ABSTRACT
THE conception of war as a contest of heavy cavalry clad in armour was based not only upon personal prowess, but on the prowess of gentlemen of coat-armour, trained in thedaily practice for the lists, and owning no comradeship with the churl who fought on foot, or the yeoman who stung theenemy's chivalry with his long-barbed shafts. l This conception was fostered by the growth of the habit of holding tournaments. As these increased in frequency and magnificence, so did they become less in touch with the practical conduct and theoretical development of war. The tournament, which had been a training for soldiers, became a court pageant; the knights believed themselves to have the secret of warfare all the time that their place was being taken by
infantry, archery, and gunnery, and ev\!n by paid men-atarms. They did not perceive that the world would not now be witched with noble horsemanship: and the maintenance of tournaments, after the decline of chivalry as an engine of war. heightened the contrast between the noble rider and the' plebeian soldier' who was taking his place.
