Middle English Literature

Tournaments
Tournaments were part of a knight’s training for war, and they became the
ritualistic occasion for demonstrations of military prowess and the develop-
ment of male social status. More mock battles than jousts in lists, tourna-
ments began to flourish in the twelfth century and tended more and more
towards theatrical and elaborately decorated ceremonies as the centuries
progressed. Descriptions of chivalric criteria and tournaments appear in
legal, historical, instructional, biographical, and of course poetic texts. Often
lavish in presentation, chivalric texts appealed to the seemingly unlimited
taste for courtly ideals and the examination of violence in relation to these
mores. The following excerpt adds to the tournament the complication of inter-
national alliances during the Hundred Years’ War (see “Battle of Agincourt,”
p. 46).
Jean Froissart (ca. 1338–ca. 1410) wrote his Chroniques in several
redactions from 1369 to after 1400; they contain information on the wars
21
Ember days, i.e., any of four groups of three prayer and fasting days (Wednesday, Friday,
and Saturday) after Pentecost, the first Sunday in Lent, the feast of St. Lucy, and the feast of
the Holy Cross.
22
Procession days, Rogation Days.
23
close to.

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on the Continent as well as valuable narratives about Richard II (see “Jean
Froissart, Chroniques,” p. 151, for an image from it). He was a clerk of
Queen Philippa of Hainault (d. 1369), wife of Edward III, and he spent
several years in England, presenting Richard II with a book of love poems
in 1395. Froissart’s writings are more romantically inflected than other
chroniclers, and his versions of his chronicles become more and more
complimentary towards the French and critical of the English. His chivalric
material in particular appealed to Sir John Bourchier, Lord Berners (ca.
1467–1533), a deputy of Calais who published English translations of
Froissart’s work in 1523 and 1525.
Primary documents and further reading
Barber, R. W. and J. R. V. Barker (1989) Tournaments: Jousts, Chivalry, and Pageants
in the Middle Ages. Woodbridge, Suffolk: Boydell.
Bentley, S. (ed.) (1831) “Tournament between Lord Scales and the Bastard of
Burgundy, A.D. 1467.” Excerpta Historica, or Illustrations of English History.
London: Richard Bentley, 171–212.
Charny, G. de (1996) The Book of Chivalry of Geoffroi de Charni, ed. and trans.
R. W. Kaeuper and E. Kennedy. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.
Fradenburg, L. O. (1991) City, Marriage, Tournament: Arts of Rule in Late Medi-
eval Scotland. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press.
Froissart, J. (1869–1975) Chroniques de J. Froissart, 15 vols., ed. S. Luce, G. Raynaud,
and L. Mirot. Paris: Société de l’histoire de France.
Jones, T. (1994) Chaucer’s Knight: The Portrait of a Medieval Mercenary, revd. edn.
London: Methuen.
Kaeuper, R. W. (1999) Chivalry and Violence in Medieval Europe. Oxford: Oxford
University Press.
Keen, M. H. (1984) Chivalry. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.
—— (1996) Nobles, Knights, and Men-at-Arms in the Middle Ages. London:
Hambledon Press.
Marshal, W. (1891–1901) L’Histoire de Guillaume le maréchal, 3 vols., ed. P. Meyer.
Paris: Librarie Renouard.
J. Froissart (1967) The Chronicle, trans. Sir John Bourchier, intro. W. P. Ker. New York: AMS
Press, 419–26 (selections).
Language: French
Of a feest and justes made by the kyng of Englande in London whyle the
Christen knyghtes and squyers were at the sege before the towne of Aufryke
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Style and Spectacle
agaynst the Sarazyns,
1
and howe this feest was publisshed in dyvers countreis
and landes.
