Monday, July 17, 2006

Richard Beauchamp vs. Colard Fynes, 1413

And upon Sunday after my lord came into the field about nine of the clock armed bright with a round broad tuft of ostrich feathers spraynt with gold. And with a long tartaryn feather in the midst with a broad girdle of goldsmiths work round about his plates beneath to perform his arms in hosting harness as his letters containeth. A courser trapped with his arms of war to fore him on the which rode a butler. And behind him came three course trapped in the arms of his arms, according to the seals of his three arms to forsesaid. And the same trappers followed him each day of the three days only to the touching of the device. So that these arms were well and mercifully accomplished to the greatest worship of my lord both of the Frenchmen and also of all the soldier of these marches, that ever had man in Picardy, blessed be God of his grace. And sent to his fellow another courser, which knight is called the Chevalier Noir, to whom the right name is Monsieur Colarde de Fyennes, which is my lord’s cousin.

And by that these arms were thus done, my lord, sitting on horseback in the field armed, prayed all the Frenchmen to dine with him there right in the field. In which field was ordained a hall much and large in which was hanged the white bed with all these arms that the Frenchmen might well see that they were verily his arms of old ancestry. And the Frenchmen had a great feast of three courses two hundred messes large, and a thousand more persons that eaten in the field had meat enough and drink also right largely. So when the spices and wine were drunk, my lord gave Sir Gerard de Herbaurms, the first French knight an owche better than sixty pounds. To Sir Hugh Delawney an owche worth forty marks and to Sir Colarde de Fyennes, which is the cousin of the Earl St. Paul and to my lord also, a cup of gold worth sixty marks. And this done they departed. And the Frenchman held them passingly well apaid. And large gifts given to the French heralds and minstrels. And all this feast time lasting, the fairest weather that ever saw a Christian man. So that all manner of men in this march, thanked be God, given to my said lord the prize of all men that ever came there and saying plainly that God have showed passing great miracle in him. And thus on the Monday after he has come to Calayis with much worship where hath met him the Lieutenant of the town with all the garrison.

Landsdowne MS. No. 285 in Cripps-Day, F.H. The Tournament in France and England. London, 1918, Reprinted AMS Press, NY, 1982.

How on the morrow next following that was the last day of the jousts Earl Richard came in face open, his basinet as the day afore, save the chaplet was rich with pearl and precious stones. In gy ys arms and Beauchamp quarterly, and the arms also of Tony and Haunslap in his trappers. And said like as he had his own person performed the two days afore; so with Gods grace he would the third. Then ran he to the chevalier now Sir Collard Fines and every stroke he bear him backward to his horse back and then the Frenchman said he was bound the saddle. Wherefore he alighted there from his horse; and forthwith stepped up into his saddle again, and so with worship rode to his pavilion and sent to Sir Collard a good courser and faced all the people giving to the said three knights great rewards, and rode to Calais with great worship.

Pageant of the Birth Life and Death of Richard Beauchamp Earl of Warwick K. G. 1389-1439, Dillon, Viscount, Ed. London 1914

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