***************************************** The following text is from a book found at the 42nd St. Library, on Rene' d'Anjou, or good King Rene' as he was called, and it gives his advice on the running of Tournaments. This was translated from the French by Lady Kate the Highly Tolerant who is the Lady of Viscount Sir Edward Zifran of Gendy. It is too bad the brilliantly colored pictures could not be included herein as well. But then again you probably saw them in other works. This is an incomplete project, but I hope to get the rest of the document and the translation photocopied soon. ***************************************** To Very High and Powerful Prince, my very dear and well-loved and only brother Charles d'Anjou, your brother, am informing you, that in pursuit of pleasure, and knowing for some time that you take pleasure in seeing new pictures and writings, would make a proposal, the most expansive I know of in form and manner, which is a tourney to be contracted for at court elsewhere on some procession from France, when any prince wishing to do so, does. The form I took is nearest to one kept in Germany near the Rhine when a tourney is held and according to the manner which they hold in Flanders and in Brabant: and the same in the old fashion as is the custom in France, which I've found through writings. Of these three fashion, I took what seemed best to me, and compiled a fourth fashion as you will see, if it pleases you, by what follows hereafter. He who wants to hold a tourney, it is necessary that it be some prince, or at least a high baron or banneret, which will be explained hereafter. But to better understand the manner, I will use here as example the Duke of Brittany, Appelant, on the one hand, and the Duke of Bourbon, Defendant, on the other. And for all the emblasons necessary for this present tourney. I please myself to be concerned only with imagined ones. Therefore so follows the words of the Lord Duke of Brittany, Appelant, to the opposing King at Arms opening and presenting to him a tourney sword: "King at Arms, hold this sword and go towards my cousin the duke of bourbon and say to him on my behalf that for his valiance, wisdom and great chivalry, which is a part of him, I send to him this sword - signaling that I wish to strike a tourney and gathering of arms against him, in the presence of ladies and maidens, and all others, on a named day and set time, and at a place both fitting and convenient. For which tourney I offer to him for judgement-sayers [marshals?] eight knights and squires from which the will choose four, and said judges will assign the time and place and will make ready the area. When the said King at Arms will go towards the said Duke of Bourbon, Defendant, and , in the greatest company and honourable place, outside of a holy place, that he is able to find, will present to him the sword, which he will hold by the point, thus saying to him: "Very High and Very Powerful Prince and Formidable Lord, Very High and Very Powerful Prince and My Very Formidable Lord the Duke of Brittany, your cousin, sends me before you, for the greatest chivalry and reknown of prowess that he knows to be your very noble character, and, with all love and benevolence, and without any malice, requests of you and proposes to you a tourney and gathering of arms before ladies and maidens. For which event and a sign of this, he sends you this ready sword to do this". And if the said Duke of Bourbon accepts the tourney, he takes the sword from the hand of the King at Arms saying: "I do not accept this for any malice, but believing to please my said cousin, and for the ladies pleasure". And after he has taken the sword, the King at Arms will say these words: "Very High and Very Powerful Prince and Very Formidable Lord, Very High and Very Powerful Prince and My Very formidable Lord the Duke of Brittany, your cousin, there send you the arms of eight knights and squires in a scroll of parchment, to which end, of the eight you shall list four of those who will be most agreeable to you for said judges". That said, he will show him the said scroll of parchment; the Duke will take it and review the arms at his pleasure;he then will respond to the said King at Arms: "As for the said judges of whom you here show me the arms, the lords of such place please me very well as knights, if it pleases them; and the lord of such place please me as well as squires. And for that you will carry to them letters of credential on my behalf; and will also beseech my cousin the duke of Brittany, if he would write to them that he is happy to accept, and at the earliest possible opportunity for them, if they will let me know the day of said tourney, and also the place". That said, the Duke of bourbon will present to the King at Arms two measures of gold cloth, or of velvet, or at least of patterned crimson satin, with which he will draw the two lords leaders of the tourney, done in paint on a large skin of parchment, on horseback as they will be at said tourney, armed and crested, and he will attach the said parchment to the said piece of gold cloth, or velvet or satin. And in this state the King at Arms will take it, putting it in a cloak fastened on the right shoulder, and with the good leave of the Duke will go towards the said judges to know if they would like to accept the office to be said judges. And when he will be before them, having letters from the two Dukes, Appelant and Defendant, with the said piece of clothe on his shoulder, as well as having spoken of it, and on this attached parchment will be painted the said lords on horseback, will present to them his letters, as seen by one, the Appelant, and by the other, the Defendant, which will be narratives