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The original manual describes a tournament that spans over many days. We have tried to compress the activities a bit since this event will be run over one evening and one day of the Ten Year event.
The precise schedule will be announced at the event, but here is an outline of what will happen.
Helmschau
(starts Thursday evening)
"Very high and powerful princes, dukes, counts, barons, lords, knights and squires at arms: I notify you on behalf of my lords the judges that each of you must bring your helm, with the crest which you intend to wear at the tourney, and your banner, at the ninth hour after the noon, to the inn of the judges, so that the judges, at ten o'clock, may set them up for the ladies to come and see and give their opinions to the judges."
All fighters that intend to participate in the behourd must bring his/her helm to the place decided by the judges. The fighters should also bring their banners and display shields. This is the time when the judges divide the two teams.
The Helmschau from Rene's book:
"Very noble and redoubted knight (or very noble and gentle squire), as it has always been the custom of ladies and damsels to have compassion, those who have come to see the tourney that will be held tomorrow, fearing that some gentleman who has done ill out of simplicity may be chastised too heavily by the demands of justice, and not wishing to see anyone beaten very hard, regardless of who he is, unless they can help him, the ladies have asked the judges to assign to them a famous, wise, and notable knight or squire who, more than all others, deserves the honor of carrying on their behalf this veil on the end of a lance tomorrow at the tourney. And if someone is too severely beaten, the knight or squire will touch his crest with the veil, and all those beating him must stop and not dare touch him: because from that hour forward, the ladies have taken him under their protection and safeguard. You have been chosen above all others at this tourney to be their knight (or squire) of honor, and undertake this chage, and they ask and require you to do as they wish, and so do the judges."
Then the ladies should give him the veil, asking him to do this; and after, the knight (or squire) kisses them, and then answers them as follows:
"I humbly thank my ladies and damsels for the honor it has pleased them to do to me: and although they could easily have found others who could do this better, and who merit this honor more than I, nevertheless I obey the ladies freely and will do my loyal duty, asking always that they forgive my mistakes." 1)
The knight (or squire) of honour will have the function of a marshal in the lists. If he should lower the cloth over a fighter, that fighter is under the protection of the ladies and may not be struck until the cloth is again removed.
1) René of Anjou, King René's tournament book: Traictie de la forme et devis d'ung tournoy. Translated by Elizabeth Bennett and illustrated by Will McLean. 2nd ed. rev., 1997. <http://www.voicenet.com/~ebennett/renebook.htm> (11 April 1997).