THE ORDINANCES, STATUTES AND RULES MADE BY JOHN LORD TIPTOLFE,
Reading edition
Earl of Worcester, Constable of England, by the King's Commandment, at Windsor on the 29th of March (circa 1590).
Source.—From Sir J. Harrington's Nugae Antiquae, Vol. III., p. 234, 1792.
Reserving always to the Queen and to the Lord President, the attribution and gift of the prizes, after the manner and form accustomed. For their demerits according to the articles ensuing:
How many ways the prize is won.
First, whoso breaketh most spears, as they ought to be broken, shall have the prize.
Item, whoso breaketh three times, in the sight of the helm, shall have the prize.
Item, whoso meeteth two times, coronal[72] to coronal, shall have the prize.
Item, whoso beareth a man doun with stroke of spear shall have the prize.
How many ways the prize shall be lost.
First, whoso striketh a horse shall have no prize.
Item, who striketh a man, his back turned, or disarmed of his spear, shall have no prize.
Item, whoso hitteth the toile[73] three times shall have no prize.
Item, whoso unhelms himself two times shall have no prize, unless his horse do fail him.
How broken spears shall be allowed.
First, whoso breaketh a spear between the saddle and the coronal[74] of the helm shall be allowed for one.
Item, whoso breaketh a spear from the coronal upwards shall be allowed for two.
Item, whoso breaketh a spear, so that he striketh his adversary doun, or put him out of his saddle, or disarms him in such wise as he may not run the next course after, or breaketh his spear coronal to coronal shall be allowed as three spears broken.
How spears broken shall be disallowed.
First, whoso breaketh on the saddle shall be disallowed for spear-breaking.
Item, whoso hitteth the toile once shall be disallowed for two.
Item, whoso hitteth the toil shall, for that blow the second time be disallowed three.
Item, whoso breaketh a spear, within a foot to the coronal, shall be adjudged as no spear broken, but a faint attaint.[75]
For the Prize to be given and who shall be preferred.
First, whoso beareth a man doun out of the saddle, or putteth him to the earth, horse and man, shall have the prize before him that striketh coronal to coronal two times.
Item, he that strikes coronal to coronal two times, shall have the prize before him that strikes the sight three times.
Item, he that strikes the sight three times shall have the prize before him that breaketh more spears.
Item, if there be any man that furnisheth in this wise, which shall be deemed to have bidden longest in the field helmed, and to have run the fairest course, and to have given the greatest strokes, and to have holpen himself best with his spear he shall have the prize.
John Worcester.
At Tourney.
Two blows at the passage, and ten at the joining, more or less as they make it. All gripings, shocks and foul play forbidden.
How Prizes and Tourney and barrier are to be lost.
He that giveth a stroke with a pike from the girdle downwards, or under the barrier, shall win no prize.
He that shall have a close gauntlet, or anything to fasten his sword to his hand, shall have no prize.
He whose sword falleth out of his hand shall win no prize.
He that stayeth his hands in fight or the barrier shall win no prize.
He whosoever shall fight and doth not shew his sword to the judges before, shall win no prize.
Yet it is to be understood that the Challengers may win all these prizes against the Defendants.
The Maintainers may take aid or assistance of the noblemen, of such as they shall like best.