HASTILUDE

Hastilude: translation

Jousting in a *tournament, not necessarily with hostility or intention to harm, although it remained very dangerous. It was carried on as a serious sport at which *prowess was displayed and applauded. In 1388, Henry Knighton (d. 1396) recorded in his chronicle that during the *Merciless Parliament, four French knights sent a challenge to four English knights to fight a hastilude at Calais. In this case, the Frenchmen offered to fight 'in the form of war' or *joust of war. Although he mentions only two of the Englishmen by name, he says they returned with 'great renown', which was all any knight really wanted. [<Lat.hasta= spear, spit +ludus= play] -

Cf.Conflictus Gallicus; Joust of peace