Page:The venture; an annual of art and literature.djvu/112

 and knowing by his lay who he was and of what he sang, rejoiced greatly to perceive that he was in the country. And when the musicians took their leave she sent to tell her father to make them come again and often, and so it was done. And the musicians and singers continuing their performance, which was the more lauded every time they came, the Princess manifested the greatest pleasure, and the King twice as much. And she, desiring to fulfil the promise of marriage which she had made to the Portuguese, and knowing what manner of man she had in him, spoke to her father; and he and the nobles of his realm decreed that a great royal tournament should be held, and that whoso won most honour should have the Princess to wife, and become heir to the kingdom; and the Princess accepted this upon condition that she should be present among the judges when the prize should be awarded. Whereat all the nobles of the court rejoiced greatly, and the jousts were proclaimed throughout the kingdom, and great and small had much contentment, having lately been in so great affliction. And the nobles and knights seeing how great a prize was to be given to the best champion desired exceedingly to enter the lists and show forth their strength, valour and wealth; so that all the chief gentry in the land came, and some foreigners who chanced to be in the kingdom, but none came from a distance, for the tournament was appointed for the Assumption of Our Lady, which was only twenty days distant. Nor were they missed, for so many flocked together that there could not have been more at the Court of the greatest