
method be considered for the opening combat of a tourney, or perhaps for
the combat to determine the final winner in that type termed the Single-
Elimination.  Perhaps also it could be made a part of a particular
challenge fought in an interim between the more normal parts of a
standard tourney.  However and whenever it were done, though, it is
incumbent on all participants to know what it is the wish to do, so as to
create the greatest panoply and display possible.


Crying the Field

When it shall become necessary that the heraults relay announcements to
the populace at large, the most normal way at a tourney is to have the
herault in charge or some other loud voiced minion repair to the center
of the lists field and raise the cry of "Oyez, oyez" to command silence
and heed to the subsequent announcements.  This course may not be to the
best of advantages in certain situations.  If the list field area is
large, or the available heraults not up to the task through fatigue or
other inability, or if there are frequent announcements which need to be
made, the herault in charge may desire not to suspend the events of the
Tourney to make his proclamations.

If this be the case, another method exists, less disruptive than the
former, for conveying information.  This is to send a perhaps more
gentler voiced herault around to the various areas of the Tourney field
to make the same announcement five or six (or more) times, each time from
a different place.  Known as "Crying the Field", this method has several
advantages over the traditional.  The first, as mentioned, is that it is
less disruptive of the activities of the tourney, since only those
persons in the near vicinity to the herault need pay attention to the
pronouncements.  Secondly, the announcements are reinforced in the minds
of the populace since they perforce will hear each more than once.
Thirdly, the procedure does not require a herault like unto the god
Stentor, the which heraults are few and far between.  Finally, in a very
large tourney site, it is the only way to insure that the populace
becomes informed as to events.  At the Pennsic War, all announcements are
made by heraults "crying the field."

The Fields of War

In such a way shall the office of the herault be undertaken during the
course of a day's Tourney.  There remains, however, one aspect of
Heraldry upon the Field of Battle which, though least often undertaken
should nevertheless be discussed and perchance be more often performed,
as it is perhaps the oldest and most period of the heraults' time-
honoured duties.  This is Heraldry as practiced upon the Fields of War.

During the time 1300 to 1480 AD which is the period of Heraldry in the
Society for Creative Anachronism, the great battles as well as the
tournaments of Europe were conducted through the use of heraults as
intermediaries.  Indeed, the heraults of these times were considered as
staff officers of the military structure.  One has only to consider how,
in England, the hereditary Earl Marshal is the nominal head of the
College of Arms, and to understand that in early medieval times the
Marshal, along with the Lord High Constable, was the principal military
officer to realize to what extent the Kings of Arms, Pursuivants, and
other heraults were military officers.  Part of the function of these
staff officers was to maintain the knowledge of the organization and
strength of each friendly or enemy force.  Since much could be gleaned by
a knowledge of the commanders of the various forces, and more especially
since each Prince, Earl, Knight, Banneret, etc. was liable for a known
number of followers upon the field, a document which set down the names
and titles of the commander could have considerable use in ascertaining
the disposition of a leader's force and that of his enemy.  It was to
this end that the great Rolls of Arms were initially created, and it was
due to the need for persons knowledgeable in the new Science of Armoury
that the medieval heraults, attendant upon the Kings and Princes upon the
field of battle acquired this responsibility for Armoury which they
retain today.

The heraults also carried messages between warring leaders, acting as the
ambassadors between the armies.  During the battles, the heraults of each
opposing force would often observe the contest from a small distance,
marking where each noble fell, recording any acts of cowerdice, and upon
the conclusion of each battle, numbering and identifying the slain and
captured.  When the slaughter had finally ceased, these heraults would
set fair ransoms for all noble captives, and award the battle to the
victor.  History and Shakespeare record that during the Battle of
Agincourt in the Year of Our Lord 1415 the French and Engish heraults
stood together, observing the progress of the battle from the arms on
shields, surcotes, and banners, and keeping tally of the nobles, knights,
and squires who were killed.  After the battle, the Engish King Henry,
fifth of that name, summoned before him the principal French herault, one
Montjoye King at Arms, and asked him to whom the battle belonged.
Montjoye replied that the field belonged to the English and not to the
French.  Henry then learned from Montjoye the name of a neighboring
castle, and following the custom of the times named the battle Agincourt.

Much of this manner of Heraldry in War can be re-created, and though
seldom done within this our Society, the next passages will deal with the
heraults' parts should such re-creation ever come to pass.

In these sometimes sadly modern times of farspeakers, easy conveyance,
and occasionally working postal services, the terms of War are invariable
agreed upon beforehand.  The herault, however, will occasionally find
himself called upon to carry messages and greetings between rival Lords
and Kings, either prior to the commencement of battle, or perhaps during
a temporary cessation such as might be called to tend the wounded and to
carry away the slain.  Should a herault be given such a task, the item he
should most remember is that he speaks with his lord's voice and not with
his own.  If the Lord is arrogant, so too should be the herault, and if
the Lord is polite, then politeness is in order.  Insults are rarely, if
ever, offered through ambassadors, especially within this our Society,
but should the Lord desire to send insults, then insults the herault must
deliver.  Common sense, however, dictates that the herault do all within
his power to make clear that such insults are worded exactly as given to
the herault; he saying, for instance, "The Lord __________ charges me to
say unto you these words...".       Presuming that the herault manages to
survive any wrath engendered by the reception of his message, he may then
be asked to carry a return message.  Again, the herault should act
throughout these exchanges as if he were but an instrument of
communication between the two parties, and were no man of his own, saving
only that he look to his own skin to some degree as necessary with an
agile limb.

