Item who stryketh his felow clene out of the Sadell is best worthe the pryse. Item if any Gentleman chalenger or defender breake a staff on the Tylt to be disalowed a staff.
Item yf yt is the pleasurs of the Kynge our most Dred Souaigne Lorde, the Queens Grace and the Ladies with the advice of the Noble and dyscret Iuges to give pryses after their deservings unto both the Parties.
Item that every Gentleman answerer do Subscrybe his name to the Artycalles.”
Hall’s florid account of this meeting, in a much abridged form, is as follows:—The jousting was combined with a pageant picturing a forest in which stood a castle of gold, and before it sat a gentleman weaving a garland of roses for the prize. Jousting began on the twelfth, and on the morrow there was a grand procession to the lists. The king was on horseback, armed at all points, riding under a “Pauilion” of cloth of gold and purple velvet, embroidered and powdered over with the letters “H” and “K” of fine gold, surmounted by an imperial golden crown and valanced with hanging wire of the same precious metal. The king’s bases and the trapper of his charger were of cloth of gold, fretted with damask gold; his crinet and chamfron were of steel, and on the latter was a plume garnished with golden spangles. Then followed his three aides, each riding under a “Pauilion” of crimson damask and purple, powdered over with the letters “H” and “K” in fine gold, valanced and fringed with damask gold, and on the top of each canopy a great “K” of goldsmith’s work. After them marched a number of gentlemen and yeomen on foot, clad in russet and yellow cloth; then twelve children of honour, mounted on great coursers richly caparisoned. Then in the counterpart rode the “venantz,” headed by Sir Charles Brandon,[207] who appears first on horseback in a long robe of russet satin, like a recluse, and he petitions the queen for permission to joust in her presence. His request having been granted, he doffed his cloak and appeared in full armour, with rich bases, and his horse nobly trapped for running at the tilt. In attendance on him were divers men clad in russet satin. Next came young Henry Guilford, Esquire, himself and horse in russet cloth of gold and cloth of silver, embroidered with a device like a castle or turret, and all his men in russet satin and white, with hose of the same and bonnets of a like colour; and he also petitioned the queen for permission to run. After him rode the Marquis of Dorset and Sir Thomas Bulleyn,[208] dressed as pilgrims in tabards of black velvet, with palmer’s hats over their helmets and long Jacob’s staffs in their hands. Their horses were trapped in black velvet, which, like their hats and tabards, was garnished with scallop shells of fine gold; their servants were in black satin, with the same kind of shells pinned to their breasts. Then came Lord Henry of Buckingham, Earl of Wiltshire, himself and his horse draped in cloth of silver, embroidered with a “posye” of golden arrows and roses, and above the flowers the figure of a greyhound in silver holding a tree of pomegranates in gold. Then entered Sir Giles Capell, Sir Roulande and many other knights, richly armed and apparelled.
The jousting began and was gallantly achieved, the prize being awarded to the king. The proceedings were followed by music and the dance, closing with a pageant.[209] What a contrast between this passage of arms and the tournament held in 1278, temp. Edward I, as described in [Chapter II].
Ashmole, No. 1116, fol. 109-10b, runs as follows:—“Iustes holden at Westminster the XIIth daie of February by the Kinges grace called Cueur Loyal, the Lord William of Devon Bon Voloir, Sir Thomas Knevit Valiant Desire, and Edward Nevell Joyous Penser, with the articles and courses of the said Iustes,” etc. The articles begin thus—“The noble lady Renowne considering the good and gracious fortune....” The “courses” (checques) were tilting tablets for recording the scores for two days (Wednesday and Thursday, February 12th, 13th, 1511), marked with strokes, and accounts of the “best Ioustres.”
In the tournament illustrated on the Herald’s College Roll it is stated that 264 courses were run at the tilt and but 129 attaints made. The tenans scored seventy-seven of these, the king himself making thirty-eight hits out of fifty-two courses. Of the venans, one made no hits at all and six only struck once in six courses.[210]
Another meeting took place on the 1st May following, at which the tenans were the king, Sir Edward Howard, Charles Brandon and Sir Edward Nevil; the venans being the Earl of Essex, the Earl of Devon, the Marquis of Dorset and Lord Howard.[211]
PLATE X
