Great Britain -- History -- 14th century -- Sources
At the same time the commons of London made great sport and solemnity
to the young prince. For upon the Monday next before the Purification
of our Lady at night and in the night, were 130 men disguisedly
apparelled and well mounted on horseback to go on mumming to the said
prince, riding from Newgate through Cheap[side], where many people
see them, with great noise of minstrelsy trumpets,----,[43] cornets
and shaumes and great plenty of wax and torches lighted. And in the
beginning they rid 48, after the manner of esquires, two and two
together, clothed in coats and cloaks of red say or sendall and their
faces covered with vizards well and handsomely made; after these
esquires came 48 like knights well arrayed after the same manner;
after the knights came one excellently arrayed and well mounted as he
had been an Emperor; after him some 100 paces came one nobly arrayed
as a pope; and after him came 24 arrayed like cardinals; and after
the cardinals came 8 or 10 arrayed and with black vizards like devils
nothing amiable, seeming like legates; riding through London and over
London bridge towards Kenyton (Kennington) where the young prince made
his abode with his mother. And the duke of Lancaster, and the earls
of Cambridge, Hertford, Warwick and Suffolk and many other lords were
there with him to behold the solemnity. And when they were come before
the manor, they alighted on foot and entered into the hall; and soon
after the prince with his mother and the other lords came out of the
chambers into the hall and the said mummers saluted them, showing a
pair of dice upon a table to play with the prince, which dice were
subtly made, so that when the prince should cast he should win. And
the said players and mummers set before the prince three jewels each
after other, the first a ball of gold, then a cup of gold, then a gold
ring, the which the said prince won at three casts, as before it was
appointed; and after that they set before the prince's mother, the duke
of Lancaster and the other earls every one a gold ring and the mother
and the lords won them; and then the prince caused to bring the wine
and they drank with great joy, commanding the minstrels to play; and
the trumpets began to sound and other instruments to pipe etc. and the
prince and the lords danced on the one side and the mummers on the
other a great while. And then they drank and took their leave and so
departed towards London.
FOOTNOTES:
[43] A blank in the manuscript.
THE KING OF FRANCE EQUIPS A FLEET (1377).
SOURCE.--Froissart's _Chronicle_ (Hafod Press, 1803), ii. 181.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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