Historic%20Yorkshire

66
HENRY THE IIL's CHRISTMAS AT YORK.
knight." HenryhimselfgirdedAlexander and twenty other
aspirants with the belt, by virtue of which they were
institutedas trueknights;and the wholeofthe ceremonial,
with its religious details and observances, must have
been of supreme grandeur and interest to the applauding
thousands, as well as the actual participators themselves.
The following day was the Feast of St. Stephen, and
this was the day appointed for the actual performance of
the nuptial ceremony; but in order that there might be
no impediment or hindrance from immense crowds of
unruly spectators, the ceremony was performed at an
earlyhour before the masses had expected,or assembled
to doit honour. However,the great magnificenceof the
spectacle of the brilliant company, who afterwards displayed
themselves for the generalbenefit,atoned for the
deprivation. A thousand English knightspresented themselves
in suits of silk (cointises), and the followingday in
equally costly and elegantattireof a different description.
It wouldbe a task for an artistic epicureto describe the
feast which succeeded the wedding. The first course
consisted of beef, furnished by more than three score
pasture-fed oxen,which were supplied by the Archbishop
of York,who was one oftheleading spirits of these times
and occasions of festive enjoyment. He was,moreover,
of a determined and sagacious character, that made his
name revered and his counsel respected even by the
turbulent and warlike barons, with whom he vied in the
zeal ofhis loyalty and his methodsof evincingit. Upon
this particular occasion, he not onlyfound house-room for
a great number of the guests, but also gave them for
their use domestic utensils, and fodder and fuel. Inother
wayslikewisehe addedto the popularity of hisname, and
the success of the gathering, though subsequently he
might possiblyregret the expendingof such considerable
sums of money on mere reputation. But to return to the
banquet. We see peacocks re-clad in their gorgeous
natural habiliments,and their beaks gilded; we see pigs
here and there along the tables roasted whole, and now