Wisconsin School for the Deaf - Tattler Yearbook (Delavan, WI)

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THE TATTLER were introduced into England after the conquest of the Normans. It was during the fifteenth century that they took the form of a pageant. Tournaments were given by wealthy nolle , earls, dukes, or by the king himself. They made very elaborate preparation , and the invitations to the tournament were carried by heralds. A custlc guard would report thut a herald had come to the castle gate. The gaU was opened for him ond his cavalcade to enter into the court-yard. Then a Hast was blown by a trumpeter to coll the folks of the castle to hear what the herald had to say. He proclaimed the tournament to all who were worthy of knighthood and would give their respects to ladies. At that time the herald explained everything; what the prizes would be, what weapons could be used, where the tournament would be, when it would be held, and other details. He sometimes made his announcement in markets and even went into the neighboring countries. Traveling was slow work so the invitations were given long before the time came for the tournament, but on that very day every knight began to get ready. As for the ladies, they, too, made ready their wardrobes. When the time came for the great event, the journey was safe because people iti different countries would not harm or injure them, not even their enemies at such times. From far and near many knights und their ladies, squires and servants came to the place of meeting. The host welcomed them and gave them good lodgings. Some would sleep in the castle, some in a neighboring village and some in their own tents. Wherever one slept, he set up the design of his coat of urins over the entrance so that nil the knights would know who he was. If he had broken his promise to any woman or had been a coward, he would not be allowed to take part in the tournament. The courtyard of the castle was a scene of great excitement. It was like u village. There wero many old friends who were happy to meet each other again. There were feasting, music, dancing and singing. The night before the tournament everybody went to bed early, but the next morning all were hard at work. The armor must be polished, rivets, straps and buckles closely inspected, and horses must be well fed and rubbed down. Each one was discussing the contestants. One hail made himself popular because he was very strong, another hud been skillful in munaging his horse, while still unother had shown determination. Every lady must be fair because it was her duty to choose the winners. Early in the morning everyone went to the lists, which had been prepared long before. A double row of wooden railings or ropes fenced an oblong area, and a space between the two was saved for those who were to help the injured knights. The galleries, which were out side this empty space for the ladies and nobles, were richly decorated with costly tapestry. The pages und young maidens were dressed In bright colored clothes and jewels. The lord of the tournament made his announcements, explaining carefully what arms were allowed. No one was allowed to bring any weapon with a sharp point into the lists. If this was ever permitted, they used rockets which were pieces of wood that protected the point of the lance. The heralds gave out the rules of the contest. Some of the rules wore: The one who broke the most lances would be a winner and should be awarded the first prize if they were broken according to the laws of the tournament. One who would break a spear by striking a man out of the saddle would gain three points, but if it was broken by striking the saddle itself, he would lose one point. If one struck a horse or struck a man in the buck when he was not armed, he had no chance of getting a prize. Before the tournament started, the arms of the knights had to be examined by the constables, as there were some who would not conform to the rules, especially when enemies were taking part. When all was ready, the heralds shouted. Come forth, knights.” Th« contestants then entered the list . The horses in their beautiful harnesses und jeweled bridles pranced gracefully. The gold and silver armor gleamed in the sunshine, and polished jeweled helmets wore decorated with ribbons belonging to the ludies. Each one thus bedecked her favorite knight. When it was time to begin, the Indies gave the orders for the ropes, which were stretched between the two sides of the lists, to be snatched aside. After the trumpets had been sounded, the knights bent low, put spur to the horses, and rushed toward their opponents with lances. The spectators were excited; some held their breath while the minstrels played and the trumpets blared. The trampling of the horses shook the plain, and the noise of arms and the breaking of spears filled the air. Men were unhorsed and their blood mingled with dust. There were usually several encounters the first day. Following the tournament, the lists were deserted. After those who took port had bathed and dressed, they had n banquet with the ladies at which they hud o gay time. Tho lady who had been chosen Queen of Love and of Beauty was 19 3 4 Page twenty-three

