Laws of the Fief

[God]

[A piece of paper, typewritten]

I, Princess Matilda, Baron of Norwich, hearby declare my Fief and all those who dwell in it to be a member of the organisation called the Camarilla. To mark this occasion, it pleases me to grant the following laws and liberties to my loyal Cainite subjects:

I.     Thall shall not reveal our nature to the Canaille for any reason. It does not take much for them to raise the fires of the Inquisition against our kind again.
II.    This Fief is mine and mine alone. This includes all land, chattels and Canaille within it. All enjoy their holdings at my pleasure. Recognised Cainites are granted the right to enjoy my Domain at my pleasure.
III.   As your liege, I am due by right an annual corvée from each Cainite. Details of this shall be dealt with myself or my Seneschal.
IV.    All Cainites are required to attend formal Court each quarter day [Lady Day, Midsummer, Michaelmas and Christmas] for discussion and payment of their corvée.
V.     Creation of ghouls is forbidden without prior formal permission from myself or my Seneschal.
VI.    Creation of progeny is forbidden without prior formal permission from myself.
VII.   All land, chattels and Canaille within or attached to the Cathedral, Monastery and Churches are my demesne. Entry or interference is forbidden without formal permission from myself.
VIII.  Unknown, uninvited Cainites are able to enter my Domain to request the privilege of settling within it on each quarter day. Otherwise, permission must be sought beforehand from myself or my Seneschal before entry.
IX.   The previous law does not apply to those who carry Tremere blood. They are not welcome in my Fief. Such Cainites are not to be mentioned within my presence.
X.    The Amaranth is forbidden.
XI.    All land, chattels and Canaille within or attached to Norwich Castle are my demesne. Recognised Cainites are free to enjoy such places, but any interference or actions against them or within them will be viewed as an action against myself. Violence and uses of the Blood are forbidden.
XII.   Do not not parley with my enemies. Those Cainites who do will have my hospitality withdrawn.
XIII.  Kindred who are aware of others breaking my laws shall be judged to be equally guilty if they withhold knowledge of such from my person, my Seneschal or my Sheriff.
XIV.  I hearby grant the right for my vassals to impose their own laws and/or organise their own corvée if they so wish. However, I am not bound by them, nor are my Officials if doing my will. Nor can they make laws that run against mine, or if they offend me.
XV.   Only I hold the right of Destruction of resident Cainites. Vassals and Officials are free do dispose of unknown Cainites within their fiefs as they see fit.
XVI.  The peace of my Fief shall not be disturbed with Cainite brawls in the street. All such issues shall be settled with duels away from the eyes of the Canaille.

[Signed] Matilda,
- childe of Demetrius,
- childe of Pashedu,
- childe of Malkav.

Anno Domini MCDXCIII [1493].

Full and faithful copy from original. [Signed] Alexander Pope-Hennessy, 1891.

[God]

[An attached piece of paper, typewritten]

Appendices and Interpretations

- Her Ladyship has the right to excuse Kindred from attendance of Court. [1495]
- Kindred are not to attend Court while in animal form. [1504]
- Kindred are required to wear enough clothing to cover their genitals and breasts in Her Ladyship's presence. [1512]
- Disparaging comments about the Welsh are banned in Her Ladyship’s presence. [1516]
- Nosferatu and sufficiently marked Gangrel are judged to be breaking Law I if not sufficiently concealed in public. However, said Kindred are not to be insulted for their visage. [1529]
- Public is defined to be in a location where a Kindred can be seen or heard by a Kine. [1532]
- Nosferatu and sufficiently marked Gangrel are permitted to use powers of the Blood in regards to preserve the Masquerade regardless of location. [1538]
- Christmas quarter day is hearby moved to New Year's Day for Law IV. [1541]
- The Tremere, Setites, Anarchs and members of the Sabbat are automatically defined as Her Ladyship’s enemy for Law XII. [1576]
- Deliberately goading of a Kindred into attack for the purpose of bringing Final Death from self-defence is ruled to be violation of Law XV. [1581]
- A Kindred is not allowed to select cannon, muskets or other gunpowder weapons for duels. [1594]
- As property of Kindred, all actions of a ghoul are legally judged as if their Domitor performed them personally. [1599]
- If a Kindred who bears the marks of a previous Amaranth settles in the Feif, they must provide evidence that it was committed legally. [1612]
- The burning of tobacco products are banned in Her Ladyship’s presence. [1623]
- Her Ladyship is defined to be present everywhere where Court is in session. [1624]
- Dissenter's meeting-halls are defined as 'Churches' for Law VII. [1630]
- The mention of the kine Oliver Cromwell is banned in Her Ladyship's presence. [1649]
- The hunting in pesthouses, hospitals and charnel houses is banned unless Her Ladyship explicitly give permission. [1665]
- The works and mention of the kine artist John Milton are banned in Her Ladyship’s presence. [1681]
- All Kindred duels are to be conducted within three nights after the challenge, under the supervision of the Sheriff, Seneschal or Her Ladyship. [1691]
- Quoting from the Book of Leviticus is banned in Her Ladyship’s presence. [1719]
- Theatre Royal, Norwich is Her Ladyship’s demesne for Law XI. [1723]
- The Assembly House, Norwich is Her Ladyship’s demesne for Law XI. [1731]
- The correct Julian calendar will continue to be used for quarter days in Law IV. [1752]
- The Blue Boar, Norwich is Her Ladyship’s demesne for Law XI. [1755]
- Court is wherever Her Ladyship is. [1763]
- The wearing of wigs is banned in Her Ladyship’s presence. [1767]
- Jewish synagogues are defined as 'Churches' for Law VII. [1780]
- Discussion of Kindred affairs with magi or shape-changers is judged to be a breaking of Law I. [1803]
- Use of the French language is banned in Her Ladyship’s presence. [1821]
- New Year's Day is moved to January 1st. [1825]
- Kindred of Setite blood are included in Law IX. [1829]
- Public discussion of the work “Varney the Vampire” is judged to be a breaking of Law I. [1850]
- Using photographic devices to create images of Kindred is judged to be a breaking of Law I. [1869]
- Public discussion of any vampires in kine fiction is judged to be a breaking of Law I. [1877]
- Colegate Arcade, Norwich is Her Ladyship’s demesne for Law XI. [1896]
- Grand Opera House, Norwich is Her Ladyship’s demesne for Law XI. [1904]