DeBracy，andotherknightsattachedtoPrinceJohn，inobediencetoahintfromhim，hadjoinedthepartyofthechallengers，Johnbeingdesiroustosecure，ifpossible，thevictorytothatside。Ontheotherhand，manyotherknights，bothEnglishandNorman，nativesandstrangers，tookpartagainstthechallengers，themorereadilythattheoppositebandwastobeledbysodistinguishedachampionastheDisinheritedKnighthadapprovedhimself。
AssoonasPrinceJohnobservedthatthedestinedQueenofthedayhadarriveduponthefield，assumingthatairofcourtesywhichsatwelluponhimwhenhewaspleasedtoexhibitit，herodeforwardtomeether，doffedhisbonnet，and，alightingfromhishorse，assistedtheLadyRowenafromhersaddle，whilehisfollowersuncoveredatthesametime，andoneofthemostdistinguisheddismountedtoholdherpalfrey。
``Itisthus，’’saidPrinceJohn，``thatwesetthedutifulexampleofloyaltytotheQueenofLoveandBeauty，andareourselvesherguidetothethronewhichshemustthisdayoccupy——Ladies，’’
hesaid，``attendyourQueen，asyouwishinyourturntobedistinguishedbylikehonours。’’
Sosaying，thePrincemarshalledRowenatotheseatofhonouroppositehisown，whilethefairestandmostdistinguishedladiespresentcrowdedafterhertoobtainplacesasnearaspossibletotheirtemporarysovereign。
NosoonerwasRowenaseated，thanaburstofmusic，half-drownedbytheshoutsofthemultitude，greetedhernewdignity。Meantime，thesunshonefierceandbrightuponthepolishedarmsoftheknightsofeitherside，whocrowdedtheoppositeextremitiesofthelists，andheldeagerconferencetogetherconcerningthebestmodeofarrangingtheirlineofbattle，andsupportingtheconflict。
Theheraldsthenproclaimedsilenceuntilthelawsofthetourneyshouldberehearsed。Thesewerecalculatedinsomedegreetoabatethedangersoftheday；aprecautionthemorenecessary，astheconflictwastobemaintainedwithsharpswordsandpointedlances。
Thechampionswerethereforeprohibitedtothrustwiththesword，andwereconfinedtostriking。
Aknight，itwasannounced，mightuseamaceorbattle-axeatpleasure，butthedaggerwasaprohibitedweapon。Aknightunhorsedmightrenewthefightonfootwithanyotherontheoppositesideinthesamepredicament；butmountedhorsemenwereinthatcaseforbiddentoassailhim。
Whenanyknightcouldforcehisantagonisttotheextremityofthelists，soastotouchthepalisadewithhispersonorarms，suchopponentwasobligedtoyieldhimselfvanquished，andhisarmourandhorsewereplacedatthedisposaloftheconqueror。
Aknightthusovercomewasnotpermittedtotakefarthershareinthecombat。Ifanycombatantwasstruckdown，andunabletorecoverhisfeet，hissquireorpagemightenterthelists，anddraghismasteroutofthepress；butinthatcasetheknightwasadjudgedvanquished，andhisarmsandhorsedeclaredforfeited。ThecombatwastoceaseassoonasPrinceJohnshouldthrowdownhisleadingstaff，ortruncheon；anotherprecautionusuallytakentopreventtheunnecessaryeffusionofbloodbythetoolongenduranceofasportsodesperate。
Anyknightbreakingtherulesofthetournament，orotherwisetransgressingtherulesofhonourablechivalry，wasliabletobestriptofhisarms，and，havinghisshieldreversedtobeplacedinthatpostureastrideuponthebarsofthepalisade，andexposedtopublicderision，inpunishmentofhisunknightlyconduct。Havingannouncedtheseprecautions，theheraldsconcludedwithanexhortationtoeachgoodknighttodohisduty，andtomeritfavourfromtheQueenofBeautyandofLove。
Thisproclamationhavingbeenmade，theheraldswithdrewtotheirstations。Theknights，enteringateitherendofthelistsinlongprocession，arrangedthemselvesinadoublefile，preciselyoppositetoeachother，theleaderofeachpartybeinginthecentreoftheforemostrank，apostwhichhedidnotoccupyuntileachhadcarefullymarshalledtheranksofhisparty，andstationedeveryoneinhisplace。
Itwasagoodly，andatthesametimeananxious，sight，tobeholdsomanygallantchampions，mountedbravely，andarmedrichly，standreadypreparedforanencountersoformidable，seatedontheirwar-saddleslikesomanypillarsofiron，andawaitingthesignalofencounterwiththesameardourastheirgeneroussteeds，which，byneighingandpawingtheground，gavesignaloftheirimpatience。
