 the pavilion, laid himself
across the opening of the tent, so that no one could enter without awakening
him.
 

                                Chapter Twelfth

 The heralds left their pricking up and down,
 Now ringen trumpets loud and clarion.
 There is no more to say, but east and west,
 In go the speares sadly in the rest,
 In goth the sharp spur into the side,
 There see men who can just and who can ride;
 There shiver shaftes upon shieldes thick,
 He feeleth through the heart-spone the prick;
 Up springen speares, twenty feet in height,
 Out go the swordes to the silver bright;
 The helms they to-hewn and to-shred:
 Out burst the blood with stern streames red.
                                                                        Chaucer.
 
Morning arose in unclouded splendour, and ere the sun was much above the
horizon, the idlest or the most eager of the spectators appeared on the common,
moving to the lists as to a general centre, in order to secure a favourable
situation for viewing the continuation of the expected games.
    The marshals and their attendants appeared next on the field, together with
the heralds, for the purpose of receiving the names of the knights who intended
to joust, with the side which each chose to espouse. This was a necessary
precaution, in order to secure equality betwixt the two bodies who should be
opposed to each other.
    According to due formality, the Disinherited Knight was to be considered as
leader of the one body, while Brian de Bois-Guilbert, who had been rated as
having done second-best in the preceding day, was named first champion of the
other band. Those who had concurred in the challenge adhered to his party of
course, excepting only Ralph de Vipont, whom his fall had rendered unfit so soon
to put on his armour. There was no want of distinguished and noble candidates to
fill up the ranks on either side.
    In fact, although the general tournament, in which all knights fought at
once, was more dangerous than single encounters, they were, nevertheless, more
frequented and practised by the chivalry of the age. Many knights, who had not
sufficient confidence in their own skill to defy a single adversary of high
reputation, were, nevertheless, desirous of displaying their valour in the
general combat, where they might meet others with whom they were more upon an
equality. On the present occasion, about fifty knights were inscribed as
desirous of combating upon each side, when the marshals declared that no more
could be admitted, to the disappointment of several who were too late in
preferring their claim to be included.
    About the hour of ten o'
