THE EIGHTH DUKE OF BEAUFORT 



a far less ornamental and romantic, though more 

 serious and democratic business than of old. So much 

 was this the case that kings and nobles showed a 

 growing tendency to hire in their cause the strong 

 arms and sturdy hearts of Swiss peasants. 



The defeat of the Battle of Spurs and the Field of 

 the Cloth of Gold mark the death and apotheosis of 

 the age of chivalry. But this was hidden from the 

 men of the age, for even the victors looked on the 

 Battle of Spurs as an astonishing and unexpected 

 event, not likely to recur, while no doubt the larger 

 number of those present at the Field of the Cloth 

 of Gold took the gathering quite seriously. Among 

 these was the Earl of Worcester and his son Lord 

 Herbert. The former, one of the judges at the 

 jousts, on account of his office and his knowledge of 

 the sport, was one of those chosen to lay out the lists 

 and to arrange the combats. Lord Herbert was 

 among the combatants, since he was acknowledged 

 to be one of the best tilters of his day. The fine 

 presence and magnificence of the Somersets was no 

 small recommendation with the Tudor sovereigns, 

 all of whom liked to see stately figures about the 

 court. 



But we must turn back for a moment to that 

 Lady Elizabeth Herbert whose estates had endowed 

 the family. She was the great-granddaughter of 

 William ap Thomas, whose son was knighted by 

 Henry VL, and assumed the name of Herbert. It 

 was by this marriage that Raglan Castle and Troy 



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