Saturday, June 23, 2012

How the squire of Savoy did his arms on foot to meet the knight guarding the pas, with the sword.

The twelfth day of the following month the squire of Savoy did his arms with a sword, to meet the knight of the pas. They both came at the hour of eleven within the lists where they made their presentations before the judge, as before, and so entered each one into his pavilion to arm. After the swords were inspected and the cries and ordinances done, the knight of the pas issued out of his pavilion ,his bassinet on his head, so well armed that it was a fine thing to see. And over his harness he was dressed with a robe of sanguine silk all strewn with blue tears. And the squire of Savoy was armed with an armet on his head and over his harness was dressed in his coat of arms. And they left their pavilions advancing the one on the other so that they came together to fight before the judge. The Savoyard squire asked for seven pushes with the sword to be done with three steps to step back and retreat. And the guards were so ordered, in case they wished to step back their three paces, to put them in the position where they should be; but the Savoyard didn't see well in his armet, and he bore himself without moving once from the place where he had first put himself. And there he waited for the knight of the pas who with each stroke made his steps back, always doing these steps quickly and handsomely, and then going to strike against the Savoyard who, as is said, did not move once. Then the judge, seeing the seven strokes accomplished, threw down his baton, and told them that their arms were accomplished well and honorably. They touched together and returned to their pavilions to disarm themselves.

Chastelain, Georges Chronique de Jacques de Lalain in Choix de Chroniques at Memoires sur l'Histoire de France, ed. J.A. C. Buchon Paris 1836 p. 685

Translation copyright Will McLean, 2002

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