From Belt and Spur, Stories of the Knights of the Middle Ages from the Old Chronicles, by E. L. S. (Emma L. Seeley), New York: Scribner and Welford, 1883; pp. 284-298.
CHAPTER XVII.
THE ACT OF ARMS BETWEEN THE LORD SCALES AND THE BASTARD OF BURGUNDY.
The Acts of the full honourable and knightly Arms done between the right noble lord, Sir Anthony Wodeville, Lord Scales, and of Newsells, brother of the most high and excellent Princess, the Queen of England and of France and Lady of Ireland, Challenger, and Sir Anthony the Bastard of Burgundy, Earl of Roche, and Lord of Bever and Beveresse, Defender, before the Most Christian and victorious Prince Edward the IV., King of England and France and Lord of Ireland, on the 11th and 12th days of June, in Smithfield.
The Wednesday next before the solemn feast of Easter, a goodly adventure fell to the noble knight Sir Anthony Wodeville, for, departing from high mass, he betook himself to the presence of his sovereign lady and sister, the Queen of England. And as he was speaking to her on his knees, his cap taken off as his duty was, all the ladies of her court 285 came about, and ere he was aware they tied about his right leg a collar of gold garnished with precious stones, made all of one letter, which in truth was very nigh his heart, and to the collar was tied a noble Flower of Souvenance enamelled. And as he rose all abashed to go to thank them for the great honour they did to him, in his cap, which he had let fall, he found a letter on fine parchment bound with a thread of gold. Thereupon he went forth to the King, his sovereign lord, to tell him his adventure, and to pray his leave to consent to the will of the ladies. Then the King, breaking the thread of gold, found written within as followeth :—
‘For the increase of knighthood and recommendation of nobility, and to obey and please my fair lady, I, Anthony Wodeville, Knight, Lord of Scales and of Newsells, Englishman, this 17th day of April, 1465, have received by the ladies the gift of a rich collar of gold, and thereto hanging a noble souvenaunce, which souvenance I have taken for emprise, with leave of my sovereign lord the King, to furnish and perform the arms following :—
‘I shall be bounden to appear in the noble city of London at the day and hour ordained before the King, against a noble without reproach, who will present himself against me. We shall meet on horseback armed each after his pleasure, with no unfair advantage, and shall run one course with spears. And we shall take sharp swords and shall fight together. I shall furnish the swords and spears, and my fellow shall have the choice.
286‘The second arms shall be done on foot at the time ordained, and we shall be armed with spears, axes, and daggers, and we shall have but one cast of the spear, and shall fight with the other weapons until such time as one of us be borne down or disarmed.’
Then the noble Sir Anthony Wodeville prayed leave of the King to send to the renowned knight, Sir Antony of Burgundy, that he might come to England and accomplish the arms. And the King, many noble lords standing by, willingly agreed. And he gave command to Chester herald to go forth, clad in the arms of the noble Lord of Scales, and to bear the Flower of Souvenance across the seas to the Knight of Burgundy.
Then the last day of April, Chester entered the town of Brussels, and sent a pursuivant from his lodging unto the Lord Bastard of Burgundy, showing him that he was come out of England with a letter from the Lord Scales. My lord of Burgundy sent two heralds and two pursuivants, who brought him to the Duke’s lodging. Then Chester presented his letter, saying, ‘Right noble Count, my right honourable lord, Anthony Wodeville, Lord Scales, brother unto the high and mighty princess, the Queen of England and France, recommendeth him to you, and sendeth you this letter.’ And the noble lord answered, ‘It shall be read, and ye shall be answered as shall content you.’ And he went in haste to the Lord of Charolois, and showed him the letter, and they went together to the Duke.
267And the morrow after, the first day of May, all the heralds and pursuivants in the court of Burgundy went to Chester’s lodging, and brought him to the presence of the Duke on horseback. Then Chester prayed leave to do his errand, and the Duke having given him license, the herald went into another chamber, and put upon him the coat-of-arms of Lord Scales, and bearing on high the emprise in a kerchief, the emprise being fastened in the uppermost border, and covered with the lowest border of the kerchief, he returned into his presence, and making three obeisances as he approached, let fall the lowest border of the kerchief, and stood before the Prince. Then the Duke gave commandment to a lord, a brother of the Golden Fleece, to read the letter of the Lord Scales, the herald holding the emprise on high. And after it was read the Lord Bastard of Burgundy went to the Duke, and asked license to touch the emprise and to accomplish the arms. And thus, coming to the emprise, he said to the herald Chester, ‘I pray you recommend me the Lord Scales, my brother, and thank him right highly for the honour that he doeth to me, and by the license of my Prince I take upon me to touch the emprise;’ and with that touching he made a reverent obeisance. Then the Lord Bastard, taking the one part of the kerchief, and Charolois the other, they covered it worthily, and Chester bore away the emprise so touched, and placed it in a chamber apart.
