All’s Fair in Fight Over Who Can Restage History : Entertainment: A rival event at the former site of the Renaissance Pleasure Faire kicks up allegations of threats and plagiarism.

History records that in their first encounter, the Renaissance triumphed over medieval times.

Now, a rematch.

Agoura’s Paramount Ranch, once the scene of countless Western movie gunfights, is now the scene of a dust-up pitting the Renaissance against the medieval era, and maybe a few stray cavemen.

The Dragonwood Spring Faire opens today on the former site of the Renaissance Pleasure Faire, where for more than 25 years patrons wandered on spring days through the food, crafts and entertainment of the Elizabethan Age.

That is good news for those who missed having a fair nearby where they could buy chunks of red meat on a stick and quaff ale from a wooden mug.

But not everybody thinks the Faire is fair.

Phyllis Patterson, founder of the 29-year-old Renaissance Faire--which relocated to San Bernardino--accused her Dragonwood competitors of “plagiarism of the worst sort.”

Dragonwood organizers are trying to confuse patrons, said Patterson, who moved her fair in 1988 from the Paramount Ranch because of a pending housing development there.

“They are trying to make it seem like the Renaissance Faire is back, but there is no comparison,” Patterson said. “Theirs is a very small fair.”

Dragonwood organizers deny the charge, countering that Patterson has threatened to ban merchants from the Renaissance Faire if they show up at the Dragonwood Faire.

“The merchants are afraid of being blackballed,” said Jon Martin, the organizer of the Dragonwood Faire. “I’ve had seven people back out at the last minute because of that.”

Patterson denied threatening merchants.

Martin, who has staged his Dragonwood Faire at two other sites over the past four years, said he would probably not have started his event except that many former Renaissance Faire merchants grew tired of what they saw as tyrannical rules on dress and merchandise imposed by Patterson.

“We are simply saying pre-gunpowder,” Dragonwood saleswoman Doreen Murphy said. “Anything prior to the Renaissance, from caveman to King Arthur.”

Blacksmith David Holmes said a crew of “security Nazis” regularly patrol Renaissance Faire booths, checking for violations such as eyeglasses, tattoos and tan lines from wristwatches. He said he and his partner pulled out of the Renaissance Faire this year because of the hassles.

“Then you have to take a minimum of four hours of history classes just to learn how to say, ‘G’day, me lord and g’day, me lady,’ ” Holmes said. “Those people are really a pain.”

To the charges of fanaticism about historical correctness, Patterson responded: “This is not a fantasy fair. We are trying to recreate the 16th Century.”

Patterson said she will take her battle right to the front lines. She is going to set up an information booth on parkland just outside the Dragonwood entrance, hoping to lure the historically inclined back to the Renaissance.

“We’re going to tell people we are open and where we will be,” Patterson said.