CHAPTER XII
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 thehorizon, the idlest or the most eager of the spectators appeared on thecommon, moving to the lists as to a general centre, in order to secure afavourable situation for viewing the continuation of the expected games.
The marshals and their attendants appeared next on the field, togetherwith the heralds, for the purpose of receiving the names of the knightswho intended to joust, with the side which each chose to espouse. Thiswas a necessary precaution, in order to secure equality betwixt the twobodies who should be opposed to each other.
According to due formality, the Disinherited Knight was to be consideredas leader of the one body, while Brian de Bois-Guilbert, who had beenrated as having done second-best in the preceding day, was named firstchampion of the other band. Those who had concurred in the challengeadhered to his party of course, excepting only Ralph de Vipont, whom hisfall had rendered unfit so soon to put on his armour. There was no wantof distinguished and noble candidates to fill up the ranks on eitherside.
In fact, although the general tournament, in which all knights foughtat 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 todefy a single adversary of high reputation, were, nevertheless, desirousof displaying their valour in the general combat, where they mightmeet others with whom they were more upon an equality. On the presentoccasion, about fifty knights were inscribed as desirous of combatingupon each side, when the marshals declared that no more could beadmitted, to the disappointment of several who were too late inpreferring their claim to be included.
About the hour of ten o'clock, the whole plain was crowded withhorsemen, horsewomen, and foot-passengers, hastening to the tournament;and shortly after, a grand flourish of trumpets announced Prince Johnand his retinue, attended by many of those knights who meant to takeshare in the game, as well as others who had no such intention.
About the same time arrived Cedric the Saxon, with the Lady Rowena,unattended, however, by Athelstane. This Saxon lord had arrayed histall and strong person in armour, in order to take his place among thecombatants; and, considerably to the surprise of Cedric, had chosen toenlist himself on the part of the Knight Templar. The Saxon, indeed, hadremonstrated strongly with his friend upon the injudicious choice he hadmade of his party; but he had only received that sort of answer usuallygiven by those who are more obstinate in following their own course,than strong in justifying it.
His best, if not his only reason, for adhering to the party of Brian deBois-Guilbert, Athelstane had the prudence to keep to himself. Thoughhis apathy of disposition prevented his taking any means to recommendhimself to the Lady Rowena, he was, nevertheless, by no means insensibleto her charms, and considered his union with her as a matter alreadyfixed beyond doubt, by the assent of Cedric and her other friends. Ithad therefore been with smothered displeasure that the proud thoughindolent Lord of Coningsburgh beheld the victor of the preceding dayselect Rowena as the object of that honour which it became his privilegeto confer. In order to punish him for a preference which seemed tointerfere with his own suit, Athelstane, confident of his strength,and to whom his flatterers, at least, ascribed great skill in arms, haddetermined not only to deprive the Disinherited Knight of his powerfulsuccour, but, if an opportunity should occur, to make him feel theweight of his battle-axe.
De Bracy, and other knights attached to Prince John, in obedience toa hint from him, had joined the party of the challengers, John beingdesirous to secure, if possible, the victory to that side. On theother hand, many other knights, both English and Norman, natives andstrangers, took part against the challengers, the more readily thatthe opposite band was to be led by so distinguished a champion as theDisinherited Knight had approved himself.
As soon as Prince John observed that the destined Queen of the day hadarrived upon the field, assuming that air of courtesy which sat wellupon him when he was pleased to exhibit it, he rode forward to meether, doffed his bonnet, and, alighting from his horse, assisted the LadyRowena from her saddle, while his followers uncovered at the same time,and one of the most distinguished dismounted to hold her palfrey.
"It is thus," said Prince John, "that we set the dutiful example ofloyalty to the Queen of Love and Beauty, and are ourselves her guide tothe throne which she must this day occupy.--Ladies," he said, "attendyour Queen, as you wish in your turn to be distinguished by likehonours."
So saying, the Prince marshalled Rowena to the seat of honour oppositehis own, while the fairest and most distinguished ladies present crowdedafter her to obtain places as near as possible to their temporarysovereign.
No sooner was Rowena seated, than a burst of music, half-drowned bythe shouts of the multitude, greeted her new dignity. Meantime, the sunshone fierce and bright upon the polished arms of the knights of eitherside, who crowded the opposite extremities of the lists, and held eagerconference together concerning the best mode of arranging their line ofbattle, and supporting the conflict.
