First Item: All combatants shall bear themselves with good grace, to advance the cause of chivalry rather than the base spirit of victory.
Pas d'Armes Invocation
An Account of the Day's Deeds Also Available
Welcome one and all to the Company of Saint George pas d'armes! It is the hope of our humble company that all who have come to this place will find their fill not only of prowess, but of courtesy and renown as well. For it is the belief of the Company that renown is the true coin of the tourneyer-and thus we fight not for vainglorious prizes or for glory, but for the noble (and wet) gallery, our consorts, our kingdoms, our good names.
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he pas d'armes is not a prize tournament, it is a celebration of knighthood in which the knightly virtues are celebrated. We do not ignore Prowess, we seek excellence with passion, tempered by a sincere dedication to the idea of knighthood as an ideal.W
e have today charged ourselves to employ what Prowess and Courtesy as we possess in your service-to provide you-the gallery and our most noble challengers-with the cleanest and most puissant fighting as we are able, offering the same up as a token to the ideals we share.T
he Company of Saint George is honored beyond measure with the presence of so many gallantly arrayed challengers, especially given the inclement conditions under which we meet. Such a fine array of chivalric splendor does credit to you, confirming that you trod the same path as was begun by our noble ancestors.I
n every age, chivalry has been recast to meet the realities of a new age. The great princely leaders have taken the core of virtue and reforged them in an effort to improve the knights of their own day. What we do today is no different-it is our hope that through the experience of the pas, and other such knightly feats, that we as knightly combatants will find ourselves improved.I
am Sir Brion Thornbird ap Rhys, Earl, and I personally welcome you to our Pas d'Armes. Today I fight for the experience of meeting new faces, faces who bring a new richness to the pas culture, gentles whose prowess will test my own. I fight for the honor of my most gentle lady-Mistress Anne of Alanwyck-and for the glory of the Company.(There follows the introductions of the other Companions-Viscount Sir Robert of Woodsende, Viscountess Yseult of Summerhall, Sir Luther Anshelm, Mistress Morgan Athenry)
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tanding with the Company today are representatives also from the most flamboyant Grand Company of the Peacock:(There follows introductions from the Peacocks who were in attendance--Baron Terrance of Tyndale, Sir Talbot MacTaggart, Sir Crinen Lionel Rengarth)
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nd lastly, lending the strength of their renown are the newest tournament company, founded in this June last, the Company of the Swan:(There follows introductions from the Swan, including--Earl Sir Garick von Kopke, Earl Sir Eduoard Beausoleil, and Arafael Christian, with others whose names were not recorded.)
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oble venans, now that the combined companies be known to you, advance in your array and make yourselves known to us, saying in a few words what you seek this day:(There follows introductions for many challengers)
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e thank you friends, now gather to hear the conditions of combat that will govern our encounters this day:First Item: All combatants shall bear themselves with good grace, to advance the cause of chivalry rather than the base spirit of victory.
Second Item: Each combatant shall comport themselves bearing mutual responsibility in safety for both themselves and for their opponent.
Item: All combatants shall come forward each pass, saying who they would challenge, adding perhaps a few words of embellishment or reason. When all challenges have been delivered, the combatants should return to their pavilions, holding themselves ready, reporting to the lists without delay when required.
Item: Following this invocation, there will be in five minutes time a grand mêlée in the field, single broadswords only. Each combatant may be struck three times before retiring from the lists; we encourage the use of 'first strike' encounters that we may be better known to one another.
Item: Following the grand mêlée, our challengers may array themselves against us for single challenges, to be fought with sword and shield, counted blows in the manner of Saint George, that is to say the number of blows thrown to five.
Item: Because of time, the battles of the conroi will not be fought.
Item: Next, combatants over the barrier will be commence, begun first with another string of challenges to ascertain who shall meet whom. The defenders at this time will present themselves once more for single challenges. Poleaxe shall be the preferred weapon over the barrier, subject to the conditions below.
Item: There shall be foyning--thrusting--only with poleaxes, and then only to the body or arms.
Item: Single sword shall mean a broadsword only, wielded in one hand without a thrusting point.
Item: Combats over the barrier will allow only blows above the waist, and there will be no blows delivered with excessive force.
Item: Finally, these single combats completed, there will be a final grand mêlée, fought over or around the barrier, once more using single swords, until the combatants tire and retire from the field. A final accounting for the day will then be had, an invitiation being extended to all to attend the Round Table chivalry discussion to take place in Duke Eliahu's encampment at the hour of eight in the evening.
Item: It is the sincere hope of the Company of Saint George that we might, in some measure, provide enjoyment for those who honor us this day with your presence. It is not important whether our opponents are great or small in stature or renown, what is important to us is that sincerity in the love of chivalry rule the day, it being believed by the Company that this is the spark that holds great value no matter where it is found, and it is our quest to seek as many such lights as we might find upon the fields called Pennsic.
Item: There will be no single victor this day, though individual combatants may offer tokens of their pleasure. We encourage gentles moved by what they have seen this day to make their impressions known to the Companies and to the gallery, that the renown of the combatants might truly reflect what is right and just.
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his being read, are the rules understood by all?(The combatants reply)
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oble combatants, having heard these conditions, do you swear to uphold the rules and do all in your power to set aside the avarice of hollow victory and seek instead to advance the noble spirit of knighthood?(The combatants reply)
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he Companions also request one last thing--that you gentles, who our ancestors would have known as the Venans, would watch over the deeds done by the Companions this day, noting their actions, recounting the same far and wide, that the glory and honor that the Tournament Companies hold might live on. The Company of Saint George, Noble Folly, The Peacocks and the Swan thank for your presence here today--you show the companies great honor, and we pledge in return to bear witness to your knightly deeds done today, recounting the same to all who would listen, that your names be forever washed in glory and praise.N
ow then gentlemen, return to the lists in five minutes time, arrayed for the first grand mêlée, armed with but a single broadsword, so that we can acquaint ourselves with weapons as we have done so far with words.The Pas d'Armes Thus Begins