On Helstone's desk: the future.

On Helstone's desk: the future.

Postby channe » Sun Apr 29, 2007 1:42 am

Coriolanus Helstone was not a messy Governor; in fact, his aides knew him as meticulously organized, meticulously clean -- so seeing his desk like this is seeing an alien planet. Papers everywhere, sealing wax half-melted and recongealed on a plate, a cold cup of tea, a quill placed hastily back into an inkwell.

The boy cleaning the place this morning is one of Helstone's favored aides. He has sat there, he has read what Helstone wrote (for the temptation was far too strong, far too strong), and, then -- quietly, quickly, making a copy. He has his instructions.

First, of a set of documents:

1) The Farm Subsidy Act of 207, being a list of all fallow and unused lands, farms, and parishes formerly belonging to the Pritchites, and now in protective custody of the Government; and a plan to allow applicants to cultivate that property this summer, with the added bonus of a substantial subsidy for those who do so;
2) The Famine Act, being a detailed plan for the stockpiling of food for winter and in case of harvest failure, to be fairly rationed out to the populace to prevent widespread famine;
3) Directions for the Funds given from New Dauntless and Thessilane, as well as from the lands of Councilor Aldred, which were given in private, apparently – to support a failing school for orphans, to construct the new Meetinghouse with extra gallery space for viewing for the populace, to provide a raise in pay for the Brotherhood and supplements for families with a member in the Militia, to operate a soup kitchen on Tullywood Lane.
4) A tax break, to be given to all male heads of household who could prove they worked for more than thirty-five hours a week at a job that benefited the people of Myrken Wood.


Second, another set, hastily penned, as yet unsealed:

Whereas of late there have arisen tumults and riotous assemblies of the citizenry, to the disturbance of the Public Peace and imperilment of citizens, property and agents of the lawful Government of Myrken Wood, and the same are yet continued and fomented by persons disaffected by the actions of that Government for that the punishments provided by the laws now in being are not adequate to such heinous offences; and by such rioters the Governor and his administration have been most falsely and maliciously impugned, with an intent to raise divisions, and to alienate the affections of the citizenry from the Governor with a view to the violent overthrow of his Office through force of arms in place of due political process. Therefore for the preventing and suppressing of such tumults and riotous assemblies, the more speedy and efficient punishing of the offenders therein, and the more effective maintenance of the Public Peace:

Be it enacted, by the authority of the Governor of Myrken Wood as conferred by his Judiciary Council, that as of the twenty-eighth day of the month of April Anno Regalis 207 the following measures shall be implemented and enforced by the Government of Myrken wood and their representatives and agents:

I. That if any citizens numbering twelve or more, being unlawfully, riotously or tumultuously assembled together to the disturbance of the Public Peace, and being required or commanded by a Constable, Sheriff, Baliff, Magistrate or other officer of the peace, in form hereinafter directed, to disperse themselves and peaceably depart to their habitations or places of lawful business, shall, to the number of twelve or more, remain unlawfully, riotously or tumultuously assembled together after the passage of one hour from the time of such a request or command, that assemblage of citizens shall be adjudged felony, and the offenders therein shall be adjudged felons, and shall suffer whatever measures required to disperse such assemblage by force, without recourse to recompense or restitution for any injury or fatality suffered in the course of same.

I.a) Be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that the order and form of the proclamation shall be as follows; that the Constable, Sheriff, Baliff, Magistrate or other officer of the peace or other person authorized by this act to make the said proclamation shall, among the said rioters, or as near to them as he can safely come, with a loud voice command, or cause to be commanded silence to be, while the proclamation is made, and after that, shall openly and with loud voice make or cause to be made proclamation in these words, or like in effect:

[i]By order of the Lord Governor of Myrken Wood, all persons here assembled are compelled and commanded immediately to disperse themselves, and peacably to depart to their habitations or to their lawful business or to be subject to the measures and sanctions contained in the act made for preventing of tumults and riotous assemblis, Anno Regalis two hundred and seven. Long live the King.

II. That any citizen found to be disturbing the Public Peace of Myrken Wood through violence, intimidation, belligerence, impropriety or indecency, disorderly conduct, or incitement of the citizenry to riotous assembly, tumult or revolt, and failing to desist in such activity when challenged by a Constable, Sheriff, Baliff, Magistrate or other officer of the peace shall be subject to arrest, detention and prosecution.

III. That all citizens shall be constrained to their abodes or their places of lawful business between the hours of ten o'clock at night and six o'clock in the morning; that any citizen found upon the streets within this time unable to to justify his presence to the satisfaction of a shall be subject to arrest and detention.

IV. That no citizen may carry upon his person a weapon of any description, openly or concealed, save for the proper tools of his lawful trade or a knife with a blade of no more than six inches in length, unless advance permission has been obtained in the form of a license or other formal dispensation; that such dispensations may be requested from the Myrkentown Constabulary, or from any duly-appointed Sheriff, Bailiff, Magistrate, or other officer of the peace; that the Myrkentown Constabulary, the Myrken Wood Militia, and other civil or martial organisations underthe direction of the Government of Myrken Wood are exempt from this restriction while performing their proper duties in maintaining the Public Peace or defending the citizenry.

V. That all citizens, upon challenge by a Constable, Sheriff, Baliff, Magistrate or other officer of the peace, shall be required to truthfully identify themselves and state their business to the satisfaction of that officer of the peace; such identification must be in the form of a properly notarised and validated Certificate of Identity available from the Office of the Governor; if a citizen possesses no such document he must be honestly vouched for by three citizens who possess such a document; if a citizen cannot identify himself by the aforementioned means he shall be subject to arrest and detention until his identity can be demonstrated to the satisfaction of an officer of the peace.

VI. That all citizens, subjects and emissaries of foreign territories shall upon arrival be required to make themselves known and state their business to the satisfaction of the Office of the Governor or a duly appointed representative thereof, upon which they shall be granted a License of Movement permitting them to travel through and about the Territory of Myrken Wood in pursuit of their lawful business; that all such foreign citizens are required to renew this license after no more than ten days or become subject to arrest, detention, and expulsion from the territory of Myrken Wood.

VII. That no citizen may conspire or attempt to overthrow, usurp or unlawfully supplant the lawful Government of Myrken Wood or any part or agent thereof, whether through force of arms or use of intrigue; that any citizen or citizens so conspiring or attempting to overthrow, usurp or supplant said Government through actions beyond lawful and approved political process shall be found guilty of Treason against the Government, and shall be subject to arrest, detention and summary execution.


By Order of the Governor Coriolanus Helstone of Myrken Wood on this, the twenty-eighth day of the month of April Anno Regalis 207.


And, finally, a letter:

Calomel,

If you read this, something has happened to me. I entrust these papers to you and to Matthieu Laurent, seneschal of Lothbury; he is the executor of the estate of Giscard Guillaume, the only other men who would have understood. A copy must also go to Lord Aldred, as fast as you can take them.

Take what measures you need to make things right, sir.

My deepest thanks,
Coriolanus Helstone.


(My own deepest thanks to Steve/Cinnabar, who penned the second part.)
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channe
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