Stow (1615), 897
A description of the barriers from John Stow's
Annals, describing the King
's magnanimity to his subjects, and the
order of the celebrations.
[p. 897]
[An auncient duty]
This yeere the kinge
had ayde of his subiects, through the kingdome of Englande for knighting his sonne
prince
Henry
, according to the law of this land, in the leuying whereof the subiects
were very fauourably dealt withall, for whereas by the auncient law of this land,
the Subiects ought to haue payed twelue pence in the pounde, of the yeerely value
of
theire Landes, his Maiesty most gratiously ordayned seuerall commissioners, in the
seuerall Shires, who according to the purpose of their commissions, did so
moderately demeane themselues, as no man was compelled to pay any more then he would
willingly giue, being a very auncient duty due vnto the Kinge, and was now in a
manner quite forgotten.
[
Prince Henry
his first feates
of Armes]
The sixt of January, at
the pallace of white-hall in the presence of the Kinge and
Queen
and the
Ambassadours of Spayne, and Venice and of al the peeres & great Ladies of the
land with a multitude of others: in the great banqueting-house all these were
assembled, at the vpper end wherof was the kings Chaire of State, and on the right
hand, thereof was a sumptuous pauilion, for
the prince
and his associats, from
whence with great brauery and ingenious deuices, they descended into the middell of
the Roome, and there
the Prince
performed his first feats of armes, that is to say
at Barriers, against all commers, being assisted onlie with six others, viz. the
Duke of Lenox, the Earle of Arundell, the Earle of
Southampton
, the Lord Haye, Sir
Thomas Somerset
, and
Sir Richard Preston
, who was shortly after created Lord
Dingwell
. Against these Gallant Challengers came six and fiftie braue defendants,
consisting of Earles, Barons, Knights and Esquiers, who in the lower end of the
roome had erected a very delicat and pleasant place, where in priuate manner they
and their traine remained, which was so very great that no man imagined that the
place could haue conceald halfe so many, from whence in comly order they issued, and
ascended into the middell of the roome, where then sate the King
and the Queene and
Ambassadors to behould the Barriers, with ye seueral showes and deuices of each
combatant. Euery Challenger fought with eight seuerall defendants two seueral
combats at two seueral weapons, viz. at push of pike, and with single sword,
the
Prince
performed this challenge with wonderous skill, and courage, to the great ioy
and admiration of all the beholders,
the Prince
not being full sixteene yeeres of
age vntill the 19. of February. These feates of armes with their triumphant shewes
began before ten a clocke at night, and continewed there vntill the next morning,
being Sonday: and that day
the Prince
feasted all the combatants, at Saint Iames,
and then gaue rich prizes vnto three of the best deseruers defendants, viz. vnto the
Earle of Mountgomerie, Mr Thomas Darcie sonne and heire to the
Lord Darcie of Chich,
and vnto Sir Robert Gourdon.
Bibliography
Stow (1615), 897
H&S, 10.513-14