Dated 15th day of July AS 43, being the 6th Year of the Kingdom of Lochac,
Updated this 28th day of October AS 50, being the 13th Year of the Kingdom of Lochac.
Table of Ordinances
- Ordinance Concerning The Playing Of Prizes
- Ordinance Concerning Allowed Weapons Forms for the Prize
- Ordinance Concerning Responsibilities and Privileges of Rank
- Ordinance Concerning The Rank of Professor of Defence
- Ordinance Concerning The Provost Secretary
Ordinance Concerning The Playing Of Prizes
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 herein. The consenting Guildmaster or Provost shall act as sponsor for the candidate, and shall ensure that the Prize is played according to this ordinance.
All members and associates upon demonstration of sufficient competence before a Provost or Guildmaster shall be allowed to Play their Prize for achievement of rank. All candidates for the ranks of Free Scholar and Journeyman must be sponsored by one Provost or Guildmaster. All candidates for the rank of Provost must be sponsored by two Provosts or one Guildmaster. No member shall be allowed to play their Prize for Guildmaster, except upon invitation by the Body of Guildmasters.
Prizes shall take the form of bouts with bated weapons, with as many examiners as wish to try the skills of the applicant. Each applicant must nominate the weapons forms they wish to be tested in, the number of forms to be tested at each rank being defined herein. All examiners shall test the candidate in their first nominated form, before the candidate is examined in their second form, and so on until the candidate has been tested in all their nominated weapons forms.
The Prize for Free Scholar must be fought with one of the standard weapons forms of the Guild. The Prize for Journeyman must be fought with three of the standard weapons forms of the Guild. The Prize for Provost must be fought with five of the standard weapons forms of the Guild. The Prize for Guildmaster must be fought with seven of the standard weapons forms of the Guild.
Those who have attained the rank of Provost or Guildmaster are expected to teach in the subtle arts of defence. Therefore a candidate for the Provost’s Prize may choose to undertake one of the forms examined as a demonstration and instruction of period technique. A candidate for the Guildmaster’s Prize may choose to undertake two forms examined as a demonstration and instruction of period technique.
All prizes must be played against at least two examiners who have already achieved the desired rank. It is recommended, but not mandatory, that the examination for each weapons form be conducted by no more than six examiners. Examiners are not required to test the candidate in all forms, as long as the minimum number of examiners is maintained for each form.
These examiners and the Guildmaster or Provost conducting the examination must agree the candidate has fulfilled the requirements for qualification to the new rank. If all examiners agree, the candidate shall be called forward, presented to the members of the Guild, and presented with their new insignia of rank.
No member may replay a failed Prize until a full 3 months have passed from the last failed attempt. No member may play for further advancement until a full 6 months have passed from the last successful attempt.
The sponsor for the candidate shall be responsible for informing the Lord Guildmaster, and the Provost Secretary of the results of the Prize, and providing a list of all those who presented as examiners. This notification must be delivered within 30 days of the Prize being played; otherwise the Lord Guildmaster shall have the authority to declare the Playing of the Prize unsuccessful.
No Prize may be fought unless the Guild receives one full month’s notice of intention to Play the Prize. It is the responsibility of the sponsoring Guild Master or Provost to ensure that sufficient notice is given. Notice of Intention shall be lodged with the Lord Guildmaster, and shall include sponsor and candidate name and contact details, candidate’s current rank and rank sought, date and location for the Prize, as well as the candidate’s nominated weapons forms. Upon receipt of the Notice of Intention, the Lord Guildmaster shall examine the details of the notice for completeness, and approve the Playing of the Prize if all is found to comply with this ordinance. Upon approval, the Lord Guildmaster shall direct the sponsor to publish the Notice of Intention, so those examiners may make themselves available.
Prizes may be fought using any of the approved combat standards of the Lochac Marshallate. However, in all Prizes assumed armour shall be civilian clothing only. The default combat standard shall be Lochac’s Rapier Combat rules. Prizes weapons forms to be fought using differing combat standards shall be noted as “This form shall be fought using the Armoured Combat standards of the Kingdom”. This statement shall be modified to reflect the correct variant combat standards being used. If there is a shortage of examiners duly authorised by the Lochac Marshallate in the combat standard to be used on the day, the sponsor in conjunction with the candidate, shall select another weapon form for the examination. If this still leaves a shortage of examiners, the Prize shall be rescheduled for another day.
Ordinance Concerning Allowed Weapons Forms for the Prize
The standard weapons forms of the Guild are the Sword and Rapier and their usual accompaniments, Two Handed Sword, Staff, Pike, Morris Pike, Halberd, and the other Polearms of Defence.
Upon let of the Lord Guildmaster, the candidate may fight with any weapons form combination defined in the extant fencing tradition established prior to 1601, allowing for use of historical techniques in practice at the end of 1600, or that can be documented in an extant description of a prize fought prior to 1st January 1601, or that utilize weapons that are documentable to prior to 1st January 1601.
After long discussion, perusal of missives and debates on the merits of various historical masters, The Guild of Defence has agreed that there is sufficient historical evidence to allow the use of sword and baton as an examinable form in the playing of a prize.
Ordinance 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. No member of the Guild may charge a fee for the provision of instruction, nor may they prevent the student from gaining instruction from any other duly authorized teaching member of the Guild who may wish to provide instruction with the intention of providing the student to prepare for the playing of the Prize.
