Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1894-10-13
a FAMOUS TOURNAMENT.


The Splendid EntertsinmS ri Given by Lord
Exiinton In 1880.
Two episodes ia Lord Eglinton's dis
tinguished history ingite special atten-
tion. The first is the Egiintor toGrna-
ment. which took place in August. 1889;
the second. his brilliant career as twice
lord lieutenant Of Ireland at the time
of tho famous tournam ent Lord Eglin-
| ton was in his twenty seventh year and
one Of tho handslmest aud most eligag-
ing men Of his day. His desiro was to
produce in his own park modern inii-
ta.io-l Of such q tournament rs that de-
scribed by Sir Walter Scott in Ivan
hoe. and neither expense rcr research
was spared to mako it 4 great and unique
success Preparations for it and the fes-
tiyities which accompanied il cost about
Sac. 900. but the munifieent host omit
ted FROM his calculations all thought of
the English climate, which so married
the enjoyment of the countless guests
that the vast expenditure was III great
measure thrown away. The arena, or
scene of action. covered four acres, and
two enormous galleries were erected on
either side, tho first to accommodate
the earl's private guests. and the second
for invited spectators, to whom tickets
Were sent gratuitoasly by his orders.
Nearer the castle two vast canvas sa-
looms were set apart for the banqueting
hall and ballroom. while each Of tho
knights had his own marquee. The dec
orations Of the lists were OF the costliest
description, and at the request OF tho
noble host most Of tho visitors came at
tired in medieval costume
The grand stand was filed with Ia
dies splendidly attired il the costumes
of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries.
to whom on entering the list each knight
in succession paid his deyoir. At . p
M, III the midst of lrenching shower.
the procession started from tie castle,
but the pitiless rain narred all tho
spiendor of the costly preparation. In
stead of riding on her palfrey to her
throne, the queen of love and beauty
and her ladies were forced to take shell
ter in carriages, and as they approached
the iousting ground O spectacle met
their eyes which ELECTED uncomfortable
shouts of laughter from tho spectators
surrounding the lists.
There, firmly planted upon his mailed
war charger, sat in unconscious dignity
tho Marquis of Londonderry, clad from
head to foot in FURNISHED armor, for
which he had been measured by cunning
MiIanese artiEccra, in steel inlaid with
gold tho cost OF his panopiy being, it
is said, at least 11,C00. Tho marquis
was a short, stout old man, and above
his head he held an enormous gingham
umbrella to protect him from the pelt-
ings of the mcrciless storm.
Despite the weather, several jousting
matches took place, and, among Others,
the Earl Of Eglinton, clad III splendid
pancply of brass, got the best of the
Marquis of Waterford, upon whose
breast he broke two spears. Alright it
was announced that tho banqueting hall
and tho ballroom, constructed ont of
canvas tents, were so saturated by the
heavy rain that it was impossible to en-
ter them. On the afternoon of the Sec
ond day the weather cleared. but the
sports were confined to the ball tent, in
which Prince Louis Napoleon, after
ward the Emperor Napoleon III. engaged
in series Of mimic conibats on foot
against Mr.. (afterward Sir) Charles
Lamb, both combatants being sheathed
in armor On the third and last day the
proceedings ended with a general melee,
in which the knights, armed with
swords, met their opponents in an am
icable fray. 1t was soon seen, however,
that the blows exchanged between the
fiery Marquis of Waterford and Wis
count Afford were SO far from being
amicable that the combatants were sep
arated by the intervention of tho knight
marshal. On the fourth day the rain
was SO incessant that by universal con-
sent the mimic conflict was given up.
So ended the great Eglinton tourna-
ment after bringing together con-
course of spectators variously estimated
at from $4,000 to 200, coo persons. In
addition to the vast sum spent upon it
by Lord Eglinton, the tournament at
tracted eager sightseers from all parts
of the United Kingdom, who paid
heavily to get there while the CONT
nent, the colonies and the United States
were well represented. AS if to cover
the whole affair with ridieule, a very
humorous account of the mock fighting
and of the attempted imitation Of old
world chivalry was written for an Amer
lean journal by the late Mr.. N. P. Will
lis, a fitting exponent of such bizarre
scene. To their dying hour many of the
southern visitors never forgot what
Scotland is capable of in the way Of rain
during the autumn months. London
Telegraph