The knight, therefore, stretched himself for repose
upon a rich couch with which the tent was provided;
and the faithful Gurth, extending his hardy limbs
upon a bear-skin which formed a sort of carpet to
the pavilion, laid himself across the opening of the
tent, so that no one could enter without awakening
him.
The heralds left their pricking up and down,
Now ringen trumpets loud and clarion.
There is no more to say, but east and west,
In go the speares sadly in the rest,
In goth the sharp spur into the side,
There see men who can just and who can ride;
There shiver shaftes upon shieldes thick,
He feeleth through the heart-spone the prick;
Up springen speares, twenty feet in height,
Out go the swordes to the silver bright;
The helms they to-hewn and to-shred;
Out burst the blood with stern streames red.
Chaucer.
Morning arose in unclouded splendour, and ere the
sun was much above the horizon, the idlest or the
most eager of the spectators appeared on the common,
moving to the lists as to a general centre, in order
to secure a favourable situation for viewing the continuation
of the expected games.
The marshals and their attendants appeared next on
the field, together with the heralds, for the purpose
of receiving the names of the knights who intended
to joust, with the side which each chose to espouse.
This was a necessary precaution, in order to secure
equality betwixt the two bodies who should be opposed
to each other.
According to due formality, the Disinherited Knight
was to be considered as leader of the one body, while
Brian de Bois-Guilbert, who had been rated as having
done second-best in the preceding day, was named first
champion of the other band. Those who had concurred
in the challenge adhered to his party of course, excepting
only Ralph de Vipont, whom his fall had rendered unfit
so soon to put on his armour. There was no want
of distinguished and noble candidates to fill up the
ranks on either side.
In fact, although the general tournament, in which
all knights fought at once, was more dangerous than
single encounters, they were, nevertheless, more frequented
and practised by the chivalry of the age. Many
knights, who had not sufficient confidence in their
own skill to defy a single adversary of high reputation,
were, nevertheless, desirous of displaying their valour
in the general combat, where they might meet others
with whom they were more upon an equality. On
the present occasion, about fifty knights were inscribed
as desirous of combating upon each side, when the
marshals declared that no more could be admitted, to
the disappointment of several who were too late in
preferring their claim to be included.
About the hour of ten o’clock, the whole plain
was crowded with horsemen, horsewomen, and foot-passengers,
hastening to the tournament; and shortly after, a
grand flourish of trumpets announced Prince John and
his retinue, attended by many of those knights who
meant to take share in the game, as well as others
who had no such intention.