Ye have herde before in this hystorie what a feest was holden at Paris
whan Quene Isabell of Fraunce
2
made there her first entre, of the whiche
feest tidynges sprede abrode into every countre. Than Kynge Richarde of
Englande and his thre uncles, heryng of this goodly fest at Paris by the
reportes of suche knyghtes and squyers of their owne as had ben at the same
fest, ordayned a great fest to be holden at the cyte of London where there
shulde be justes and sixty knyghtes to abyde all commers and with them
sixty ladyes fresshely apparelled to kepe them company, and these knightes
to just two dayes besyde Sonday, and the chalenge to begyn the next
Sonday after the fest of Saint Michaell,
3
as than in the yere of oure Lorde
God one thousand, three hundred, fourscore, and ten, whiche Sonday the
said sixty knightes and sixty ladyes at two of the clocke at afternoon shuld
issue oute of the towre of London, and so to come along the cytie through
Chepe, and so to Smythfelde, and that day twelve knightes to be there redy
to abyde all knyghtes straungers suche as wolde just. This Sonday was called
the Sonday of the fest of chalenge; and on the Monday next after, the sayd
sixty knightes to be in the same place redy to juste and to abyde all commers
curtesly to ron with rokettes,
4
and to the best doer of the out syde shulde
be gyven hym for a price a riche crowne of golde and the best doer of the
in syde, duely examyned by the ladyes in the quenes chambre, shulde have
for a price a riche gyrdell of golde. And the Tuesday folowynge the knightes
shulde be agayne in the same place and to abyde all maner of squyers
straungers and other suche as wolde just with rokettes, and the best juster
on the out syde shulde have for his price a courser sadled, and the chiefe
doer of the in syde shulde have a faucon.
The maner of this fest was thus ordayned and devised, and herauldes were
charged to crye and publysshe this feest in Englande, in Scotlande, in
Almayne, in Flaunders, in Brabant, in Heynalt, and in Fraunce. The heraldes
departed, some hider and some thider; these tidynges sprede abrode into
dyvers countreys; the herauldes had daye and tyme suffycient. Knightes and
squiers in dyvers countreys apparelled themselfes to be at this feest, some
to se the maner of Englande and some to juste. Whan these tidynges came
1
Louis II, duke of Bourbon, led a “crusade” against Mahdiya in North Africa in 1390.
2
Isabella (1389–1409), daughter of Charles VI, king of France, would marry Richard II in
1396.
3
I.e., October 2.
4
Blunt lanceheads.

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into Heynalt, Sir Wyllyam of Heynalt, erle of Ostrevaunt, who was yonge
and lyberall, and desyrous to juste, purposed in hymselfe to go to the feest
in Englande to se and to honour his cosyns, Kyng Rycharde of Englande
and his uncles, whome he had never sene before.
5
He hadde great desyre to
be aquaynted with them and desyred other knightes and squyers to kepe
hym company, and specially the lorde of Gomegynes bycause he was well
acquaynted with Englysshemen, for he had ben dyvers tymes amonge them.
Thanne Sir Wyllyam of Haynaulte purposed whyle he made his provisyon
to go into Hollande to se his father Auberte, erle of Heynaulte, Hollande,
and Zelande, to the entente to speke with hym and to take leave to go
into Englande. He departed fro Quesnoy in Heynault and rode tyll he came
to Haye in Hollande, where the erle his father was at that tyme, and there
he shewed his father his purpose that he was to go into Englande to se the
countrey and his cosyns, whom he had never sene. Than theerle his father
answered and sayd, “Wyllyam my fayre son, ye have nothyng to do in
Englande, for nowe ye be by covenaunt of maryage alyed to the realme of
Fraunce and your suster to be maryed to the duke of Burgoyne;
6
wherfore,
ye nede nat to seke none other alyaunce.” “Dere father,” quod he, “I wyll
nat go into Englande to make any alyaunce; I do it but to feest and make
myrthe with my cosins there, whom as yet I never sawe, and bycause the
feest whiche shal be holden at London is publisshed abrode; wherfore, syth
I am signifyed therof and shulde nat go thyder, it shulde be sayd I were
proude and presumptuous; wherfore, in the savynge of myne honoure I
wyll go thider; therfore, dere father, I requyre you agree therto.” “Sonne,”
quod he, “do as ye lyste, but I thynke surely it were better that ye taryed at
home.” Whan the erle of Ostrevaunt sawe that his wordes contented nat his
father, he wolde speke no more therof but fell in other communicacion, but
he thought well ynough what he wolde do and so dayly sent his provisyon
towardes Calais. Gomegynes the heraulde was sente into Englande fro therle
of Ostrevaunt to gyve knowlege to Kynge Rycharde and to his uncles howe
that he wolde come honorably to his fesst at London. Of those tidynges the
kynge and his uncles were ryght joyouse . . .
[The earl of Ostrevaunt travels to London.] On the Sonday nexte after
the feest of Saynt Michaell, this feest and triumphe shulde begyn, and that
daye to be done in Smythfelde justes called the chalenge. So the same
5
William of Bavaria or Hainault, count of Ostrevant (d. 1417), eldest son of Albert of
Bavaria (d. 1405).
