the Tiltyard

[The Tiltyard.]

The tournament was still in Tudor times one of the favourite pastimes of royalty and the nobility. A great deal of the danger of this martial sport had, however, been eliminated by the invention of the "tilt," originally a cloth stretched along the middle of the lists, over which the knights fought. In time the cloth became a stout barrier of timber. No Tudor palace was complete without its tiltyard, and that at Whitehall, "for Noblemen and other to exercise themselves in Iusting, Turneying, and fighting at Barryers,"¹ was on the west side of the road, just north of the Holbein Gate, and extended over the sites of the northern portion of Dover House, the Horse Guards, the Office of the Paymaster-General, and Admiralty House.² It is shown, with the longitudinal barrier clearly marked, in the maps of "Agas," Braun and Hogenberg, Norden and Faithorne and Newcourt.

Von Wedel, in his Journey through England,³ has left a description of a tournament held at Whitehall in 1584. He says:

"Now approached the day when, on November 17,⁴ the tournament was to be held. … About twelve o'clock the Queen with her ladies placed themselves at the windows in a long room⁵ of weithol [Whitehall] palace, near Westminster, opposite the barrier, where the tournament was to be held. From this room a broad staircase led downwards, and round the barrier stands were arranged by boards above the ground, so that everybody by paying 12d. could get a stand and see the play. … Many thousand spectators, men, women and girls, got places, not to speak of those who were within the barrier and paid nothing. During the whole time of the tournament all who wished to fight entered the list by pairs, the trumpets being blown at the time and other musical instruments. The combatants had their servants clad in different colours; they, however, did not enter the barrier, but arranged themselves on both sides. Some of the servants were disguised like savages, or like Irishmen, with the hair hanging down to the girdle like women; others had horse manes on their heads; some came driving in a carriage, the horses being equipped like elephants; some carriages were drawn by men, others appeared to move by themselves; altogether the carriages were of very odd appearance. Some gentlemen had their horses with them, and mounted in full armour directly from the carriage. There were some who showed very good horsemanship and were also in fine attire. The manner of the combat each had settled before entering the lists. The costs amounted to several thousand pounds each. When a gentleman with his servant approached the barrier, on horseback or in a carriage, he stopped at the foot of the staircase leading to the Queen's room, while one of his servants in pompous attire of a special pattern mounted the steps and addressed the Queen in well-composed verses or with a ludicrous speech, making her and her ladies laugh. When the speech was ended he in the name of his lord offered to the Queen a costly present, which was accepted, and permission given to take part in the tournament. In fact, however, they make sure of the permission before preparing for the combat. Now always two by two rode against each other, breaking lances across the beam. On this day not only many fine horses were seen, but also beautiful ladies, not only in the royal suite, but likewise in the company of gentlemen of the nobility and the citizens. The fête lasted until five o'clock in the afternoon, when milurtt [milord] Lester, the royal Master of the Horse, gave the sign to stop. The Queen handed the first prize to the Counts of Ocsenfortt and of Arundel. … The others got prizes according to their performances."

The use of the Tiltyard was not confined to tilting. The Accounts of the Treasurer of the Chamber for 1608–9, for example, contain references to "running at the ring" and "fireworks."⁶ But particularly, and in later days to an extent quite overshadowing its original purpose, the Tiltyard was used for bearbaiting.⁷ This "sport" indeed was only discontinued at Whitehall when the erection of the Horse Guards building on the ancient tiltyard left no room for it. The latest reference to a performance of this kind which has been found is dated June, 1663.⁸

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¹ Stow's Survey of London, Kingsford's edition, II, p. 101.

² The ground leased to Sir Francis Knollys for the erection of Wallingford House (on the site of the Admiralty) abutted on the south on the "Tylteyarde end" (see p. 45).

³ Royal Historical Society's Transactions, 2nd ser., IX, p. 258.

⁴ Queen Elizabeth's Accession Day.

⁵ The Tiltyard Gallery; see Survey of London, XIV, pp. 13ff.

⁶ "for makeinge ready the gallery in the Tiltyard at Whitehall against the runninge at the Ringe"; "for making ready … the gallery within the Tiltyard for the Kinge Quene and Prince to see the fierworks … mense Julii 1609." (P.R.O., E. 351/543.)

⁷ See., e.g., (i) "for making ready the gallerye [i.e. the Tiltyard Gallery] for her Ma^tie agaynste the Bearbayting at Shrovetyde, Februar', 1601" (P.R.O., E. 351/343, 43–44 Eliz.); (ii) "for makeinge readye the gallerie at Whitehall for the kinge quene and prince to see the barrebaytinge … mense maii 1607" (ibid., 4–5 Jas. I); (iii) "Nov. 13, 1660. his Ma^tie and many of the Nobility were att the bull and beare baitinge in the Tiltyeard, as it seemes An anceient Coustom in times of peace in England" (Mercurius Politicus Redivivus, B.M. Addl. MS. 10116, f. 134); (iv) "setting up Poasts and rayles for baiting the Beares and Bulls at the Tyltyard" (P.R.O., E. 351/3274, 1660–1); (v) "makeing and setting up scaffolds for ye master of ye Revells and others for the barebaiting in ye Tiltyard" (P.R.O., Works, 5/2, 1661–2). Two side references to this brutal sport are: (i) "for iiij doz: of round staples being dryven into the tylt for the tying of doggs there" (B.M. Harl. MS. 1653, April, 1614); (ii) "setting up of postes and railes to keepe the people from the bearestake" (P.R.O., E. 351/3239, 1603–4).

⁸ "Carpenters … makeing degrees and scaffolds for the barebaiting in ye tiltyard, seting up posts to tye the bulls and bares unto, setting up posts and a raile Cross the tilt yard. Putting up railes in ye parke to tye the doggs unto." (P.R.O., Works, 5/4.)