whose bright eyes
  Reign influence, and decide the prize.

These ladies, thus comfortably seated in the raised balcony, wear what we should now call the cauchoise cap.  A group of grave judges is in another balcony, with sundry mottos spread below.  In the rencontre which takes place, the mace seems to be the general instrument of attack and defence.  Splendid as are these illuminations, they yield to those which follow; especially to that which immediately succeeds, and which displays the preparation for a tournament to be conducted upon a very large scale.  We observe throngs of combatants, and of female spectators in boxes above.  These are rather more delicately touched.  Now comes ... the mixed and stubborn fight of the combatants.  They are desperately engaged with each other; while their martial spirit is raised to the highest pitch by the sharp and reverberating blasts of the trumpet.  The trumpeters blow their instruments with all their might.  Every thing is in animation, bustle, energy, and confusion.  A man’s head is cut off, and extended by an arm, to which—­in the position and of the size we behold—­it would be difficult to attach a body.  Blood flows copiously on all sides.  The reward of victory is seen in the next and last illumination.  The ladies bring the white mantle to throw over the shoulders of the conqueror.  In the whole, there are only lxxiiij. leaves.  This is unquestionably a volume of equal interest and splendor; and, when it was fresh from the pencil of the illuminator, its effect must have been exquisite.[42]

BOOK OF TOURNAMENTS:  No. 8204. 8vo.  We have here a sort of miniature exhibition of the chief circumstances displayed in the previous and larger MS. It is questionless a very precious book; but has been cruelly cropt.  The text and ornaments are clearly of the end of the fifteenth century; perhaps about 1470.  Nothing can well exceed the brilliancy and power of many of the illuminations, which are very small and very perfect.  The knight, with a representation of the trefoil, (or what is called club, in card playing) upon a gold mantle, kills the other with a black star upon a white mantle.  This mortal combat is the last in the book.  Each of the knights, praying before going to combat, is executed with considerable power of expression.  The ladies have the high (cauchoise) cap or bonnet.  The borders, of flowers, are but of secondary merit.

POLYBIUS, Graece.  Folio.  M. Gail placed before me, in a sly manner—­as if to draw off my attention from the volumes of chivalry just described,—­the present beautiful MS. of Polybius.  It is comparatively recent, being of the very commencement of the sixteenth century:  but the writing exhibits a perfect specimen of that style or form of character which the Stephenses and Turnebus, &c. appear to have copied in their respective founts of the Greek letter.  It has also other, and perhaps stronger, claims to notice.  The volume