Guild Charter Addendum on the Regulation of Licensed Houses of Companionship

Ratified by the Council of Merchant Guilds under Writ of the Great Isle Union, in Accord with the Law of 1156

Preamble

We, the Council of Merchant Guilds of the Great Isle Union, acting under the authority granted by the Law on Licensed Houses of Companionship, do hereby establish these articles to govern the conduct, licensing, inspection, and discipline of establishments engaged in the trade of companionship and bodily service.

These articles are to be held as binding within all guild jurisdictions of the Union and are enforceable under both guild law and royal charter.

Article I — Of Licensure and Registration

1. No establishment shall engage in the trade of companionship without a Guild License of Operation, sealed and signed by the Master of Merchants and entered into the city ledger.
2. Application for license shall include:
3. The name and residence of the proprietor;
4. The number of attendants or companions in employ;
5. The structure’s location and dimensions;
6. A sworn statement of compliance with city moral and safety ordinances.
7. The license shall be valid for three years and must be renewed upon inspection and payment of the renewal fee.
8. Any license found to have been obtained by deceit or bribery shall be revoked, and the offender expelled from all guild privileges.

Article II — Of Inspections and Oversight

1. Each city guild shall appoint one or more Inspectors of Morals and Safety, whose office shall be to ensure compliance with this charter and the law of the Crown.
2. Inspections shall occur no less than twice yearly, and additionally at any time upon complaint or suspicion of wrongdoing.
3. Inspectors shall have the right to enter the premises of any licensed house between sunrise and sunset, accompanied by a constable if required.
4. The inspector’s report shall be entered into the city’s Registry of Trades, and serious breaches shall be presented before the Guild Court within ten days.

Article III — Of Conduct Within the House

1. No violence, coercion, or forced service shall be tolerated within any licensed establishment.
2. The master or mistress of the house shall maintain peace and order, and is answerable for any injury, theft, or abuse committed upon the premises.
3. Companions shall be treated as free persons under guild protection, entitled to fair pay, rest, and safety.
4. All business transactions shall be conducted within enclosed and private chambers; no act of the trade shall be performed in open view of the street or guildway.
5. The use of intoxicants shall be moderated and confined to licensed beverages, and no powders, tinctures, or draughts deemed harmful by the guild physicians shall be permitted.

Article IV — Of Building Standards

1. Every house shall be spacious enough for the number of staff employed and patrons received, allowing proper accommodation without hazard.
2. No window facing the public street shall open upon a chamber of the trade; if such windows exist, they must be fitted with shutters or coverings of heavy fabric or wood.
3. The premises shall include a common hall, private chambers, and a secure rear exit for safety.
4. Adequate washing, bedding, and warmth shall be provided, and the guild reserves the right to close any house found unfit for habitation or offensive to public decency.

Article V — Of Fees and Taxation

1. Each licensed establishment shall pay to the guild an annual fee equal to one part in twenty of declared profit (5%).
2. Of this revenue, half shall be remitted to the Civic Trust for Orphans, and half retained by the guild for inspection and record-keeping expenses.
3. Should the orphanage of any city suffer strain from children left without parentage due to the operations of such houses, the guild shall impose a temporary levy upon all licensed houses to meet the shortfall.
4. Failure to pay the due tax or levy within thirty days of summons shall result in the suspension of license and confiscation of property.

Article VI — Of Discipline and Punishment

1. Any guild member or licensed proprietor found guilty of violating this charter shall be subject to fines, suspension, or expulsion, depending on the severity of the offense.
2. The Guild Court shall convene to hear cases of misconduct, with three masters of the trade presiding.
3. Minor infractions shall incur fines not exceeding twenty silver marks; grave offenses, such as coercion, harboring of minors, or tax evasion, shall result in expulsion and forfeiture of property.
4. Expelled members shall not be re-admitted without royal pardon or decree of the Merchant Council.

Article VII — Of Records and Seals

1. Every guild shall maintain a Register of Licensed Houses, recording names, locations, staff numbers, taxes paid, and any disciplinary actions.
2. Each license shall bear the Seal of the Guild, renewed upon inspection.
3. Any forged or altered seal shall be treated as an act of fraud against the Crown and punished accordingly.

Article VIII — Of Appeals and Grievances

1. Proprietors or companions aggrieved by guild judgment may appeal before the Council of Merchant Guilds at the capital, paying the fee of petition.
2. The Council’s ruling shall be final, save where the Crown itself issues intervention.

Enactment

Thus is the Guild Charter Addendum on the Regulation of Licensed Houses of Companionship affirmed by the Council of Merchant Guilds of the Great Isle Union, in the Year of Union 1156, under the seal and signature of the Masters of Trade and Commerce.

Given in the Hall of Merchants upon the Great Isle, under the sight of the Crown, for the good governance of trade, the protection of the weak, and the peace of the cities of men.