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THE TATTLER aide neh person of rank wu placed n goblet of silver; the lower hoard had largo drinking horn instead. Several different kinds of wines were served as well os mead, a drink used by l ,e Saxon and made of honey and water, strong ale, rich moral made of honey flavored with mulberries, sparkling cider, and pigments which were sweet and rich liquors composed of highly spiced wine and honey, Guests often drank to the health of the lady of the hall saying. “Waeahnll. ’ (Be in health.) This Saxon custom continued in England for many years and at Christmas time the wassail bowl io even now a part of the holiday celebration. Another Saxon custom was the grace cup, a cup of wine, which was passed from guest to guest as a final health after the grace concluding the meal. The sleeping rooms for the master's family were behind the dais and were reached by a hull and rude stairway, the steps of which were formed by beams of solid oak. In the Indies’ bedrooms, the walls were usually covered with colorful embroidered hangings or tapestries interwoven with silk and gold thread and which pictured scenes from the popular sports of hunting and hawking. The hod might be adorned with the sumo rich tapestry and surrounded with purple curtains or those of some other rich hue. The rude, uncomfortable seats about the room also and stained coverings, and the one for the Indy might be higher than the rest and he completed with a footstool of carved ivory. No fewer than four silver cundelnhrns, holding great waxen torches, served to illuminnte such an apartment. Yet no girl of today would envy the magnificence of u Saxon princess for the walls of the apartment were so ill-finished and so full of crevice or cracks that the rich hangings shook to the night blast, and, in spite n sort of screen intended to protect them from the wind, the flame of the torches streamed sideways into the air like the unfurled pennon of a chieftain. In case of visitors to the lady, the maidens in attendance upon her, without leuving the a-puritnenl, retired to its further end. and sat down on a small bench against the wall, where they remained mute h« statues, even though at such a distance that their whispers could not have interrupted the conversation of their mistress. The master’s bedroom was furnished almost the same us the ladies’ bedrooms except tlint the hangings were of more somber hue. Sleeping apartment In this large and Irregular mansion stretched backward from the hall From an ante-room the guests were conducted to their sleeping rooms by a servant with a torch. Tho. e of importance were taken to fine rooms, while those of lesser degree were led with more haste than ceremony to an exterior part of the building surrounding an open courtyard whore a number of small apartments or rather colls, served for sleeping places for the domestics and to strangers of mean degree. The door of the cell of the cage-llke cell was closed before the torch was placed in a candlestick made of wood. The furniture, which was of the most simple kind, consisted of a rude wooden stool and sti I ruder hutch or bed-frame, stuffed with clean straw and covered with two or three sheepskins by way of bed clothe ami a short wooden log which served ns a pillow. The sun beams found their way through the little grated window which served to admit both air and light to the uncomfortable cell. The Saxon hall of England were slowly succeeded by Norman castles, as the victor of old Englnnd were given the land of the conquered Englishmen in return for loyalty and military service to the powerful William and his successors. But in spite of the destruction of the Saxon hall, Saxon customs could not be stamped out entirely by the conquering Normans, so that today we still find some trace of the Saxon hull in some of the living rooms of our modern homes with their beamed or vaulted ceilings and large fireplaces. THE TOURNAMENT By LEROY E1NBERGER The tournament was a common sport of the Middle Ages in which two armed bands of knights combated each other with lunces or swords in order to exhibit their strength, skill and courage, or for the honor of the ladiea. These combats were very popular during the eleventh, twelfth and fifteenth centuries. The first combats, however, were held in Franco in the ninth and tenth centuries, hut the custom spread to England, Germany, and the southern part of Europe. They 19 3 4 Page twenty-two

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THE TATTLER led to one after another. The knights knell ho-fore her when she presented the prize to them. Then she gavo a little talk. After the prises were awarded, gifts were presented to the heralds. Often, one day was not enough so the second day the lists were given over to the squires. Kaeh one wore the armor which his knight had used and did his West to do as well. Young maidens presented prizes to thorn. Sometimes the great event continued through the third day when both squires and knights took part. If two knights were rivals or enemies, they took advantage of the opportunity to comlmt with each other. So the tournament at times became a little war for the purpose of injuring and destroying life. Sharp weapons were then imported into the lists. At such times the ground also was drenched with blood. While it is true that real lighting occasionally took place, the purpose of the tournament was to encourage and exhibit skill, strength and bravery in the use of weapons. At best it was a rough and dreadful sport. The tournament varied in different countries and not all had the same rules and ideals, but I have mentioned in the short space 1 have the points which were general. THE TRIAL OF REBECCA By ADELINE MALM Rebecca, the daughter of Isaac, the Jewish money lender, was made a captive at Temple stowe by the Templar, better known as Sir Brian do Bote Guilbort. After the fall of Tar-quilslone Castle which had been captured by Richard I with the help of Robin Hood and his forest outlaws, Rebecca had been forced upon a horse and carried off to the Preceptory of Templestowe by the Templar whose overture she had already refused. The Preceptory was a religious house of the order of Knights Templar of which Bois Guil-bert was a member. As a rule, the members of thut organization were not allowed to marry. This establishment was strongly built and well fortified. Two halberdiers, clad in black, guarded the drawbridge, and others in the same livery glided to and fro with a funeral pace upon walls so that they resembled spirits more than soldiers. The Grand Muster of the Templars had arrived unexpectedly at Templestowe from Prance where the headquarters of the order were located. He was a man advanced In age to which hte long grey beard, and shaggy grey eyebrows testified. When the news reached him that Ret cccn had been confined in a remote and secret part of the building, he demanded that she be brought to trial the next day. Orders were sent out to prepare the castle hall as a court of justice in which the sorceress, as he had determined to call her in order to save Bote Guilbert from merited punishment, was to be condemned to death. In order to prove that she was a sorceress. evidonee, that she had thrown spe b and used incantations over the soldiers of the blessed Temple, was to bo presented at the trial. The innocent and unhappy Rebeccu was led into the room and placed on the dais or elevated part of the upper end of the great hall where she for the first time faced the Grand Master of the Templars. He was dressed in full and ample robes of flowing white, and in hb hard. In- held the mystic stuff which bore the symbol of hte order. At hte feet was placed a table occupied by two scribes, chaplains of the order, whose duty it was to make a formal record of the proceedings of the day. The preceptors, of whom there were four present, occupied seat lower in height and somewhat behind that of their superior, and leaser knights were placed on benches still lower. Behind them, but still upon the dais, stood esquires of the order in white gowns of an inferior quality. The remaining and lower part of the hull was filled with guards, holding partisans, or pikes, and with persons whom curiosity had drawn to see the meeting of the Grand Master and the Jewish sorceress. A psalm, which was sung to the old church tune by the Templars and the Grand Master who, in spite of his advanced years, had still a deep and mellow voice, rose to the vaulted roof of the hall like the sound of rushing waters. When the sounds ceased, the Master cast hte eye slowly around the circle and observed that the seat of one of the preceptors was vacant. Brian dc Page twenty-four