Mens cujusque is est Quisque. 
SAM· PEPYS· CAR· ET JAC· ANGL· REGIE· A SECRETIS ADMIRALAE.   portrait of Samuel Pepys   

¶ Here beginneth the justes of the month of may parfurnysshed & done by Charles brandon. Thomas Knyvet. Gyles Capell/ & William Hussy. The xxii year of the reign of our sovereign lord King Henry the seventh.  
 

THe month of May with amorous beloved  
Plasauntly past wherein there hath been proved  
Feats of arms and no persons reproved  
That had courage   

¶ In armour bright to show their parsonage  
On steeds strong sturdy and corsage  
But rather praised for their vassellage  
As reason was   

¶ In which season thus fortuned the case  
A lady fair most beautyvous of face  
With servants four brought was in to a place  
Staged about   

¶ Whereon stood lords and ladies a great rout  
And many a knight and squire also stout  
That the place was as full as it be might  
On every side   

¶ That to behold the justes died abide  
Till that the prise by the judges was tried  
And by the herod's that truth well espied  
Therefore purveyed   

¶ Thus these four servants of this lady foresaid  
Entered the field/ there for to be assayed  
gorgeously appareled and arrayed  
And for pleasance   

¶ And in a manner for a cognysaunce  
Of May's month they bore a sovenance  
Of a verte cockle was the resemblance  
Tatched right fast   

¶ About their necks as long as May died last  
But about their necks it was not cast  
For challenge/ but they were it till May was passed  
Ready to just   

¶ Their armure clear relucent without rust  
Their horses barded trotting on the dust  
Procured gentle hearts unto lust  
And to solace   

¶ specially such as Venus died embrace  
Or as of Cupyde followed the trace  
Or such as of Mars desired the grace  
For to attain   

¶ And as touching this lady sovereign  
Had such beauty/ it would an heart constrain  
To serve her/ though he knew to lose his pain  
She was so sheen   

¶ She and her servants clad were all in green  
Her features fresh none can describe I ween  
For beauty she might well have been a queen  
She young of age   

¶ Was set most goodly high upon a stage  
Under a hawthorn made by the ourage  
Of Flora that is of heavenly parage  
In her hand was   

¶ Of half an hour with sand running a glass  
So contrived it kept truly the space  
Of the half hour and died it never pass  
But for to tell   

¶ How this lady that so far died excel  
Was named if I advise me well  
Lady of May she height/ after Aprell  
Begun her reign.   

¶ Whose time during her servants took great pain.  
Before her to show pleasure sovereign.  
So that in field who that came them again  
In armour bright.   

¶ On horseback mounted for to prove their might  
Two servants of this lady of delight  
Should be mounted/ armed/ and ready dight  
At a tyltes end   

¶ That to parfurnysshe their challenge died intend  
first one of them half hour should dispend  
With him that came first in field to defend  
With coronal.   

¶ With great spears that were not shapen small  
And when a spear was broken forthewithall  
The trumpets blewe with son's musical  
Half hour done   

¶ Another challenger was ready soon  
With another defendant to rone  
And so the defendants one after one  
Each day by twain   

¶ Challengers answered were to their great pain  
And articled it was in words plain  
That if a challenger any hurt died sustain  
Another might   

¶ Of his fellows came to field ready dight  
To maintain his fellows challenge and right  
Their articles also died it recite  
Thus who came there   

¶ Horsed and in armour burnysshed clear  
As a defendant he should choose his spear  
And run half hour with a chalengere  
Which season done   

¶ A trumpet blewe to give warning right soon  
Thus the justes held from twain after none  
Till six was strike of clocks more than one  
Which hours past   

¶ The defendants the tilt a bout compassed  
And with trumpets out of the field they passed  
The challengers in the field abode last  
Every each day   

¶ And one of them the lady died convey  
That named was the young lady of May  
from her high stage with flowers made so gay  
And there ready   

¶ Was his fellow him to accompany  
Thus the challengers melodiously  
About the tilt road also right warrely  
In their armure   

¶ Complete save of their heed pieces pure  
And in this wise they made departure  
Accompanied with many a creature  
young and lusty   

¶ On horse's gambawding wondrously  
That it seemed as to a man's eye  
That they would have hanged still in the sky  
Other there were.   

¶ That were jolly and gorgyas in their gear  
And when they list could well handle a spear  
That came each day to serve other men there  
On each party.   

¶ And died in each thing indeferently  
It came be ye sure of right great courtesy  
Of the challengers I shall you certify  
How they were priest.   

¶ Twice in the week in the field ready dressed  
During the May and chosen for days best  
Were sunday and thursday and metelyest  
To show pleasure   

¶ With spears great them to adventure  
And who in presence of this lady pure  
Brake most spears a gold ring should recure  
Of this lady.   

¶ And again on the party contrary  
If the defendant on his party  
Of spears allowed break not so many  
As chalengere.   

¶ Or he went thence humbly he should apere  
Before this lady most comely of cheer  
And to present unto her a ring there  
This order set.   

