own skill, vauntingly declared that he had never met his match in the
tilt-yard; whereupon the Spanish Ambassador, willing to lower his pride,
immediately rejoined, that he could, upon the instant, produce a better
man-at-arms than he; and so certain was he of being able to make good
his words, that he was willing to stake a thousand doubloons to a
hundred on the issue of a trial.

To this Buckingham haughtily replied, that he at once accepted the
Ambassador's challenge; but in regard to the terms of the wager, they
must be somewhat modified, as he could not accept them as proposed; but
he was willing to hazard on the result of the encounter all the gems,
with which at the moment his habiliments were covered, against the
single diamond clasp worn by De Gondomar; and if the offer suited his
Excellency, he had nothing to do but appoint the day, and bring forward
the man.

De Gondomar replied, that nothing could please him better than the
Marquis's modification of the wager, and the proposal was quite
consistent with the acknowledged magnificence of his Lordship's notions;
yet he begged to make one further alteration, which was, that in the
event of the knight he should nominate being adjudged by his Majesty to
be the best jouster, the rich prize might be delivered to him.

Buckingham assented, and the terms of the wager being now fully settled,
it only remained to fix the day for the trial, and this was referred to
the King, who appointed the following Thursday--thus allowing, as the
banquet took place on a Friday, nearly a week for preparation.

James, also, good-naturedly complied with the Ambassador's request, and
agreed to act as judge on the occasion; and he laughingly remarked to