Then Chester tarried there nine days, being worthily entertained with ancient kings of arms and 288 noble heralds, and on the tenth day the Lord Bastard sent him a letter to my Lord Scales. And he sent by his herald Burgundy to the herald Chester the rich gown furred with sables, which he wore at the touching of the emprise, and his doublet of black velvet and the slits of the doublet-sleeves were clasped with clasps of gold and forty guelders. Then Chester took the gifts and arrayed him in the same, and came to court, and gave thanks reverently, and took his leave, and departed, being accompanied for a league out of the town of Brussels by the heralds of the court.
And he returned, and he came to the King at Greenwich on the 23rd of May, and showed to him of his voyage, and how the Lord Antony of Burgundy had touched the emprise. And he bore it to the Lord Scales, and fastened it upon a collar of gold.
Therefore, on Friday, the 29th day of May of the year 1467, the Bastard of Burgundy, with many noble lords, to the number of four hundred, in four carvels, richly apparelled with all manner of habiliments of war, pennons, banners, and streamers, came before Gravesend, about the hour of four in the afternoon, where Garter King-of-Arms had waited for him the space of three weeks. And as soon as he came in sight Garter took and apparelled a barge, and went out two miles to meet him. And he cast anchor before the town that night, and the morning after he set sail towards London. Then a mile or two ere he came to Greenwich there came out to receive 289 him at Blackwall the Earl of Worcester, Constable of England, with many lords and knights, and aldermen, and rich commoners of the City of London, in seven barges and a galley, richly arrayed in cloth of gold and arras. And he conveyed him forth to London, and when he cast anchor a little beneath St. Katherine’s he received him into his barges, and they landed at Billingsgate. And from thence he was conveyed on horseback by the Constable and the lords through Cornhill and Chepe, and by St. Paul’s of London to the Bishop of Salisbury’s place in Fleet Street, which had been prepared for him by order of the King, and richly apparelled with arras and cloth of gold; and the Bishop’s place at Chelsea, two miles distant, was ordained for him to try his arms.
The Tuesday next after, the second day of June, the King came riding from Kingston-upon-Thames through London, and there went out to meet him two miles out of town many dukes, earls, and knights, and the mayor, aldermen, and sheriffs of the City, and kings-of-arms, and heralds, and pursuivants, with the sound of clarions, trumpets, and shawms. The Constable bore the baston on the right hand and the Earl Marshal on the left, the Lord Scales bearing the King’s sword in the midst. And without the town the King was met by a procession of the four orders, and priests, and other religious persons, and the bishops received him at St. Paul’s, and led him in procession to the high altar, where he offered. And then he took his horse and rode through Fleet 290 Street, where the Bastard and his fellowship beheld the King. And the Lord Scales turned his horse suddenly and perceived him, which was the first sight and knowledge personally between them. And thence the King went to Westminster.
The same day the Bastard presented himself before the King, desiring the day of battle to be prefixed. Then the King commanded the Sheriffs of London to make barriers in Smithfield, and by the advice of the Constable they were made fourscore and ten yards in length and fourscore in breadth.
And on the Friday came the Lord Scales, in a barge richly apparelled, from Greenwich, where he had tarried long and many a day abiding the coming of the Bastard, and at St. Katherine’s, beside the Tower of London, he was received by the Constable and Marshal and the Treasurer of England, with many other lords and knights, and he passed through London on horseback, in a long gown of rich cloth of gold tissue, an herald and a pursuivant bearing his coats-of-arms before him, unto the Bishop of Ely’s place in Holborn.
And there was held a chapter at St. Paul’s to consider of doubts and ambiguities in the challenge to the Lord Scales, and it was agreed that they should not hurt the horses, but that if the case fell so that a horse were hurt they should be free to take another; neither should they charge with an horse that was terrible to smite or to bite.
