146 



CHIVALRY. 



Tounu- 



in the register books, ai hi* combatant. If the *Li- ul 

 was touched with a blunt weapon, ihe combat was to 

 be of that description ; if with a sharp weapon, the 

 combat was lo be with weapons of that kind. In the 

 second place, the public exhibition of the shields gave 

 those who meant to attend the tournament?, and espe- 

 cially the ladies, an opportunity of knowing their re- 

 spective owners ; and if a lady discovered the shield of a 

 kuight, against whom the had any just teason of com- 

 plaint, by (imply touching it, she appealed to the 

 protection and justice of the judge of the field against 

 the culprit. If he, on enquiry, found that the complaint 

 was well-founded, the knight was instantly pui 

 and forbidden to appear at the tournament ; and if he 

 did, a shower of blows with swiiches, laid on by the 

 other chevaliers, and even by the ladies themselves, drove 

 him ignominiously from the Ir.ta. 



The eve of the tournaments was celebrated by justs 

 on a smaller scale j these were called essays at arms. In 

 these it was lawful for the esquires to engage, with aims 

 light and easily managed, sometimes with those knighu 

 who had been recently created. If in these inferior and 

 preparatory feats of arms, any esquire particularly dis- 

 tinguished himself, he was made a knight, and conse- 

 quently was authorised to engage in the grand tourna- 

 ment. 



The laws respecting the dress and arms that were to 

 be worn at tournaments, and the mode in which th, 

 combats were to be conducted, were strictly laid down. 

 The lance, the sword, the mace, and the dagger, were 

 the arms allowed. The dress of the knight consisted of 

 a long and flowing robe, which reached down to his 

 heels. It was unlawful to strike with the point of the 

 sword ; to wound the horse j to aim. a blow at any part 

 but the face and the body ; and to attack a knight when 

 he had taken off his helmet. The judges of the field, 

 whose business and duty it was to enforce these laws, as 

 well as to assist the ladies in awarding the prize, were 

 selected from the ancient knights (vcterani), who, no 

 longer able to engage in war or tournament, applied 

 their wisdom and skiTl to regulate them. 



The place destined for the tournament was fitted up 

 with the utmost magnificence. The benches that sur- 

 rounded it were filled with princes, nobles, and ladies ; 

 while the judges of the field and the heralds took their 

 station, where they could best discharge their respec- 

 tive duties. When a chevalier entered the lists, who had 

 never before engaged in a tournament, the herald, in pro- 

 claiming his approach, called upon him to remember 

 whose son he was, and not to disgrace his ancestors. It 

 was customary for each cavalier to enter the lists, conduct- 

 ed, and sometimes led by a silken chain, by their mis- 

 tresses, wh.ise favour they wore, and whose name they 

 proclaimed as a tide of honour and a presage of victo- 

 ry.-)- The first action of the knight was to wave his 

 pennon, inscribed with religious symbols, in the air, in 

 the form of a cross ; thus ditplaying by the first word* 

 he uttered, and the first action he performed, his devo- 

 tion and his gallantry. 



As the champion of each dame was successful or 

 otherwise, he was cheered by her applause, or roused 

 by her approaches. If, during th< combat, he lost the 

 favour which she had given him, she presented him witb 

 another ; and it not unfrequcntly happened, that the 



UM (hicbU were hung up in a neighbouring monastery, to which, or to the church, the arms of the hone, with which 

 rhampton bad gained h! triumph, wen not unf'requenlJy offered as a gift ol religious gratitude. 

 f In UM ttme of Edward III. ladin of the feral dminction attended the tournament* on horseback, armed with daggers, and i| 

 a Uo4f military 4KM. 



T why she returned the salute of a mechanic, answered, 

 that the should have been more ashamed to have failed in 

 courtesy towards him, than towards a person ot 

 birth and profession. 



Gratitude also was among the distinguishing virtue* 

 of a true chevalier: if in his trawls he received the rights 

 of hospitality, or the smallest favour or assistance from 

 a pcrton of the lowest rank, he never forgot it ; he de- 

 clined himself the chevalier of his benefactor, and made 

 a aolemn vow to forego the reward* of the most splendid 

 achievements, if they were irreconcileable with his duty 

 to succour or protect him. 



Fxcrdmof The most noble and favourite amusement and exercise 

 of a knight consisted in justs and tournaments ; a rude 

 and irregular specie* of the latter existed among the 

 German* in the time of Tacitus, and may indeed be tra- 

 ced among all savage nations that arc fond of war ; but 

 the just, distinguished from the tournament, a* exhibiting 

 the combat of one against one, and the tournament it- 

 self, with its regulated pomp and solemnity of prepara- 

 tion and attendance, were unknown before the middle of 

 the eleventh ccnturv. 



At *"' r>l every knight of sufficient importance and 

 wealth proclaimed and celebrated tournaments ; but af- 

 terward* the sovereign alone exercised this privilege ; and 

 none could hold them without his licence and permission. 

 The most frrquent occasions, or at least the most splen- 

 did, when tournaments were celebrated, were at corona- 

 tion*, royal marriages, or splendid victories. A herald 

 was sent to the neighbouring princes, to proclaim the 

 approaching tournament, and to invite all whose knight- 

 hood was unstained to witness, or assist at them. The 

 invitation was eagerly accepted ; and a zealous knight 

 did not hesitate to travel to a very great distance to be 

 present at them. 



By the laws for their regulation, which were framed 

 by the emperor Henry the Fowler ; only persons of ar- 

 moria Ibearings, and who could prove four descents, were 

 admitted to them ; if any came, with unfounded preten- 

 sion* to these, they were excluded and punished : all 

 criminals, also degraded knights, and especially those 

 who had defamed the character of the ladies, were for- 

 bidden to attend them. Every knight was to appear in 

 armour, with his armorial bearings on his shield and sur- 

 coat : his horse also was to be properly caparisoned, and 

 adorned with the figures and tincturfs of his arms. He 

 was to be preceded by his esquire, bearing in his right 

 hand his master's spear, with the pennon of his arms ; 

 and in his left, hit helmet adorned with lambrekins, or 

 ihrjaioun of his mistress, also of his proper tincture. 

 When be approached the place where the tournament 

 was to be held, he was to signify his arnval by the sound 

 of a horn or trumpet ; on this the judges of the field 

 met him at the barrier, to whom he gave in his name, 

 his helmet, his arms, and the proofs of his descent ; these 

 were all regularly and carefully registered ; and for some 

 day* previous to the tournament, his shield was hung up 

 on a tree in tome conspicuous place. * 



The practice of thus exposing the shields of those 

 who meant to engage in the tournaments had two ob- 

 ject* ; in the first place, it wa* considered as a challenge 

 to all that were willing to just ; the page or etquire, was 

 appointed to watch them, and whoever touched the 

 shield of another knigbt, wa* immediately marked down 



