andinadditiontothisrewardofvalour,itwasnowdeclared,heshouldhavethepeculiarhonourofnamingtheQueenofLoveandBeauty,bywhomtheprizeshouldbegivenontheensuingday。
Fourthly,itwasannounced,that,onthesecondday,thereshouldbeageneraltournament,inwhichalltheknightspresent,whoweredesiroustowinpraise,mighttakepart;andbeingdividedintotwobandsofequalnumbers,mightfightitoutmanfully,untilthesignalwasgivenbyPrinceJohntoceasethecombat。TheelectedQueenofLoveandBeautywasthentocrowntheknightwhomthePrinceshouldadjudgetohavebornehimselfbestinthissecondday,withacoronetcomposedofthingoldplate,cutintotheshapeofalaurelcrown。Onthisseconddaytheknightlygamesceased。Butonthatwhichwastofollow,featsofarchery,ofbull-baiting,andotherpopularamusements,weretobepractised,forthemoreimmediateamusementofthepopulace。InthismannerdidPrinceJohnendeavourtolaythefoundationofapopularity,whichhewasperpetuallythrowingdownbysomeinconsiderateactofwantonaggressionuponthefeelingsandprejudicesofthepeople。
Thelistsnowpresentedamostsplendidspectacle。
Theslopinggallerieswerecrowdedwithallthatwasnoble,great,wealthy,andbeautifulinthenorthernandmidlandpartsofEngland;andthecontrastofthevariousdressesofthesedignifiedspectators,renderedtheviewasgayasitwasrich,whiletheinteriorandlowerspace,filledwiththesubstantialburgessesandyeomenofmerryEngland,formed,intheirmoreplainattire,adarkfringe,orborder,aroundthiscircleofbrilliantembroidery,relieving,and,atthesametime,settingoffitssplendour。
Theheraldsfinishedtheirproclamationwiththeirusualcryof``Largesse,largesse,gallantknights!’’