HISTORY AND ETHNOLOGY. 91 



mony of his qualifications for tournaments. 4. The applicant could rebut 

 all charges against his honor by competent testimony. 



Besides the stewards and heralds, beadles or overseers assisted in main- 

 taining order. With thin long poles, or tipstaffs, they stood in the lists 

 in order to separate the combatants when the contest grew^ serious, and to 

 protect the one who was exposed to danger. Another class of servants 

 kept the crowds in order, took care of lost arms and armor, &c. Ladies, 

 too, had certain official duties to discharge. Every tournament association 

 sent one married woman, one widow, and one maiden, who were present 

 at the exhibition of arms. Others crowded the victorious knight with the 

 prize ; still others enjoyed the right of naming the time and place of the 

 next tournament, though the stewards were generally left to decide those 

 naatters. 



The ground for the contest was a large elliptical and inclosed area (called 

 the lists), and openings were left at the ends for ingress and egress. At the 

 sides were erected large galleries or stages, beautifully adorned with 

 heraldic tapestry and insignia, and appropriated entirely to the ladies, 

 princes, courtiers, and nobles. 



On the evening previous to the real tournament, that of the squires took 

 place. On the morning of the tournament the knights attended mass, and 

 were then conducted to the lists in a body by heralds, and followed by 

 their squires, all in full armor. Halting without the inclosure, the dress and 

 armor of the knights were examined, and care was taken against any 

 attempts to fasten their persons by straps, or other means, to the saddles. 

 At a signal given by the sound of the trumpet the beadles cut the ropes of the 

 lists, and the horses entered the circle. The contests commonly consisted 

 of single combats, though sometimes whole companies fought against 

 each other. The exercises opened by a passage at arms with short blunted 

 spears, fastened by chains to the cuirass. A flourish from the trumpet pro- 

 claimed the close of this species of fight, and then commenced the joust of 

 the sword. In this contest the chief object was to cut dovm the crest 

 and other ornaments from the adversary's helmet. 



l^ext came the contest with the blunted lance and the shield, as sole 

 weapons of offence and defence. In fighting across the lists there 

 was a kind of barrier between the combatants, and they were required 

 to meet each other at full speed. Whoever struck his adversary 

 so forcibly as to unhorse him or to break his lance, had won a 

 point, and the knight gaining the greatest number of points bore off the 

 prize. The close of the games was followed by the heralds announcing 

 the names and dignities of the victors, whereupon the prizes were distributed 

 by the ladies who had been elected for the purpose. The prizes consisted 

 of splendid arms, shoulder knots, golden chains and bracelets, richly 

 caparisoned horses, &c., &c. Blasts of trumpets and shouts of joy accom- 

 panied this ceremony, and the receiver had a right to claim a kiss from the 

 lady who handed him the prize, and then to invite her to a dance. French 

 ladies would offer their champions presents by way of encouragement or as 

 a reward, both during and after the combat, such as scarfs, veils, bracelets, 



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