Asyettheknightsheldtheirlonglancesupright，theirbrightpointsglancingtothesun，andthestreamerswithwhichtheyweredecoratedflutteringovertheplumageofthehelmets。Thustheyremainedwhilethemarshalsofthefieldsurveyedtheirrankswiththeutmostexactness，lesteitherpartyhadmoreorfewerthantheappointednumber。Thetalewasfoundexactlycomplete。
Themarshalsthenwithdrewfromthelists，andWilliamdeWyvil，withavoiceofthunder，pronouncedthesignalwords——_Laissezaller_！Thetrumpetssoundedashespoke——thespearsofthechampionswereatonceloweredandplacedintherests——thespursweredashedintotheflanksofthehorses，andthetwoforemostranksofeitherpartyrusheduponeachotherinfullgallop，andmetinthemiddleofthelistswithashock，thesoundofwhichwasheardatamile’sdistance。Therearrankofeachpartyadvancedataslowerpacetosustainthedefeated，andfollowupthesuccessofthevictorsoftheirparty。
Theconsequencesoftheencounterwerenotinstantlyseen，forthedustraisedbythetramplingofsomanysteedsdarkenedtheair，anditwasaminuteeretheanxiousspectatorcouldseethefateoftheencounter。Whenthefightbecamevisible，halftheknightsoneachsideweredismounted，somebythedexterityoftheiradversary’slance，——
somebythesuperiorweightandstrengthofopponents，whichhadbornedownbothhorseandman，——somelaystretchedonearthasifnevermoretorise，——somehadalreadygainedtheirfeet，andwereclosinghandtohandwiththoseoftheirantagonistswhowereinthesamepredicament，——andseveralonbothsides，whohadreceivedwoundsbywhichtheyweredisabled，werestoppingtheirbloodbytheirscarfs，andendeavouringtoextricatethemselvesfromthetumult。Themountedknights，whoselanceshadbeenalmostallbrokenbythefuryoftheencounter，werenowcloselyengagedwiththeirswords，shoutingtheirwar-cries，andexchangingbuffets，asifhonourandlifedependedontheissueofthecombat。
Thetumultwaspresentlyincreasedbytheadvanceofthesecondrankoneitherside，which，actingasareserve，nowrushedontoaidtheircompanions。
ThefollowersofBriandeBois-Guilbertshouted-`_Ha！Beau-seant！Beau-seant！_*-For*_Beau-seant_wasthenameoftheTemplars’banner，which*washalfblack，halfwhite，tointimate，itissaid，thattheywere*candidandfairtowardsChristians，butblackandterribletowards*infidels。
theTemple——FortheTemple！’’Theoppositepartyshoutedinanswer-`_Desdichado！Desdichado！_’’-
whichwatch-wordtheytookfromthemottoupontheirleader’sshield。
Thechampionsthusencounteringeachotherwiththeutmostfury，andwithalternatesuccess，thetideofbattleseemedtoflownowtowardthesouthern，nowtowardthenorthernextremityofthelists，astheoneortheotherpartyprevailed。
Meantimetheclangoftheblows，andtheshoutsofthecombatants，mixedfearfullywiththesoundofthetrumpets，anddrownedthegroansofthosewhofell，andlayrollingdefencelessbeneaththefeetofthehorses。Thesplendidarmourofthecombatantswasnowdefacedwithdustandblood，andgavewayateverystrokeoftheswordandbattle-axe。Thegayplumage，shornfromthecrests，drifteduponthebreezelikesnow-flakes。Allthatwasbeautifulandgracefulinthemartialarrayhaddisappeared，andwhatwasnowvisiblewasonlycalculatedtoawaketerrororcompassion。
Yetsuchistheforceofhabit，thatnotonlythevulgarspectators，whoarenaturallyattractedbysightsofhorror，buteventheladiesofdistinctionwhocrowdedthegalleries，sawtheconflictwithathrillinginterestcertainly，butwithoutawishtowithdrawtheireyesfromasightsoterrible。Hereandthere，indeed，afaircheekmightturnpale，orafaintscreammightbeheard，asalover，abrother，orahusband，wasstruckfromhishorse。But，ingeneral，theladiesaroundencouragedthecombatants，notonlybyclappingtheirhandsandwavingtheirveilsandkerchiefs，butevenbyexclaiming，``Bravelance！Goodsword！’’whenanysuccessfulthrustorblowtookplaceundertheirobservation。
