The lists now presented a most splendid spectacle.
The sloping galleries were crowded with all that was
noble, great, wealthy, and beautiful in the northern and
midland parts of England; and the contrast of the various
dresses of these dignified spectators rendered the view as5
gay as it was rich, while the interior and lower space, filled
with the substantial burgesses and yeomen of merry England,
formed, in their more plain attire, a dark fringe, or
border, around this circle of brilliant embroidery, relieving,
and at the same time setting off, its splendor. 10
The heralds finished their proclamation with their usual
cry of "Largess, largess, gallant knights!" and gold and
silver pieces were showered on them from the galleries,
it being a high point of chivalry to exhibit liberality toward
those whom the age accounted at once the secretaries and
the historians of honor. The bounty of the spectators
was acknowledged by the customary shouts of "Love of 5
Ladies—Death of Champions—Honor to the Generous—Glory
to the Brave!" To which the more humble
spectators added their acclamations, and a numerous band
of trumpeters the flourish of their martial instruments.
When these sounds had ceased, the heralds withdrew from 10
the lists in gay and glittering procession, and none remained
within them save the marshals of the field, who, armed cap-a-pie,
sat on horseback, motionless as statues, at the opposite
ends of the lists.
Meantime, the inclosed space at the northern extremity 15
of the lists, large as it was, was now completely crowded
with knights desirous to prove their skill against the challengers,
and when viewed from the galleries presented the
appearance of a sea of waving plumage intermixed with
glistening helmets and tall lances, to the extremities of20
which were, in many cases, attached small pennons of
about a span's breadth, which, fluttering in the air as the
breeze caught them, joined with the restless motion of the
feathers to add liveliness to the scene.
At length the barriers were opened, and five knights 25
chosen by lot advanced slowly into the area; a single champion
riding in front and the other four following in pairs.
All were splendidly armed, and my Saxon authority records
at great length their devices, their colors, and the embroidery
of their horse trappings. It is unnecessary to be 30
particular on these subjects. To borrow lines from a
contemporary poet, who has written but too little—
"The knights are dust,
And their good swords are rust,
Their souls are with the saints, we trust."
Their escutcheons have long moldered from the walls of
their castles. Their castles themselves are but green 5
mounds and shattered ruins—the place that once knew
them knows them no more—nay, many a race since theirs
has died out and been forgotten in the very land which they
occupied with all the authority of feudal lords. What,
then, would it avail the reader to know their names or the 10
evanescent symbols of their martial rank!
Now, however, no whit anticipating the oblivion which
awaited their names and feats, the champions advanced
through the lists, restraining their fiery steeds and compelling
them to move slowly, while, at the same time, they 15
exhibited their paces, together with the grace and dexterity
of the riders. As the procession entered the lists, the sound
of a wild barbaric music was heard from behind the tents of
the challengers, where the performers were concealed. It
was of Eastern origin, having been brought from the Holy 20
Land; and the mixture of the cymbals and bells seemed to
bid welcome at once, and defiance, to the knights as they
advanced.
With the eyes of an immense concourse of spectators
fixed upon them, the five knights advanced up the platform 25
upon which the tents of the challengers stood, and
there separating themselves, each touched slightly, and
with the reverse of his lance, the shield of the antagonist to
whom he wished to oppose himself. The lower orders of
spectators in general—nay, many of the higher class, and30
it is even said several of the ladies—were rather disappointed
at the champions choosing the arms of courtesy.
For the same sort of persons who, in the present day, applaud
most highly the deepest tragedies were then interested in a
tournament exactly in proportion to the danger incurred by
the champions engaged.
Having intimated their more pacific purpose, the champions5
retreated to the extremity of the lists, where they
remained drawn up in a line; while the challengers, sallying
each from his pavilion, mounted their horses, and
headed by Brian de Bois-Guilbert, descended from the
platform and opposed themselves individually to the knights 10
who had touched their respective shields.
At the flourish of clarions and trumpets they started out
against each other at full gallop; and such was the superior
dexterity or good fortune of the challengers that those
opposed to Bois-Guilbert, Malvoisin, and Front-de-Bœuf, 15
rolled on the ground. The antagonist of Grantmesnil,
instead of bearing his lance point fair against the crest or
the shield of his enemy, swerved so much from the direct
line as to break the weapon athwart the person of his opponent—a
circumstance which was accounted more disgraceful 20
than that of being actually unhorsed; because the
latter might happen from accident, whereas the former
evinced awkwardness and want of management of the
weapon and of the horse. The fifth knight alone maintained
the honor of his party and parted fairly with the 25
Knight of St. John, both splintering their lances without
advantage on either side.