ers. In order to lessen the risk and
danger of the two horses running into each other when the knights
charged, a boarded railing was erected in the midst of the lists,
about four or five feet high. The combatants rode on separate sides
of this barrier, and therefore could not encounter each other except
with their lances.

[Illustration: A TOURNAMENT.]

In the days of chivalry ladies were held in high honour and
respect. It was their privilege to assign the prizes to those who
had distinguished themselves most in the tournament. They were the
arbiters of the sport; and, indeed, the jousts were usually held in
honour of the ladies, who received as their right the respect and
devotion of all true knights. This respect for women had a softening
and ennobling influence, which was of great value in times when such
influences were rare. It was probably derived (according to a French
writer) from our ancestors, the Germans, "who attributed somewhat of
divinity to the fair sex." It is the sign of a corrupt age and
degraded manners when this respect ceases to be paid.

Only men of noble family, and who owned land, were allowed to take
part in the jousts or tournament; but the yeomen and young farmers
used to practise similar kinds of sport, such as tilting at a ring,
quintain, and boat jousts, which have already been mentioned in a
preceding chapter. Richard I., the lion-hearted king, was a great
promoter of these martial sports, and appointed five places for the
holding of tournaments in England, namely, at some place between
Salisbury and Wilton, between Warwick and Kenilworth, between
Stamford and Wallingford, between Brackley and Mixbury, and between
Blie and Tykehill. But in almost every part of England tournaments
or jousts have been held, and scenes enacted such as I have
described. Sometimes two knights would fight in mortal combat. If
one knight accused the other of crime or dishonour, the latter
might challenge him to fight with swords or lances, and, according
to the superstition of the times, the victor was considered to be
the one who spoke the truth. But this ordeal combat was far removed
from the domain of sport.

When jousts and tournaments were abandoned, tilting on horseback at
a ring became a favourite courtly amusement. A ring was suspended on
a level with the eye of the rider; and the sport consisted in riding
towards the ring, and sending the point of a lance through it, and
so bearing it away. Great