[CHAPTER V]
A notable pas d’armes was held at L’Arbre de Charlemagne, near Dijon, in the year 1443,[139] presided over by Duke Philippe le Bon, which was proclaimed in most of the European countries of Christendom. The account of this meeting has a great historical value, owing not only to its reference to the tilt, additional pieces, and special forms of armour, but also to the amount of detail it presents. It is given here in a much abridged form.
Thirteen noble Burgundians of distinction, headed by Pierre de Bauffremont, Chevalier, Seigneur de Charny, held the pas for six weeks against all comers. De la Marche remarks that during the time necessary for erecting the lists and making the general arrangements for the meeting the young cavaliers practised various forms of jousting before the duke “et là furent faictes une jouste à selles plattes, et en harnois de ioûte.” He graphically pictures the general arrangements for this pas d’armes, the profuse hospitality extended to all comers, the construction and decoration of the lists, the dresses and equipments of the officials, pages, combatants, etc. He describes the lists for jousting as follows, making clear mention of the tilt:—“et au milieu d’icelle lice fut la toille mise, pour la conduitte des chevaux, et pour servir à la course des hommes d’armes, comme il est de coustume en tel cas.” “Celle lice fut de bonne hauteur et grandeur: et, aux deux bouts de ladicte lice, furent faictes deux marches: qui se montoyent à degrés, faits de ce bonne grandeur, que l’on pouvoit aider à l’hommes d’armes, tout à cheval, pour l’armer aiser, ou desarmer, selon le cas: et hors de ladicte lice, du costé de Digeon, aux jours qu’il besoing faisoit, avoit une grande tente, haute et spacieuse, tendue, pour aider et soulager le venant de dehors, si mestier en avoit.” There was another enclosure for combats on foot.
During the duration of the pas two shields were hung suspended in the lists: one, painted black, besprinkled with gilded tear-drops; the other, violet, semé, with tear-drops in black. Each venant who, through a pursuivant, placed a gage, such as a sword or spur, below the first-named shield, signified his election to engage on horseback one of the tenans or defenders of the pas, and to run twelve courses, “à la toille,” that is along the tilt, with sharp or rebated lances at his pleasure; and should either of the jousters be unhorsed he was to present his adversary with a diamond of whatever value he pleased. The venant who placed his gage below the violet shield, with tear-drops in black, elected a combat on foot, consisting of fifteen strokes with the axe or estoc;[140] but should he place gages below both shields, his challenge applied to a joust at the tilt and a foot encounter as well. The duke took his seat on the 11th July, 1443, holding a white wand or bâton in his hand as judge, which when cast down put an end to a fight at any stage, the officials at once separating the combatants. We describe briefly a few of the encounters. The first contest lay between the leader of the tenans, the Seigneur de Charny, and a Spanish cavalier of mark, Pietre-Vasque de Suavedra. The chevalier venant having placed gages below both shields, the combat was to be on foot, to be followed by another on horseback; and on the opening day the champions entered the enclosure for foot contests at 9 o’clock in the morning. The choice of weapons, as between axes and épées d’armes,[141] lay with the chevalier venant, who chose axes. Eight men-at-arms in complete armour, bearing white wands, ranged themselves in the enclosure, to keep the ring and to separate the combatants when necessary. The duke gave the signal and the combat began. Suavedra had taken off his visor, while Charny fought with his visor down. The stipulated fifteen strokes having been exchanged, without bodily injury to either party, the combatants were separated and left the lists.
On the 13th day of the same month the jousting between the same cavaliers took place. The Spaniard first entered the lists with his following, his horse trapped in blue and white silk, and presented himself before the judge. De Charny followed in like manner, the trapper of his charger being of cloth of gold; he was attended both by his esquires and by five pages on horseback, sumptuously attired in blue and violet satin. The onset having been sounded, the champions charged, each splintering his lance on the body of his antagonist in the centre of the lists; in their second career both lances glanced off, and so on until the number of courses had been run. Challengers continued to come forward, and each combat is recorded by the chronicler in its turn.
On the 8th of August a joust took place between an Italian, Jacques de Visque, Comte de St. Martin, and the Chevalier Guillame de Vaudrey, “qui couroit de droit et du long de la toile.” In the first course St. Martin was struck on the visor of his helmet by the lance of his opponent, the fastening being broken; in the fourth he was wounded severely in the lance-arm, the lance-head remaining in the wound, and the expressions of regret at the occurrence were so general as to show that serious injuries in such encounters had become comparatively rare. This mounted contest was followed by a combat on foot between Anthoine de Vaudrey and Jehan de Compays, Seigneur de Torain. The venant chose estocs, and a smart fight ensued, without personal injury to either chevalier, though their armour was much battered and torn.
The chronicler continues his narrations of the various combats which followed during the remaining days provided for in the Chapitres d’Armes, throughout the course of which the defenders of the pas held it against all comers with conspicuous honour and distinction. The tenans of the pas d’armes made an offering to the Virgin of the two shields of L’Arbre de Charlemagne, which were hung suspended in the Church of Nôtre Dame at Dijon.
While de la Marche devotes his narration more to the fighting and spectacular aspects of the meeting, Monstrelet deals with the challenges and chapitres d’armes.
THE CHALLENGES
“In honour of our Lord, and his most glorious mother, of my Lady Sainte Anne, and of my lord St George, I, Pierre de Bauffremont, lord of Chargny, of Monliet and of Montfort, knight, councellor and chamberlain, to the most high, most puissant and excellent prince the Duke of Burgundy, make known to all princes, barons, knights and esquires, without reproach, with the exception of those of the kingdom of France and of the countries in alliance, or subjects to my said sovereign lord, that for the augmentation and extension of the most noble profession and exercise of arms, my will and intention is, in conjunction with twelve knights, esquires and gentlemen, of four quarterings, whose names follow:—Thibault, lord of Rougemont and Mussy; Messire William Breremont, lord of Sees and of Sauvegon; William de Brenne, lord of Mombis and of Gilly; John, lord of Valengen; John, lord of Rap and of Tirecourt; William de Champdivers, lord of Chivigny; John de Chiron, lord of Rancheinères; Antony de Vaudray, lord of Aille; William de Vaudray, lord of Collaon; James de Challant, lord of Ainvilie; Messire Amé, lord of Espirey; and John de Chavigny,—to guard and defend a pas d’armes, situated on the great road leading from Dijon towards Auxonne, at the end of the causeway from the said town of Dijon, at a great tree called the Hermit’s Tree in the form and manner following.