The heralds then proclaimed silence until the laws of the tourney shouldbe rehearsed. These were calculated in some degree to abate the dangersof the day; a precaution the more necessary, as the conflict was to bemaintained with sharp swords and pointed lances.
The champions were therefore prohibited to thrust with the sword, andwere confined to striking. A knight, it was announced, might use a maceor battle-axe at pleasure, but the dagger was a prohibited weapon. Aknight unhorsed might renew the fight on foot with any other on theopposite side in the same predicament; but mounted horsemen were in thatcase forbidden to assail him. When any knight could force his antagonistto the extremity of the lists, so as to touch the palisade with hisperson or arms, such opponent was obliged to yield himself vanquished,and his armour and horse were placed at the disposal of the conqueror.A knight thus overcome was not permitted to take farther share in thecombat. If any combatant was struck down, and unable to recover hisfeet, his squire or page might enter the lists, and drag his master outof the press; but in that case the knight was adjudged vanquished, andhis arms and horse declared forfeited. The combat was to cease assoon as Prince John should throw down his leading staff, or truncheon;another precaution usually taken to prevent the unnecessary effusionof blood by the too long endurance of a sport so desperate. Any knightbreaking the rules of the tournament, or otherwise transgressing therules of honourable chivalry, was liable to be stript of his arms, and,having his shield reversed to be placed in that posture astride upon thebars of the palisade, and exposed to public derision, in punishment ofhis unknightly conduct. Having announced these precautions, the heraldsconcluded with an exhortation to each good knight to do his duty, and tomerit favour from the Queen of Beauty and of Love.
This proclamation having been made, the heralds withdrew to theirstations. The knights, entering at either end of the lists in longprocession, arranged themselves in a double file, precisely opposite toeach other, the leader of each party being in the centre of the foremostrank, a post which he did not occupy until each had carefully marshalledthe ranks of his party, and stationed every one in his place.
It was a goodly, and at the same time an anxious, sight, to behold somany gallant champions, mounted bravely, and armed richly, stand readyprepared for an encounter so formidable, seated on their war-saddleslike so many pillars of iron, and awaiting the signal of encounter wi
ththe same ardour as their generous steeds, which, by neighing and pawingthe ground, gave signal of their impatience.
As yet the knights held their long lances upright, their bright pointsglancing to the sun, and the streamers with which they were decoratedfluttering over the plumage of the helmets. Thus they remained while themarshals of the field surveyed their ranks with the utmost exactness,lest either party had more or fewer than the appointed number. The talewas found exactly complete. The marshals then withdrew from the lists,and William de Wyvil, with a voice of thunder, pronounced the signalwords--"Laissez aller!" The trumpets sounded as he spoke--the spears ofthe champions were at once lowered and placed in the rests--the spurswere dashed into the flanks of the horses, and the two foremost ranksof either party rushed upon each other in full gallop, and met in themiddle of the lists with a shock, the sound of which was heard at amile's distance. The rear rank of each party advanced at a slower paceto sustain the defeated, and follow up the success of the victors oftheir party.
The consequences of the encounter were not instantly seen, for the dustraised by the trampling of so many steeds darkened the air, and it wasa minute ere the anxious spectator could see the fate of the encounter.When the fight became visible, half the knights on each side weredismounted, some by the dexterity of their adversary's lance,--some bythe superior weight and strength of opponents, which had borne downboth horse and man,--some lay stretched on earth as if never more torise,--some had already gained their feet, and were closing hand to handwith those of their antagonists who were in the same predicament,--andseveral on both sides, who had received wounds by which they weredisabled, were stopping their blood by their scarfs, and endeavouring toextricate themselves from the tumult. The mounted knights, whose lanceshad been almost all broken by the fury of the encounter, were nowclosely engaged with their swords, shouting their war-cries, andexchanging buffets, as if honour and life depended on the issue of thecombat.
The tumult was presently increased by the advance of the second rankon either side, which, acting as a reserve, now rushed on to aid theircompanions. The followers of Brian de Bois-Guilbert shouted--"Ha!Beau-seant! Beau-seant! [20]
"--For the Temple--For the Temple!" The opposite party shouted inanswer--"Desdichado! Desdichado!"--which watch-word they took from themotto upon their leader's shield.
