Title: Sinister-Hand-art
Subject: "Argent, A Sinister Hand Erect Couped Gules" by Ld. Daniel Raoul le Vascon.
Author: Edited by Mark Harris
Last saved by: Mark S. Harris
Keywords: heraldry, hand, Ireland, story, legend, article

Sinister-Hand-art - 6/30/01

"Argent, A Sinister Hand Erect Couped Gules" by Ld. Daniel Raoul le Vascon.

NOTE: See also the files: heraldry-msg, p-heralds-msg, arms-humor-msg, banners-msg, Herald-Embro-art, Ireland-msg, Celts-msg, 12thC-Hole-art.

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NOTICE -

This article was submitted to me by the author for inclusion in this set of files, called Stefan's Florilegium. 

These files are available on the Internet at: http://www.florilegium.org

Copyright to the contents of this file remains with the author.

While the author will likely give permission for this work to be reprinted in SCA type publications, please check with the author first or check for any permissions granted at the end of this file.

Thank you,
Mark S. Harris...AKA:..Stefan li Rous
stefan at florilegium.org
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Argent, A Sinister Hand Erect Couped Gules
by Ld. Daniel Raoul le Vascon.

Ancient legend tells a tale of boats commanded by Celtic chieftains rowing
across the Atlantic northwest of Europe.  They spot a beautiful green land,
on the shore of the island we now know as Ireland.  Ripe for settlement it
is just what they have been searching for.  The chieftains hold a council at
sea to decide how to proceed.  As they are proud and bitter rivals they
cannot decide who should have pride of place and lay claim to this new land.
Finally an agreement is reached.  The chieftain who first lays hand on the
new land may lay claim to it for all time.  The race is on.  Men strain at
their oars.  Finally the race narrows to two boats.  They are in the boiling
surf when one boat pulls slowly ahead, its captain triumphant, seemingly
assured of the prize.  The captain of the second boat, remembering the
bargain plays a dreadful price.  He lays his left hand on the gunnel of the
boat and strikes it off with an axe.  He them picks up his severed hand and
throws it ashore thus claiming the land for his family for forever more.

The legendary chieftain was O’Neill, the forefather of the Irish Princes of
Ulster. Their emblem, the Bloody Hand of Ulster is the severed left hand‚ the sinister hand, of our story.  It is one of the most ancient of heraldic
devices.

References:

Micheal Olmert, "Hail to Heraldry", Smithstonian Vol. 15 No. 5, May 1984, p.
86

Arthur Charles Fox-Davies, "A Complete Guide to Heraldry", Crown Publishers
1978 reprint of the 1959 edition, p 137.

-------
Copyright 2001 by Daniel C. Phelps, 3359B Trafalgar Square, Tallahassee, Florida 32301.  email: <phelpsd at gate.net>. Permission is granted for republication in
SCA-related publications, provided the author is credited and receives a copy.

If this article is reprinted in a publication, I would appreciate a notice in
the publication that you found this article in the Florilegium. I would also
appreciate an email to myself, so that I can track which articles are being
reprinted. Thanks. -Stefan.

<the end>

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