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The
scene
was
singularly
romantic
.
On
the
verge
of
a
wood
,
which
approached
to
within
a
mile
of
the
town
of
Ashby
,
was
an
extensive
meadow
,
of
the
finest
and
most
beautiful
green
turf
,
surrounded
on
one
side
by
the
forest
,
and
fringed
on
the
other
by
straggling
oak-trees
,
some
of
which
had
grown
to
an
immense
size
.
The
ground
,
as
if
fashioned
on
purpose
for
the
martial
display
which
was
intended
,
sloped
gradually
down
on
all
sides
to
a
level
bottom
,
which
was
enclosed
for
the
lists
with
strong
palisades
,
forming
a
space
of
a
quarter
of
a
mile
in
length
,
and
about
half
as
broad
.
The
form
of
the
enclosure
was
an
oblong
square
,
save
that
the
corners
were
considerably
rounded
off
,
in
order
to
afford
more
convenience
for
the
spectators
.
The
openings
for
the
entry
of
the
combatants
were
at
the
northern
and
southern
extremities
of
the
lists
,
accessible
by
strong
wooden
gates
,
each
wide
enough
to
admit
two
horsemen
riding
abreast
.
At
each
of
these
portals
were
stationed
two
heralds
,
attended
by
six
trumpets
,
as
many
pursuivants
,
and
a
strong
body
of
men-at-arms
for
maintaining
order
,
and
ascertaining
the
quality
of
the
knights
who
proposed
to
engage
in
this
martial
game
.
On
a
platform
beyond
the
southern
entrance
,
formed
by
a
natural
elevation
of
the
ground
,
were
pitched
five
magnificent
pavilions
,
adorned
with
pennons
of
russet
and
black
,
the
chosen
colours
of
the
five
knights
challengers
.
The
cords
of
the
tents
were
of
the
same
colour
.
Before
each
pavilion
was
suspended
the
shield
of
the
knight
by
whom
it
was
occupied
,
and
beside
it
stood
his
squire
,
quaintly
disguised
as
a
salvage
or
silvan
man
,
or
in
some
other
fantastic
dress
,
according
to
the
taste
of
his
master
,
and
the
character
he
was
pleased
to
assume
during
the
game
.
The
central
pavilion
,
as
the
place
of
honour
,
had
been
assigned
to
Brian
be
Bois-Guilbert
,
whose
renown
in
all
games
of
chivalry
,
no
less
than
his
connexions
with
the
knights
who
had
undertaken
this
Passage
of
Arms
,
had
occasioned
him
to
be
eagerly
received
into
the
company
of
the
challengers
,
and
even
adopted
as
their
chief
and
leader
,
though
he
had
so
recently
joined
them
.
On
one
side
of
his
tent
were
pitched
those
of
Reginald
Front-de-Boeuf
and
Richard
de
Malvoisin
,
and
on
the
other
was
the
pavilion
of
Hugh
de
Grantmesnil
,
a
noble
baron
in
the
vicinity
,
whose
ancestor
had
been
Lord
High
Steward
of
England
in
the
time
of
the
Conqueror
,
and
his
son
William
Rufus
.
Ralph
de
Vipont
,
a
knight
of
St
John
of
Jerusalem
,
who
had
some
ancient
possessions
at
a
place
called
Heather
,
near
Ashby-de-la-Zouche
,
occupied
the
fifth
pavilion
.
From
the
entrance
into
the
lists
,
a
gently
sloping
passage
,
ten
yards
in
breadth
,
led
up
to
the
platform
on
which
the
tents
were
pitched
.
It
was
strongly
secured
by
a
palisade
on
each
side
,
as
was
the
esplanade
in
front
of
the
pavilions
,
and
the
whole
was
guarded
by
men-at-arms
.
