Biography of John Blount 1298-1358

Adam Murimuth Continuation. In this year [1344], the Lord King ordered that the most noble tournament or chivalric contest be held at the place of his birth, namely, Windsor Castle, on the 19th of January, that is, the 14th day before the Kalends of February. He had it publicly proclaimed at an appropriate earlier time, both across the sea and in England. He also had all the ladies of the southern parts of England and the wives of the London burgesses invited by letter. So, on Sunday, the 14th day before the Kalends of February [19th January], when the earls, barons, knights, and a great many noble ladies had gathered at the castle, the king held a magnificent feast— such that the great hall of the castle was completely filled with ladies, and no man was among them, except two knights from France who had come solely for the celebration. At that feast were two queens, nine countesses, and the wives of barons, knights, and burgesses, whose numbers could hardly be counted. The king himself personally placed each woman in her seat according to rank. Meanwhile, the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Cornwall, the earls, barons, and knights, together with the common people, dined in tents and other locations, where food and all necessities were provided—freely and without complaint. In the evening, there were various dances and revels, solemnly arranged. For the three days following, the king, along with nineteen other knights, held the tournament against all challengers from outside. And the king himself, not because of royal favor, but because of the great effort he made and the fortune he had during those three days, was awarded the prize among the English participants. Among the foreign challengers, on the first day, Sir Miles de Stapleton (age 24), the second day, Sir Philip Despenser, the third day, Sir John Blount (age 46) were each honored for their performances. On the Thursday following, during the squires' tournament, the king held a great banquet, at which he inaugurated his Round Table, and took the oaths of certain earls, barons, and knights whom he wished to include under a specific form associated with that Round Table. He then set the next meeting of the Round Table to be held at the feast of Pentecost, and gave all those present leave to return home, with thanks and blessings. Later, he ordered that a magnificent building be constructed at Windsor, in which the Round Table could be held on the assigned date. To that end, he appointed masons, carpenters, and other craftsmen, and commanded that timber and stone be provided—sparing no labor or expense. However, this work was later abandoned, for certain reasons.

Hoc anno ordinavit dominus rex habere nobilissima hastiludia sive tirocinium in loco nativitatis suse, videlicet in castro de Wyndesore, die videlicet Januarii XIX et XIIIJ kalendas Februarii, quæ competenti temore præcedenti fecit tam in partibus transmarinis quam in Anglia publice proclamari. Ad que etiam fecit omnes dominas australium partium Angliæ et uxores burgensium Londoniensium per suas literas invitari. Congregatis igitur comitibus, baronibus, militibus, et quam plurimis dominabus die Dominica, videlicet XIIJ kalendas Februarii, in castro prædicto, fecit rex solempne convivium, ita quod magna aula ipsius castri plena exstitit dominabus, nec fuit aliquis masculus inter eas, præter duos milites qui soli de Francia ad solempnitatem hujusmodi accesserunt. In quo convivio fuerunt dus reginæ, IX comitissæ, uxores baronum, militum, et burgensium, qua non potueruunt faciliter numerari, quas rex ipse personaliter in locis suis secundum ordinem collocavit. Princeps vero Wallis, dux Cornubiæ, comites, barones, et milites, una cum toto populo in tentorio et locis aliis comederunt, ubi fuerunt cibaria et omnia alia necessaria præparata et omnibus liberaliter et sine murmure liberata; et in sero choreæ et tripudia diversa ‘solempniter ordinata. Et tribus diebus sequentibus rex cum aliis decem et novem militibus tenuit hastiludia contra omnes ab extrinseco venientes; et idem dominus, non propter favorem regium, sed propter magnum laborem quem sustinuit et propter fortunam quam dicto triduo habuit, inter intrinsecos gratias reportavit, Extrinsecus vero dominus miles de Stapeltona primo die, dominus Philippus Despenser secundo die, dominus Johannes Blount tertio die, gratias reportarunt. Die vero Jovis sequente post hastiludia domicellorum, dominus rex fecit cenam magnam in qua suam rotundam tabulam inchoavit, et juramenta quorumdam comitum et baronum et militum quos voluit esse de dicta tabula rotunda recepit sub certa forma ad dictam rotundam tabulam pertinente; et præfixit diem rotundese tabule tenendæ ibidem in festo Pentecostes proxime tunc futuro, et omnibus præsentibus dedit licentiam cum gratiarum actionibus ad propria remeandi. Ordinavit etiam postea quod ibidem fieret una nobilissima domus, in qua posset dicta rotunda tabula teneri in termino assignato; ad quam faciendam, cæmentarios et carpentarios ceterosque artifices deputavit, et tam ligna quam lapides provideri præcepit, non parcendo laboribus vel expensis. A quo opere fuit postea ex certis causis cessatum.