CHAPTER IV

The fifteenth century—The tourney milder—Body-armour strengthened—Milan the chief seat of manufacture—Less costly armour made in Germany—Maximilian imports Italian smiths, and Germany gradually becomes the chief centre of the industry—Ameliorations in the tourney—The tilt—Jousting without the tilt—The vamplate—Special harness for the lists—The lance-rest—The queue—Jousting lances and lance-heads—Barriers—Reinforcing pieces—The _kolbenturnier_—The _kolben_ or baston—Crests—Hours of the tourney—Lists often artificially lighted—The tournament in Germany—Training of the chargers—Their chests protected by a mattress—Spurs and saddles—The tournament at Aix and in Burgundy—The _Chronicles_ of St. Remy, Monstrelet, Chastelain and De la Marche—Bibliothèque de Bourgogne—Ashmolean MSS.—The Order of the Golden Fleece—Cottonian MSS.—Life of Richard Beauchamp—Roman de Saintré—_Tournois du Roi René_—Statutes of Lord Typtofte, 1466—Confusion in the terms employed by chroniclers in descriptions of the tourney—_A Scharmützel_—Description of a _pas d’armes_—_Chapitres d’armes_—Manner of adjudging prizes—French ordinance against duels with the English—“Solemne justs” attempted in 1400, but which proved abortive—Challenge of an esquire of Arragon in 1400—Deed of arms near Bordeaux in 1402—The Duc d’Orleans sends a challenge to Henry IV of England—Deeds of arms at Valentia—Exploits in the lists of Richard Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick—Three Portuguese fight three Frenchmen in 1415—Subterranean combats in 1420—_Statutes d’armes, temp._ Henry V—Jousts in the reign of Henry V—Duel at Arras in 1425—The _bec de faucon_—Tournament at Brussels in 1428—_Pas d’armes_ at Arras in 1430—Early mention of the tilt—Passage of arms at Arras in 1435—Sir John Astley’s fight on foot in 1442 38