book nament, which is thus defcribed io m y friend Colonel Floyd’s
p y . . . 7 - * ■*’ f 1 ' •
, _ ' , Journal : “ Count Orlof, having obtained the great-duke’s
« permiffion for me to attend the manage of the court, I
“ accordingly went this morning to fee a tournament. His
“ imperial highnefs and eleven of his nobles,,drefTed in uni-
“ forms of buff and gold, and armed with a lance, fword,
“ and piftols, were aftembled by nine o’clock, although it
“ was as yet duik. Thegreat-duke drew them up by pairs,
“ and upon the found of the trumpet, himfelf and the
“ knights immediately mounted their horfes, and retired in
“ due order without the rails. Two rings were fufpended on
“ oppoiite fides of the walls on each fide of the manage;
“ at each corner was a moor’s head of pafteboard, or an
“ apple fixed upon a pole, and between them two heads
“ with a fqulb in their mouths. Thefe were all placed upon
“ hands'almoft as high as a man on horfe-back, and at.fome
“ paces from the wall ; at each end was alfo an helmet of
“ pafteboard raifed upon a ftand about a foot from the
“ ground, and about four from the wall. The two judges,
“ with Lord Herbert and myfelf, who were the only fpedfators,
“ took our ftation on the outiide the rail. Upon a fécond
“ ftgnal from the trumpet two knights, entered at oppofite
“ ends of the manage. -.A band,of mufick played a quick
“ air, while each knight, galloping his horfe to the right,
“ and making a volt, faluted with their lances at the fame
“ time.; then, continuing their courfe round the manage,
“ each ran with his lance, firft at the rings fufpended from
“ the walls, and next at the moor’s heads ; after which they
“ delivered their.lances, as they went on, to their fervants on
“ foot. The knights then drew their piftols, and each
“ making a fécond volt round the other heads, difcharged
“ them
them in order to fet fire to the fquib ; then, purfuing chap.
. “ their courfe round the manage, they drew their fwords,. IV~. .
,*c 'and, making a third volt round.the apple, endeavoured
“ to ftrike it to the ground. They finifhed their career
“ by-ftoopingdown and, as-they galloped by, thrufting their
fwords through the helmets; then poifing them in the air,
“ they met in the middle, - and, riding towards the judge,
|f faluted him, related the attempts in which they had fuc-
sceeded, and demanded their prizes •: the .prize was about
" fo u r fhillings for each atchievement, and an-equal value
“ was paid for every failure.
“ The whole was performed on a. continued gallop, and
al ays. to the .1 rghfc. In running at the ring, the head, or
“ the helmet, it is efteemed honourable to put the.horfe into -
“ full .career, which encreafes the difficulty. The judge
“ ¿having bellowed the rewards, or taken- the forfeits,ordered
“ -the -two knights :to retire.. The trumpet again founding,
“ two others made their appearance, and performed the
“ lame, manoeuvres.
“ This exercife was repeated twice by each pair of
“ knights. The whole troop then entered at the fame time,
“ marched, charged, formed, drew and returned theirfwonls,
“ and difmouiited byword of command from the great-duke.
“ At the concl.ufion >they adjourned to the fire, chocolate was
“ brought in, and, after a fhort converfation, the great-duke
“ bowed and retired.”
The Ruffian nobility of Peterfburgh arenolefs than thofe
of Mofcow diftinguiflied for their hofpitality towards foreigners.
We- were no fooner prefented to a perfon of rank
and fortune, than we were regarded in the light of domeftick
vifitants. Many o f the noblity keep an open table, to which
one invitation was confidered as a Handing pafsport of admifficai..