Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1894-10-08
a fANous rouRklNeNr.
Ths splendid EBtsftsinsssnt Given by Lord
EGiinton In 1889.

| me splendid EBtsftsinsasnt Given by LORD
EgIintos In 1889.
Two episodes in Lord Eglinton's 8 dis
tinguisbed history invite special atten-
/ ton. The first is the Eglinton tourna-
ment, which took place in August 1889;
the second, his brilliant career as twice
/ lord lieutenant Of Ireland At the time
Of the famous tournament Lord Eglin-
ton was in his tweDty-seventh year and
one Of the handsOmest aud most engaS
ing men Of his day. His desire was to
produce tn his own park a modern imi-
ta.ion Of such a tournament as that de-
scribed by Sir Walter Scott In Ivan
hoe, A" and neither expense nor research
was spared to make il great and unique
success. Preparations for il and the fes-
tivities which accompanied it cost about
gao, 900, but the muniicept host omit
tel from his calculations all thought OF
the English climate, which so marred
tho enjoyment Of the countless guests
that the vast expenditure was in great
measure thrown away. The arena Ur
sceue Of action, covered four acres, and
two enormous galleries were erected on
either side, the first 10 accommodate
the earl's private guests, and the second
for invited spectators, to whom tickets
were sent gratuitOusly by his orders
Nearer tho castle two vast canvas sa-
looms were set apart for the banqueting
hall and ballroom, while each Of the
knights had his own marquee. The dec
orations Of the lists were of the costliest
description, and at the request Of the
noble host most Of tho visitors came at
tired iu medieval costume.
The grand stand was filled with la
dies splendidly attired in the costumes
Of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries
to whom on entering Ehe list zach knight
in succession paid his deyoir At 2 p.
m., in the midst Of drenching shower,
tl!e procession started from the castle,
but tho pitiless rain Watred all the
| splendor 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 jossting ground sleqtaGle met
their eyes which ELECTED pncentroliable
shouts of laughter from the spectators
surrounding the lists,
There, firmly planted upon his mailed
war charger, sat in unconscious dignity
the Marquis of Londonderry, clad from
head to foot in FURNISHED armor, for
which he had been measured by cunning
Milanese artifcers, in steel inlaid with
gold, the cost of his panoply being, 1t
is said, at least eI,00Q, The parguis
| ,lo nl aIDVf.
his head he held an enormous gingham
, umbrella TO protect him from the pelt'
ings of the merciless storm.
Despite the weather, several jousting
matches took place, and, among others,
the Earl Of Eglinton, clad i'll splendid
panoply of brass, got the best OF the
: Marquis of Waterford, upon whose
breast he broke two spears. AT night It
was announced that the banqueting hall
] and the ballroom, constructed out Of
Q canvas tents, were 30 saturated by the
{ heavy rain that it was impossible to en-
I ter them. On the afternoon OF the seo'
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 a series Of mimic combats ON foot
' against Mr.. (afterward Sir) Charles
J Lamb both combatants being sheathed
! in armor. On the third and last day the
q proceedings ended with general melee,
in which the knights, armed with
swords, met their opponents in an am
icabie fray, 1t was soon seen, however,
5 that the blows exchanged between the
} fiery Marquis Of Waterford and VS.
D count Afford were so far from being
2 amicable that the oombatants were sep
[ arated by the intervention Of the 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 80, 900 to 200, 900 persons. In
= addition TO the vast sum spent upon II
by Lord Eglinton. the tournament at
tracted eager sightseers from all parts
Of the United Kingdom, who paid
heavily 10 got there, while the conti-
nent, the colonies and the United States
were we'll represented. As II 10 cover
the whole affair with ridicule, very
humorous account Of the mock lighting
. and Of tho attempted imitation Of old
I world chiyalry was written for an Amer
ioap journal by the late Mr.. N. i. Will
t lis, a fitting exponent Of such bizarre
Q scene, To their dying hour many Of the
southern visitors mover forgot what
. Scotland is capable Of Ia the way Of rain
! during the autumn months, London
Telegraph,