Semy

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Definition:

From Glossary of Terms: An adjective meaning that something is strewn with identical charges. (It is from the French semé, the past participle of the verb semer 'to strew'.) A field Azure semy-de-lys Or is blue with a pattern of gold fleurs-de-lys on it. A bordure vert semy of rowels argent is green and is charged with several (at least five and usually eight) white rowels evenly spaced around it. The charges so used are called strewn charges. When placed directly on the field, strewn charges are considered a separate charge group from any other charges. Strewn charges may be considered the primary charge group if there are no other charge groups present or if the only other charge groups present are peripheral charge groups. When placed on another charge, strewn charges are considered a tertiary charge group. Strewn charges are not considered a field treatment. Ermine spots in an ermined tincture are not considered strewn charges; they are considered part of a separate tincture. See also Ermined Tinctures, Field Treatment, Peripheral Charge Group, Primary Charge Group, Tertiary Charge Group. [[1]]

Semy is not a field treatment, but is a group of charges strewn across the entire field or portion of a divided field. It is not a noun but an adjective: the correct usage is semy of [charges], not a semy of [charges]. [[2]]

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Illustrations:

Period:

Alternating charges in a semy:Walters

An Ordinary of Siebmacher's Wappenbuch -// http:www.ellipsis.cx/~liana/heraldry/siebmacher/f-siebmacher.html

Modern:

Pictorial Dictionary of SCA Heraldry (3rd edition):

• [currier’s]

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SENA Appendix I:

#AppendixIA#AppendixAPrimaryA. Primary Charge Group:

The primary charge group is the charge or group of charges which are directly on the field in the visual center of the shield. Not every device has a primary charge, but most do. The primary charge group will typically be the largest charge or charges on the field.

If the armory has at least one central ordinary, they are the primary charge group. This is true even if there are other charges around it or the ordinaries are drawn narrowly. If there are no central ordinaries and the armory has a central charge or charges, they are the primary charge group. This is true even if the charges are on opposite sides of a field division. If there are no central ordinaries or central charges, but there are semy of charges on the field, those charges are the primary charge group. If there are two or more charges of similar visual weight or size in the center of the field which are touching, they are sustained and all part of the primary charge group.

... In Argent, a lion sable//, //Argent, three lions sable//, and //Argent semy of lions sable//, the lions are the primary charges. In //Argent semy of lions sable, a cross azure, the cross is the primary charge and the lions are secondary charges.

...In Per fess vert and argent crusilly azure, a lion argent, the white lion cannot be on the white part of the field and is only in the top half of the field. Therefore, the primary charge group is the lion and the crosses together...

In armory with a divided field, there are two potential situations. Either each of the charges is entirely in a single section of the field, or one or more charges overlie the line(s) of division. In the first situation, the charges are collectively the primary charge group. This is true even when the bottom charge is drawn larger than the others, as this is common in period depictions. This is true even when one of the divisions contains semy of charges. This is true even if you use blazon terms like "in chief" or the line of division is blazoned as "enhanced". In the second situation, where one or more charges overlie the line of division, those charges are the primary charge group and the other ones are in a secondary charge group...

B. Secondary Charge Group:

A secondary charge group is a single charge or group of charges directly on the field around the primary charges. Therefore, you cannot have a secondary charge group without a primary charge group to surround, except in field-primary armory. In general, secondary charge groups will be drawn smaller than the primary charge group.

For example, in Argent, a fess between three lions sable// and //Argent semy of lions, a fess sable, the lions are the secondary charges, surrounding the primary fess... In each case if you removed the fess the lions would become the primary charge group.

Several kinds of secondary charge groups can occur together in a design. Armorial designs with multiple secondary charge groups must generally match a pattern for period arrangement of charge groups. Types of secondary charges include:

2. Semy: This type of secondary charge group consists of charges strewn over all or over one part of a field. Charges semy are almost always in a separate charge group from all other charges. However, when a divided field (with or without a central ordinary) has a semy of charges (or charges semy) on one half of the field and another charge or group of charges on the other, the charges form a single secondary charge group around the primary ordinary.

For example, in the armorial submission Argent crusilly, a bend gules//, the crosses are the secondary charge group. In the armorial submission //Per chevron argent crusilly gules and azure, a chevron Or and in base a griffin argent, the crosses and the griffin together form a single secondary group.