of that stated above, and will also contain credentials, informing that they wish those to be said judges of said tourney undertaken by them. And if the said judges accept the offer, the King at Arms must thank them, as judges; if it pleases them, to order the day of said tourney, and the place also, so that he is able to announce to the places that it is agreed, it is seen: firstly, at the court of the Lord appelant; secondly, at the court of the Lord Defendant; and thirdly, at the court of the King and especially where it will be decided by the said judges. And as soon as the said judges have accepted the charge, the King at Arms will paint the four shields of those said judges at the four corners of the said parchment: it will be those of the two knights at the top and those of the two squires at the bottom. When the King at Arms will announce the festival of the tourney, he must be accompanied by three or four heralds and poursuivants; and the poursuivant with the highest voice must announce with three great reposes: "OR OYEZ, OR OYEZ, OR OYEZ". One must make known to all princes, lords, barons, knights and squires of the company from the Ile-de-France, of the company from Champagne, of the company from Flanders, and of the company from Ponthieu, of the company from Vermandois and from Artois, of the company from Normandy, of the company from Aquitaine and from Anjou, of the company from Brittany and Berry, and also from Corbie, and all other of whatever company who are of this kingdom and of all other Christian kingdoms, if they are not banished or enemies of our sire King, to whom God gives good life, that such a day of such a month, in such place of such area, will be a great gathering of arms and very noble tourney held of measured clubs and cutting swords, in proper armour, in crests, coats of arms and coverings of armed horses of the arms of the noble fighters as well as every ancient tradition as is the custom. Of which tourney are very high leaders and very powerful princes and My Very Formidable Lords the duke of Brittany as Appelant and the Duke of bourbon as Defendant. And for this fact, one informs anew to all princes, lords, barons, knights and squires who have the wish and desire to fight to acquire honour, that they bring some small shields that I will give here presently, so that one knows that they are the fighters. And for that, in request of those who would wish to have it, these shields are quartered with the arms of the four knights and squires, those who intend to fight, are held to be in the inns the fourthe day before the day of said tourney, in order to place their arms in the windows, under pain of no longer being received at said tourney. And I, begging pardon, make known to you this on behalf of my lords the said judges". Hereafter follows the fashion and manner for which must be the armour for the head, body and arms, crests and mantling, coats of arms, saddles, armour and coverings of the horses, clubs and swords for fighting. The helm-padding must be a piece of boiled leather, which must be well padded of one finger's thickness or more on the inside, and will be covered with mantling of the arms of the one who will carry it. And on the said helm, at the highest point, will be placed the said crest and around this will be a twist of colours of said fighter, as large as the arms or more or less to his pleasure. Also, the helm is in the fashion of a bassinet or of a capeline (iron with neck-piece), except that the visor is otherwise, as it is drawn below. Likewise, the body armour is as a leather breast-plate that one calls a tonnelet (keg). And especially necessary is that the said body armour be so wide and so ample that one can wear beneath a doublet or padded corset of three fingers thickness on the shoulders, and along the arms to the neck, and also on the back, for the blows of the clubs and swords fall more voluntarily in these places than in others. Of the forearm and guard arm there are two ways, of which one is of bleached armour and the other of boiled leather. The form and fashion of the guantlets is such that one can see below in the drawing. Also, the cutting sword must be in the form and manner hereafter drawn, and similarly the club. The coat of arms must be made neither more nor less than that of the herald, reserving that it must be without folds by the body so that one knows better whose are the arms. Moreover, a fashion of harness is very necessary that one attaches in front of the saddle-bow and which descends the length of the measure of the saddle embracing the breast of the horse, such armour is good to protect the horse, and also the leg of the fighter from all strains. This armour is made of long straw between strong canvas whip-corded doublets, and inside there is a bog full of straw, in the manner of a crecent, which rests on the breast of the horse, and lifts up the said armour, so that it doesn't rub against the legs of the horse. Also, one covers the said armour with a covering of the arms of the lord who carries it. The lists must be a quarter longer than wide, and of the height of a man, or of an arm's length and a half, of strong squared wood, to two across, the one high and the other low just to the knee. And must be doubled, that is to have other lists outside a quarter step from the main lists, to protect the servants and those non-armoured sppointed by the judges to keep the fighters from the crowd of people. And as ffro the size, it is necessary to make them as large or small according to the number of fighters, and by the advice of the judges. And for what seems to me that hereafter the armour and dress for fighting are sufficiently declared, by right I return to apportion