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.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 Ambassadors were sent from the French king, vnto the king of England, to make an ouerture of peace to be had, Thom. Wals. Ambassadors from the French king for a perpe|tuall peace. Froissard. and to indure for euer betwixt the two realmes of England and France, sith that by warre it was apparant inough, that neither realme, could greatlie benefit it selfe, but rather sore inda|mage either other, as afore time it had come appa|rantlie to passe. Therefore the matter being well considered, both parts séemed well affected towards some good conclusion by treatie to be had of a full and perfect peace. About the same time, by the king with the aduise of his councell, proclamation was made and published at London, that all beneficed men a|biding in the court of Rome,A proclamati [...] that all Eng|lish benefited men in Rome should return into Engla [...] being Englishmen borne, should returne home into England before the feast of S. Nicholas, vnder paine to forfeit all their benefices; and such as were not beneficed, vnder a paine likewise limited. The Englishmen hearing such a thunder clap a farre off, fearing the blow, left the popes court, and returned into their natiue soile.