Authorisation

Authorisation is a means of testing a combatants level of safety, you don't have to be a good fighter to be Authorised you just need to be safe.

Authorisation involves a a practical and theoretical component, The Practical component is to asses a combatants safety level not only to themselves but to their opponent as well.

This may be different in different baronies but generally i believe that the practical part of the authorisations starts off with slow work, where combatants fight at about a quater of the speed, this is to asses techneque, then moves to either three quater or full speed.

you will have to go through several drills

-you on your knees while your opponent stands -you standing while you oponent kneels -attack and defense drills

    -you attacking your opponent defending and only being able to throw three
     shots
    -your opponent attacking and you defending only able to throw three shots

-you opponent "monstering" you (Attacking very aggresively and in close) to sse how you react. -Then several bout, during one or more of these the marshal may call "hold" to see that you know what to do (Drop to one knee with you sword above you head and call hold yourself).

In the theory section you will need to know such things as the rules of the list, basic armour and weapon standards.