Then the Constable commanded the mayor, and 291 the mayor commanded the sheriffs, to make the lists, and the field was environed with posts seven feet and a half above the ground and three feet in the ground, and between each post bars three inches and a half thick and five inches broad; and the field was sufficiently sanded. Then the Lord Scales took his horse and came with nobles, and squires, and minstrels, to the east side of the field, and lodged there that night.
The Thursday, the said eleventh day prefixed, the Constable and the Marsh provided for the keeping of the field, and they set at every other post a man-at-arms, and at every corner a king-of-arms crowned and an herald, and Garter King-of-Arms and the herald were set on the right hand of the stair of the King’s place. And they ordained four men on horseback for the parting of them if the case should so require.
And the field being so arrayed, and the King sitting in his place, with many noble lords about him, and great numbers of nobility and commons assembled about the field, Sir Antony Wodeville, the Lord Scales and Newsells, on horseback, in armour, with nine followers richly attired, came to the bars. Before him were borne two helmets, the one by the high and mighty prince the Duke of Clarence, the King’s eldest brother, and the other by the Earl of Arundel; the Earl of Kent, Lord Harry of Buckingham, Lord Herbert, and Lord Stafford, bearing each one of the weapons, that is to say, the two spears and the two swords.
292Then the Constable and the Marshal coming to the bars, asked the cause of his coming. The Lord Scales answered and said, he came to accomplish the arms. Then the King commanded him to enter the field, and he came before the King and did him reverence, and retired to his pavilion. And his own horse was trapped in white cloth of gold, with a cross of St. George of crimson velvet, bordered with a fringe of gold half a foot long. The second horse had trappings of tawny velvet, with many great bells. The third was trapped in russet damask to the foot, and the fourth in purple damask, bordered with blue cloth of gold. The fifth horse was trapped to the foot in blue velvet, with plaits of crimson satin and a border of green velvet and gold. The sixth horse had trappings of crimson cloth of gold furred with sable. The seventh was trapped in green damask to the foot, bordered with russet cloth of gold half a foot broad. The eighth horse had demi-trappings of tawny damask, and the ninth long trappings of ermine, bordered with crimson velvet with tassels of gold. And on every horse rode a page richly attired in mantles of green velvet, embroidered with goldsmiths’ work.
And his pavilion was of double blue satin, embroidered with his letters and his motto, and bearing eight banners.
Then there came to the barrier the Bastard on horseback, with seven followers richly attired, and his own horse was harnessed in a rich, goodly fashion of crimson, with silver bells, every other one being gilt. 293 The second horse was led before him by four knights, and it was covered with trappings bearing his arms. The third horse, following him, had trappings of ermine to the foot, with the reins of fine sable. The fourth horse was covered with cuirbouly (leather), and over it a rich cloth of gold. The fifth had trappings of crimson velvet, to the foot, bearing a device of eyes full of tears wrought in gold. The sixth horse was covered to the foot in purple cloth of silver, and the seventh was trapped in green velvet. The eighth horse was trapped in fine sables down to the foot, with the reins of ermine. And his pages were arrayed in gowns of violet colour, with goldsmiths’ work.
And he demanded entrance from the porters, and by the King’s license came into the field, the Duke of Suffolk bearing his helmet before him, and accompanied by many noblemen. And he came before the King and said, ‘Right high, right mighty, and right excellent prince, I am come hither before your presence as my judge to accomplish the act of arms.’ And the king gave him leave and license.
Then he departed to his place and put on his helmet. And the swords and spears being brought before the King, he delivered them to the Bastard to have the choice. And when he had chosen, proclamation was made at the four corners of the field that no man should approach the lists, or make any noise or shout, or in any manner aid or trouble the noble knights who were to do their arms within the lists.
294Then the Constable commanded an herald to cry, ‘Laissez-aller!’ And they ran a course courageously, seeking one another, and both were unhit. Then the Lord Scales threw away his spear, his bever, and the armour of his arms; and the Bastard laid aside his also. But the Lord Scales was sooner ready, and he sought the Bastard and assailed him with a thrust in the neck; and the Bastard struck him an edge-stroke on his helmet. But the Bastard’s horse, having armour on his head, struck against the Lord Scales’ saddle, and with the blow the Bastard and the horse went to the ground.
