reeted the rival
herald, who, advancing from the other end of the lists, rolled
forth the well-known titles of the five famous warriors who had
accepted the defiance.
"faith, john," said the prince, "it sounds as though you were
right. "ha! my grace d'armagnac, it seems that our friends on
this side will not grieve if our english champions lose the day."
"it may be so, sire," the gascon nobleman answered. "i have
little doubt that in smithfield or at windsor an english crowd
would favor their own countrymen."
"by my faith! that's easily seen," said the prince, laughing,
"for a few score english archers at yonder end are bellowing as
though they would out-shout the mighty multitude. i fear that
they will have little to shout over this journey, for my gold
vase has small prospect of crossing the water. what are the
conditions, john?"
"they are to tilt singly not less than three courses, sire, and
the victory to rest with that party which shall have won the
greater number of courses, each pair continuing till one or other
have the vantage. he who carries himself best of the victors
hath the prize, and he who is judged best of the other party hath
a jewelled clasp. shall i order that the nakirs sound, sire?"
the prince nodded, and the trumpets rang out, while the champions
rode forth one after the other, each meeting his opponent in the
centre of the lists. sir william beauchamp went down before the
practiced lance of the captal de buch. sir thomas percy won the
vantage over the lord of mucident, and the lord audley struck sir
perducas d'albert from the saddle. the burly de clisson,
however, restored the hopes of the attackers by beating to the
ground sir thomas wake of yorkshire. so far, there was little to
choose betwixt challengers and challenged.
"by saint james of santiago!" cried don pedro, with a tinge of
color upon his pale cheeks, "win who will, this has been a most
notable contest."
"who comes next for england, john?" asked the prince in a voice
which quivered with excitement.
"sir nigel loring of hampshire, sire."
"ha! he is a man of good courage, and skilled in the use of all
weapons."
"he is indeed, sire. but his eyes, like my own, are the worse
for wars. yet he can tilt or play his part at hand-strokes as
merrily as ever. it was he, sire, who won the golden crown which
queen philippa, your royal mother, gave to be jousted for by all
the knights of england after the harrying of calais. i have
heard that at twynham castle there is a buffet which groans
beneath the weight of his prizes."
"i pray that my vase may join them," said the prince. "but here
is the cavalier of germany, and by my soul! he looks like a man
of great valor and hardiness. let them run their full three
courses, for the issue is over-great to hang upon one."
as the prince spoke, amid a loud flourish of trumpets and the
shouting of the gascon party, the last of the assailants rode
gallantly into the lists. he was a man of great size, clad in
black armor without blazonry or ornament of any kind, for all
worldly display was forbidden by the rules of the military
brotherhood to which he belonged. no plume or nobloy fluttered
from his plain tilting salade, and even his lance was devoid of
the customary banderole. a white mantle fluttered behind him,
upon the left side of which was marked the broad black cross
picked out with silver which was the well-known badge of the
teutonic order. mounted upon a horse as large, as black, and as
forbidding as himself, he cantered slowly forward, with none of
those prancings and gambades with which a cavalier was accustomed
to show his command over his charger. gravely and sternly he
inclined his head to the prince, and took his place ar the
further end of the arena.
he had scarce done so before sir nigel rode out from the holders'
enclosure, and galloping at full speed down the lists, drew his
charger up before the prince's stand with a jerk which threw it
back upon its haunches. with white armor, blazoned shield, and
plume of ostrich-feathers from his helmet, he carried himself in
so jaunty and joyous a fashion, with tossing pennon and
curvetting charger, that a shout of applause ran the full circle
of the arena. with the air of a man who hastes to a joyous
festival, he waved his lance in salute, and reining the pawing-
horse round without permitting its fore-feet to touch the ground,
he hastened back to his station.
a great hush fell over the huge multitude as the two last
champions faced each other. a double issue seemed to rest upon
their contest, for their personal fame was at stake as well as
their party's honor. both were famous warriors, but as their
exploits had been performed in widely sundered countries, they
had never before been able to cross lances. a course
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