6
In 1385 William had married Margaret of Burgundy and John (the Fearless) of Burgundy
had married Margaret of Bavaria, William’s sister.
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Style and Spectacle
Sonday, about thre of the clocke at afternoone, there issued out of the
towre of London, first, threscore coursers apparelled for the justes and on
every one a squier of honour ridyng a softe pase.
7
Than issued out threscore
ladyes of honour mounted on fayre palfreys, ridyng on the one syde, richely
apparelled, and every lady ledde a knight with a cheyne of sylver, which
knightes were apparelled to just. Thus they cam ridynge alonge the stretes
of London with great nombre of trumpettes and other mynstrelles, and so
came to Smythfelde where the quene of Englande and other ladies and
damoselles were redy in chambres richely adorned to se the justes, and the
king was with the quene. And whan the ladyes that ledde the knyghtes were
come to the place, they were taken downe fro their palfreys, and they
mounted up into chambres redy aparelled for them. Than the squiers of
honour alighted fro the coursers and the knightes in good order mounted
on them; than their helmes were sette on and made redy at all poyntes.
Than thyder came the erle of Saynt Poule, nobly accompanyed with knyghtes
and squyers all armed with harnesse for the justes to begynne the feest,
whiche incontynent
8
beganne, and there justed all knyghtes straungers,
suche as wolde and hadde leysar and space, for the nyght came on. Thus
these justes of chaleng began and contynued tyll it was night; than knyghtes
and ladyes withdrue themselfes, and the quene was lodged besyde Poules in
the bysshoppes palace, and there was the supper prepared. The same
evennynge came therle of Ostrevaunt to the kyng, who was nobly receyved . . .
On the nexte day, whiche was Mondaye, ye myght have sene in dyvers
places of the cytie of London, squyers and varlettes goynge aboute with
harnesse and doynge of other busynesse of their maisters. After noon, Kynge
Richarde came to the place all armed, richely apparelled, accompanyed with
dukes, erles, lordes, and knyghtes; he was one of the inner partie. Than the
quene, well accompanyed with ladyes and damosels, came to the place
where the justes shulde be and mounted into chambres and scaffoldes
ordayned for them. Than came into the felde the erle of Ostrevaunte well
accompanyed with knyghtes of his countrey, and all were redy to juste; than
came the erle of Saynt Poule and other knyghtes of Fraunce, suche as wolde
juste. Than began the justes; every man payned hymselfe to gette honour.
Some were stryken down fro their horses. These justes contynued tyll it was
nere nyght, than every person drewe to their lodgynges, knyghtes and
ladyes, and at the hour of supper every man drewe to the courte; there was
7
at an easy or moderate pace.
8
immediately.

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a goodly supper and well ordayned. And as that day the price was gyven to
the erle of Ostrevaunt for the best juster of the utter partie, and well he
deserved it, the price was gyven hym by the ladyes, lordes, and herauldes,
who were ordained to be judges. And of the inner partie a knyght of
Englande, called Sir Hughe Spenser, had the price . . .
[Jousts and feast continued through the week.] And on the Saturdaye the
kyng and all the lordes departed fro London to Wyndsore, and therele of
Ostrevaunt and the erle of Saynt Poule, with all other knightes and squyers
straungers were desyred to acompany the kyng to Wyndsore; every man
rode as it was reason to the castell of Wyndsore. Than there began agayne
great feestes with dyners and suppers gyven by the king, and specially the
kyng dyde great honour to the erle of Ostrevaunt his cosyn, whiche erle was
desyred by the kyng and his uncles that he wolde be content to take on hym
the order of the garter. The erle aunswered howe he wolde take counsayle
in that mater. Than he counsayled with lorde of Gomegines and with
Fierabras of Vertan bastarde, who in no wyse wolde discorage nor counsayle
hym to refuce the order of the garter. So he toke it on hym, wherof the
knightes and squyers of Fraunce suche as were there had great marveyle and
murmured sore therat among themselfe, sayeng, “The erle of Ostrevaunt
sheweth well that his courage enclyneth rather to be Englysshe than Frenche
whan he taketh on hym the order of the garter and weareth the kynge of
Englandes devyse. He sheweth well he regardeth nat the house of Fraunce
nor the house of Burgoyne. The tyme wyll come he shall repent hymselfe;
all thynges consydred, he knoweth nat what he hath done, for he was wel
beloved with the Frenche kynge and with the duke of Thourayne his brother,
and with all the blode royall in suche wyse that whan he came to Parys or
into any other place to any of them, they ever made hym more honour than
any other of their cosyns.” Thus these Frenchemen evyll accused hym with-
out cause for that he had done was nothyng contrary nor hurtfull to the
realme of Fraunce nor to his cosyns nor frendes in Fraunce, for he thought
none otherwyse but honour and love, and to pleace his cosyns in Englande
and to be therby the rather a good meane bytwene Fraunce and Englande
if nede were, nor the daye that he toke on hym the order of the garter and
his othe every man maye well understande that he made none alyaunce to
do any prejudyce to the realme of Fraunce. For that he dyde was but for
love and good company, howebeit no man canne let the envyous to speke
yvell.
