In the Turnierhuch of Duke William of Bavaria is a picture of an Anzogenrennen, held in the year 1512. The body-armour employed is that used in all the varieties of Rennen, though the shield in this course is much larger than in the others, extending up to the ocularium of the jousting-salade, thus covering the face. This shield has been described under the heading Anzogenrennen. The armour with the shield is illustrated by Boeheim.[195]
There was jousting at Paris in 1513, at which the Duc de Valois was the chief tenant, and many courses were run.[196]
Jousts were held at Lille, in the same year, in a large hall paved with black marble, and the horses were shod with felt to prevent their slipping.[197]
In 1515, in honour of the marriage of the king, jousts took place at Paris, which had been proclaimed by the Dauphin, as follows:—
“Nemelie, that he with nine aides should answer all commers, being gentlemen of name and armes. First, to run fiue courses at the tilt with péeces of advantage[198]; after fiue courses at random[199] with sharpe speares, and twelue strokes with sharpe swords; and that doone, he and his aids to fight at the barriers with all gentlemen of name and armes. First, six foins with hand speares, and after that eight strokes to the most aduantage if the speares so long held, and after that twelue strokes with the sword; and if any man be vnhorsed or felled with fighting on foot, then his horse and armour to be rendered to the officer of armes; and eueri man of this challenge must set vp his armes and name vpon an arch triumphant, which shalbe made at the place where the iusts shalbe, and further shall write to what point he will answer, to one or all.”
When this fête d’armes was proclaimed in England, “the duke of Suffolke, the marquis of Dorset and his four brethrern, the lord Clinton, sir Edward Neuille, sir Giles Capell, Thomas Cheneie and others sued the king to be at the chalenge, which request he gratiouslie granted.” “The Dolphin desired the duke of Suffolke and the marquess Dorset to be two of his immediate aids, which they thereto assented.” Four shields were set up—viz. silver, gold, black and tawny—under which the venans were to write their names, electing, in their order, whether to run at the tilt, in the open with sharp lances, to fight on foot with one-handed swords, or lastly, with two-handers. This pas d’armes continued over three days, during which 305 cavaliers each ran five courses, some with sharp lances, and several were killed. In the joust in the open the Duke of Suffolk wounded an antagonist almost to the death. The Dauphin was wounded in the hand, so that he was unable to take further part. Many other particulars and details of this passage of arms are given by Holinshed.[200]
Among the Ashmolean MSS. is one relating to the proclamation of jousts to be held at a later date and to letters of safeguard issued to intending venans. The document is of the year 1520, and runs as follows:—
“The lettres of savegarde given by the said King of England [Henry VIII] unto Thomas Walle al’s Norrey King of Armes, for the proclamacōn of the same Ioustes in the parties of Almayn and the contrye of Germania, wch Norrey proclaimed thē welle in French for the lowe contreys, as in High Dutch as hereafter followeth ＆c.”[201]
In foot contests there was a rule that no one who had seen a challenger fight on foot on any previous occasion was allowed to engage him. It is difficult to understand the reason for this condition, and it was often waived on permission being given by an intended opponent.
Charles V, in January, 1518, two years before he became emperor, took part in a tournament at which twelve horses were killed; and in another in the March following, when seven cavaliers lost their lives.[202]