Dated 24th day of May AS 37, being the 1st Year of the Kingdom of Lochac
Item Concerning Establishment of the Guild
Cornelius by Right of Arms, King of Lochac, and Morwynna by Grace and Beauty, Queen of Lochac, to whom all these present shall come, GREETINGS!
Whereas petitions have been presented to Us by the Body of The Guildmasters of the Western Royal Guild of Fence, the body of members of said Guild, and by others praying us to establish within Our Kingdom for the promotion and teaching and learning of the art and science of fence with the civilian weapons a guild and to grant a charter with such appropriate provisions therein in that behalf as shall seem to Us meet and fit.
And whereas We have taken the said petitions into Our Royal consideration and are minded to accede thereto. Now therefore know ye that We by virtue of Our Royal Prerogative in that behalf and all other powers enabling Us to do so of Our special grace certain knowledge and mere motion by these Presents do for Us Our Heirs and Successors grant will direct and ordain as follows.
Item Concerning Name of the Guild
There shall be from henceforth for ever in Our said Kingdom a Guild by the name and style of “The Royal Guild of Defence”.
Item Concerning Patron of the Guild
We, Our Heirs and Successors, Kings and Queens of the Kingdom aforesaid shall be and remain the Patrons of the Royal Guild of Defence.
Item Concerning The Lord Guildmaster of Fence
There shall be a Lord Guildmaster of said Guild who shall be Our representative and the Principal of the Guild in all matters that concern it.
The Lord Guildmaster shall be chosen from the Body of Guildmasters, by said Body by majority opinion. The candidate shall invested by Us as Lord Guildmaster for a period of two years. This investiture shall be made at the applicable Autumn Coronation. Nominations for the position will be called for at the previous Spring Coronation. Those who hold this position shall be held in the highest regard in Our Kingdom.
The Lord Guildmaster shall be responsible for the coordination and conduct of all Prizes played within the Guild, and for maintaining and publishing the Charter and Ordinances of the Guild.
Item Concerning The Provost Secretary of the Guild
There shall be a Provost Secretary of said Guild who shall be the Secretary of the Guild in all matters that concern it, under the direction of the Lord Guildmaster.
The Provost Secretary shall be chosen from the Body of Provosts, by the Body of Guildmasters by majority opinion. The candidate shall invested by the Lord Guildmaster as Provost Secretary for a period of one year. This investiture shall be made at the Spring Coronation. Nominations for the position will be called for at the previous Autumn Coronation. Those who hold this position shall be held in high regard in Our Kingdom.
The Provost Secretary shall be responsible for maintaining the register of Guild members and their ranks, as well as publishing the Guild’s Chronicle every six months.
Item Concerning Purpose of the Guild
The Guild shall be for the promotion and teaching and learning of the art and science of fence with civilian weapons, and research of extant fencing traditions established in the historical period of study. Those being: historical techniques in documented practice, that can be documented in an extant description of a prize fought, or that utilize weapons that are documentable; all being prior to 1st January 1601.
The Guild shall be both a teaching and an examining Guild, and shall further the prosecution of original research. The Guild may for the betterment of its members and associates establish schools for the teaching of the civilian weapons. That is the sword and rapier and their usual accompaniments, two handed sword, staff, pike, morris pike, halberd, and the other polearms of defence.
The Guild may confer ranking within the Guild upon it’s members, whether honorary, substantive or otherwise, and such rankings shall be held subject to any such provisions as may be made by the Ordinances of the Guild with reference thereto.
The Guild may admit to affiliation with it or to any of its privileges any College or Institution, or the members or students thereof, upon such terms and conditions and subject to such regulations as may from time to time be prescribed by the Ordinances of the Guild.
Item Concerning Guild Ranks And Their Attainment
There shall be one associate rank within the Guild, Namely Scholar. Any person who professes an interest in the noble art of defence may be admitted to the rank of Scholar.
There shall be four member ranks within the Guild, namely Free Scholar, Journeyman, Provost and Guildmaster. Each of these ranks may be achieved through diligent study and application of the rules of the Guild. All members must play their Prize for advancement to achieve the said rank. No member may play their prize without the consent of a Guildmaster or Provost who shall deem them ready as laid out in the ordinances of the Guild. The consenting Guildmaster or Provost shall act as sponsor for the candidate, and shall ensure that the Prize is played according to the ordinances of the Guild.
Item Concerning Responsibilities and Privileges of Rank
It is the privilege of all Guild members and associates to undertake the study of the civilian weapons with any duly authorized teaching member of the Guild who can take them on as a student.
All other responsibilities and privileges of rank shall be as defined in the ordinances of the Guild.
Item Concerning The Governing Body Of The Guild
The supreme governing body of the Guild shall be the Body of Guildmasters, and subject to this charter, the Ordinances of the Guild and the Law of the Realm, the Body of Guildmasters shall have absolute power within the Guild, and shall have government and control of the good order, practical affairs, business and work of the Guild.
Ordinances of the Guild shall regulate the performance of the duties of the Body of Guildmasters, and all other matters relative to the Guild, which it may be thought are proper to be so regulated. These ordinances shall be determined, amended, altered or repealed by a meeting of the Body of Guildmasters, and said actions must be ratified by a two-thirds majority of the Body of Guildmasters.
Our Royal Will and Pleasure is that these presents shall be construed benevolently and in every case most favourably to the Royal Guild of Defence and the promotion of the objects of this Our Charter.