Then the Lord Scales, seeing him down, turned about and held up his sword; and seeing he could not rise, rode straight to the King, and alighted, and bade them take the trapper from the horse, showing that his horse had no armour on his head.
Then the King commanded to take up the Bastard; and he came before the King. And whereas it was agreed that if any horse failed, it should be lawful for his master to have another, it was demanded whether he so willed, but he answered that he willed it not. So the King commanded and they went to their lodging.
The morrow after the King came to the field, and Lord Scales, armed all save his bassinet, came to the gate, his horse trapped to the foot in crimson velvet, with his arms embroidered. And there followed him eight coursers in harness of one suit, and upon them eight pages in rich habiliments, the Duke of Clarence bearing his bassinet, and the other lords bearing the 295 weapons — two casting-spears, two axes, and two daggers. The Constable demanding the cause of his coming, he answered as before, and the King gave him license to enter the field. Then having alighted and done his due reverence before the King, he resorted to his pavilion, his banner being held by Clarencieux King-of-Arms before his tent.
And the Bastard came riding to the bars, worshipfully accompanied by many lords, and with the King’s license entered the field; and having done his due reverence resorted to his pavilion, being clad in a long gown of blue velvet. And his pavilion was of white and purple damask, the valance of green velvet being embroidered with his motto, ‘Null’ ne cy frete.’
Then the weapons being presented to the King, he commanded the casting-spears to be laid aside, saying that, inasmuch as it was but an act of pleasure, he would have none such mischievous weapons used before him, but of the daggers and the axes the Bastard should have the choice.
And proclamation having been made as before the Constable visited the Lord Scales in his tent, and found him ready; and then he went to the Lord Bastard in his tent. And the King commanded them to cry, ‘Laissez-aller!’ And right as the King-of-Arms made the cry the Lord Scales opened his pavilion, and at the second ‘Laissez-aller!’ entered the field, and stood and gave token that he was ready with hand, and foot, and axe; inasmuch he laid his 296 axe upon his shoulder, and often changed it from hand to hand. And then they advanced, and right before the King assailed each other in such wise that the Lord Scales, with the point of his axe, struck through one of the ribs of the Bastard’s plate-armour, as the Bastard showed him after the field. And so they fought together, the Lord Scales with the head of his axe before, and the other with the small end, and smote many great and strong strokes, till at the last the Lord Scales struck him in the side of the visor of his bassinet. Then the King, perceiving the perilous blow, cast his staff, and with high voice cried, ‘Whoo!’ Notwithstanding, in the parting of them, there were given two or three great strokes, and one of the men-at-arms’ staves was broken between them, and they, so parted, were brought up before the King’s grace.
The Lord Scales fought with his visor open, which was thought jeopardous; the Lord Bastard fought closed. And so they were brought up before the King. He commanded them each to take the other by the hands, and to love each other as brothers in arms; which they did. And there they gave each other as courteous, goodly, and friendly language as could be, and went together into the midst of the field. And then every man departed to his lodging.
As for the King of England and the Queen, they had prepared a supper in the Mercers’ Hall, and I saw there sixty or eighty ladies of such 297 noble houses that the least of them was the daughter of a baron; and the supper was great and plentiful, and the Bastard and his people feasted gaily.
And the next day Sir Jean de Chassa, and a Gascon squire named Louis de Bretelles, a servant of the Lord Scales, did arms on foot, and accomplished the arms without much injury. And the next day they did arms on horseback, in which Jean de Chassa won great honour, and was accounted a good runner with the lance. And the day after Sir Philippe Bouton did arms against a squire of the King’s. This squire was a Gascon named Thomas de la Lande, and he was a fine jouster and a good man. But there arose a question between them, for those who attended Messire Philippe Bouton said that the accoutrements of Thomas de la Lande were too advantageous. Then the King’s people went to see, and found it was true, at which the King was not pleased. However, they agreed to finish their arms, and each one to do the best he could, and so the arms were accomplished. Then the Bastard prayed the ladies to dine with him on Sunday, and chiefly the Queen and her sisters, and he made great preparation. But at that time the news came to the Bastard that the Duke of Burgundy was dead; and he mourned greatly when he heard of the death of his father, and all the nobility who were with him. So their pleasures were all turned to weeping and tears. And the Bastard took leave 298 of the King of England, of the Queen, and of the ladies, very sadly. And his preparations were all lost, for he withdrew his proposal of the feast, and returned to Bruges.
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