Suchbeingtheinteresttakenbythefairsexinthisbloodygame，thatofthemenisthemoreeasilyunderstood。Itshoweditselfinloudacclamationsuponeverychangeoffortune，whilealleyesweresorivetedonthelists，thatthespectatorsseemedasiftheythemselveshaddealtandreceivedtheblowswhichweretheresofreelybestowed。Andbetweeneverypausewasheardthevoiceoftheheralds，exclaiming，``Fighton，braveknights！
Mandies，butglorylives！——Fighton——deathisbetterthandefeat！——Fighton，braveknights！——
forbrighteyesbeholdyourdeeds！’’
Amidthevariedfortunesofthecombat，theeyesofallendeavouredtodiscovertheleadersofeachband，who，minglinginthethickofthefight，encouragedtheircompanionsbothbyvoiceandexample。
Bothdisplayedgreatfeatsofgallantry，nordideitherBois-GuilbertortheDisinheritedKnightfindintheranksopposedtothemachampionwhocouldbetermedtheirunquestionedmatch。Theyrepeatedlyendeavouredtosingleouteachother，spurredbymutualanimosity，andawarethatthefallofeitherleadermightbeconsideredasdecisiveofvictory。Such，however，wasthecrowdandconfusion，that，duringtheearlierpartoftheconflict，theireffortstomeetwereunavailing，andtheywererepeatedlyseparatedbytheeagernessoftheirfollowers，eachofwhomwasanxioustowinhonour，bymeasuringhisstrengthagainsttheleaderoftheoppositeparty。
Butwhenthefieldbecamethinbythenumbersoneithersidewhohadyieldedthemselvesvanquished，hadbeencompelledtotheextremityofthelists，orbeenotherwiserenderedincapableofcontinuingthestrife，theTemplarandtheDisinheritedKnightatlengthencounteredhandtohand，withallthefurythatmortalanimosity，joinedtorivalryofhonour，couldinspire。Suchwastheaddressofeachinparryingandstriking，thatthespectatorsbrokeforthintoaunanimousandinvoluntaryshout，expressiveoftheirdelightandadmiration。
ButatthismomentthepartyoftheDisinheritedKnighthadtheworst；thegiganticarmofFront-de-Bufontheoneflank，andtheponderousstrengthofAthelstaneontheother，bearingdownanddispersingthoseimmediatelyexposedtothem。
Findingthemselvesfreedfromtheirimmediateantagonists，itseemstohaveoccurredtoboththeseknightsatthesameinstant，thattheywouldrenderthemostdecisiveadvantagetotheirparty，byaidingtheTemplarinhiscontestwithhisrival。
Turningtheirhorses，therefore，atthesamemoment，theNormanspurredagainsttheDisinheritedKnightontheoneside，andtheSaxonontheother。Itwasutterlyimpossiblethattheobjectofthisunequalandunexpectedassaultcouldhavesustainedit，hadhenotbeenwarnedbyageneralcryfromthespectators，whocouldnotbuttakeinterestinoneexposedtosuchdisadvantage。
``Beware！beware！SirDisinherited！’’wasshoutedsouniversally，thattheknightbecameawareofhisdanger；and，strikingafullblowattheTemplar，hereinedbackhissteedinthesamemoment，soastoescapethechargeofAthelstaneandFront-de-Buf。Theseknights，therefore，theiraimbeingthuseluded，rushedfromoppositesidesbetwixttheobjectoftheirattackandtheTemplar，almostrunningtheirhorsesagainsteachothereretheycouldstoptheircareer。Recoveringtheirhorseshowever，andwheelingthemround，thewholethreepursuedtheirunitedpurposeofbearingtotheearththeDisinheritedKnight。
Nothingcouldhavesavedhim，excepttheremarkablestrengthandactivityofthenoblehorsewhichhehadwonontheprecedingday。
Thisstoodhiminthemorestead，asthehorseofBois-Guilbertwaswounded，andthoseofFront-de-BufandAthelstanewerebothtiredwiththeweightoftheirgiganticmasters，cladincompletearmour，andwiththeprecedingexertionsoftheday。ThemasterlyhorsemanshipoftheDisinheritedKnight，andtheactivityofthenobleanimalwhichhemounted，enabledhimforafewminutestokeepatsword’spointhisthreeantagonists，turningandwheelingwiththeagilityofahawkuponthewing，keepinghisenemiesasfarseparateashecould，andrushingnowagainsttheone，nowagainsttheother，dealingsweepingblowswithhissword，withoutwaitingtoreceivethosewhichwereaimedathiminreturn。