he had taken prisoners at Salom Moss, and gave
them their liberty without ransom."[38]

On all these occasions Henry diverted his guests right royally,
spending vast sums on the masques and disguisings; but none of the
Christmas diversions proved greater attractions than

THE KING'S TOURNAMENT DISPLAYS.

To these splendid exercises Henry gave unremitting attention, and not
to display proficiency in them was almost to lose his favour; yet some
discretion was required to rival, but not to excel the King, whose
ardent temper could not brook superiority in another. But, although
victory was always reserved for royalty, it is but fair to allow that
the King was no mean adept in those pursuits for which his bodily
powers and frequent exercise had qualified him.

Among the most distinguished Knights of Henry's Court Charles Brandon
was pre-eminent, not only for his personal beauty and the elegance
that attended every movement which the various evolutions of the game
required, but for his courage, judgment, and skill, qualities which he
displayed to great advantage at the royal festivities. This celebrated
man was the son of Sir William Brandon, who, bearing the standard of
Henry the Seventh, was slain by Richard the Third at Bosworth Field.
Three sons of the Howard family were also distinguished at the royal
tournaments. Lord Thomas Howard was one of the most promising
warriors, and, unfortunately, one of the most dissolute men at the
Court of Henry. Sir Edward and Sir Edmund Howard, the one famed for
naval exploits, the other less remarkable, but not without celebrity
for courage. Sir Thomas Knevet, Master of the Horse, and Lord Neville,
brother to the Marquis of Dorset, were also prominent in the lists of
combat. The trumpets blew to the field the fresh, young gallants and
noblemen, gorgeously apparelled with curious devices of arts and of
embroideries, "as well in their coats as in trappers for their horses;
some in gold, some in silver, some in tinsel, and divers others in
goldsmith's work goodly to behold." Such was the array in which the
young knights came forth at Richmond, in the splendid tournament which
immediately succeeded Henry's coronation, "assuming the name and
devices of the knights or scholars of Pallas, clothed in garments of
green velvet, carrying a crystal shield, on which was pourtrayed the
goddess Minerva, and had the bases and barbs of their horses
embroidered with roses and pomegranates of gold;