THROUGH SWEDEN. 
53 
the ribbands or favours of their ladies. It was in the power of the 
ladies to propofe prizes for which the knights were to contend, by 
running at the ring. This, I believe, is the only inftance in our 
days of an attempt being made to reftore a fpecies of diverfion, 
which for feveral ages had fallen into difufe, though in former 
times it was extremely popular. It was fuited to the manners of 
that period in which it flourilhed, and productive not only of plea- 
ftire but real utility. This can at prefent fcarcely be fuppofed to 
be the cafe, as the mode of warfare and the fpirit of heroifm now 
exifting, feem to require exercife and accomplifliments of a very 
different kind. It is not eafy to afeertain precifely the epoch 
when tournaments were firft inftituted, nor can we with certainty 
determine on the patron to whom the honour of the invention is 
due. It is claimed by the Englifh, the French, and Germans : 
yet we may fo far fix the time, as to aflume that tournaments be¬ 
gan to be known about the ninth century, and that they are of 
eaftern origin. In the early period of the inftitution, it was not 
ufual for females to attend at the tournaments, but fubfequently 
they overcame their reluClance to feenes ot bloodfhed, and never 
failed to form a confiderable part of the circle of fpeCtators. No 
doubt their prefence added greatly to the brilliancy of the affern- 
blage, and contributed much to the repute and continuation of 
this barbarous inftitution. 
It may be obferved, that the name tournament was originally 
bestowed upon all kinds of military combats and exercifes, achieved, 
according to certain regulations, by a number of knights and their 
fquires, both for amufement and to {hew their valour and aftivity. 
On 
