Item ~ The tourney shall be held in
ladder-fashion as is hereafter described.
Item ~ There shall be placed, beside the list, a post of some height
with pegs placed in it from bottom to top so as to resemble a ladder ~ whereby the tourney
gathers its name.
Item ~ Each fighter shall have a small heraldic shield made to be
placed on the pegs of the ladder. Such emblem should be ~ made of thin wood or metal ~ of
some 3 inches by 3 inches in size ~ given a hole of some one-quarter inch size, placed
along the middle of the upper edge ~ formed in such shape as pleases the maker ~ and bear
the device or other emblem of the fighter. Those fighters who have no such shield with
them may have one prepared before the list.
Item ~ These shields will be placed on the ladder in order of martial
precedence, starting at the bottom rather than the top. And as there is no great tree
without great roots - so in this case shall being placed low on the ladder be considered a
sign of renown. Thus the Knights shall be placed on the lowest rungs, the squires above
them, and other fighters abovemost. Within each group order shall be determined by
precedence or by lot. All this excepting that the Knights may, by consensus, place
fighters in such place on the ladder as they deem most proper.
Item ~ Each fighter may, in his turn, challenge any of the three
fighters placed directly above him for their position on the ladder. The victor will gain,
or hold, the higher position. The other will move, or stay, at the lower position.
Item ~ No fighter may challenge or be challenged by whosoever he fought
in his immediate prior fight.
Item ~ These challenges may be simple or fancy at the preference and
temperament of each fighter. Challengers may likewise declare weapons and manner or not ~
save that none may be compelled to fight using a weapon-form which they prefer to avoid.
Item ~ The tourney shall continue in this manner until such time that
the fighters are prepared to cease or other matters of court and feast are neigh. At such
time the topmost four fighters shall contest for victory in the list by this fashion ~ the
fighters in positions four and two shall fight and the fighters in positions three and one
shall fight ~ the two victors of these two fights shall meet in final combat to determine
the victor of the list ~ All these final fights shall be either single bout or
two-of-three at the fighters' decision.
Item ~ To the victor will be delivered a half-dozen of roses to keep or
bestow as they desire.