This communication office of a herault may extend away from the Fields of
War, and carry into the realm of the Tourney.  It is certainly much in
period, and lacks not in dignity and style to have one's well-considered
and well-devised challenge carried across the Field of Honour and
delivered will all the clear-voiced fire which a proper herault can
muster.

Beyond the ambassador's function, the herault must be content in War to
take no part but that of waiting off the edge of the battleground until
called for.  This was the historic office of the herault in war, and so
must it be for the heraults of today.  There are far too many weapons in
the hands of far too many perhaps combat-crazed warriors, and it is only
too easy for the herault to find himself caught perhaps by a flanking
movement or perchance being trapped between advancing armies and becoming
seriously injured.  Certainly during medieval times the heraults were not
found in the thick of battle, but instead gathered together from both
armies to observe, discuss, and record each battle from a position apart,
remaining impartial and uninvolved with the slaughter.

Some Notes on Style

Before drawing to a close, it is perhaps useful to make some small
comments on style and manners in field heraldry in general, whether
engaged upon the list field, crying the field, or any of the myriad
duties that cause the herault to raise his voice in the King's name.

It may be said that the only capital crime that a herault may commit is
that of inducing boredom.  The herault is perhaps the most visible person
upon the field; he is certainly the most audible.  As such the herault
has a particular duty to maintain to the best of his ability the
atmosphere of chivalric combat.  The use of such phrases as "Listen up"
and "On Deck" in the stead of "Oyez, oyez" and "Arm and Make Ready" can
only detract from that atmosphere which is the goal of every event within
this our Society, and will immediately transmogrify the user from a field
herault in an armourial tabard to a modern day announcer in a strange
garment.  Therefore, whenever possible the herault should think
beforehand about what he must say, varying it in content so as to keep,
as far as possible, repetitive announcements from becoming boring, and
attempting always to reinforce, by his voice, words, and actions the
atmosphere medieval that is so desired.

It also behooves the herault, whether on field or in hall, in tourney or
in War, to be the foremost in manners.  True it is that when the herault
speaks the populace must listen, for the herault speaks with the voice of
the Crown, but this does not mean that the Crown's voice should be raised
unnecessarily.  Nor does speaking with the voice of the Crown give one
license to insult, sneer, or cause discomfort to those who must listen.
The cry of "Oyez, oyez" must not be raised without cause, and never in
scorn.  In many ways, the herault, representing the Crown as he does,
must be the model of chivalry, courtesie, and honour.

To this end, the herault should not make it a point of pride to reach
from one end of the field to the other with his voice when by doing so he
will disconcert and anger those near him.  It were better by far to make
the announcement twice than to cause those near to be deafened and those
far to miss some important part or whole.

It is also true by tradition within this our Society that the pun, and
more particularly the pun heraldic has been made the particular
perogative of the herault.  This does not mean, however, that the herault
must make every word a pun, nor does it mean that he should make his puns
to harm.  The herault must instead use his humour as he does his other
assets of voice and manner, and that is to hold the interest of the crowd
for whom he is performing.  Humour will pall as easily as will an oft
repeated phrase, and the herault upon the field, as in addition to as his
ostensible duties, acts in much the fashion of a modern master of
ceremonies who must keep his audience entertained while the more
important performers make ready.

Thus style, manners, and heraldic ability all become extremely important
to the herault upon the field.  Good judgement of what to say and when to
say it are necessary, and a prospective field herault must give some
study to the performing arts, to the dictates of chivalry and honour, and
to the bounds of good taste.  When he learns of these matters, the field
herault will be the better, and will therefore be the more appreciated by
those who perforce must attend to him.

In Conclusion

These, then, are the functions of a herault upon the Field of Honour.  It
should be stressed that at all times the herault should strive for the
proper division between his own office and the office of the marshal.  In
some instances, and at some times, the herault may be requested and
required to act as a marshal, but even in these circumstances the herault
should keep divided in his own mind the two offices, as they are designed
to be separate, and so must remain.  The herault must also remark himself
upon the historic functions of the heraults.  He must be some part
ambassador, some part military officer, and some part minstrel.

Above all else, though, the herault must never lose sight of the fact
that ultimately he is his own man.  He was not forced by circumstance of
birth or social class to become herault, and as herault he is in fief to
no man.  He owes responsibility to the College of Arms, to his King, and
to his Baron, and he should listen with respect to the requests and
suggestions of those he serves.  But the herault is both serious student
and entertainer, and as such must be allowed to exercise a modicum of
individualism while performing his office, lest the office and indeed
this our Society cease to lend enjoyment to the herault's life, and
perchance these Current Middle Ages lose another promising enthusiast to
the realms of the modern.  In order that he develop his own styles of
heraldic presence upon the field, the herault should look on this
treatise and works like unto it as well as the suggestions of his
superiors and fellow heraults but as guidelines; to be studied with
weight, considered in the light of their source, but not accepted with
absolute obedience.  In this way the herault may grow to a degree of
excellence in the Science and Art of Field Heraldry which is pleasing to
his superiors, to his peers, and most importantly to himself.

                          FINIS