Whan they had daunced and sported them a certayne space in the castell
of Wynsore and that the kyng hadde gyven many fayre gyftes to the knightes
and squyers of honour of the realme of Fraunce and Heynaulte, and specially
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Style and Spectacle
to the yonge erle of Ostrevaunt, than every man toke leave of the kynge and
of the quene, and of other ladyes and damoselles, and of the kynges uncles.
Thane the erle of Saynt Poule and the Frenchemen, and the Henowayes
and Almaygnes departed. Thus ended this great feest in the cytie of Lon-
don, and every man went to their owne. Than it fortuned, as anone brute
9
ronneth farre of, the Frenche kynge,
10
his brother, and his uncles were
enfourmed, by suche as hadde ben in Englande at the sayde feest, of every
thyng that hadde been done and sayd; nothynge was forgotten but rather
more putte to in the exaltyng of yvell dedes than fortheryng of good
dedes. It was shewed the kynge playnly how the erle of Ostrevaunt had ben
in Englande and taken great payne to exalte and to do honoure to the
Englysshemen and in helpynge forwarde the feest holden at London, and
howe he hadde the chiefe prise and honoure of the justes above all other
straungers, and how he had spoken so fayre to the Englysshmen that he was
become the kynge of Englands man and had made servyce and alyaunce
with hym, and taken on hym the order of the garter in the chapell of Saynt
George in Wyndsore, whiche order was fyrste stablysshed by Kynge Edwarde
the Thirde and his sonne Prince of Wales, and howe that no man myght
entre into that confrary or company without he make servyaunt or othe
never to beare armoure agaynste the crowne of Englande, whiche promyse
they sayd the erle of Ostrevaunt had made without any reservacyon. With
these tydynges the Frenche kynge, his brother, and his uncles were sore
troubled and grevously displeased with the erle of Ostrevaunt. Than the
Frenche kyng sayde, “Lo, sirs, ye maye se what it is to do for hym. It is nat
yet a yere paste sythe he desyred me that his brother myght be bysshoppe of
Cambray and, by these tidynges, that gyfte were rather prejudycial to the
realme of Fraunce than avauncement; it hadde been better we had gyven it
to our cosyn of Saynt Poule; the Heynoways dyd never good to us, nor
never wyll, for they be proude, presumptuous, and to fierse; alwayes they
have owed better good wyll to the Englysshemen than to us, but a daye
shall come they shall repent them; we wyll sende to the erle of Ostrevaunt,
commaundynge hym to come to us to do us homage for the countie of
Ostrevaunt, or els we shall put hym fro it and annexe it to oure realme.”
They of his counsayle answered and sayde, “Sir, ye have well devysed; lette
it be done as ye have sayde.” It maye well be thought that the duke of
Burgoyne, whose doughter the erle of Ostrevaunt had to his wyfe, was
9
fame, renown.
10
Charles VI (r. 1380–1422).

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nothynge content with those tidynges, for alwayes he had avaunsed his
sonne of Ostrevaunt towardes the kyng and his counsaile. This mater was
nat forgotten, but incontinent the Frenche kyng wrote sharpe letters to
therle of Ostrevaunt, who was at Quesnoy in Heynaulte, commaundyng
hym to come to Parys to do his homage before the kynge and the other
peeres of Fraunce for the countie of Ostrevaunt or els the kyng wolde take
it fro hym and make hym warre . . . [William sought counsel from his own
men and then from his father the king, who was not surprised that things
had turned out this way. In the end William had to pay homage to King
Charles in Paris.]
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Textualities