endevors for good performaunce, and
such (in this kind) shall deserve a private favour, when other shal
bee denied a common benefitt.

"_Seria vix recte agnoscit, qui ludicra nescit._

FINIS."

CHRISTMAS TOURNAMENTS.

During the reign of James the First there was a revival of chivalric
exercises, especially in connection with the training of the young
Prince Henry. Almost as soon as he could wield a lance and manage his
horse when clothed in complete armour, he insisted on taking his place
at the lists; and from this time no great tournament took place in
England in which his Royal Highness did not take part. The most
important of these exhibitions was

THE GRAND "FEAT OF ARMES"

which took place on Twelfth Night, 1610, at the palace of Whitehall,
in the presence of King James I. and his queen, and a brilliant
assemblage of lords, ladies, and gentlemen, among whom were several
foreign ambassadors, when the heir-apparent, Prince Henry, was in the
16th year of his age, and therefore arrived at the period for claiming
the principality of Wales and the duchy of Cornwall. It was granted to
him by the king and the High Court of Parliament, and the 4th of June
following appointed for his investiture: "the Christmas before which,"
Sir Charles Cornwallis says, "his highnesse, not onely for his owne
recreation, but also that the world might know what a brave prince
they were likely to enjoy, under the name of Meliades, lord of the
isles, (an ancient title due to the first born of Scotland,) did, in
his name, by some appointed for the same purpose, strangely attired,
accompanied with drummes and trumpets, in the presence, before the
king and queene, and in the presence of the whole Court, deliver a
challenge to all knights of Great Britaine." The challenge was to this
effect, "That Meliades, their noble master, burning with an earnest
desire to trie the valour of his young yeares in foraigne countryes,
and to know where vertue triumphed most, had sent them abroad to espy
the same, who, after their long travailes in all countreys, and
returne," had nowhere discovered it, "save in the fortunate isle of
Great Britaine: which ministring matter of exceeding joy to their
young Meliades, who (as they said) could lineally derive his pedegree
from the famous knights of this isle, was the cause that he had now
sent to present the first fruits of his chivalrie at his majesties'
feete: then after returning with a short speech to