Page:Tournament at Eglinton Castle.pdf/19

19 The next challenger was "the Knight of the Burning Tower," Sir F Hopkins, and the Knight of the Red Rose, A. J Lechmere, Esq. This was an excellent combat. The lance of the Knight of the Burning Tower was shivered, and sent twenty feet in the air. The lance also of the other knight was broken in the encounter.

A tilt was run between the Knight of the Black Lion, Viscount Alford, and the Knight of the Gael, Viscount Glenlyon. In the first course both knights missed; in the sccondsecond [sic], thcthe [sic] Knight of the Black Lion struck the Knight of the Gael's lance merely: and in the third course the Knight of the Gael sent off part of his opponent's armour.

The last encounter was betwixt the Marquis of Waterford and Lord Alford, in which the former came off with the honours.

A combat with two-handed swords was fought by a Mr. M'Kay and a Mr Redbury,

This finished the amusements of the day, and the procession returned to the Castle in the same order that it came. On leaving the lists, Lord Eglinton was repeatedly cheered by the assembled multitude.

The Irvine archers, dressed in Lincoln green, and the Athol men habited in the garb of Old Gaul, formed not the least imposing part of the gorgeous spectacle. Their general appearance was much admired.

In consequence of the rain having gained access to the temporary erections outside the Castle, appropriated as a Ballroom and Dinner-room, the ball which should have taken place at night was postponed till next evening.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 29.

This was, or should have been, thcthe [sic] second day of the Tournament; but the morning was ushered in by storm, and doubt and anxiety pervaded the minds of thousands. Bitter as the rain was, and wild the wind, numerous parties hied them to Eglinton as a charmed spot. Hundreds of visitors, too, who had been unablcunable [sic] to attend on the first day, came in from a great distance, in spite of wind and weather, and among these we noticed numerous deputations from Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dumfries, &c. At an early hour, a ru mour got abroad that the work of the Tournament would be entirely given up from the bitterness of the weather, and intimation from Lord Eglinton, to the regret of thousands, though all at the same time felt pain that his Lordship was likely to be balked by the elements in giving a national treat, which the present generation may not witness again.

It was well known, howevcrhowever [sic], to those who thought of the matter, that it was impossible to get on with the Tournament, the armour being all wet and rusty, and every article