On the twelfth of January following jousts were held in the park at Richmond “vnknown to the kynges grace, whereof, he beyng secretly informed, caused hymself and one of his priue chambre, called Willyā Compton to be secretly armed, and so came into the Iustes vnknowen to all persones and vnloked for. The kyng ranne neuer openly before, and there were broken many staues, and greate praise geuen to the two straungers, but specially to one, whiche was the kyng.” “Master Compton was sore hurte and likely to dye.”[203]
Holinshed tells us that in May, 1510, the king with his aides challenged all comers to fight at barriers at Greenwich, viz. casting the spear and twelve strokes with two-handed swords. Henry much distinguished himself by his great strength and judgment.
On the 13th November in the same year Henry, with Charles Brandon and “Mayster” Compton, answered all comers for two days, the first at the tilt, the second at the tourney. “At these iusts the king brake more staves than any other, and therefore had the pryse: at the Turney in likewyse the honor was his.”[204]
The original Roll of the “Iusts” held at Westminster on the 13th February, 1511, in honour of Queen “Katherin” on the birth of Prince Henry, is now in the College of Arms, London. It is of parchment, 14½ inches broad, the figures of the combatants and others being from seven to eight inches in height; and the whole is in an excellent state of preservation. The roll is headed with the words “Viue le noble Roy H. VIII,” followed by a large device of a rose and pomegranates surmounted by a crown, impaled with the letters H and K. Some of the figures are armed at all points, while others are in civil dress, thus constituting an invaluable record of the costumes of the day.
The picture of the procession to the lists is headed by “Le Maistre de Armurerye du Roy,” in civil dress, with his guard, and immediately after him follow the sergeant-at-arms, holding his crowned bâton of office; then five trumpeters, one of them a negro. In their order march after them a band of courtiers, and “Les Officiers d’Armes,” being heralds and pursuivants, in tabard-shaped surcoats. Then come the four tenans, each riding under a “Pauilion,” with their varlets. Two led horses immediately follow the king, and they afford a good opportunity for observing the saddles employed in jousting at the tilt. After them ride “Les pages du Roy,” the marshal of the lists, “Le grant Escuyer,” and “Le maistre des Pages.” The tenans are seen approaching the gaily-decorated stand, in which the queen and her court are seated, and the venans are reaching it on the other side. The picture closes with the king on horseback in civil dress—“Le Roy desarmey”—holding a broken lance in his hand. He is preceded by his helm-bearer, on horseback, carrying the head-piece of his majesty on a truncheon. The helm is surmounted by a royal crown, enriched with gold, pearls, diamonds and rubies.
The roll concludes with a poem, in which the name of the king figures among a band of heroes, the others being Hector, Cæsar, Judas Maccabæus, Joshua, Charlemagne, King Arthur, Alexander, David and Codefroi de Bouillon.
The “tenantz” were—
| His Grace the King | (Cœur Loyal), |
| Lord William of Devon | (Bon Vouloir), |
| Sir Thomas Knevit | (Valliant Desyr), |
| Sir Edward Nevyle | (Joyeulx Penser). |
They all subscribed to the articles of combat, which follow here—
“And for as moche as after the order ＆ Honnor of Arms hyt is not lefull for any man to enterpryse Arms in so high a presens without hys Stocke and name be of Nobles dyscended. In consyderation theis four Knights be of so fer ＆ straunge partes. they shall present themselff wt their names and Arms portend [pictured] in their shylde.