prince performed his first feates of
armes, that is to say, at _Barriers_, against all commers, being
assisted onlie with six others, viz., the duke of Lenox, the earle of
Arundell, the earle of Southampton, the lord Hay, sir Thomas Somerset,
and sir Richard Preston, who was shortly afterwards created lord
Dingwell."

To answer these challengers came fifty-six earles, barons, knights,
and esquiers. They were at "the lower end of the roome, where was
erected a very delicat and pleasant place, where in privat manner they
and their traine remained, which was so very great that no man
imagined that the place could have concealed halfe so many." Thence
they issued in comely order, "to the middell of the roome, where sate
the king and the queene, and the court, to behold the barriers, with
the several showes and devices of each combatant." Every challenger
fought with eight several defendants two several combats at two
several weapons, viz. at push of pike, and with single sword. "The
prince performed this challenge with wonderous skill and courage, to
the great joy and admiration of the beholders," he "not being full
sixteene yeeres of age until the 19th of February." These feats, and
other "triumphant shewes," began before ten o'clock at night, and
continued until three o'clock in the morning, "being Sonday." The
speeches at "the barriers" were written by Ben Jonson. The next day
(Sunday) the prince rode in great pomp to convoy the king to St.
James', whither he had invited him and all the court to supper, the
queen alone being absent; and then the prince bestowed prizes to the
three combatants best deserving; namely, the Earl of Montgomery, Sir
Thomas Darey (son of Lord Darey), and Sir Robert Gourdon. Thus ended
the Twelftide court festivities in 1610.

During the early years of James's reign tournaments divided with
masques the favour of the Court; and, as we have just seen when Prince
Henry reached his sixteenth year, he put himself forth in a more
heroic manner than usual with princes of his time to engage in "feats
of armes" and chivalric exercises; but after his death (1612) these
sports fell quite out of fashion, and George Wither, a poet of the
period, expresses, in the person of Britannia, the feelings of the
nation:--

"Alas! who now shall grace my tournaments,
Or honour me with deeds of chivalry?
What shall become of all my merriments,
My ceremonies, shows of heraldry,
And other rites?"

[Illust