Jousting Rules

This document was written on 12 February 1511 for a joust given by Henry VIII as a celebration for the birth of a son to the young King and Catherine of Aragon. The latter is even mentioned in the document as "Queen Noble Renown"  who was there when the tournament took place. She had sent four knights by the nicknames of "Ceure Loyall" (Sir Loyal), "Vailliaunt Desyre" (Valiant Desire), Bone Voloyor and "Joyous Panser" - the men behind these amusing nicknames were in fact Henry VIII himself (remember that he called himself "Sir Loyal Heart"), Sir Thomas Knyvet, Lord William Courtenay and Sir Edward Neville. The list also names several other courtiers who signed up for the challenge.

The tournament itself had all the typical grandiose luxury of Henry VIII. The fighting knights would arrive to the jousting place disguised as a moving forest with a castle of golden paper! Recordings from the Great Wardrobe shows that extravagant costumes were ordered. But the prince for whom this was all arranged would be dead by 10 days.