The champions thus encountering each other with the utmost fury, andwith alternate success, the tide of battle seemed to flow now toward thesouthern, now toward the northern extremity of the lists, as the oneor the other party prevailed. Meantime the clang of the blows, andthe shouts of the combatants, mixed fearfully with the sound of thetrumpets, and drowned the groans of those who fell, and lay rollingdefenceless beneath the feet of the horses. The splendid armour of thecombatants was now defaced with dust and blood, and gave way at everystroke of the sword and battle-axe. The gay plumage, shorn from thecrests, drifted upon the breeze like snow-flakes. All that was beautifuland graceful in the martial array had disappeared, and what was nowvisible was only calculated to awake terror or compassion.
Yet such is the force of habit, that not only the vulgar spectators,who are naturally attracted by sights of horror, but even the ladies ofdistinction who crowded the galleries, saw the conflict with a thrillinginterest certainly, but without a wish to withdraw their eyes from asight so terrible. Here and there, indeed, a fair cheek might turn pale,or a faint scream might be heard, as a lover, a brother, or a husband,was struck from his horse. But, in general, the ladies around encouragedthe combatants, not only by clapping their hands and waving their veilsand kerchiefs, but even by exclaiming, "Brave lance! Good sword!" whenany successful thrust or blow took place under their observation.
Such being the interest taken by the fair sex in this bloody game,that of the men is the more easily understood. It showed itself inloud acclamations upon every change of fortune, while all eyes were soriveted on the lists, that the spectators seemed as if they themselveshad dealt and received the blows which were there so freely bestowed.And between every pause was heard the voice of the heralds, exclaiming,"Fight on, brave knights! Man dies, but glory lives!--Fight on--deathis better than defeat!--Fight on, brave knights!--for bright eyes beholdyour deeds!"
Amid the varied fortunes of the combat, the eyes of all endeavoured todiscover the leaders of each band, who, mingling in the thick of thefight, encouraged their companions both by voice and example. Bothdisplayed great feats of gallantry, nor did either Bois-Guilbert or theDisinherited Knight find in the ranks opposed to them a champion whocould be termed their unquestioned match. They repeatedly endeavoured tosingle out each other, spurred by mutual animosity, and aware that thefall of either leader might be considered as decisive of victory. Such,however, was the crowd and confusion, that, during the earlier partof the conflict, their efforts to meet were unavailing, and they wererepeatedly separated by the eagerness of their followers, each of whomwas anxious to win honour, by measuring his strength against the leaderof the opposite party.
But when the field became thin by the numbers on either side who hadyielded themselves vanquished, had been compelled to the extremityof the lists, or been otherwise rendered incapable of continuing thestrife, the Templar and the Disinherited Knight at length encounteredhand to hand, with all the fury that mortal animosity, joined to rivalryof honour, could inspire. Such was the address of each in parryingand striking, that the spectators broke forth into a unanimous andinvoluntary shout, expressive of their delight and admiration.
But at this moment the party of the Disinherited Knight had the worst;the gigantic arm of Front-de-Boeuf on the one flank, and the ponderousstrength of Athelstane on the other, bearing down and dispersingthose immediately exposed to them. Finding themselves freed from theirimmediate antagonists, it seems to have occurred to both these knightsat the same instant, that they would render the most decisive advantageto their party, by aiding the Templar in his contest with his rival.Turning their horses, therefore, at the same moment, the Norman spurredagainst the Disinherited Knight on the one side, and the Saxon on theother. It was utterly impossible that the object of this unequal andunexpected assault could have sustained it, had he not been warned by ageneral cry from the spectators, who could not but take interest in oneexposed to such disadvantage.
"Beware! beware! Sir Disinherited!" was shouted so universally, thatthe knight became aware of his danger; and, striking a full blow at theTemplar, he reined back his steed in the same moment, so as to escapethe charge of Athelstane and Front-de-Boeuf. These knights, therefore,their aim being thus eluded, rushed from opposite sides betwixt theobject of their attack and the Templar, almost running their horsesagainst each other ere they could stop their career. Recovering theirhorses however, and wheeling them round, the whole three pursued theirunited purpose of bearing to the earth the Disinherited Knight.