The
northern
access
to
the
lists
terminated
in
a
similar
entrance
of
thirty
feet
in
breadth
,
at
the
extremity
of
which
was
a
large
enclosed
space
for
such
knights
as
might
be
disposed
to
enter
the
lists
with
the
challengers
,
behind
which
were
placed
tents
containing
refreshments
of
every
kind
for
their
accommodation
,
with
armourers
,
tarriers
,
and
other
attendants
,
in
readiness
to
give
their
services
wherever
they
might
be
necessary
.
The
exterior
of
the
lists
was
in
part
occupied
by
temporary
galleries
,
spread
with
tapestry
and
carpets
,
and
accommodated
with
cushions
for
the
convenience
of
those
ladies
and
nobles
who
were
expected
to
attend
the
tournament
.
A
narrow
space
,
betwixt
these
galleries
and
the
lists
,
gave
accommodation
for
yeomanry
and
spectators
of
a
better
degree
than
the
mere
vulgar
,
and
might
be
compared
to
the
pit
of
a
theatre
.
The
promiscuous
multitude
arranged
themselves
upon
large
banks
of
turf
prepared
for
the
purpose
,
which
,
aided
by
the
natural
elevation
of
the
ground
,
enabled
them
to
overlook
the
galleries
,
and
obtain
a
fair
view
into
the
lists
.
Besides
the
accommodation
which
these
stations
afforded
,
many
hundreds
had
perched
themselves
on
the
branches
of
the
trees
which
surrounded
the
meadow
;
and
even
the
steeple
of
a
country
church
,
at
some
distance
,
was
crowded
with
spectators
.
It
only
remains
to
notice
respecting
the
general
arrangement
,
that
one
gallery
in
the
very
centre
of
the
eastern
side
of
the
lists
,
and
consequently
exactly
opposite
to
the
spot
where
the
shock
of
the
combat
was
to
take
place
,
was
raised
higher
than
the
others
,
more
richly
decorated
,
and
graced
by
a
sort
of
throne
and
canopy
,
on
which
the
royal
arms
were
emblazoned
.
Squires
,
pages
,
and
yeomen
in
rich
liveries
,
waited
around
this
place
of
honour
,
which
was
designed
for
Prince
John
and
his
attendants
.
Opposite
to
this
royal
gallery
was
another
,
elevated
to
the
same
height
,
on
the
western
side
of
the
lists
;
and
more
gaily
,
if
less
sumptuously
decorated
,
than
that
destined
for
the
Prince
himself
.
A
train
of
pages
and
of
young
maidens
,
the
most
beautiful
who
could
be
selected
,
gaily
dressed
in
fancy
habits
of
green
and
pink
,
surrounded
a
throne
decorated
in
the
same
colours
.
Among
pennons
and
flags
bearing
wounded
hearts
,
burning
hearts
,
bleeding
hearts
,
bows
and
quivers
,
and
all
the
commonplace
emblems
of
the
triumphs
of
Cupid
,
a
blazoned
inscription
informed
the
spectators
,
that
this
seat
of
honour
was
designed
for
"
La
Royne
de
las
Beaulte
et
des
Amours
"
.
But
who
was
to
represent
the
Queen
of
Beauty
and
of
Love
on
the
present
occasion
no
one
was
prepared
to
guess
.
Meanwhile
,
spectators
of
every
description
thronged
forward
to
occupy
their
respective
stations
,
and
not
without
many
quarrels
concerning
those
which
they
were
entitled
to
hold
.
Some
of
these
were
settled
by
the
men-at-arms
with
brief
ceremony
;
the
shafts
of
their
battle-axes
,
and
pummels
of
their
swords
,
being
readily
employed
as
arguments
to
convince
the
more
refractory
.
Others
,
which
involved
the
rival
claims
of
more
elevated
persons
,
were
determined
by
the
heralds
,
or
by
the
two
marshals
of
the
field
,
William
de
Wyvil
,
and
Stephen
de
Martival
,
who
,
armed
at
all
points
,
rode
up
and
down
the
lists
to
enforce
and
preserve
good
order
among
the
spectators
.
