day** journey, to fpare his horfes that, carried the baggage. After mafs, he left Rochefter, and dined at Dartford, whence he continued his jour-ney to London, for it was on this Sunday the tour-naments were to begin. This Sunday, according to proclamation, being '. the next to Michaelmas day, was the beginning of the tijtings, and called the feaft of the challengers. About three o clock, there paraded out from the Tower of London, which is fituated in the fquare of St. Catherine, on the banks of the Thames, fixty barded courfers ornamented for the tourna-. ment, on each was mounted a fquire of honour that advanced only at a foot's pace; then came fixty ladies of rank mounted on palfreys mofl ele-gantly and richly dreffed, following each other, every one leading a knight with a filver chain completely armed for tilling ; and in this procef-fion they irçoved on through the ftreets of London, attended by numbers of minftrels and trumpets, to Smithfield. The queen of England and her ladies and damféls were already arrived and placed in chambers h^ndfomëly decorated. The king was with the queen. When the ladies who led the knights arrived in the fquare, their fervaijts were ready to aflift them to difmount from their palfreys, and to conduct them to the aparté ments prepared for them. . , The knights remained until their fquires of honour had difmounted and brought them, their courfers, which having mounted, they had their Q^Z helm* 227