miles round all those of Picardy, or the greater number, had come to see
this fine tournament. After the supper there were dances and other
entertainments, and the company was so well amused that it struck one hour
after midnight before they broke up. It was late next morning before they
woke up, and you may believe that they were never weary of praising Messire
de Bayard, as much for his skill at arms as for his good hospitality.

The next morning, in order to complete that which had begun so well, all
the soldiers assembled at the dwelling of their Captain Louis d'Ars, where
Bayard had already arrived, having come to invite him to dinner at his
lodging, in company with the ladies of the previous evening. First they all
went to hear Mass, and when that was over, "you should have seen the young
gentlemen taking the ladies' arms, and with much pleasant talk leading them
to Bayard's lodging, where if they had supped well the night before, at
dinner they did still better." There was no lingering after this meal, and
towards two o'clock all those who were to take part in the second day's
tournament retired to arm themselves and make ready to fight. The
combatants all approached on horseback, and gravely went round to salute
the company before the contest began.

It was Bayard's place to begin, and against him came a gentleman from
Hainault, Hannotin de Sucker, of great repute. They fought with their
lances, one on each side of the barrier, and gave such tremendous strokes
that the lances were soon broken to pieces; after this they took their
battle-axes, which each of them had hanging by their sides, and dealt each
other great and terrible blows. This appears to us an extremely rough form
of entertainment, but we must remember that these knights were clad in
armour, and so thoroughly covered up from head to foot that there was not
supposed to be a place where a pin could pierce between the joints of the
armour. Under the helmet a smaller close-fitting steel cap was often worn.