out and declare the manners, statutes and ceremonies that are left to keep, in order to do well and honourably to accomplish the said tourney. And to begin, it is necessary to know the order and manner of how the fighters must enter the city where they must hold the said tourney. First, the princes, lords or barons who wish to fly their banners at the tourney must take care to be accompanied, principally at the entrance that they make into the city, by the greatest number of fighting knights and squires that they are able to assemble. The war-horse of the prince, lord or head baron of other knights or squires who accompany him must be the first to enter the city, covered with the colours of the lord, and four shields of the arms with four members of the company, and his head enplumed with ostrich feathers, and at the neck, the collor of crests, a good small page on his back, with or without saddle, as is pleasing. And after the said war-horses must come the trumpeters and minstrels, trumpeting and sounding, or playing other instruments such that will please then; and then after, their heralds or poursuivants, having revested their coats of arms; and after them, the said fighting knights and squires with their following of all other people. Also, as soon as a lord or baron has arrived at his inn, he must place his arms in the window in the manner which follows: that is to have, to be put by the heralds and poursuivants before his lodging, a long plank attached against the will, on which are painted his arms, it is to have crest and shield, and those of all in his company who wish to fight, knights and squires as well. And at the high window of his said lodging, he will put his banner unfurled, hanging over the street. And the said judges must make their entrance into the city the day that the lords and other fighters make it, and must take pains to enter first, if they can, in the form and manner which follows: And the siad judges must have before them, four sounding trumpets, carrying each of them the banner of one of the said judges; and after the four said trumpeters, four poursuivants each one carrying a coat of arms of one of the said judges, similarly as the trumpets. And after the said four poursuivants, must come alone the King at Arms, having on his coat of arms the piece of gold cloth, velvet or satin. And after the said King at Arms must come side by side the two knight judges on beautiful palfrey, each covered to the ground with his arms; and must be vested in long robes, the richest they are able to find; and the two squires equally after them. And each of the judges must have a footman, holding in his hand the bridle of the war-horse. And they must also have each one a white rod in hand, as tall as they, that they will carry upright in the air, on foot, on horseback, everywhere they will be during the festival, so that one knows better that they are the judges. And after them must come all of the others who are able. The judges must hold their state together during the said festival, and, if it is possible for them, to lodge in a religious place where there is a cloister, for there is no other place so convenient to display the crests of the fighters. And the said judges must put before their lodgings a canvas of three arms in height, and twice the width, where are painted the banners of those four held together by the King at Arms; and above will be put in writing the two names of the two leaders of the tourney, and below the name, family names, lords, titles and offices of the said four judges. In the evening of the day of the coming of the lords, fighting knights and squires, and of the said judges also, all ladies and maidens who will be coming to see the festival will gather themselves in a great hall after, supper; and will come there the said judges having their white rods, with their trumpets sounding, and the poursuivants before themand the King at Arms. In the hall they will find their place prepared and will begin. All other knights and squires will arrive in the same manner at this time in the said hall. And then, by order of the said judges, dances will begin, and after having danced some half hour, the said judges will present their poursuivants and the King at Arms on the balcony where the minstrels play in order to announce the display of the crested helms and of the banners which will fly the next day, which will be better explained below. And after, the dances will begin again, for as long as it will please the judges; then they will ask that wine and spices be brought, and thus will end the festival for the first day. The next day, one will bring the banners, pennants and mantles of the two leaders to the aforementioned cloister, to present them to the judges; and following all other banners and crested helms, in the order and manner which follows: And first, the banners of all princes must be brought by one of their knight chamberlains and the pennants of said leaders by their first valets or prominent squires. And the banners of the other bannerets by their gentlemen , so that it will please them. The helms of these must be carried by their stablemen. And the helms of the other bannerets, knights and squires, by gentlemen or noble valets. Also, when all the helms will be thus placed and arranged in order to display them, will come all ladies and maidens, and all lords, knights and squires, visiting them from one end to the other, in the presence of the four judges who will lead three or four turns of ladies, to best see and inspect the crests: and there will be a herald or poursuivant who will announce to the ladies, according to the place where they are, the names of those to who belong the crests, so that.....