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The Tournament of the Wolf Moon

January 6th – 8th 2006

Spirit of the Suwanee

Live Oak, Florida

Challenge

Let all princes, lords, barons, knights, squires and gentles of Trimaris and all other kingdoms, who are not banished or enemies of the King and Queen of Trimaris bear witness to our words:

WHEREAS those of us bound together as the Company of the Azure Rose are resolved to better exalt the Virtues of Prowess, Courage, Honesty, Largess, Loyalty, Faith, Courtesy, and Franchise, to the betterment of our souls and to the benefit of all.

WHEREAS we wish to reward and promote the above-mentioned virtues, and to display said virtues in martial deeds of splendid prowess, valiant acts, grand presentation and seek to acquire illustrious renown and fame thereby,

WHEREAS those who signify their agreement to this missive crave to do honor to all that is grand, glorious, noble, right, proper and good in the world, in fellowship with those of like purpose,

WHEREAS we proclaim that the Companions of this Company shall endeavor to increase, advance and uphold the banner of chivalry as it was practiced by our noble ancestors, and swearing to do the same, do we hereby ordain these maintenances:

In our gallant Company, we shall strive to do honor to our splendid ancestors, to maintain the equipage, raiment and bearing of gentles-at-arms, to eschew the base vices of malice, anger, vainglory, arrogance and pride, to display kindness and fond friendship and to ever practice, promote and exalt the skillful and strong employment of arms in both tournament and in war.

Also, that every Companion shall revere such goodly arts and mysteries of days past, most especially those relating to the martial use of horses, omitting neither their practice nor their patronage.

To this end at 9:00am on the 7th day of January in the year of Our Lord 2006 shall be held the Emprise of the Azure Rose at the most noble Tournament of the Wolf Moon.   The company of the Azure Rose shall serve as host on this field but not as Tenant.  This field shall be open to all comers of the Knowne World who shall hold this field of honor as one company equal in friendship and unmatched in chivalry. 

On this glorious day all Venants shall come to this field to honor the Roses of the knowne world and for the entertainment of the esteemed Ladies that would share this day with them.

The Company of The Azure Rose

Dedication

This annual Emprise of the Azure Rose is dedicated to our beloved Patronesses and Patrons who fight dragons for us every day so that we may think they do not even exist.

Introduction

                Noble equestrians, greetings from the Marshal of the Emprise of the Azure Rose, Baroness Aurora Danielle Trevelyan.  This Emprise is a tournament based on King Rene’s Book of Tournaments or a Joust de Plaisance (‘joust of peace”).

Our goal is to attempt to recreate the pomp and pageantry of a grand tournament of the late 13^th and early 14^th centuries with riders and their mounts in heraldic livery.

Requirements for Participation

The Emprise of the Azure Rose will be held in the style of the mounted portion of a Western European "Fete de Armes" of the 13^th through 14^th centuries. All Venants’ dress, be it human or horse, is expected to conform to the standards of that time and place, within reason.

¨      Each Lance may consist of one to four riders.  There will be no maximum number of attendants regardless of title or station.  Presentations should be created to impress the judges.  Every Lance is required to have a Herald and at least one Valet. The Herald will introduce each Venant of your lance and will make all challenges and assist with your presentation.  Your Lance Herald will be required to provide a white baton to be used when striking challenges.  The Valet will hand you your weapons and see to you and your horses to free up the ground attendants that will be busied in the tiltyard. 

¨      A horse.  Each rider must make provision for their own mount.

¨      Riders are required to have full barding/trapper for their horse, of a heraldic nature. The arms displayed may be the rider's personal arms, device or badge of their Kingdom or home group, or those of a Tourney or other Company to which they belong. 

¨      Helms with crests are required to be for presentation to the berfrois.  A rider may wear the crested helm for the tourney if they choose.  Modern riding helmets will be allowed if well disguised.  Crests may be as tall or large as the wearer wishes, but may be no less than six (6) inches in height. Crests do not have to be made of period materials but should be made so as to conform to period heraldic practice with regards to appearance.  Anything not adhering to these standards will be rejected at the discretion of the marshals and that rider will not participate in the tourney.

¨      All entrants must make a "tourney billet".  On this billet should be the entrant's SCA name, device and crest. You may also include a motto if you have one.  The purpose of the billet is to be placed beside your helm/crest during the display of Crests, in order to help identify the rider.  The billets will also be displayed on the list tree where the heralds will strike challenges.  These billets should be no larger than 9”X12” and should have a short cord attached for the purpose of hanging them on the list tree.

¨      Each rider should attempt to have a banner with their device or badge to be carried by an attendant, in appropriate heraldic livery, during his or her presentation to the judges.

