Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1904-08-27
THE POPULAR TOURNAMENT.
Il Is a Relic of The Middle Ages
Knights To Cross Lances
At Mi lersville.

The tournament (now so pOpnlar es
pecially in Maryland) is q relic Of the
middle ages. when il was "A military
sport, in which the parties engae, ex
hibll,'d heir fo1tage. proweSS. and
skill in arms. Whatever may have
been the ma re of the co bats M tour-
naments 40 the origin of the practice.
they s3on became FOR the most part,
encounters etween m onnted adversar-
les. who We're knights or al least can
didateS for knighthood, as esQuires or
pages.
In the course of time numerous reg
ulations, having the authority of a
code Of laws prescribed the manner in
which tournaments should be conduct
ed They were generally held at the
invitation Of some prince upon the
birth or nuptials of royal persons. or
at high court festivals and heralds
were sent into the neighboring king
d0ms TO invite the knights 20 be pres
ent These, if the occasion was one
of Importance, came frequently from
ditsant countries, attended by splendid
retinues, and on the appointed day
the galleries encircling the lists, or
level enclosed space in which the
knights contended, were gay with
banners and costly draperies and
crowded with spectators, conspicuous
among whom were the ladies, "whose
approving smiles were the rewards
most esteemed by the victors -
Each knight in attendance was
obliged TO prove his noble birth and
rank, which were originally proclaim
ed by the heralds with sound of trum-
pet. If upon the accusation of any
lady present the bravery or loyalty of
knight was impeached, he was ex-
cluded by the heralds from the contest
The heralds having proclaimed the
laws of the tournament, at the sound
of the trumpet, the whole body of
knights. each with his attendant
squire, entered the lists in a glitter
ing cavalcade, distinguished only by
their emblazOned shields or by the IA
vors of their mistresses At the word
of the heralds "Laissez- -aller' the
opposing combatants rode at each
other in full career, striving to direct
their lances fairly upon the helmet or
shield of their adversaries, that one
being adjudged the svictor who broke
most spears as they ought to be
broken, who held his seat the longest
and who showed most endurance in
keeking his visor closed The heralds
and attendant minstrels meanwhile
animated the combatants by appeals
to their gallantry and devotion, or by
approving shouts at any unusual dis
play of strength or skill, the ladies
waved their scarfs and the friends of
| individual knights shouted encourage
ment from the galleries. At the close
of these animated combats the prizes
we're announced by the judges, select
ed from the older knights, but were
awarded by female hands.
"Victory in a tournament. says
! Hallam, twas little less glorious, and
perhaps at the moment more exquisite
| ly felt, than in the field, since no
battle could assemble such witnesses
of valor Honor TO the sons of the
brave, sounded amid the din of mar
tial music from the lips of the min
strels as the conqueror advanced to
receive the prize from his queen or his
mistress, while the surrounding multi
| tude acknowledged in his prowess of
that day an augury of triumphs that
might in more serious contests be
blended with those of his country. y
| The tournament of today is a compar-
| atively recent sport of skilled horse
men, who tilt at rings suspended in
the air, seeking to bear them off on
their lances. The number of captured
rings decide the prize first, second,
third or even fourth) and the distinc-
tion of crowning the queen. Such a
| tournament is TO be given shortly at
Millervsille, on Wednesday, Septem-
| ber 7th.