Nothing could have saved him, except the remarkable strength andactivity of the noble horse which he had won on the preceding day.
This stood him in the more stead, as the horse of Bois-Guilbert waswounded, and those of Front-de-Boeuf and Athelstane were both tired withthe weight of their gigantic masters, clad in complete armour, and withthe preceding exertions of the day. The masterly horsemanship of theDisinherited Knight, and the activity of the noble animal which hemounted, enabled him for a few minutes to keep at sword's point histhree antagonists, turning and wheeling with the agility of a hawk uponthe wing, keeping his enemies as far separate as he could, and rushingnow against the one, now against the other, dealing sweeping blows withhis sword, without waiting to receive those which were aimed at him inreturn.
But although the lists rang with the applauses of his dexterity, itwas evident that he must at last be overpowered; and the nobles aroundPrince John implored him with one voice to throw down his warder, and tosave so brave a knight from the disgrace of being overcome by odds.
"Not I, by the light of Heaven!" answered Prince John; "thissame springald, who conceals his name, and despises o
ur profferedhospitality, hath already gained one prize, and may now afford tolet others have their turn." As he spoke thus, an unexpected incidentchanged the fortune of the day.
There was among the ranks of the Disinherited Knight a champion inblack armour, mounted on a black horse, large of size, tall, and to allappearance powerful and strong, like the rider by whom he was mounted.This knight, who bore on his shield no device of any kind, had hithertoevinced very little interest in the event of the fight, beating off withseeming ease those combatants who attacked him, but neither pursuinghis advantages, nor himself assailing any one. In short, he had hithertoacted the part rather of a spectator than of a party in the tournament,a circumstance which procured him among the spectators the name of "LeNoir Faineant", or the Black Sluggard.
At once this knight seemed to throw aside his apathy, when he discoveredthe leader of his party so hard bestead; for, setting spurs tohis horse, which was quite fresh, he came to his assistance like athunderbolt, exclaiming, in a voice like a trumpet-call, "Desdichado,to the rescue!" It was high time; for, while the Disinherited Knight waspressing upon the Templar, Front-de-Boeuf had got nigh to him with hisuplifted sword; but ere the blow could descend, the Sable Knight dealta stroke on his head, which, glancing from the polished helmet, lightedwith violence scarcely abated on the "chamfron" of the steed, andFront-de-Boeuf rolled on the ground, both horse and man equally stunnedby the fury of the blow. "Le Noir Faineant" then turned his horse uponAthelstane of Coningsburgh; and his own sword having been broken in hisencounter with Front-de-Boeuf, he wrenched from the hand of the bulkySaxon the battle-axe which he wielded, and, like one familiar withthe use of the weapon, bestowed him such a blow upon the crest, thatAthelstane also lay senseless on the field. Having achieved this doublefeat, for which he was the more highly applauded that it was totallyunexpected from him, the knight seemed to resume the sluggishness ofhis character, returning calmly to the northern extremity of the lists,leaving his leader to cope as he best could with Brian de Bois-Guilbert.This was no longer matter of so much difficulty as formerly. TheTemplars horse had bled much, and gave way under the shock of theDisinherited Knight's charge. Brian de Bois-Guilbert rolled on thefield, encumbered with the stirrup, from which he was unable to draw hisfoot. His antagonist sprung from horseback, waved his fatal sword overthe head of his adversary, and commanded him to yield himself; whenPrince John, more moved by the Templars dangerous situation than he hadbeen by that of his rival, saved him the mortification of confessinghimself vanquished, by casting down his warder, and putting an end tothe conflict.
It was, indeed, only the relics and embers of the fight which continuedto burn; for of the few knights who still continued in the lists, thegreater part had, by tacit consent, forborne the conflict for some time,leaving it to be determined by the strife of the leaders.
The squires, who had found it a matter of danger and difficulty toattend their masters during the engagement, now thronged into the liststo pay their dutiful attendance to the wounded, who were removed withthe utmost care and attention to the neighbouring pavilions, or to thequarters prepared for them in the adjoining village.