¶ Was with articles more whereof to treat  
Should be to long but who best had the feat  
Was gladdest man/ but he the price died get  
That spears broke   

¶ Most in the field yet other had no lake  
Of spears breaking for to here the crack  
Would 'cause any lusty heart pleasure to take  
What with the brute   

¶ Of trumpets and many another flute  
Of taboryns and of many a douce lute  
The minstrels were properly called in suit  
All this devise   

¶ Was worthy praise after my poor advise  
Sith it was to no man's preiudyse  
To pass the time this merciall exercise  
Was commendable.   

¶ specially for folks honourable  
And for other gentlemen thereto able.  
And for defence of realms profitable  
Is the usage.   

¶ Therefore good is to have perfect knowledge  
For all men that have youth or meetly age  
How with the spear their enemies to outrage  
At every need.   

¶ And how he should also govern his stead  
And for to use in stead of other weed  
To were armour complete from foot to heed  
Is right meetly.   

¶ It encourageth also a body  
Enforcing him to be the more hardy  
And sith it is so necessary   

¶ I them commend  
That to defend  
Themself pretend  
valiantly   

¶ And dyscommende  
Them that dispend  
Their life to end  
In vain folly   

¶ Some reprehend  
Such as intend  
To condescend  
To chivalry   

¶ God them amend  
And grace them send  
Not to offend  
Moore till they die   
¶ th'end of the justes of may.   

¶ Here beginneth the justes and tourney of the month of june parfurnysshed and done by richard Graye earl of Kent/ by Charles brandon with their two aids against all comers. The xxii year of the reign of out sovereign lord king Henry the seventh.  
 

FOr as much as young folk can not devise.  
To pass time in more noble exercise  
Than in the ancient knights practise  
Of days old.   

¶ That were in time of Arthur king most bold  
That this realm than named britain died hold  
Of whose round table and noble household  
Were knights good   

¶ And divers of them borne of rial blood  
And other that were of right manly mode  
That adventured both through forest and flood  
To get honour   

¶ Remembrance whereof should in every hour  
Be unto us daily a perfit mirror  
So that we should enforce us to our power  
To win such lose   

¶ As these knights that were vyctoryose  
And though that it be now more sumptuose  
Than/ than sith May's servants gracyose  
Hath put in ure   

¶ Of aunterose the old adventure  
Called sometime chivalrous pleasure  
Whereby they have won of each creature  
Laude in this may   

¶ During the month of june every sunday  
Two challengers in blue died them assay  
Of horse and man first day was their array  
Sarsenet blue   

¶ And their armour painted of the same hue  
At the field end was pight for to say true  
A pavilion on the grass fresh and nue  
Wherein these twain   

¶ Challengers for to arm them died remain  
When they were armed at ease without pain  
They issued to begin with all their main  
Their challenge there   

¶ against all defendants that would appear  
After the entry as is the manner  
About the field they were brought every where  
That was all plain   

¶ Without a tilt abiding time certain  
By the king assigned our prince sovereign  
With spurs sharp two courses to sustain  
In blank armure   

¶ against each comer that list to adventure  
The courses done with swords sharp and sure  
Save only of their points rebature  
They died tourney   

¶ Full strokes six each other to assay  
And each man died his best I dare well say  
everich of them thought to bear the price away  
Their strokes done   

¶ The defendant presented himself soon  
Before a princess that of this region  
Hath to father king and Emperor alone  
Whose victory   

¶ high majesty with triumphant regally  
And noble fame of prudent policy  
Known is in every realm vulgarly  
To his honour   

¶ And to ours of whom he is governor  
from this royal reed rose and stately flower  
And from the white of all virtue mirror  
This young lady   

¶ This comfortable blossom named Mary  
Sprung is to all Englondes glory  
With both roses ennued most sweetly  
By dame nature   

¶ That every thing living hath in her cure  
But when she made this proper portraiture  
She died that might be done to creature.  
And not only   

¶ For excellent birth but surmounting beauty  
In the world of her age most womanly  
Like to be to pryncesses' exemplary  
For her virtue   

¶ Unto which princess the defendants died sew.  
Beseeching her grace to have six strokes new  
To whose request this princess tresshe of hew  
Right soon died grant   

¶ Which had/ they returned on horses puissant  
And gave six strokes the challengers to daunt  
But who died best I make none avaunt  
But thus it was   

¶ pieces of harness flew in to the place  
Their swords broke they smote thick and a pace  
They spared not cors/ armyt/ nor yet vantbrace  
They list not sport   

¶ For there were none of all the lusty sort  
That scaped free and he the truth report  
To all beholders it died great comfort  
And first of all   

¶ To see the spears i'll intronchons small  
And to here the trumpets so musical  
It was an armony most special  
The tourney done   

¶ divers defendants touched their challenge soon  
In the kings presence though I name none  
That for the same had made provision  
Thus this day passed   

THe next sunday the challengers in haste  
Entre the field and by the king they passed  
And obeysauntly down their heeds they cast  
And their array   

¶ Was blue bawdekyn of horse and man that day  
The trumpets and other died them convey  
About the field and from them went away  
In for to bring   

¶ The defendants that made short tarrying  
On horses barded right rich to my seeming  
Which made after their in coming  
Their obeisance   

¶ Unto the king both of England and of France  
And twain to them with spears died advance  
And who that first should prove his valiance  
He chose his spear   

¶ The other to a challenger one died bear  
Shortly with them together they ran there  
As though neither of them other died fere  
And so they ran.   

