CHAPTER XXIII. HOW ENGLAND HELD THE LISTS AT BORDEAUX.

SousedwerethegoodburghersofBordeauxtomartialdisplayandknightlysport,thatanordinaryjoustortournamentwasaneverydaymatterwiththem.Thefameandbrilliancyoftheprince'scourthaddrawntheknights-errantandpursuivants-of-armsfromeverypartofEurope.InthelonglistsbytheGaronneonthelandwardsideofthenortherngatetherehadbeenmanyastrangecombat,whentheTeutonicknight,freshfromtheconquestofthePrussianheathen,ranacourseagainsttheknightofCalatrava,hardenedbycontinualstruggleagainsttheMoors,orcavaliersfromPortugalbrokealancewithScandinavianwarriorsfromthefurthershoreofthegreatNorthernOcean.Hereflutteredmanyanoutlandpennon,bearingsymbolandblazonryfromthebanksoftheDanube,thewildsofLithuaniaandthemountainstrongholdsofHungaryforchivalrywasofnoclimeandofnorace,norwasanylandsowildthatthefameandnameoftheprincehadnotsoundedthroughitfrombordertoborder. Great,however,wastheexcitementthroughtownanddistrictwhenitwaslearnedthatonthethirdWednesdayinAdventtherewouldbeheldapassage-at-armsinwhichfiveknightsofEnglandwouldholdthelistsagainstallcomers.Thegreatconcourseofnoblemenandfamoussoldiers,thenationalcharacterofthecontest,andthefactthatthiswasalasttrialofarmsbeforewhatpromisedtobeanarduousandbloodywar,allunitedtomaketheeventoneofthemostnotableandbrilliantthatBordeauxhadeverseen.OntheeveofthecontestthepeasantsflockedinfromthewholedistrictoftheMedoc,andthefieldsbeyondthewallswerewhitenedwiththetentsofthosewhocouldfindnowarmerlodging.FromthedistantcampofDax,too,andfromBlaye,Bourge,Libourne,St.Emilion,Castillon,St.Macaire,Cardillac,Ryons,andalltheclusterofflourishingtownswhichlookuponBordeauxastheirmother,therethrongedanunceasingstreamofhorsemenandoffootmen,allconverginguponthegreatcity.Bythemorningofthedayonwhichthecoursesweretoberun,notlessthaneightypeoplehadassembledroundthelistsandalongthelowgrassyridgewhichlooksdownuponthesceneoftheencounter. Itwas,asmaywellbeimagined,noeasymatteramongsomanynotedcavalierstochooseoutfiveoneithersidewhoshouldhaveprecedenceovertheirfellows.Ascoreofsecondarycombatshadnearlyarisenfromtherivalriesandbadbloodcreatedbytheselection,anditwasonlytheinfluenceoftheprinceandtheeffortsoftheolderbaronswhichkeptthepeaceamongsomanyeagerandfierysoldiers.Nottillthedaybeforethecoursesweretheshieldsfinallyhungoutfortheinspectionoftheladiesandtheheralds,sothatallmenmightknowthenamesofthechampionsandhavetheopportunitytopreferanychargeagainstthem,shouldtherebestainuponthemwhichshoulddisqualifythemfromtakingpartinsonobleandhonorableaceremony. SirHughCalverleyandSirRobertKnolleshadnotyetreturnedfromtheirraidintothemarchesoftheNavarre,sothattheEnglishpartyweredeprivedoftwooftheirmostfamouslances.YetthereremainedsomanygoodnamesthatChandosandFelton,towhomtheselectionhadbeenreferred,hadmanyanearnestconsultation,inwhicheveryfeatofarmsandfailureorsuccessofeachcandidatewasweighedandbalancedagainsttherivalclaimsofhiscompanions.LordAudleyofCheshire,theheroofPoictiers,andLoringofHampshire,whowasheldtobethesecondlanceinthearmy,wereeasilyfixedupon.Then,oftheyoungermen,SirThomasPercyofNorthumberland,SirThomasWakeofYorkshire,andSirWilliamBeauchampofGloucestershire,werefinallyselectedtoupholdthehonorofEngland.OntheothersideweretheveteranCaptaldeBuchandthebrawnyOlivierdeClisson,withthefreecompanionSirPerducasd'Albret,thevaliantLordofMucident,andSigismondvonAltenstadt,oftheTeutonicOrder.TheoldersoldiersamongtheEnglishshooktheirheadsastheylookedupontheescutcheonsofthesefamouswarriors,fortheyw