Thus ended the memorable field of Ashby-de-la-Zouche, one of the mostgallantly contested tournaments of that age; for although only fourknights, including one who was smothered by the heat of his armour, haddied upon the field, yet upwards of thirty were desperately wounded,four or five of whom never recovered. Several more were disabled forlife; and those who escaped best carried the marks of the conflict tothe grave with them. Hence it is always mentioned in the old records, asthe Gentle and Joyous Passage of Arms of Ashby.
It being now the duty of Prince John to name the knight who had donebest, he determined that the honour of the day remained with the knightwhom the popular voice had termed "Le Noir Faineant." It was pointed outto the Prince, in impeachment of this decree, that the victory had beenin fact won by the Disinherited Knight, who, in the course of theday, had overcome six champions with his own hand, and who had finallyunhorsed and struck down the leader of the opposite party. But PrinceJohn adhered to his own opinion, on the ground that the DisinheritedKnight and his party had lost the day, but for the powerful assistanceof the Knight of the Black Armour, to whom, therefore, he persisted inawarding the prize.
To the surprise of all present, however, the knight thus preferred wasnowhere to be found. He had left the lists immediately when the conflictceased, and had been observed by some spectators to move down one ofthe forest glades with the same slow pace and listless and indifferentmanner which had procured him the epithet of the Black Sluggard. Afterhe had been summoned twice by sound of trumpet, and proclamation ofthe heralds, it became necessary to name another to receive the honourswhich had been assigned to him. Prince John had now no further excusefor resisting the claim of the Disinherited Knight, whom, therefore, henamed the champion of the day.
Through a field slippery with blood, and encumbered with broken armourand the bodies of slain and wounded horses, the marshals of the listsagain conducted the victor to the foot of Prince John's throne.
"Disinherited Knight," said Prince John, "since by that title onlyyou will consent to be known to us, we a second time award to you thehonours of this tournament, and announce to you your right to claim andreceive from the hands of the Queen of Love and Beauty, the Chaplet ofHonour which your valour has justly deserved." The Knight bowed low andgracefully, but returned no answer.
While the trumpets sounded, while the heralds strained their voices inproclaiming honour to the brave and glory to the victor--while ladieswaved their silken kerchiefs and embroidered veils, and while all ranksjoined in a clamorous shout of exultation, the marshals conducted theDisinherited Knight across the lists to the foot of that throne ofhonour which was occupied by the Lady Rowena.
On the lower step of this throne the champion was made to kneel down.Indeed his whole action since the fight had ended, seemed rather to havebeen upon the impulse of those around him than from his own free will;and it was observed that he tottered as they guided him the second timeacross the lists. Rowena, descending from her station with a gracefuland dignified step, was about to place the chaplet which she held in herhand upon the helmet of the champion, when the marshals exclaimed withone voice, "It must not be thus--his head must be bare." The knightmuttered faintly a few words, which were lost in the hollow of hishelmet, but their purport seemed to be a desire that his casque mightnot be removed.
Whether from love of form, or from curiosity, the marshals paid noattention to his expressions of reluctance, but unhelmed him by cuttingthe laces of his casque, and undoing the fastening of his gorget. Whenthe helmet was removed, the well-formed, yet sun-burnt features of ayoung man of twenty-five were seen, amidst a profusion of short fairhair. His countenance was as pale as death, and marked in one or twoplaces with streaks of blood.
Rowena had no sooner beheld him than she uttered a faint shriek; but atonce summoning up the energy of her disposition, and compelling herself,as it were, to proceed, while her frame yet trembled with the violenceof sudden emotion, she placed upon the drooping head of the victorthe splendid chaplet which was the destined reward of the day, andpronounced, in a clear and distinct tone, these words: "I bestow on theethis chaplet, Sir Knight, as the meed of valour assigned to this day'svictor:" Here she paused a moment, and then firmly added, "And uponbrows more worthy could a wreath of chivalry never be placed!"
The knight stooped his head, and kissed the hand of the lovely Sovereignby whom his valour had been rewarded; and then, sinking yet fartherforward, lay prostrate at her feet.
There was a general consternation. Cedric, who had been struck mute bythe sudden appearance of his banished son, now rushed forward, as if toseparate him from Rowena. But this had been already accomplished by themarshals of the field, who, guessing the cause of Ivanhoe's swoon, hadhastened to undo his armour, and found that the head of a lance hadpenetrated his breastplate, and inflicted a wound in his side.