¶ Till they had had two courses every man.  
And than the tornay sharply they began  
And as they died the first day they died than  
valiantly.   

¶ The articles died also specyfy  
The challengers should have in company  
Aids twain that should be there ready  
And so they had.   

¶ That to arms were desirous and glad  
And it appeared by their strokes sad  
Their arms aught not to be called bad  
Who took good heed.   

¶ This day a challenger was hurt in deed  
For which an aid came that day in his stead  
To bid him hast him doubt not it was no need  
To the turnay.   

¶ It were to long to tell all done that day  
Therefore I will it for this time delay  
And part I will show of the last sunday  
That justes were.   

¶ The challengers and their aids in fere  
Were all present and gorgyas in their gear  
Blue cloth of gold that were costly and dear  
Both horse and man.   

¶ And to be short if they the first day won  
Each man honour in like wise they did than  
They were commended of such as tell can  
Thereof the guise.   

¶ Though fools uncunning list some despise  
And one of them should such a thing enterprise  
I dame he would be a simple prentice  
To chivalry.   

¶ Yet such that lewd be/ be most busy  
To report of gentlemen villainy  
And yet wise men there being seethe not why  
Lay that apart.   

¶ And of their challenge I will you advert  
In azure being a whyre ennamelde heart  
between. R. and H. plain and overt  
Which were applied.   

¶ To Roy Henry, and eke it signified  
In steadfast azure a colour constant tried  
That the white heart wout spot should abide  
Ever in one   

¶ This was thereof the hole intention  
Though any after his opinion  
To the challengers reprehension  
List other say.   

¶ Thus in blue clad they went the first sunday  
In sign as the colour of their array  
Betokened so would they be always  
Steadfast and true.   

¶ And though each sunday they were changed new  
In their apparel yet the colour blewe  
Of their challenge was the lyurey and hue  
In which colour   

¶ Their hearts white and pure in every hour  
Shall truly rest for any storm or shower  
And to serve ever truly to their power  
Our king royal   

¶ That is our sovereign and prince natural  
Whose noble acts and feats mercial  
Shall he had in remembrance immortal  
The world through out   

¶ And for to speak now of this lusty rout  
With spear and sword they were sturdy and stout  
As I am informed without doubt  
Further also   

¶ articles made there were many one more  
But as it liked the king/ all was do  
And reason was also it should be so  
For for his sake   

¶ This thing of pleasure was there undertake  
For in his presence this pastime to make  
Was to 'cause solace in him to awake  
This their intent   

¶ Was verily after my judgement  
And first of all of Rycharde earl of Kent  
And in like wise of all the remanent  
And in party   

¶ For to say true I exsteme verily  
Every man of them was the more ready  
Perceiving that our young prince Henry  
Should it behold   

¶ Which was to them more comfort manifold  
Than of the world all the treasure and gold  
His presence gave them courage to be bold  
And to endure   

¶ Sith our prince most comely of stature  
Is desirous to the most knightly ure  
Of arms to which martial adventure  
Is his courage   

¶ notwithstanding his young and tender age  
He is most comely of his parsonage  
And as desirous to this ourage  
As prince may be   

¶ And though a prince/ and kings son be he  
It pleaseth him of his benignity  
To suffer gentlemen of low degree  
In his presence   

¶ To speak of arms and of other defence  
Without doing unto his grace offence  
But and I should do all my diligence  
Yet in no wise   

¶ Can I determine who that wan the price  
For each man died the best he could devise  
And therefore I can none of them despise  
They died so well   

¶ The judges that marked it best can tell  
And the herod's that wrote everydeal  
Who won the gree to me it is council  
But in this wise   

¶ This weerly usage and martes enterprise  
These months twain young folk died exercise  
Not only thereof to have the practise  
But the chief thing   

¶ Was to show pleasure to our sovereign the king  
Henry of that name the seventh in reckoning  
After the conquest/ for whose preserving  
let us still pray   

¶ That he may live prosperously always  
And after this life that he also may  
joy among angels for ever and aye  
And his issue   

¶ After him long to reign and continue  
And that their subgecies to them may be true  
And that they may perceiver in virtue  
And come to bliss   

Perpetual  
Where ever is  
Hath be and shall  
joy eternal  
Amen say we  
For charity   

¶ Some are so accustomed evil to report  
That with great pain/ scantly they can say well  
For and one were strong/ as Sampson le fort  
As manly as Hector/ that died excel  
As wise as sage Solomon in council  
Or had won conquests as died Alexandre  
Yet false tongues would be ready to slander   

¶ Like wise if they/ that died Just and tourney  
Had done as well/ as Lancelot du lake  
Some of envy dysdeynously would say  
The enterprise was fond undertake  
But it was done but only for the sake  
Of king Henry our natural sovereign lord  
And of the prince/ who list it to remorde