Ivanhoe by Walter Scott (world best books to read .TXT) 📖

bull-baiting, and other popular amusements, were to be

practised, for the more immediate amusement of the populace. In

this manner did Prince John endeavour to lay the foundation of a

popularity, which he was perpetually throwing down by some

inconsiderate act of wanton aggression upon the feelings and

prejudices of the people.

The lists now presented a most splendid spectacle. The sloping

galleries were crowded with all that was noble, great, wealthy,

and beautiful in the northern and midland parts of England; and

the contrast of the various dresses of these dignified

spectators, rendered the view as gay as it was rich, while the

interior and lower space, filled with the substantial burgesses

and yeomen of merry England, formed, in their more plain attire,

a dark fringe, or border, around this circle of brilliant

embroidery, relieving, and, at the same time, setting off its

splendour.

The heralds finished their proclamation with their usual cry of

“Largesse, largesse, gallant knights!” and gold and silver pieces

were showered on them from the galleries, it being a high point

of chivalry to exhibit liberality towards those whom the age

accounted at once the secretaries and the historians of honour.

The bounty of the spectators was acknowledged by the customary

shouts of “Love of Ladies---Death of Champions---Honour to the

Generous---Glory to the Brave!” To which the more humble

spectators added their acclamations, and a numerous band of

trumpeters the flourish of their martial instruments. When these

sounds had ceased, the heralds withdrew from the lists in gay and

glittering procession, and none remained within them save the

marshals of the field, who, armed cap-a-pie, sat on horseback,

motionless as statues, at the opposite ends of the lists.

Meantime, the enclosed space at the northern extremity of the

lists, large as it was, was now completely crowded with knights

desirous to prove their skill against the challengers, and, when

viewed from the galleries, presented the appearance of a sea of

waving plumage, intermixed with glistening helmets, and tall

lances, to the extremities of which were, in many cases, attached

small pennons of about a span’s breadth, which, fluttering in the

air as the breeze caught them, joined with the restless motion of

the feathers to add liveliness to the scene.

At length the barriers were opened, and five knights, chosen by

lot, advanced slowly into the area; a single champion riding in

front, and the other four following in pairs. All were

splendidly armed, and my Saxon authority (in the Wardour

Manuscript) records at great length their devices, their colours,

and the embroidery of their horse trappings. It is unnecessary

to be particular on these subjects. To borrow lines from a

contemporary poet, who has written but too little:

“The knights are dust,

And their good swords are rust,

Their souls are with the saints, we trust.”*

These lines are part of an unpublished poem, by Coleridge, whose Muse so often tantalizes with fragments which indicate her powers, while the manner in which she flings them from her betrays her caprice, yet whose unfinished sketches display more talent than the laboured masterpieces of others.

Their escutcheons have long mouldered from the walls of their

castles. Their castles themselves are but green mounds and

shattered ruins---the place that once knew them, knows them no

more---nay, many a race since theirs has died out and been

forgotten in the very land which they occupied, with all the

authority of feudal proprietors and feudal lords. What, then,

would it avail the reader to know their names, or the evanescent

symbols of their martial rank!

Now, however, no whit anticipating the oblivion which awaited

their names and feats, the champions advanced through the lists,

restraining their fiery steeds, and compelling them to move

slowly, while, at the same time, they exhibited their paces,

together with the grace and dexterity of the riders. As the

procession entered the lists, the sound of a wild Barbaric music

was heard from behind the tents of the challengers, where the

performers were concealed. It was of Eastern origin, having been

brought from the Holy Land; and the mixture of the cymbals and

bells seemed to bid welcome at once, and defiance, to the knights

as they advanced. With the eyes of an immense concourse of

spectators fixed upon them, the five knights advanced up the

platform upon which the tents of the challengers stood, and there

separating themselves, each touched slightly, and with the

reverse of his lance, the shield of the antagonist to whom he

wished to oppose himself. The lower orders of spectators in

general---nay, many of the higher class, and it is even said

several of the ladies, were rather disappointed at the champions

choosing the arms of courtesy. For the same sort of persons,

who, in the present day, applaud most highly the deepest

tragedies, were then interested in a tournament exactly in

proportion to the danger incurred by the champions engaged.

Having intimated their more pacific purpose, the champions

retreated to the extremity of the lists, where they remained

drawn up in a line; while the challengers, sallying each from

his pavilion, mounted their horses, and, headed by Brian de

Bois-Guilbert, descended from the platform, and opposed

themselves individually to the knights who had touched their

respective shields.

At the flourish of clarions and trumpets, they started out

against each other at full gallop; and such was the superior

dexterity or good fortune of the challengers, that those opposed

to Bois-Guilbert, Malvoisin, and Front-de-Boeuf, rolled on the

ground. The antagonist of Grantmesnil, instead of bearing his

lance-point fair against the crest or the shield of his enemy,

swerved so much from the direct line as to break the weapon

athwart the person of his opponent---a circumstance which was

accounted more disgraceful than that of being actually unhorsed;

because the latter might happen from accident, whereas the former

evinced awkwardness and want of management of the weapon and of

the horse. The fifth knight alone maintained the honour of his

party, and parted fairly with the Knight of St John, both

splintering their lances without advantage on either side.

