[385] 2 Samuel ii.
[386] Such as that which took place at Windsor Park in the sixth year of Edward I., for which, according to a document in the Record Office at the Tower (printed in the “Archælogia,” vol. xvii. p. 297), it appears that the knights were armed in a tunic and surcoat, a helmet of leather gilt or silvered, with crests of parchment, a wooden shield, and a sword of parchment, silvered and strengthened with whalebone, with gilded hilts.
[387] i.e., of the strangers. The challengers are afterwards called the gentlemen within.
[388] For other forms of challenge, and some very romantic challenges at full length, see the Lansdowne MS. 285.
[389] Probably the tilt-house (the shed or tent which they have in the field at one end of the lists).
[390] The Lansdowne MS. says “gentlewomen,” an obvious error; it is correctly given as above in the Hastings MS.
[391] Dugdale, in his “History of Warwickshire,” gives a curious series of pictures of the famous combat between John Astle and Piers de Massie in the year 1438, showing the various incidents of the combat.
[392] The Harleian MS. No. 69, is a book of certain triumphs, containing proclamations of tournaments, statutes of arms for their regulation, and numerous other documents relating to the subject. From folio 20 and onwards are given pictures of combats; folio 22 v. represents spear-play at the barriers; folio 23, sword-play at the barriers, &c.
[393] In the picture given by Dugdale of the combat between John Astle and Piers de Massie, the combatants are represented each sitting in his chair—a great carvad chair, something like the coronation chair in Westminster Abbey.
[394] Tremouille.