Challenges and the Lyst

Three martial activities shall be used in the Emprise of the Azure Rose:

¨      Quintain

¨      Ring tilting

¨      Spear throw

All martial activity equipment (quintain, ring trees, and spear targets) will in be the tiltyard.  This will be a triple elimination tournament.   Each Lance will need to provide their own spears and lances though many are often willing to share this can not be taken for granted.

                        Between the first and second rounds of the tourney, the judges will select two riders for a “Tilt de Plaisance.”  The judges shall choose the game.  These runs are for the pleasure of the judges only and will not count toward the scoring of the Emprise.

 Glorious Prizes Shall Be Awarded For

¨      Emprise Champion Équestre

¨      Primus Equite

¨      La Meilleure Présentation De Heraldic

The Emrise Champion Équestre and winner of the Emprise shall be chosen by the judges based upon his or her chivalry, presentation upon the field and martial prowess.

The title of Primus Equite will be awarded to the rider displaying the highest score in feats of martial prowess.

The title La Meilleure Présentation De Heraldic will be chosen by the judges and go to the rider displaying the best heraldic presentation.

Outline for the Emprise of the Azure Rose

Each participant must submit a Letter of Venancy to the Marshal of the Emprise, THL Aurora Danielle Trevelyan by January 1, 2006.   This letter may be submitted by:

¨      Email to Rory07@aol.com

¨      Regular mail to Rory Williams, 1630 Rockerman Avenue Jacksonville Florida 32221

Helm and Crest Display

                Each Venant will take their helm, crest and tourney billet to the Venants pavilion at the tiltyard for display by 8:00 am on the morning of January 7th, 2006. 

Convention with the King of Arms

                Each participant should make effort to report to the King at Arms at a meeting to be scheduled the night before the Emprise to receive instruction regarding the Emprise.  If no Herald is available to you, you may present your introduction script with your name, blazon of device, chosen crest, motto, honors received and the lineage of the participant to be read by the King at Arms (This is a last resort) and every effort should be made by each lance to supply their own Herald as the King of Arms has many duties this day.

Emprise Procession

                There will be a procession to the field beginning one half-hour prior to the Emprise.  This will include the Marshals of the Emprise, the King of Arms, and all riders in order of precedence, with their mounts, banner bearers and all attendants.  Participants are asked to wear their helm and crest for this procession.

Emprise Opening Ceremonies

                Judges proceed to the center berfrois led by Duchess Elspeth Trelawney MacNaughton of Lochawe and Duchess Brighid Caileen of the Moors

 as chief judges of the Emprise, as well as any Royalty or Peers in attendance. The Gallery will be open to all Ladies.  Her Grace Duchess Elspeth will act as the speaker for the Judges.  Her Grace will instruct the King of Arms to formally open the Emprise.

When all are assembled, the King of Arms will read the Order of the Day: 

¨      Now gather yourselves, noble lords and ladies, and hear the rules of the day, to which you will bind yourselves for the duration of this Emprise.  According to the terms set forth this day by our noble patronesses and judges, you will defend all challenges offered on this field and bear yourself with nobility and grace.  You will be awarded three challenges to be offered to any that take this field in honor.  The challenges will be accepted in contest at the quintain, the ring tilt and the spear throw.  Noble gentles, having heard these conditions, do you swear to uphold the rules and to do all in your power to set aside the personal avarice of hollow victory and instead to advance the noble spirit of Chivalry?

After the order is read, each Venant shall be asked to affirm their understanding and support of the Order in front of the assembled witnesses.  The Venants will then make ready for their individual introductions as there are no Tenants of this field this year.  All comers will be introduced by order of precedence.

Venants

¨      The Venant will proceed before the judges mounted and accompanied by their banner bearer and any attendants.

¨      The Lance Herald shall introduce their Venants.

¨      The judges, through the King of Arms, will accept the Venants.

¨      Each Venant will proceed to the far end of the tiltyard and wait while the others are introduced.

At this time all riders shall retire to the recet and await the call to challenge by the King of Arms.

Ladies Champion

            Prior to the first challenge being offered, the judges, in consultation with any other interested Ladies, will choose a participant to serve as their Champion and who shall be known as La Championne De Dames.

Challenges

            The King of Arms calls for the first riders to the field. Flourish and panache is highly encouraged throughout the entire tournament.  WE are here to entertain the ladies.  However…please leave Monty Python at home.

            The order of go for the second and third rounds will be determined the highest challenger’s score from each preceding round.  The King of Arms will inform participants of the order.

Judge’s Challenges

            The judges will issue their “Tilt de Plaisance” challenges between the first and second rounds of the Emprise.

Closing ceremonies

            After the scoring and consultation of the judges is completed, the King of Arms will summon the Venants to the berfrois.  The participants may come mounted and accompanied by their banner bearer.  The judges will make the awards.

"FACTA NON VERBA"