It is the privilege of all Free Scholars, Journeymen, Provosts and Guildmasters to participate in displays of combat, and to participate as examiner for any candidate wishing to join them in said rank. Furthermore it is the responsibility of all Free Scholars, Journeymen, Provosts and Guildmasters to make themselves available as examiners for Prizes, whenever possible, should they receive notice of intention to play the Prize. Journeymen, Provosts and Guildmasters may examine candidates for the ranks below them, provided all member of the ranks below have had the opportunity to do so first.
It is the responsibility of all members of the Guild to contribute to the practice and promotion of the period arts of defence in Lochac. This includes, but is not limited to, the playing of Guild Prizes, either as candidate or examiner or sponsor, and the teaching of period skills and techniques in rapier and armoured combat. Members who do not actively contribute to the goals of the Guild may be asked by the Lord Guildmaster to demonstrate the service they have provided to the Guild. Members who do not do so shall have all privileges suspended, until such time that the Lord Guildmaster, upon receiving the advice of members of the Body of Guildmasters, is satisfied that the member once again fulfils his or her obligations to the Guild. The Body of Guildmasters reserves unto itself the right to administer further sanctions, up to and including demotion in rank, subject to the final decision of the Lord Guildmaster.
Any person who professes an interest in the noble art of defence may be admitted to the rank of Scholar. All Scholars shall be associates of the Guild.
Any candidate who successfully plays their Free Scholar’s Prize shall be admitted to the rank of Free Scholar, and shall be recognized as members of the Guild. Each Free Scholar may wear a sash of yellow cloth bearing the badge of the Guild in silver as a symbol of this rank.
Any candidate who successfully plays their Journeyman’s Prize shall be admitted to the rank of Journeyman and shall be recognized as members of the Guild. Each Journeyman may wear a sash of green cloth bearing the badge of the Guild in silver as a symbol of this rank. It is the privilege of this rank, with the permission and under the guidance of a Provost or Guildmaster, to provide tutelage to those Scholars and Free Scholars who wish to learn from them. Journeymen of the Guild may be called upon to act as agents of the Guild, to assist in the management of such Prizes and displays which the Guild may hold from time to time.
Any candidate who successfully plays their Provost’s Prize shall be admitted to the rank of Provost and shall be recognized as members of the Guild. Each Provost may wear a sash of blue cloth bearing the badge of the Guild in silver as a symbol of this rank. It is the privilege of this rank to provide tutelage to those Scholars, Free Scholars and Journeymen who wish to learn from them, and may establish their own schools of fence to provide said tutelage. As well as the responsibilities and privileges of the rank of Journeyman, Provosts of the Guild may also be called upon to organise and coordinate any of the Guild activities that may be held from time to time. Furthermore, each Provost shall be eligible to nominate themselves for the position of Provost Secretary, should they determine they have the means to do so.
Any candidate who successfully plays their Guildmaster’s Prize shall be admitted to the rank of Guildmaster and shall be recognized as members of the Guild. Each Guildmaster may wear a sash of black cloth bearing the badge of the Guild in gold as a symbol of this rank. It is the privilege of this rank to provide tutelage to those Scholars, Free Scholars, Journeymen and Provosts who wish to learn from them, and may establish their own schools of fence to provide said tutelage. As well as the responsibilities and privileges of the rank of Provost, Guildmasters of the Guild have the solemn duty to maintain and uphold the high standards of the Guild, to ensure that all members and associates receive the training and instruction to which they are entitled, to support the endeavours of all members of the Guild whatever their rank, and to provide all the means for advancement within the Guild, that being the provision of knowledge through teaching.
Furthermore, it is the responsibility of the individual Guildmasters to bring to the attention of the Body of Guildmasters any Guild member who by their exceptional accomplishments in the study and teaching of the Art of Defence, efforts within the Guild and Kingdom, grace of character and skill at arms, who may be worthy of playing their Guildmaster’s Prize.
If after due deliberation the Body of Guildmasters deem the candidate worthy, the Lord Guildmaster shall nominate a date within a six month period, upon which the candidate may play their Guildmaster’s Prize before the Guild Patrons, or their representative. This Prize shall be duly publicized, and it is the solemn duty of all Guildmasters to attend if at all possible.
Ordinance Concerning The Rank of Professor of Defence
The honorary rank of Professor of Defence may be conferred on those individuals who have greatly enriched the Guild through their skill and service to the Guild. This rank may only be conferred if agreed to by a two-thirds majority of the Body of Guildmasters. It is given to those who for whatever reason may be unable to play a Guildmasters Prize.
It is the privilege of this rank to wear a sash of black cloth bearing the badge of the Guild in gold as a symbol of this rank, and to open their own School for the teaching of the Art. Furthermore the members of this rank may participate as examiner in any Guildmaster’s Prize should they so choose, and to advise the Body of Guildmasters in all matters concerning the Guild.
Lastly, the recipient of this rank has an open invitation to play for a Guildmasters Prize at a time of their choosing, and will become eligible for all the other rights and privileges of a Guildmaster in the Guild should they prove successful.
Ordinance Concerning The Provost Secretary
Recognising that the Office of Provost Secretary is administrative in nature, and not dependent on knowledge of the Art, the Office may be filled by any full member of the Guild should no Provost be forthcoming to fill the Office. Preference of any candidates shall be given according to rank within the Guild, that is Provosts shall be preferred over Journeymen, who shall in turn be preferred over Free Scholars.
The Provost Secretary shall be chosen from the applicants, by the Body of Guildmasters by majority opinion. The candidate shall be 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.