And now it was the turn of the Lord Woodville and the judges of the
jousts to take up their position in the pageant. Preceded by two
gorgeously-dressed yeomen of his household, carrying silver-gilt
halberds, the Captain of the Wight took the hand of Yolande, and led her
to the hall, followed by her two maids-of-honour, who also belonged to
leading island families, and were chosen by Mistress Lisle--one was a
niece of Sir John Trenchard, the other a daughter of Master Keineys, of
Yaverland. Sir John Trenchard and Sir Nicholas Wadham followed, with
Dicky Cheke and Maurice Woodville in immediate attendance on the Lord
Woodville.
The appearance of the Captain of the Wight and the Queen of the
Tournament was greeted by a prolonged flourish. Their horses were in
waiting. Lord Woodville placed Yolande on her palfrey, and then mounted
himself, his nephew holding his stirrup for him.
When all were mounted, the trumpets gave another flourish. The squadron
wheeled to the right. The two leading detachments marched towards the
great west gateway, the trumpeters followed, then the three
knights-challengers fell in, with their varlets and esquires, succeeded
by the Captain of the Wight, riding beside Yolande, attended by the
other Judges and their escort, and then the remaining two squadrons of
archers and men-at-arms closed in the procession.
The cavalcade rode round over the drawbridge and under the north walls
of the castle to the rising ground which led up to the place of arms,
not yet closed in, or forming part of the castle, as it subsequently did
in Elizabeth’s reign.
As they approached the lists, they were greeted with loud shouts from
the people, who had now assembled in crowds.
Mounted archers kept the ground, and yeomen in liveries, and armed with
partisans, surrounded the lists.
All those who were seated in the pavilion rose as Lord Woodville
approached. Lifting Yolande off her horse, he handed her to her throne,
which was proclaimed by three prolonged blasts of the trumpets. The
Captain of the Wight then took his own seat, after bowing to the
assembled gentry and people.
The knights-challengers had meanwhile ridden slowly into the lists, and
after pacing round them, had halted at the further end, having
previously saluted the Captain of the Wight, the Queen of the day, and
the Judges.
All was now ready. But another ceremony--for it was an age which dearly
loved ceremonies--had to be gone through.
First of all the herald belonging to the household of Lord Woodville
entered the lists and read out in a loud voice the licence for holding
the tournament; then he read over the names of three of the
knights-challengers, simply describing the fourth knight "as a right
hardie and worshipful knight." After which he proclaimed the rules of
the jousts. The most important of which were, that whoever was unhorsed
or disarmed was to be considered vanquished, and that no one, by deed,
word, or sign, was to interfere with the jousts.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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