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Precedents:

Precedents of the SCA College of Arms - [[3]] Morsulus Heralds Website - [[4]] (to search the LoARs and Precedents) Restatement Wiki - [[5]] (restatements of Precedents) Use the above links to be sure any precedents listed below haven't been superseded by newer precedents.

Registerability:

Restricted, Reserved, SFPP, OOP)

October 2014 - Fields strewn with 2 types of charges

Gaufrid Falcun. Name and device. Per pale argent goutty de sang and sable semy of decrescents argent, a falcon close regardant gules. A precedent from 1983 stated:

• [Returning Or, two piles and a pile inverted sable, semé of mullets and crescents argent.] NOTE: We do not use semé of more than one type of charge. [James de Burget, May 1983, R-Meridies]

In commentary, Non Scripta supplied multiple examples of field strewn with two types of charges. Therefore, we are explicitly overturning the May 1983 precedent. [Oct 2014, A-West] https://heraldry.sca.org/loar/2014/10/14-10lar.html#286

From the April 2010 Cover Letter:

From Wreath: Divided Fields, Tinctures, and Strewn Charges

A submission this month asked for clarification on the subject of strewn charges on only part of a plain field. The LoI quoted the following precedents: > [Per bend sinister argent and argent semy-de-lys sable, on a bend sinister gules a sword inverted Or, in chief an elephant head cabossed sable] Current precedent disallows strewn charges on only part of a plain field, even when the field has a "natural" division such as an ordinary (see July 1998 LoAR, Miriel MacGregor), barring evidence that such fields were used in period armory. [Bohémond le Sinistre, 01/2001, Outlands] and > [Per chevron pean and sable, on a chevron Or ...] It was the consensus of the College that a divided field in which the two parts are tinctures that share the same background is allowable if there is an ordinary to aid in the separation of the two parts, though the practice is not documented. [Thorgrimr inn kyrri, 02/2001, Atlantia] The difference between the two is that an ordinary or other natural division is allowed to correct the style problem for tinctures, but not for strewn charges. Tinctures, even the ermined furs, are considered a single entity, not a field with charges strewn upon them. Charges may not be strewn on only one half of a divided field, even in the presence of an ordinary dividing the halves, when the halves share the same background tincture. http://heraldry.sca.org/loar/2010/04/10-04cl.html

From the January 2001 LoAR: "Current precedent disallows strewn charges on only part of a plain field, even when the field has a "natural" division such as an ordinary (see July 1998 LoAR, Miriel MacGregor), barring evidence that such fields were used in period armory." [Clarification Note: i.e. 'Per pale argent and argent semy of trees vert.' or Per pale argent and argent semy of trees vert, a pale sable.' Both sides of the division have the same background tincture, thus the design has a plain field. If the design had a different tinctures on both sides of the division, one side being semed would be acceptable.] [2001 LoAR]

From the February 2000 LoAR: "Current precedent disallows two different sets of strewn charges directly on the field." [2000 LoAR]

#x--Precedents:-Conflict:Conflict:

July 2001 LoAR: [Per chevron gules crusily fitchy argent and argent, in base a bear rampant gules//] This is clear of the Barony of Dun Carraig, //Per chevron gules, crusilly bottony argent, and argent, in base a cross bottony within a laurel wreath gules. By current precedent, the semy charges must be in a separate group from all other charges; therefore the charge in base is its own group for both devices. Therefore there are two CDs for changing the number and type of the charges in base. [Giraude Benet, [[6]], A-Calontir]

#x--Precedents:-Collected Precedents:Collected Precedents:

Tenure of Elisabeth de Rossignol (May 2005 - July 2008) - [[7]] The 2nd Tenure of François la Flamme (October 2004 - May 2005) - [[8]] The Tenure of Shauna of Carrick Point (May 2004 - August 2004) - The Tenure of François la Flamme (August 2001 - April 2004) - The Tenure of Elsbeth Anne Roth (June 1999 - July 2001) - The Tenure of Jaelle of Armida (June 1996 - June 1999) - The 2nd Tenure of Da'ud ibn Auda (November 1993 - June 1996) - The Tenure of Bruce Draconarius of Mistholme (June 1992 - October 1993) - The 1st Tenure of Da'ud ibn Auda (June 1990 - June 1992) - The Tenure of Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane (September 1986 - June 1990) - The Tenure of Baldwin of Erebor (August 1984 - August 1986) - The Tenure of Wilhelm von Schlüssel (August 1979 - August 1984) - The Tenure of Karina of the Far West (December 1975 - June 1979) - The Early Days (June 1971 - June 1975) -