The shouts of the multitude, together with the acclamations of

the heralds, and the clangour of the trumpets, announced the

triumph of the victors and the defeat of the vanquished. The

former retreated to their pavilions, and the latter, gathering

themselves up as they could, withdrew from the lists in disgrace

and dejection, to agree with their victors concerning the

redemption of their arms and their horses, which, according to

the laws of the tournament, they had forfeited. The fifth of

their number alone tarried in the lists long enough to be greeted

by the applauses of the spectators, amongst whom he retreated, to

the aggravation, doubtless, of his companions’ mortification.

A second and a third party of knights took the field; and

although they had various success, yet, upon the whole, the

advantage decidedly remained with the challengers, not one of

whom lost his seat or swerved from his charge---misfortunes which

befell one or two of their antagonists in each encounter. The

spirits, therefore, of those opposed to them, seemed to be

considerably damped by their continued success. Three knights

only appeared on the fourth entry, who, avoiding the shields of

Bois-Guilbert and Front-de-Boeuf, contented themselves with

touching those of the three other knights, who had not altogether

manifested the same strength and dexterity. This politic

selection did not alter the fortune of the field, the challengers

were still successful: one of their antagonists was overthrown,

and both the others failed in the “attaint”,*

This term of chivalry, transferred to the law, gives the phrase of being attainted of treason.

that is, in striking the helmet and shield of their antagonist

firmly and strongly, with the lance held in a direct line, so

that the weapon might break unless the champion was overthrown.

After this fourth encounter, there was a considerable pause; nor

did it appear that any one was very desirous of renewing the

contest. The spectators murmured among themselves; for, among

the challengers, Malvoisin and Front-de-Boeuf were unpopular from

their characters, and the others, except Grantmesnil, were

disliked as strangers and foreigners.

But none shared the general feeling of dissatisfaction so keenly

as Cedric the Saxon, who saw, in each advantage gained by the

Norman challengers, a repeated triumph over the honour of

England. His own education had taught him no skill in the games

of chivalry, although, with the arms of his Saxon ancestors, he

had manifested himself, on many occasions, a brave and determined

soldier. He looked anxiously to Athelstane, who had learned the

accomplishments of the age, as if desiring that he should make

some personal effort to recover the victory which was passing

into the hands of the Templar and his associates. But, though

both stout of heart, and strong of person, Athelstane had a

disposition too inert and unambitious to make the exertions which

Cedric seemed to expect from him.

“The day is against England, my lord,” said Cedric, in a marked

tone; “are you not tempted to take the lance?”

“I shall tilt to-morrow” answered Athelstane, “in the ‘melee’; it

is not worth while for me to arm myself to-day.”

Two things displeased Cedric in this speech. It contained the

Norman word “melee”, (to express the general conflict,) and it

evinced some indifference to the honour of the country; but it

was spoken by Athelstane, whom he held in such profound respect,

that he would not trust himself to canvass his motives or his

foibles. Moreover, he had no time to make any remark, for Wamba

thrust in his word, observing, “It was better, though scarce

easier, to be the best man among a hundred, than the best man of

two.”

Athelstane took the observation as a serious compliment; but

Cedric, who better understood the Jester’s meaning, darted at him

a severe and menacing look; and lucky it was for Wamba, perhaps,

that the time and place prevented his receiving, notwithstanding

his place and service, more sensible marks of his master’s

resentment.

The pause in the tournament was still uninterrupted, excepting by

the voices of the heralds exclaiming---“Love of ladies,

splintering of lances! stand forth gallant knights, fair eyes

look upon your deeds!”

The music also of the challengers breathed from time to time wild

bursts expressive of triumph or defiance, while the clowns

grudged a holiday which seemed to pass away in inactivity; and

old knights and nobles lamented in whispers the decay of martial

spirit, spoke of the triumphs of their younger days, but agreed

that the land did not now supply dames of such transcendent

beauty as had animated the jousts of former times. Prince John

began to talk to his attendants about making ready the banquet,

and the necessity of adjudging the prize to Brian de

Bois-Guilbert, who had, with a single spear, overthrown two

knights, and foiled a third.

At length, as the Saracenic music of the challengers concluded

one of those long and high flourishes with which they had broken

the silence of the lists, it was answered by a solitary trumpet,

which breathed a note of defiance from the northern extremity.

All eyes were turned to see the new champion which these sounds

announced, and no sooner were the barriers opened than he paced

into the lists. As far as could be judged of a man sheathed in

armour, the new adventurer did not greatly exceed the middle

size, and seemed to be rather slender than strongly made. His

suit of armour was formed of steel, richly inlaid with gold, and

the device on his shield was a young oak-tree pulled up by the

roots, with the Spanish word Desdichado, signifying Disinherited.

He was mounted on a gallant black horse, and as he passed

through the lists he gracefully saluted the Prince and the ladies

by lowering his lance. The dexterity with