When Knighthood Was in Flower | Page 6

to see all that was to be seen.
* * * * *
[Here the editor sees fit to substitute a description of this tournament
taken from the quaint old chronicler, Hall.]
The morow beyng after dynner, at tyme conuenenient, the Quene with

her Ladyes repaired to see the Iustes, the trompettes blewe vp, and in
came many a noble man and Gentleman, rychely appeareiled, takynge
vp thir horses, after whome folowed certayne lordes appareiled, they
and thir horses, in cloth of Golde and russet and tynsell; Knyghtes in
cloth of Golde, and russet Veluet. And a greate nomber of Gentlemen
on fote, in russet satyn and yealow, and yomen in russet Damaske and
yealow, all the nether parte of euery mans hosen Skarlet, and yealow
cappes.
Then came the kynge vnder a Pauilion of golde, and purpul Veluet
embroudered, the compass of the Pauilion about, and valenced with a
flat, gold beaten in wyre, with an Imperiall croune in the top, of fyne
Golde, his bases and trapper of cloth of Golde, fretted with Damask
Golde, the trapper pedant to the tail. A crane and chafron of stele, in the
front of the chafro was a goodly plume set full of musers or trimbling
spangles of golde. After folowed his three aydes, euery of them vnder a
Pauilion of Crymosyn Damaske & purple. The nomber of Gentlemen
and yomen a fote, appareiled in russet and yealow was clxviii. Then
next these Pauilions came xii chyldren of honor, sitting euery one of
them on a greate courser, rychely trapped, and embroudered in seuerall
deuises and facions, where lacked neither brouderie nor goldsmythes
work, so that euery chyld and horse in deuice and fascion was contrary
to the other, which was goodly to beholde.
Then on the counter parte, entered a Straunger, fyrst on horsebacke in a
long robe of Russet satyne, like a recluse or a religious, and his horse
trapped in the same sewte, without dromme or noyse of mynstrelsye,
puttinge a byll of peticion to the Quene, the effect whereof was, that if
it would please her to license hym to runne in her presence, he would
do it gladly, and if not, then he would departe as he came. After his
request was graunted, then he put off hys sayd habyte and was armed at
all peces with ryche bases & horse, also rychely trapped, and so did
runne his horse to the tylte end, where dieurs men on fote appareiled in
Russet satyn awaited on him. Thereupon the Heraulds cryed an Oyez!
and the grownd shoke with the trompe of rushynge stedes. Wonder it
were to write of the dedes of Armes which that day toke place, where a
man might haue seen many a horse raysed on highe with galop, turne

and stoppe, maruaylous to behold. C.xiv staves were broke and the
kynge being lusty, he and the straunger toke the prices.
When the queen had given the stranger permission to run, and as he
moved away, there was a great clapping of hands and waving of
trophies among the ladies, for he was of such noble mien and comely
face as to attract the gaze of every one away from even the glittering
person of his majesty the king.
His hair, worn in its natural length, fell in brown curls back from his
forehead almost to the shoulder, a style just then new, even in France.
His eyes were a deep blue, and his complexion, though browned by
exposure, held a tinge of beauty which the sun could not mar and a girl
might envy. He wore neither mustachio nor beard, as men now
disfigure their faces--since Francis I took a scar on his chin--and his
clear cut profile, dilating nostrils and mobile, though firm-set mouth,
gave pleasing assurance of tenderness, gentleness, daring and strength.
I was standing near the queen, who called to me: "Who is the handsome
stranger that so gracefully asked our license to run?"
"I can not inform your majesty. I never saw him until now. He is the
goodliest knight I have ever beheld."
"That he is," replied the queen; "and we should like very much to know
him. Should we not, ladies?" There was a chorus of assent from a
dozen voices, and I promised, after the running, to learn all about him
and report.
It was at this point the heralds cried their "Oyes," and our conversation
was at an end for the time.
As to height, the stranger was full six feet, with ample evidence of
muscle, though no great bulk. He was grace itself, and the king
afterwards said he had never seen such strength of arm and skill in the
use of the lance--a sure harbinger of favor, if not of fortune, for the
possessor.

After the