Part 3

 

I

(Two days later a tournament was held in the town of Ashby. A lot of knights were going to take part in it, and very many guests had arrived to see it. The field was surrounded by galleries for the guests. In one of the galleries there was a throne for Prince John and seats for his courtiers.)

Prince John gave a signal to, the heralds to proclaim the laws of the tournament¹⁸, which were as follows:

First, the five challengers (this time they were Brian de Bois-Guilbert and four other Norman knights) called to combat all those who wished.

Secondly, any knight wishing to combat chose a special antagonist from among the challengers, approached this antagonist and touched his shield with his own spear.

Thirdly, when the combat was over, the prince was to proclaim the winner of the first day of the tournament. The winner received a war-horse as a prize; then he named the Queen of Love and Beauty, whom he chose among the ladies present. The Queen of Love and Beauty gave the prize on the next day.

Fourthly, on the second day, there was a general tournament in which all the knights were allowed to take part. They divided into two groups and fought until the signal was given by Prince John to stop the combat. Then the Queen of Love and Beauty gave the prize to the winner of the second day.

When the heralds had proclaimed the laws of the tournament and the names of the five challengers were announced, the gates were opened, and five knights slowly rode out into the field. They crossed it, approached the tents of the five challengers. Each touched the shield of one of the challengers with his spear. Then they rode back and stood ready to fight. The challengers got on their horses and, with Brian de Bois-Guilbert at the head, stood opposite the five knights.

To the sounds¹⁹ of trumpets they started out against each other at full gallop. As soon as they met, three of the five knights were on the ground; the fourth broke his spear; only the fifth knight fought some time with the Norman knight, until they both broke their spears.

A second and a third group of knights came out to combat the challengers, but success was always on the side of Bois-Guilbert and his group.

It seemed that nobody else wished to combat. But after some time there was a sound of trumpet, and a new knight appeared on the field. The knight was young, not very tall but slender. He was sitting on a black horse. On his shield was the word "Disinherited²⁰". He crossed the field, approached the tent of Brian de Bois-Guilbert and struck his shield with his spear. Brian de Bois-Guilbert was astonished because he was sure that nobody else would wish to fight.

"Have you confessed yourself²¹, brother," said the Templar, "that you are so ready to meet death?"

"I am more ready to meet death than you are," answered the Disinherited Knight.

"Then take your place," said Bois-Guilbert, "and look at the sun for the last time, because tomorrow you will be dead."

"Thank you for your politeness," replied the Disinherited Knight; "and I advise you to take a fresh horse and a new spear, because, by my honour²², you will need both."

After this the two knights rode apart and stood opposite each other. At the sound of the trumpets they rushed at each other with the speed of lightning and met in the centre with a great noise. Their spears broke into pieces. They returned to their places, received new spears from the attendants and stood ready for a second meeting.

They were given a few minutes to rest, and then Prince John gave a signal to the trumpets. The knights rushed at each other again. Bois-Guilbert aimed at the shield of the Disinherited Knight and struck it with such force that his spear broke into pieces. The Disinherited Knight struck the Templar's helmet, and Brian de Bois-Guilbert fell to the ground, horse and all.²³

He immediately jumped to his feet and pulled out his sword. The Disinherited Knight sprang off his horse and did the same. But at this moment the marshals of the field²⁴ reminded them that the laws of the tournament did not allow such a fight.

"We shall meet again," said the Templar looking at the Disinherited Knight with hatred, "in such a place where there will be nobody to separate us."

"I am ready," said the Disinherited Knight.

Bois-Guilbert went to his tent. The herald announced that the Disinherited Knight was ready to combat any knight who wished. The four knights of Bois-Guilbert's group came out in turn and all were beaten by the Disinherited Knight. The Disinherited Knight was proclaimed the winner of the first day of the tournament.

 

II

Prince John and his courtiers tried hard to guess who the Disinherited Knight was, but could not.

"Maybe," said one of the courtiers, "he is one of the knights who accompanied King Richard to Palestine and who are now returning home."

"Maybe he is the King Richard the Lion-Hearted himself!" said somebody.

"God forbid!"²⁵ said Prince John, turning as pale as death.

"No," said the first courtier, "King Richard is much taller and broader in the shoulders than this knight."

At this moment the marshals of the field brought forward the Disinherited Knight and led him to the foot of Prince John's throne.

"Sir Disinherited Knight," said Prince John, "it is now your duty to name the fair lady, whom you choose as Queen of Love and Beauty. Raise your spear."

The knight obeyed, and Prince John put a coronet on its point.

Holding the coronet on the point of his spear, the Disinherited Knight slowly rode along the gallery. He stopped under the balcony in which the Lady Rowena was sitting, and placed the coronet at her feet.

(The mystery of the Disinherited Knight was found out the next day when he was again the winner of the day and the Lady Rowena, as Queen of Love and Beauty, had to give him the prize. The marshals of the field took off his helmet, and everybody saw that the Disinherited Knight was Ivanhoe, the son of Cedric the Saxon.)

 

III

(On the way back from the tournament Cedric the Saxon, the Lady Rowena, Ivanhoe (who had been badly wounded in the tournament and was very weak) and the people who were accompanying them, were taken prisoners by Brian de Bois-Guilbert and his friends Norman barons. They were taken to the castle belonging to one of the barons.

Cedric's faithful servants Gurth and Wamba met the outlaws of Robin Hood and told them what had happened. Robin Hood and the outlaws attacked the castle and set Cedric and his people free.²⁶ In this they were greatly helped by King Richard the Lion-Hearted who had secretly returned to England and was on the way to the capital.)

Cedric the Saxon was invited to the court of King Richard and spent seven days there. He saw that Richard was a pleasant and clever man, who wanted good relations between the Anglo-Saxons and the Normans. King Richard himself asked Cedric to forgive his son Ivanhoe and to allow him and Rowena to marry.

Cedric was obstinate, but he loved Rowena very much. Besides, the fame of his son made him proud.

Of course, Cedric's dislike of the Norman dynasty was a great obstacle. But, firstly, he was beginning to understand that it was impossible to rid England of the Normans. Secondly, he knew that Richard was a brave and noble man and very popular in the country. He remembered Richard's words that it was his greatest wish to see England's sons united with each other, and that he wanted to protect both Normans and Saxons.

In fact Cedric was beginning to like the king more and more. Finally he gave his consent to the marriage of Rowena and Ivanhoe.

The wedding ceremony was attended by the king himself, and also by high-born²⁷ Normans and Saxons, and it was a pledge²⁸ of the future peace between the two peoples. And indeed, from that time the Normans and the Saxons began to mix together more and more, and there was less and less difference between them. But it was not until the reign of Edward the Third that the mixed language, which is now called English, was spoken at the court of London, and the hostility between the Normans and the Saxons completely disappeared.