Social Behavior in the Fencing Room
General Obligations:
Article 1: All individuals occupying the fencing room must behave in a civil and educated manner.
Article 2: On entering, as well as leaving, it is necessary to greet everyone in the room (shake hands).
Article 3: During the lessons the bystanders must not prevent the student from hearing the master's voice.
Article 4: It is prohibited to engage in the exercise of arms in the fencing room without a protective jacket, glove, and mask appropriate to the weapon in use, in order to prevent accidents.
Obligations of the Students:
Article 1: Anyone wishing to take fencing lessons must contact the master to arrange the day, hour, and monthly fee.
Article 2: Every student must provide himself or herself with the necessary equipment for fencing; and lacking this, may not use that of other persons without permission.
Article 3: Students may free fence only if the master, knowing their ability, gives them permission.
Article 4: It is the obligation of the students themselves, when fencing, to observe from time to time, whether of not the point of the weapon is covered with a button, so that accidents can be avoided.
Article 5: It is absolutely obligatory when fencing, that every time one is hit, to announce the touch, saying toccato.
Article 6: During fencing, if one of the two fencers is by chance disarmed, and his weapon drops, the other, regardless of his rank, must pick it up and hand it to his adversary by the guard, in order to avoid even the idea of haughtiness.
Article 7: If it occurs that the master breaks one or more blades in the lesson or assault, when training his students, it is their obligation to pay for the broken blades. Similarly, if not as an obligation, at least one of courtesy, it is customary that when a guest breaks his blade that his host pays for it. And when two students fence and break blades, no reason for why the blades were broken is sought; instead, the expense is always borne by the individual left holding the broken weapon.
Article 8: Smoking is not permitted in the fencing room.
--Lambertini, Vittorio. Trattato di scherma. Bologna, 1870
