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1587

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Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 The king and the queene, with manie other great states were readie placed in chambers richlie ador|ned to see the iusts: and when the ladies that led the knights, were come to the place, they were taken downe from their palfries, and went vp into cham|bers readie prepared for them. Then alighted the esquires of honor from their coursers, & the knights in good order mounted vpon them. And so when their helmets were set on their heads, and that they were redie in all points, after proclamations made by the heraults, the iusts began, and manie commendable courses were run, to the great pleasure, comfort, and recreation of the king, the queene, and all other the beholders. The prise that daie on the answerers part was giuen to the earle of saint Paule; and on the cha|lengers side, to the earle of Huntington. On the mondaie, [...]he king himselfe, with dukes, earls, lords, and knights, came to the iusts, he being cheefe of the inner part. That daie the prise was giuen to the erle of Osteruant, for the best dooer of the vtter part: and of the inner part, to a knight of England called sir Hugh Spenser. On the tuesdaie, all manner of e|squiers EEBO page image 474 iusted, and likewise on the wednesday all ma|ner of knights and esquires that would, on which daie was a sore and rude iusts, enduring till night. And so manie a noble course and other martiall feats were atchiued in those foure daies, to the great contentation and pleasure of manie a yoong batche|l [...]r desirous to win fame, & also highlie to the kings honour, who by all that season held his court in the bishops palace by Paules church,The king kept opẽ hou|shold in the bishop of Lon|don his palace by Paules church. kéeping open hou|shold for all honest persons that thither resorted, es|peciallie euerie night after the iusts were ended, a right sumptuous and princelie supper was prepared for the strangers and other, and after supper, the time was spent in dansing and reuelling after the most courtlike maner.The K. festeth the strangers. On the thursdaie, the king made a supper to all the lords, knights, and gentlemen stran|gers, and the quéene to all the ladies and gentlewo|men.The duke of Lancaster feasteth the strangers. On the fridaie the duke of Lancaster feasted at dinner all the said lords, knights, and gentlemen strangers, in most sumptuous and plentifull maner. On the saturdaie, the king and all the whole compa|nie departed from London vnto Windsore, where new feasting began, and speciallie the king did all the honour that might be deuised vnto the earls of saint Paule and Osteruant. The earle of Osteruant, at the earnest request of the king, receiued of him the order of the Garter, for the which he was euill thought of afterwards by his freends, namelie the French king and others. Finallie, after the king had thus feasted the strangers and others at Windsore, each man tooke leaue of the king, the queene, and the kings vncles, and other lords and ladies, and so de|parted, the strangers into their owne countries, and other home to their houses, or whither they thought b [...]st.

Abr. Fl. out of Angl. prael. sub Rich. 2.¶This solemne iusts or tornement being touched, or rather in ample maner described by Ch. Okland. is reported of him to haue béene kept for actiuitie sake, and to set the youth & lustie blouds of the court on worke, who otherwise (bicause the king was yong and loued to liue in peace and ease, feats of armes and warlike prowesse both abroad and at home lan|guished and laie as it were a fainting) through idle|nesse and want of exercise, degenerating and grow|ing out of kind from their woonted warlike valiant|nesse, should giue themselues to filthie lecherie, riot, sléepe, loitering pastimes, and slouthfulnesse, all which doo greatlie impaire prowesie. Wherevpon (saith he)

Rege priùs de re consulto, ludicra diri
Martis opus simulatum inter se bella mouebant,
At dies totos viginti quattuor hastis
Assumptis, studio statuunt decurrere fixo.
Deinde idem numerus procerum par [...] primalacessens
Mittit ad externas gentes qui talia pandant.
Iudus ab Angligenis mense exercebitur vno
Hasticus Vrbi haerens Smithfield. fabrorum dictus Smithfield. agellus
Extra Londini muros, spatiosus & amplus
Est locus: hìc stadium cursuris, certá meta
Ponitur, huc veniant quacun ex gente creati
Sanguine magnorum heroum. Certamine victor
Qui fuerit, terris prosternens corpora p [...]ra
Aut plures hasta [...] frangens, donabitur [...]
Multa vi, capiet quàm plurima ditia dona
Praemia virtutis, Richardo haec dantel [...]baea, &c.

Hauing thus described the place where the iusts should be kept, with the rewards, and other circum|stances; he toucheth the countries from whence the forren nobilitie came, that should vndertake triall of chiualrie with these foure and twentie challen|gers: who at the daie appointed (saith he) came pran|sing out of the Towre vpon their great b [...]rded hors|ses through the broad stréets, and their ladies of honor with them gorgiouslie decked with bracelets, ow|ches, cheines, iewels, spangles, and verie sumptuous attire: a goodlie sight for the people to behold. At last, when they were come to Smithfield, and althings readie, the trumpets sounded to the exercise; and both parties, as well the English as the outlandish cheua|liers ran togither, and tried their strengths till they did sweat and were tired, their horsses panting and braieng with the violence of their bodilie motion; their staues being crasht in sunder, flue vp into the aire, and the broken stocke or stumpe hitting the ad|uersarie ouerthrew him to the ground: the behold|ers with ioy of heart gaue a shout thereat, as great|lie delighted with the sight. Then came the night and brake off the first daies tornement. On the next daie when they should renew and fall afresh vnto it a|gaine, they shewed themselues in courage equall to their ancestors, and handled their matters so well, that they got them great renowme. The third daie came, and the multitude of people still gathered togi|ther woondered at the right valiant deeds of the valo|rous horssemen, how they did tosse, hoisse vp, and wind their speares, and with what force they vsed their armes, what courage appeared in their statelie horsses, and how the verie heauens rang with the ratling of their armor, and the strokes giuen to and fro. Euerie daie brought with it his portion of plea|sure, both to the contenders, and to the beholders. When the time was expired of this tried chiualrie, necessarie occasion mooued the king of England to set his mind on other matters, so that commending the prowesse of the outlandish lords, he bestowed vp|on them massie cheines of gold, & loding them with other gifts of great valure, dismissed them into their countries. But the English challengers requi|red nothing but renowme for their reward, being allured onelie with the loue of praise; and thus when these pastimes of chiualrie were quite ended, euerie man got him home to his owne house. Thus farre Christopher Okland, touching the description of this Hippomachia ludicra inter concertatores Anglos & ex|ternos.

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