The Chronicles of Enguerrand de Monstrelet, Vol. 8 [of 13] by Monstrelet - HTML preview

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CHAP. LXI.

HERE FOLLOW THE ARTICLES FOR THE DEEDS OF ARMS ON FOOT.

'THOSE princes, barons, knights and esquires, of the rank before mentioned, who shall rather take their pleasure in performing feats of arms on foot, shall touch the violet shield, and shall perform fifteen courses with battle-axes or swords, as may be most agreeable to them.

'Item, if, during these courses, any champion shall touch the ground with his hand or knees, he shall be bounden to present his adversary with a ruby of whatever value he please.

'Item, each champion shall be armed with the accustomed armour for combating in lists.

'Item, should any person be unprovided with battle-axe or sword, I will furnish him with the same, similar to my own or to those of my companions. These axes and swords are not to have any thing extraordinary in their make, but such as are usual in these kind of combats.

'Item, he that shall have engaged himself to fight with me, or either of us, and shall throw the other to the ground, the person so thrown shall be obliged to surrender himself a prisoner whithersoever the conqueror shall order him.

'Item, the person thus made prisoner shall pay for his immediate ransom, to whomsoever the conqueror shall direct, any sum above five hundred crowns.

'Item, foreigners need not seek for particulars from me, or from my companions, for they will find persons ready to deliver such at the usual hours and places.

'Item, no stranger will be permitted to enter the lists with me or with any one of my companions, for more than one course at arms, namely, once on horseback and once on foot,—and no one can require more of any of us during the present undertaking.

'Item, the aforesaid feats of arms, on horseback and on foot, shall be performed on the following days: those on horseback on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays,—those on foot, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.

'Item, this pass d'armes shall commence on the first-day of July, in the year 1443, and shall last forty days, exclusive of feast-days and Sundays, and the feasts commanded to be kept by the court of Rome.

'Item, no prince, baron, knight or esquire shall pass within a quarter of a league of the spot assigned for these combats without entering the lists and taking part, or otherwise leaving as pledges his sword or spurs according to his pleasure.

'Item, for the accomplishment of these feats of arms, as well on horseback as on foot, according to the articles above specified, I have most humbly supplicated and entreated my aforesaid sovereign lord, that he would grant me his licence and permission to perform them, which he has most benignantly assented to. He has likewise most graciously appointed, as judge of the lists, that puissant prince and my most redoubted lord the count of Nevers and of Rethel,—and, in his absence, the lord marshal count of Fribourg and of Neufchâtel.

'In order that this my intention of performing these deeds of arms in the manner before specified may be more fully declared, I have affixed my seal to these presents, and signed them with my own hand, this 8th day of March, in the year 1442.

'Item, I beseech all princes, barons, knights and esquires, not to construe this my intention as proceeding from any presumption on my part; for my sole motive is to exalt the noble profession of arms, and to extend the exercise of it,—and also to make acquaintance by arms with such renowned and valiant princes and nobles as may be pleased to honour me with their company.

'Item, all noble foreigners shall have sure and loyal passports from my aforesaid sovereign lord, or, in his absence, from his marshal.’