1884.

NEW year cometh once again

As new years came in days gone by,
When brief the light, and eve drew nigh,
Swift on the darkened window pane.

For good then let this new year come,
With store of goodly gifts to all;
With lightest touch may sorrow fall
In ev'ry land, in every home.

But with the new we still would grasp
The far-off past of other times,
And catch the echo of their chimes,
And closer still old mem'ries clasp.
And as the old will fade away,
Unless recording pen shall trace
The records of an older race;

A loving pen will bid it stay.
The singers of the days of yore

Should surely ne'er forgotten be;
And quaint old catch and mellow glee
Should yet find place amid our store.
Ah! never may their mem'ry die,

Old songs bring back the past again,
And gladly do we hear the strain
Of far-off quaint old minstrelsy.

So with the new the past will blend,
Morning and evening kissing still;
E'en as some old upstanding hill
Glows as the morn to eve doth tend.

The Present stands upon the Past;

The Future on the Present stands ;
This is the tale of all the lands,
And times gone by their shadows cast.
Forward and backward be our glance:
The New must grow upon the Old,
With tireless grasp the Past then hold,
And then true knowledge shall advance.

H. R. W.

The Story of the Field of Cloth_of_ Gold.*

BY G. LAMBERT, F.S.A.

PART II.

(Continued from vol. iv. p. 263.)

ING Henry had caused to be built in London a framework,

K 328

328 feet square, from which a private covered gallery reached to the Castle of Guisnes. This magnificent edifice, this temporary palace, was a large quadrangle; it was made of timber, and brought ready framed from England, and set up on the plain near the Castle of Guisnes, under the superintendence of Sir Edward Belknap, who, with three thousand artificers, went to France to arrange the same.

Hall, to whom we are indebted for these details, and who was a keen observant, says that every quadrant was 328 feet long, and in compass 1312 feet about, and it was according to Duchesne 128 feet high. The outside was painted canvas, to imitate freestone and brickwork. The inside was ornamented with curious sculptures, the hall, passages, and entry of the stairs was ornamented with images in armour-wrought in curious work of Argentine. The numerous apartments were hung with the richest tapestry and cloth of gold and silver, panelled with green and white silk, the favourite colours of

A paper read before the Congress Members of the British Archæological Association, at Amiens, Tuesday, August 28, 1883.

the House of Tudor; it had a splendid chapel and lodgings for the great officers. After the interview this temporary sumptuous palace was taken down and brought back to England; the model of it was for a long time preserved in the Royal Palace at Greenwich, where Lord Herbert in his History of Henry VIII. tells us that he often saw it. The design was taken from the Maison de l'Etate, the Exchange of Calais. It had a Sagittary in the rear of the building (back front), which faced the place of interview, and under it was this motto: "Qui præest adhæreo" (I adhere to him who is in authority).

On the plain before the palace stood two superb conduits, cased over with different kinds of marble, framed in panels. Wine was let down into them; and the Marquis de Florenge says that "the liquors that ran during the whole time of the interview, were red wine, ypocras and water, in front of the conduit at the top were these words written in letters of Romayn in Gold, FAITE BONNE CHERE QUY VOULDRA. The other conduit was surmounted by a figure of Cupid, holding in his left hand a bow with the arrowes of love in his right, ready to strike the young people to love." *

"Sir Edward Belknap sent to Guisnes, some say three thousand, but Godwin saith eleven hundred workmen, of whom three hundred were masons, six hundred were carpenters, two hundred painters, glaziers and other artificers, who were occupied two months in setting up this building, curiously garnished without as well as within." t

The interview commenced on June 7. On the morning of that day, upon a signal given by firing off a cannon from the English camp, an answer by cannon was returned from the French camp, when the monarchs set out, Henry from Guisnes accompanied by his Knights and their esquires—the Duke of Suffolk, the Marquis of Dorset, Sir William Kingston (Lieutenant of the Tower), Sir Richard Jerningham, Sir Giles Capel, Sir Anthony Knyvett; Esquire, Mr. Nicholas Carew and Francis from Ardres, accompanied by his aidesde-camp, the Duke de Vendôme, Le Conte de St. Pol, Le Conte de Montmorenci, Mons. de Cavaan, Mons. Bukkal, Mons. de Roche, Mons. Brion. Sir Thomas Wriothesley was Garter King-at-Arms, and Thomas Gray, Marquis of Dorset, Sword-Bearer.

They rode towards the valley of Ardres, where, on their meeting,

* After the Camp was over, the framing was taken down and brought by water to Greenwich, where Lord Herbert of Cherbury saw it.

† Baker's Chronicle, p. 164, 1684.

each put his hand to his bonnet, and, taking it off, saluted the other; then both dismounted, and, alighting, walked hand in hand to a tent of gold. "NORFOLK.

'Twixt Guisnes and Ardre

I was then present, saw 'em salute on horseback,
Beheld them, when they 'lighted, how they clung
In their embracement, as they grew together."

SHAKESPEARE, Act i. Sc. I.

On the 9th of June they came and viewed the camp and place of exercise, three hundred yards long and one hundred and six yards broad, with scaffolds on the sides for beholders. There were also set up two artificial trees, with the arms of the two kings and their assistants, on which were affixed the Articles of the Jousts.

It was on the 11th of June that they entered the lists and tilted against each other. Each broke several spears, it being impossible to determine which had the advantage.

"When these Suns,

(For so they phras'd them), by their heralds challeng'd
The noble spirits to arms, they did perform
Beyond thought's compass.'

SHAKESPEARE, Act i. Sc. I.

"On June 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, the two Kings, with each their seven aides, encountered all comers and came off with applause. June 16th was spent in feasting and dancing with the Queens and other ladies. June 17th being Sunday, each reposed, and on the morrow, the 18th, the weather being foul, they rested to recruit their strength. The horse that the King rode was a Spanish gennet, trapped in a marvellous vesture of a newe devised fashion; the trappings were of fine gold in bullion, curiously wrought, pounced and sette with antique work of Romayne figures. The King himself wore a garment of cloth of silver of damask, ribbed with cloth of gold, as thicke as might be. The garment was large and pleated very thicke, and canteled of very good intaile, of such shape and makynge that it was marvelous to behold. He also wore the inestimable collar of Balas Rubies, which hereafter was sold beyond the seas by the Duke of Buckingham and Lord Holland by order of Charles I."*

"In attendance on the King's grace was the Master of the Horse, Sir Henry Guilford, leading the King's spare horse, which was trapped in a mantlet, front and back piece, all of fine gold, in scisers (figures) of device, with tassels on cordeilles pendant; the

* Rymer's "Fœdera,” vol. xviii. p. 236.