The Tournament : its Periods and Phases. By R. Coltman
Clephan. (Methuen. 42s. net.)—This handsome book by a well-known antiquary takes its place beside The History of the Tournament in England and in France, reviewed in the Spectator of December 7th, 1918- Most of us derive our ideas of a tournament from Ivanhoe, but Scott, while not inaccurate in detail, antedated his tournament by more than two centuries, as plate-armour was unknown in the days of Richard Lion- heart. Mr. Clephan has worked up his admirable history from French and German as well as English sources, and shows how universal, for over six centuries, was the taste for the costly and dangerous sport of jousting. Tournaments were held at the English Court under James I., and still later in Germany. Mr. Clephan appends a chapter on the judicial combat•, which contains some curious instances of this primitive form of trial.- The illustrations, from old pictures and photographs, are excellent.
Previous page
